I hope this finds you well.
- Virtue of the Week
- A thought from Archbishop Lefebvre
- Student Achievement
- Science Fair
- 2023 NAPLAN Results
- Pokémon Cards
- VTAC Information
This week the staff and students have explored the third of three Theological Virtues. This week’s virtue is Charity which enables one to love as God Himself loves, to love God above all things, and one’s neighbour as oneself.
A thought from Archbishop Lefebvre:
If our Lord Jesus Christ is truly our King, you have to take to heart that He be also the king of your intellect. Our Lord Jesus Christ is the truth. He does not only give us truth, He is Truth. Consequently, to receive our Lord Jesus Christ in your intellect is to receive the light of the truth and, by the light, the faith also. So submit your intellect to our Lord Jesus Christ and to the truths of the faith.
Our students continue to excel outside of the classroom with Marina Soriel placing First in the 11 year old girls Multiclass 100mts and 200mts at the Gippsland Regional Athletics Carnival. She has qualified for the State Finals later in the term. Furthermore congratulations to the Year 9/10 Girls Table Tennis Team who won the Regional Championship and have also qualified for the State Finals. Our Year 9/10 Boys who finished runners-up, a wonderful achievement.
Thank you to the parents who attended the Partnering with Parents Conference and the Community Engagement Session to consult on the draft strategies that the College will implement to achieve the Strategic Plan statements. Your insight and feedback is extremely valued.
Studying science promotes a greater understanding of the world around us by exploring the impacts of scientific knowledge and developments on society. It challenges students to explore and question, and so fosters the development of fundamental skills such as problem solving, critical thinking and communication. My thanks to all the students involved in the Science Fair last Friday. It was a terrific celebration of our Key Learning Area of Science and showcased the wonderful work that they do. I would like to acknowledge our teachers and especially our Key Learning Area Leader Ms Leanne McKenzie.
We have received additional data relating to our students’ achievement in the 2023 NAPLAN testing. This data groups our cohorts within proficiency standards. These proficiency standards provide clear information on student achievement. They are set at a challenging but reasonable level expected for the student at the time of NAPLAN testing, based mainly on what has been taught in previous years of schooling. Student achievement is shown against 4 levels of proficiency: Exceeding, Strong, Developing and Needs additional support (NAS). Please see the provided link. 2023 NAPLAN Additional Data
The results will be used to assist teachers in identifying students who need greater challenges or extra support, identify strengths and areas of need to improve teaching programs and to set goals in literacy and numeracy. Furthermore, it will allow the College to review the effectiveness of programs and support offered to students.
Pokémon Cards are back, being a big hit with many of the students. For many students, these items are a great thing to use and play with at recess and lunch. They provide a purpose and stimulus for play and communication.
The issue with cards, which are called Trading Cards, or Collectibles, is that students use them to trade and generally as with any trade in the world, someone wins and someone loses. These can be great lessons for students but also can be very challenging for students to cope with.
Rather than a simple ban, we want students to share ideas and stories with these cards. We will continue to talk to students about not trading and keeping what is yours. However, we need support from families to assist with communicating to students that they should not bring anything of great value to school, or keep their most prized cards at home. Whenever we take things into shared spaces, things can get misplaced, and what we hear is they have been stolen…however, often, we find cards out in the yard or on the floor in the classroom.
We can not be over every conversation in the playground, which is a positive, as it is a vital part of social learning. With a few strategies, we can avoid major issues and learn to navigate social situations.
Our Year 12 students commenced their examinations this week and we hold them in our prayers during this time. Those applying for courses are reminded to get their preferences in on VTAC. Please be aware that some courses may have additional entry criteria, such as folio tasks, auditions, interviews, or testing. Some courses do not accept new course applications after a certain date. Check the course description and selection criteria carefully before adding any courses to your preferences.
ATARs will be released at 7:00am on Monday, 11 December. Preferences can be changed up until 4:00pm on Wednesday,13 December.
It is anticipated that the majority of course offers will be made in the December and January offer rounds. Some courses, particularly those that take low numbers, or are competitive to get into, may fill up during these two rounds. It is important that students understand the need to decide on their ideal course and get their preferences in order for the December round to maximise their chance of receiving an offer. All courses will make offers in the January round, but these may be limited if there is a large uptake of their December offers.
With just under a month until our 2023 Dinner Auction, 160 tickets have been sold. If you are still yet to purchase a ticket please ensure you do so in order to support this great event.
God Bless,
Mr Kieran O’Dwyer
Principal