From the Principal

Welcome to Term Two

I hope you and your family enjoyed the Easter holidays, and students have returned refreshed and ready for a productive term. The Parent, Student and Teacher conferences at the end of Term one provided an opportunity to meet teachers, affirm student progress, raise areas for improvement and develop plans for learning to a higher level this term. To date, the feedback from parents has been positive about the conferences being online via Zoom.

With the further easing of restrictions, this will be a busy term. Apart from all of the usual teaching and learning activities, there will be many other opportunities for student learning. For example, on the first day of Term, we held our whole school ANZAC Commemoration Service, the winter sports program began this week, the Annual House College Cross-Country Carnival was held today, the Yr 11 Cape York Indigenous Immersion trip participants return today, the Year 7 students have their Anglesea Camp next week, NAPLAN testing for Years 7 and 9 will be conducted the following week, the Year 9 students will have their camp mid-term, there will be many performing arts events happening throughout the term and Year 10 students will have their Work Experience Program during the last week of term – and these are only some of the many term two events!

Term 2 is very much the business term of the academic year. It is a time when students can make some substantial gains in their learning. As each student and family looks ahead, the use of the Student Planner will be an essential tool to help each student structure his term program and keep on track. Organisation is the key and an important skill to develop in our students. I encourage parents to keep an eye on their student’s planner use.

COVIDSafe

Whilst there has been further easing of COVID-19 related restrictions for schools (as indicated in the letter sent via email to parents on 25th April 2022), we still need to be vigilant in this area. I thank parents for your ongoing support in reminding your daughter/son about COVIDSafe practices: hand washing, physical distancing, coughing/sneezing into their elbow, staying home if unwell and twice-weekly Rapid Antigen Testing.

Mentor time trial Term Two

Student belonging, connection and feeling known at school are important influences on positive learning outcomes. Our School Improvement Plan identifies this as an area for growth. A key action arising from this strategy to help students learn at a higher level was to review the College’s pastoral structure. As a result of the review, we are trialling during this Term a change from a short end of each day Homeroom period to one weekly more extended period on a Tuesday. Many of the usual ‘Personal Learning’, Year Level or whole school activities will occur during this period. We are also transitioning from a “Homeroom Teacher” role to a “Mentor Teacher” role. We are using this trial to explore this further, and having one more extended period once a week will be a more effective use of time than the short afternoon Homeroom period. This trial has meant that the period times are different this term. Deputy Principal, Mr Michael Timms, is coordinating this trial and will communicate the trial results to parents later this term. If you have any questions concerning this change, please contact your daughter/son’s Homeroom Teacher.

We also welcome two new Education Support Officers:

Ms Michelle Ryan (Design & Digital Communications Officer, full-time)

Ms Amelia Watters (Youth Minister, four days/week)

Yr 7 2023

A reminder that applications for enrolment of any siblings for Year 7 next year will close on Friday 6th May 2022. Applications can be made online via our College website. Please contact our College Registrar, Ms Gail Myers, if you have any questions.

Michael Exton
Principal