Pastoral Academic Care (PAC)
Pastoral Focus: Junior: Learning with your teachers
Senior: Teacher Intentions
Wellbeing Element: Relationships & Empathy
Character Strength: Brainstorming how they can build their wellbeing and resilience using Teamwork.
Parent Wellbeing: Being able to build social connectedness with others, to create and maintain respectful and healthy relationships is a great booster to your state of wellbeing. This includes being prepared to seek help when you need it, doing kind acts for others to show that they matter, and ensuring you feel respected, connected and protected.
This week we hear from the Year 8, Year 10 and Year 12 PAC Leaders
Year 8
The theme of building resilience in teenagers is an essential character strength. Our simple day to day routines and organisation helps build consistency and a state of calm. This is so essential in the school environment. If students know what to expect they are able to reach the set goals and work together in a team environment.
I take great pride in ensuring that I know the students in our year group. For a student to be recognised, acknowledged and greeted, helps to build a positive rapport and feeling of trust. Our teachers work hard with each student in their class to bring out the best in them.
Our students continue to show a strong involvement in the life of the school and build a great connection to school. It is wonderful to see our many students extending their opportunities in extra- curricula activities. The Eisteddfods showcased our talents, belief and confidence in performing. Well done to our dancers, gymnasts, singers and musicians. A few students overlap in these categories which makes for a busy life. Students were also involved in a Rugby day as well as Athletics and Cross Country events. Congratulations to our Athletic Age Champions. The chess lovers in Yr 8 excelled in the representative Chess Day. Congratulations to our Athletic Age Champions. I also acknowledge the efforts of our teachers as they make these events possible.
Our Year leaders participated in two professional development days at the CSO. We were able to work with other staff from our diocese to share ideas and build on strategies to care for the students in our care. This was a valuable opportunity and gave us ‘more tools in our kit’ to share at our school.
Mrs Kath Czinner
On behalf of the Year 8 PAC team.
Year 10
Year 10’s have been busy sitting their Minimum Standards standards tests. Students need to achieve Level 3 or 4 in short online reading, writing and numeracy tests of skills for everyday life to meet the HSC minimum standard. First indications of results seem very positive as a whole across the cohort.
Year 10’s continue to be actively involved in extracurricular activities of school life. It is fantastic to see our students put themselves forward to represent the school and build that connection to the school. There was a large presence of Year 10’s involved in the Eisteddfods, where we showcased our talents, creativity and confidence in our variety of performances. Well done to our dancers, gymnasts, singers and musicians.
From a sporting context, it’s been a busy few weeks. We had a soccer gala day in Gunnedah where Year 10’s played a huge part on each of our 4 teams. Our Open Girls team and our Year 7-10 boys team qualified for the next stage of the diocesan soccer. We will travel to Coffs Harbour next week to take on the best from the Lismore Diocese. We had our athletics carnival which saw enthusiastic participation from all year groups. Year 10’s were well represented in our Girls League Tag Gala Day in Inverell. Thanks to all of our students for getting involved and enthusiastically representing our school.
On a final note for this week, please help us to ensure our Year 10 students are wearing the correct school uniform with pride. Your assistance with our uniform policy is much appreciated, by ensuring your young person leaves the house each day wearing the correct uniform.
Mr Shane McCann
On behalf of the Year 10 PAC team.
Year 12
On Monday May 29th, Year 12 were lucky enough to participate in two follow up Elevate sessions - both of which centred around exam skills - in the lead up to their upcoming Trial exams. These sessions were fun and engaging and I hope that all students walked away with at least one piece of advice that they can implement as they begin working towards their exams.
The students have also demonstrated a high level of participation and enthusiasm to all of the events occurring throughout the later half of term 2 with wonderful participation and costume wearing for the athletics carnival and lots of wonderful ideas and excitement in the lead up to our Founders Day on Friday June 30th.
On a final note, it is important that all families are aware of, and on board with, the expectations and standards of completing Year 12 studies. Please be aware that students are expected to be at school at all times, except when they have a study lesson period 5 and they are able to sign out at lunch. This is important as with slipping attendance comes an increased risk of slipping engagement and a lack of demonstration of individual course outcomes. There is the potential that this can lead to students being at risk of receiving a Non-Completion Warning for courses. It is our goal to be working towards assisting all students to achieve the highest level of success possible in their time with us here at the College, and ensuring their attendance is one way we can work in partnership on this.
Mrs Amanda McFarland
On behalf of the Year 12 PAC team.