Term 3 Week 6

Dear Parent/Carer

'It is the spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer.

The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.' John 6: 60-69

COVID and Student Learning

Hoping that you all are safe during this current period of 'Stay at Home Orders'. We have commenced our Blended/Remote Learning, and I applaud our staff and students who have moved into this learning platform efficiently and seamlessly. 

Students were welcomed into Blended Learning with a Tuesday morning Pastoral Care class where the teacher gauged where students were at regarding accessing the school ZOOM session and the STILE platform.  It was pleasing to note that students connected with their Pastoral Care teachers and the ZOOM sessions with their subject teachers.

While the ZOOM sessions are aligned to a specific time frame, teachers know how their students are tracking and will be flexible around times, variety of activities and student expectations.  Students can find concentrating in front of a computer quite challenging, and often shorter sessions and tasks broken up into smaller parts, will assist students.  Our staff are agile within this space and will accommodate as required.

It is hoped that our students have a relatively quiet space at home for them to concentrate on their classes. A well-lit room, with a desk, comfortable chair and good ventilation would be ideal.  It is also encouraged that students prepare for the ZOOM lesson wearing appropriate and comfortable clothing.  Having a ZOOM session while still in bed OR appearing to have just rolled out of bed, is not a great look and does not support productive learning. 

We continue to support families with limited internet access and have been preparing for hard-copy work collection for students in this situation. I would encourage any families in this situation to contact the College so alternative resources can be made available. 

I would encourage families to talk with their children about what they are doing in class and how the ZOOM experience is going.  A conversation around online etiquette, when to turn on video and audio would be helpful. We have had an occasional lesson disrupted by students forgetting to turn off their audio. 

The College continues to work through a response to the remaining HSC Trial examinations and other year-based assessment items, including the Year 11 Preliminary HSC examinations.  Once this has been decided, the College will inform families and students.  

Let us see what the weekend brings for us all.  As we move through this uncertain period, we hope to set up processes and forms of communication that are clear, easy to follow and support students and their families. 

We do not always get this right.  It would be helpful to hear from families with thoughts on what we can do to improve how we work with families to assist students' learning in the Blended/Remote delivery of school work.  I would invite you to communicate this through the College office at your convenience.

Kind regards

Mr David JOHNS   B.Ed., Cert. Gifted Ed., Grad. Cert. Adol. Health and Welfare, M.Ed. (Ed Lead), M.Ed. (Theol) 

College Principal

david.johns@lism.catholic.edu.au

This week I invite you to a place of stillness, honesty and courage as we journey together in uncertain times.  It might be tempting to think of courage as the absence of fear or even the desire to be fearless amidst our current circumstances. Instead, we should take our cue from Jesus, who, like us, experienced immense fear but continued to boldly step forward into the darkness and filled it with light.  This week, let us take courage in knowing that we are not alone and that our trust is well placed in the One who has gone before us into the unknown.  Take heart; we journey together.

Take Care This Week

There are many places that you and your child can find help as we navigate through these coming weeks.  We are hoping to be back together on Monday, but there is a level of uncertainty even as I write. 

The Black Dog Institute is an excellent resource for parents and for students to gain skills and knowledge that will allow them to navigate over the coming weeks. 

They cover many topics such as: 

• Mental Health during lockdown
• Keeping kids safe on screens during lockdown
• How parents can cope with Home-schooling
• Your personal mental health check-in
• The importance of self-care

https://www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/resources-support/coronavirus-resources-for-anxiety-stress/schools-young-people/ 

Please do not hesitate to contact the College if you or your child needs assistance in any way.

Mrs Bronwyn Shipton - Assistant Principal - Mission and Wellbeing

How Do I Choose Subjects in Year 9?

St Paul’s has completed a very successful process this term allowing our Year 10 students to choose an informed pattern of study for 2022 - 2023.  It is now time for our current Year 8 students to consider elective subjects for 2022 - 2023. Outlined below are some insights to consider and our diverse subject offerings for 2022 in Year 9. 

What Subjects Should I Choose

The rule of thumb has been to select subjects you are interested in for the next two years.  Choosing these subjects will significantly deepen your knowledge, giving you a stronger understanding of selecting the same in Years 11 and 12. You can choose those subjects in Years 11 and 12 without the Year 9 and 10 experience eg if I do not choose Agriculture in Years 9 and 10 can I choose Ag in Years 11 and 12; Yes, you can, this is not a pre-requisite.  However, you continue to gain substantial knowledge by choosing the subject in Years 9 and 10.  There are no elective subjects that are pre-requisites to studying the same topic in Years 11 and 12.

Maths and English

The St Paul’s staff have a thorough understanding of developing skills in Years 7 and 8 Maths and English during 2020-2021.  The staff will provide your son/daughter with a recommendation to study either an advanced or standard pathway in Years 9 and 10 in Maths and English, allowing further skills to undertake the advanced or standard course in Years 11 and 12.  Do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions/concerns with this placement for 2022.

Elective Subjects Offered in Year 9 2022

Year 9 students will be enrolled in Maths, English, Catholic Studies, Science, PDHPE and Mandatory History, and completing school sport.  The rest is up to you; choose TWO elective subjects from the list below: 

• Agricultural Technology
• Commerce
• Drama
• Food Technology
• Graphics
• History elective
• Indonesian language
• Industrial Technology- Metal
• Industrial Technology- Multimedia
• Industrial Technology- Timber
• IST- Information and Software Technology
• Music
• PASS- Physical Activity and Sports Science
• Textiles
• STEM- (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths)
• Visual Arts 

The current lockdown has delayed our subject offerings day for Year 9 2022.  Once we are back from online learning, those opportunities will be confirmed.  In the interim period, please refer to the Year 9 Course Selection Handbook distributed to every student in Year 8 and contact the College if you have any questions regarding this process.

Mr Geoffrey Melville - Assistant Principal - Learning and Teaching

Blended Learning

It has been a seamless transition to Blended Learning, and I would like to thank all students, families and College staff for their hard work and resilience during this difficult time.  STILE has made this process much easier, and we are working through internet connectivity issues and supplying hard copy resources to students as necessary.  We can only hope that it will be a short lockdown and we will be back at school as soon as possible.

Year 10 into 11 Subject Selection

Below are the Year 11 elective lines for 2022.  These lines have been generated by student choice, and students who have a clash or a subject that they have chosen is not running, will need to contact me to make an alternate selection.  Students can also contact me for clarification of their elective choices.

SOR2 is on the SOR Line

Subjects in bold yellow font are Vocational Education and Training, Category B or Content endorsed courses which usually form part of a Non-ATAR pattern of study. One-unit Extension courses are in a bold blue font, and students can choose to do both English and Mathematics Extension as both courses are running on the same line.

Year 8 into Year 9 Subject Selection

The Year 8 Subject Selection Taster day planned for Wednesday, 18 August, will be postponed until we return to school.  Would you please take this opportunity to discuss the Year 8 into 9 Subject Selection Handbook, which was sent home with students last Friday, 13 August?  Digital copies of the Handbook can be requested by contacting either myself or Miss Emma Tamblyn.

Year 12 Trial HSC Examinations

Mrs Anne Lunt would like to congratulate all Year 12 students for their exemplary behaviour and application throughout Week 1 of the Trial Examinations.  Students will either be returning for onsite examinations in Week 7 or moving to At-Home Assessment Tasks depending on the outcome of the stay at home orders from the NSW Government on Saturday, 21 August.  Students and families have been advised of Plan A or B scenarios that will be enacted after Saturday's decision. We are fully prepared for either outcome and have made significant modifications to assessment tasks if they need to be completed at home.  The staff at St Paul's appreciate the agility and patience of students and families who are adapting to these very significant changes to Year 12.

Mrs Leon Robinson - Leader of Curriculum

Poetry Month

The month of August is Poetry Month, and to celebrate, we are running a poetry challenge each week which students can enter via Stile.  There will be a weekly winner and three highly commended from Years 7 - 9, Years 10 - 12 and staff. 

A fantastic range of poems from both students and staff have been submitted so far.  The winning poems from the first two weeks poems appear below: 

Untitled - Eva Gately (Year 8)

Soft white clouds graze,

the colourful mist lost in a haze,

will it ever escape this terrible maze?

Warmth of Your Touch - Lily Rafton (Year 10)

When you hold my hand in yours

brushing fingers over scars and freckles, running soft constellations into my palm

for a moment, I see us as stark and colourful, no longer afraid of the dark.

The Prehistorical Palette – Ms Kate Anderson

How colourful were you really, colossal giants of the past?

Was it just brown and green and olive scales arranged for your brute might?

Or was it alluring gold and regal crimson, implying your future plight?

Untitled – Mr Angus Crowley

Colourful wild fields,

Colour fills and colour fools

The eye with rapture.

New Land - Jennifer Swan (Year 7)

The vast landscapes rise before us,

as we smell the pitiful dust,

have we discovered something new possibly just for us?

Untitled - Zoe Ahern (Year 11)

I left the academic skirt and tie behind, ready to climb

To find a world with no gold stars although I try

No set course but at least I try.

The Farmer’s Joy – Mr Graham Bramley

A dark shape lies silently snug amidst long grass on a misty winter morn.

Anxious matriarch paces to and fro, pawing soil, nostrils flared and steaming.

The farmer scouts the tussocks low, smiling as she spies the prize - A healthy newborn

Ms Catriona Martin - Leader of Learning - English

Looking for Ideas on Great Reads for 11 to 15 Years?

On Megan Daley’s website, Children’s Books Daily, Megan has compiled a comprehensive list for this age group.

Click HERE to read more on her thoughts of what type of books suit this age bracket and her book recommendations. 

If you or your child are interested in borrowing any of these books, HERE is a list of the ones currently available in our library; some as hard copies, and others are e-books that can be borrowed through the SORA app.  The rest are on order and will be available shortly. 

Also included in this article are the instructions on installing and Setting up the SORA app on students devices, so they can easily borrow these titles .... and more, remotely.

And a final reminder - there are still a small number of students that have books overdue from last year.  Many have said they know where they are but keep forgetting to bring them in.

Unfortunately, we can wait no longer, as other students require these books.

The library is now preparing invoices for these items, and these will be sent out shortly.  If your child has any of these books, please have them returned as soon as school resumes and before these accounts are finalised.  Thanks for your support.

Mrs Patrice Martin & Mrs Cathy Whalen - Library Technicians

Workers Urgently Needed

We need volunteers to help in our canteen once a week, fortnight or month.  No special skills required.  If you can make a salad wrap, toastie or put some drinks in the fridge, your help will be greatly appreciated.  All welcome - mums, dads, nannas, pops, aunts and uncles.  Should you be able to spare just a few hours, please contact me.

Ricki Saunders

Canteen Manager

St Paul's Secondary Catholic College

E: ricki.saunders@lism.catholic.edu.au

P: (02) 6562 7200