Middle/Senior School Bulletin Issue 07/ 16 May 2014
Middle & Senior School News I would like to begin with a quick word of thanks to the parents who attended the Parent Teacher Interviews held last week. Conversations around student learning, specific areas for improvement and for praise lead to improved outcomes for our young people and accurate goal setting. That’s why as a College we really value these sorts of evenings. That said, why wait? If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s progress, performance or homework/study requirements please get in touch with the class teacher or a member of College staff either via the phone, email or through arranging a time to meet. Also if you have any feedback or suggestions on how to improve the Parent Evening itself, or any aspect of your child’s Secondary Schooling experience, please get in touch with me at: virginiaw@salc.qld.edu.au I also encourage parents to attend other parent evenings of interest as they arise throughout the year. We have so much to learn from one another. There is soon to be another Partnerships for Learning evening on ‘Raising Boys’ coordinated by Mr Casey and an evening which will focus on ‘Empowering Young Women To Make Good Choices’, coordinated by Ms Stewart, which will be held on Wednesday 4 June for all female students in Years 9-12 and their parents. The Empowering Young Women evening will feature a panel of experts, including past students and members of the health and policing industries and will be highly interactive. If you are interested in finding out more about either event please contact me at the College. This week students in Years 3,5,7 & 9 sat the National Literacy and Numeracy Tests (NAPLAN) and I was pleased to see them focused on doing their best without feeling any undue pressure or anxiety. The work done to prepare our students for the testing has been embedded in our regular teaching programs; focusing on literacy and numeracy skills as key elements, vital to academic success. When the results come back to the College the data will be used to reflect upon our program. Year 8 attended camp at Tyalgum this week. I was delighted to hear about their night hike and the diverse range of activities they took part in over the 3 days when I visited on Wednesday morning. There is no understating the wealth
of learning and growth that takes place through these sorts of experiences. I would like to thank Ms Dockstader (Year 8 Coordinator) and all of the staff who attended the camp for their ongoing work and passion for student learning. Finally as we approach the middle week of this term, the pressures of assignment tasks and deadlines are likely to increase. Organization, persistence and a positive mindset will all assist in managing workloads. Virginia Warner Deputy Principal Head of Secondary School