Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching
Term 1 is now in full flight and the students are engaged in their learning. Teachers have been undertaking learning walk and talks and some fantastic discussions have been taking place in the staff room about the sharing of good practice among staff.
NAPLAN
Years 7 and 9 will be undertaking their NAPLAN testing during Week 7. This testing provides the College with rich data regarding the progress of students and areas we need to continue to work on. We appreciate parental support to ensure students attend school each day during this period. Please reinforce to your children that Naplan is nothing to worry about and not something we need them to ‘study’ for. It is a measure of a group's progress and information for us to support the students.
Drop Everything and Read!
The College will be launching a reading initiative in Week 6 where every student will be asked to read during one lesson per week. The lesson will change each week to reduce the impact on learning on any one subject. The students will be notified of the timetable with plenty of notice.
Please ensure your child has a book in their bags each day coming to school. This could be their reading book for class, something they are reading for leisure, a book from the library or a magazine they enjoy. Please make sure the content is appropriate for school. Students can see Mrs Patrice Martin in the library for some advice on books that may interest them if they are struggling.
Atomi
I continue to remind students and parents that the whole of Year 11 and 12 have access to Atomi. Not all subjects are on the platform as it is mainly for exam based subjects, however all students have access to the Study Skills lessons. Your children are encouraged to be using this platform to support their learning throughout their HSC period.
Year 7-10 Assessments
The Year 7-10 students will be issued with assessment tasks in the coming weeks that they can be working on both at home and in class. We encourage parents to check in with their children regarding any assessments and encourage them to spend time at home working on them.
Reviewing Lessons in a Sentence
In class your children will have been writing a sentence at the end of most lessons to review their learning progress. I encourage you to speak to your children about their learning and this is a great way to do it. Instead of saying “How was school?”, you could ask “What was your learning sentence at the end of class?”
Year 11 and 12 Assessment Blocks - A Reminder
This Term the Year 12 students will have their Assessment Block in Week 8 and the Year 11 students will have their Assessment Block in Weeks 9 and 10. Please encourage your children to be preparing for these assessment periods and seeking support from their teachers when they need it.
Please reach out if you have any questions about the learning for your students.
Ms Kate Fullbrook - Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching