Issue 12 / 7 August 2015
Middle/Senior School Bulletin
Middle & Senior School News Appreciative in August This month as part of our ongoing focus on Positive Psychology and wellbeing we will be highlighting the power and positive impact of showing appreciation. Building on the 3 Good Things exercise students are asked to complete weekly in their diaries, our College Captain, Mel Maessen is setting a weekly challenge for students to encourage positive community and across Years 7-12 students are encouraged to keep focusing on ‘an attitude of gratitude’ and passing on messages of thanks at home, school and in the wider community. Welcome Higashino High School This week we hosted students from Higashino High School. There is no understating the importance of these cultural exchanges. Thank you to all of the school ‘buddies’, host families and to Mrs Hill for making these opportunities to broaden our thinking and to make connections beyond our shores a reality. It is simply so much more than a language exchange program.
External Testing and Competitions NAPLAN results for students in Years 7 & 9 are due to arrive at the College early in August and will be posted home as soon as possible once received. This year St Andrews has been randomly selected to take part in the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) testing which gathers data and reports on education standards and trends around the globe. Students within certain age bands are randomly selected and this month there will be approximately twenty students from St Andrews completing the tests. Last week some students took part in the ICAS English and the Australian Mathematics competitions and we look forward to celebrating the results of these opportunities later this term. Futsal Championships Eight Futsal teams competed last week and I would like to congratulate all of the students who played on their sportsmanship and athleticism. I’d also like to thank Mr Hibbs, Mr Tanguy, Mr Schache and Mr McGilveray for their work with these teams. 16 Boys were runners-up (Silver Medalists). Our College can be very proud of the depth of teams. We are one of a few schools to have so many teams compete at this level. Our growing futsal program continues to provide great opportunities for students to extend their skills as players, and to develop teamwork and grit.
Literacy Our Readers Cup team head to Brisbane for the State competition on Wednesday 2 September and a group of Years 8 & 9 students have started a Book Club on Tuesday lunchtimes with Ms Dockstader’s support. They are reading Paper Towns by John Green. It is never too late for your child to join this co-curricular group.