Year 11 RAC Excursion

All Year 11 students attended a road safety initiative sponsored by RAC on Tuesday, 30 March. Some 13,000 students and teachers from 125 schools attended over the course of two days. The RAC bstreetsmart event featured a crash scene re-enactment attended by the emergency services, just as it would occur at a real crash site. Students had the opportunity to listen to speakers who have been directly impacted by road trauma and talk with emergency services personnel.

Here are a few student reflections:

I found the day informative and inspiring as I learnt the repercussions of unwise choices and decisions that have been made by real people. I also learnt the effort made behind the scenes in a road side accident. The people who spoke at the event inspired me by sharing their traumatic stories to thousands of people and the lowest points of their life. The guest speakers also shared how they overcame their troubles and gave their wisdom to us so that we can use and remember in the future.

Samuel Lolin

The RAC bstreetsmart event was an eye-opening experience in which we were shown the real effects of what can happen to you and other people if something goes wrong in the car while driving. It made me think about my choices when I get to be behind the wheel and how I can be smart about the decisions I make. Abby Smith

We learnt how car crashes can change people’s lives. It was a very emotional event and reminded everyone the dangers of the roads and what it can do to change your life. The RAC told us the safety of seatbelts and helmets and the process of a car crash. How someone who has been drinking before they drive can affect someone’s life. RAC showed how emergency services apply to scenes of major car crashes. It was very explicit with images shown of injured passengers in a car.

Ethan Port-Louis

We learnt about all of the possible outcomes that can be caused due to reckless driving and peer pressure. We became more educated and influenced to only do what feels safe and what the right thing to do when on the road as it can not only affect yourself but it can also affect others around you. I encourage all students to go when they have the chance.

Sienna Restifo

The RAC Arena road safety event was in one word: eye-opening. This experience has shown me that just because it hasn’t happened to me, doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. This excursion has given me an insight to how it would feel to be in the victim’s shoes and how many procedures need to take place before they can remove a trapped person or anyone injured. I enjoyed this experience although I recommend prior warning. Charlie Pollard

Some of these traumas can be lifelong, are easily prevented and RAC portrayed that clearly. Seeing this will definitely teach me to be cautious on the roads when driving. I am aware now of the consequences it can have on many people around me and other innocent lives.

Gabby Horsley

The guest speakers such as Robert Pike were amazing in telling their stories and to know what they went through and how they recovered is just phenomenal. Knowing what the people in the emergency departments have to deal with on a day to day basis is incredible and you wonder how they can deal with that.

Shaun Rigden

We were taught a handful of safety precautions while driving such as the importance of wearing a seatbelt and not to drink and drive.

Victor Ho

I really enjoyed the day, particularly the crash scene where we watched a bunch of actual emergency responders play out the aftermath of a crash. I also enjoyed that we were able to walk around and examine the crash and talk to different emergency response crew.

Kale Bowen

Listening to speakers and people who have been involved in car crashes was really interesting and I learnt a lot from the day.

Tennille Halliday

It was my first time participating in something of this magnitude. I gained so much knowledge on the injuries that can occur techniques such as giving air flow.

Aden Jiji

Winter Uniform

A reminder for all families that students are to arrive impeccably presented in Winter Uniform for the commencement of Term 2 on Tuesday 20 April. This means polished shoes and clean uniforms, including blazers in excellent condition. Hairstyles should be conservative, neat, tidy, of natural colour, and collar length hair should be tied up. Each year at this time, we ask our girls to ensure their winter skirt length is on the knee given that they may have grown over the summer and for boys to ensure they have not outgrown their shirts and can still do their top buttons up under their ties. May I please enlist parental support to ensure that your son or daughter tries on their uniform with plenty of time to get any issues rectified or purchase new items if necessary prior to the commencement of Term 2.

The College Uniform Shop will be open during the holidays for uniform requirements on Wednesday, 14 April 9:30am – 1:00pm and 2:00pm – 5:00pm.

Appointments are necessary so please email uniform.shop@norbert.wa.edu.au.

The uniform shop will also be open on Day 1 from 8:00am – 12noon for quick purchases-no appointments needed.

May I also take this opportunity to once again remind parents to label all uniform items with their child’s first name and surname. At the end of each term we have a number of articles of clothing, bags, caps, sport bags and shoes in Lost Property not labelled and not claimed.

ANZAC Day Service

On Sunday 25 April, the Canning Districts RSL Sub-Branch will be holding the annual ANZAC Day Memorial Services at the new War Memorial situated behind the City of Canning offices, Albany Highway, Cannington. The ceremony will commence at 8.00am. Isabelle Cayoun and Ryan Price will be representing the College by participating in the march and laying a wreath. The College community is encouraged to attend.

Early Leave Notification

A number of students and parents/carers are not notifying the College when a student needs to leave during the day. A reminder that the following process is required for students needing to leave the College early:

Bring a signed note form a parent explaining the reason for the early leave (eg dental appointment).
The note must be handed to the Homeroom teacher or Student Services at the start of the day for recording into SEQTA.
An Early leave slip (pink) is to be collected from Student Services at the time of departure.

Holy Week Masses at St Joseph’s Queens Park

Holy Thursday:

8:00pm Mass of the Lord’s Supper

Good Friday:

10:30am Stations of the Cross

3:00pm The Lord’s Passion

Holy Saturday:

8:00pm Solemn Easter Vigil

Easter Sunday:

8:30am Mass of the Resurrection

10:00am Mass of the Resurrection

Ms S Rainford

(Deputy Principal - Years 7,9,11)

Interim Reports

Interim Reports are now available to families through the ‘Reports’ tab in SEQTA Engage. The Interim Report provides students and parents with an opportunity to reflect upon student progress throughout Term One and to consider what adjustments can be made to improve performance next term. The Interim Reports are used to indicate student progress and so do not include any marks or grades – these will come with the publishing of the Semester One Report at the end of Term 2. For Year 7 students and parents, the rotational elective program does not appear on the Interim Report but will instead appear on the Semester One Report. Year 7 students will commence Term Two in a new rotation of electives with a new set of teachers to guide them.

Parent/Student/Teacher Interviews

The first Parent-Student-Teacher Interviews for the year will take place on Tuesday, 27 April between 12.00pm and 7.00pm. This is a Home Study Day, so students do not attend school but should accompany their parents for interviews in their full College Winter Uniform. Parent-Student-Teacher Interviews provide parents with an important opportunity to discuss student progress in more detail with subject teachers. In some cases, teachers have requested an interview on the Interim Report. In these situations, it is important that every e􀁷ort is made to meet with the subject teachers so that positive actions can be put in place to improve student progress next term.

The College uses Edval Interviews to book Parent-Student-Teacher Interviews with an email having already been sent earlier today to Parents/Primary Care Givers instructing them how to access Edval Interviews. The email will also provide parents with a unique log-in code as well as a link to the online booking system. Interview length will be eight minutes with two minutes being allocated for parent movement between teachers. Bookings close at 9.00am on Friday, 23 April.

On the day of the interviews, each teacher will have 36 interview slots available for parents. However, a standard classroom teacher teaches over 100 students across all their classes – for some teachers that number is closer to 150. It is for this reason that we have restricted interviews to one slot per teacher per student. To help with this, please ensure you only book ONE timeslot with your child’s teacher, even if they teach your child in multiple subjects. If you are unable to secure a timeslot during this round of Parent-Student-Teacher interviews, you may contact the relevant teacher(s) directly via email to arrange a conversation on another date. If you have any difficulties accessing Edval Interviews, please contact the College when the school opens at the commencement of Term Two. Please note that the College Administration is closed for the first week of the coming school holidays.

Healthy Choices

Every February, it is common to find scores of both students and teachers kicking off the new school year with a renewed focus on improving their work habits, study habits, exercise habits and eating habits. Sadly as the regular pressure points of the term begin to mount, we tend to forget about those things that we know will help us to get the most of our time at school and we can begin to fall back into those habits that are less beneficial to our overall wellbeing.

One of those habits we are seeing more and more in the school yard is the reliance on food and drinks that are heavily processed and high in sugar. The growth in recent years in the popularity of ‘energy drinks’ is an excellent example of this. Whilst often promoted as energy providing, they are in fact setting students up for a short-term energy hit followed by a longer crash in energy. The College discourages students consuming these drinks both on campus and whilst studying at home. Similarly, the growing reliance on processed food as a recess or lunch substitute means that students are sacrificing a healthy option for a quicker and more convenient alternative.

As Term 1 winds down students and parents can consider thee changes they wish to make heading into Term 2, I would ask all families to consider how they can embrace a healthy diet that provides students with the energy and focus they need to improve both their academic output and overall wellbeing. In this regard, I would like to encourage all students to take a more active role in planning and preparing their school meals each week and to consider adopting those practices that remove the need for sugary and processed foods. The College is lucky to have an amazing range of healthy options at our Café 135, we have more than 300 students studying Food Science & Technology where they are learning to prepare nutritional food and we offer students the chance to start their day with some good food provided at our College Breakfast Club. With all these things added into the mix, there should be no need for students to pick up unhealthy snacks on the way to school.

One Term Down Already

With the conclusion of Term 1 comes the realisation that a significant part of the school year has already passed. For Year 12 students, they are now approximately a third into their final year of school. Thoughts will quickly turn towards exams and Graduation as the next term progresses.

For Year 7 students, they would look back upon the past term with a sense of achievement and relief. The first term of high school can be very challenging but our new Year 7 cohort and settled in and have quickly embraced their role as members of the St Norbert College community.

For Year 10 students, they are about to embark upon possibly the most important time of their school life so far. This term, they will be working hard to secure the necessary results that will enable them to enrol in their preferred subject choices in Years 11 and 12. The time has come for Year 10 students to seriously consider their strengths, interests and possible future careers. With the support of parents and the College staff, the students will be guided towards making informed decisions that will prepare them for a future of their choice.

Term 2 will be a longer term but it is an exciting time for all students at St Norbert College that will culminate in their Semester One report. I wish all students a restful and relaxing break but at the same time I encourage them to do what they can over the next two weeks to ensure that Term 2 is a successful and rewarding school experience.

Mr P Hawke

(Deputy Principal Years 8, 10, 12)

PRAYER

Prayer