Our Year 10 students have begun the very important process of selecting their subject choices for their senior years of study. These decisions made now can have a lasting impact on a student’s life, so we endeavor to provide them with as much help and guidance as possible. Yesterday was the first of four information sessions we will have with students to help them with their choices. Attached is a copy of the PowerPoint presentation that we presented to the students, as well as the Curriculum Handbook that was given to each student. Please ask them about it. Next week KLA coordinators will present to the students about what courses their KLA will be offering. Students will be given a summary sheet to fill in (copy attached) so they can record information to help them with their choices. After the information sessions, students will be surveyed so they can nominate three staff members that they would be comfortable with to discuss their choices. A timetable will be then developed to coordinate students meeting with one of their nominated staff. Parents are encouraged to come to these meetings if possible. Finally, the College will hold an Information Evening and Curriculum Expo, on July 13 starting at 5.30, where parents and students can discuss their courses with staff. Following the Expo, students will receive an email with login instructions to our online subject selection portal where they will enter their choices. From these student choices, the College decides which courses will run on next year’s timetable and on what lines. If a particular course does not get enough students selecting it, it will not run. A line of courses all happens at the same time on the timetable, so a student can only select one course per line. After these decisions are finalized, students are again asked to go into the online portal and finalise their choices based on the timetabled lines. If you have any questions about any of the above, please contact me at school.

Year 11 Mid-Year reports are being finalized this week and next. Please look out for these in Sentral and discuss them with your child. Students should be setting goals to improve their grades on their final reports.

Students in Years 7-10 are very busy with assessment tasks at the moment, as staff gather final data before writing reports for the end of the first semester. Please keep an eye on how your student is progressing. If a student does not use their time effectively, they can become increasingly overwhelmed at this time of year. Most students are allocated class time to complete assessment tasks, so please talk with your student about how they have used this time.

At our last Year 12 Administration meeting it was pointed out to students that they effectively have less than 15 weeks of school left before they sit their HSC exams. They were encouraged to set up a detailed study program that allocated specific times to the completion of homework assessment tasks and study. All too often, students get caught up in the day-to-day struggles of schoolwork such that time for effective study disappears. It was pointed out that planning for study time was just the same as planning to meet friends. If no plan is made, nothing usually happens! Below is a study planner that you should encourage your child to adopt.

John O’Neill

Assistant Principal

Curriculum and Achievement