College Reports

Site of the new STEAM Building, at the corner of Lorraine and Buckley Streets. Students participating in school-based sports teams earn points as part of the Bronntanais o Dhia program.

MASTER PLAN

The purchase and subsequent clearing of 145 Buckley Street last year triggered a change to the original Master Plan and allowed the College to reconsider the construction of a new building on a larger parcel of land. The work on the Master Plan has continued through 2021, with stage A of the plan having been approved by the Board of Mary Aikenhead Education Limited and by the Trustees of Mary Aikenhead Ministries, after the recommendation from the College Board.

This has been a very rigorous process, that has really supported the vision of this project. In addition, the College has been successful in receiving a Victorian Government capital grant to support the development of this significant infrastructure development. The College now moves to the next stage of the Master Plan – selecting a project manager and an architect to bring the new building to life. St Columba’s College looks forward to this new phase and development, and will continue to share the plans and works with the College community.

BRONNTANAIS O DHIA

The Bronntanais o Dhia (meaning gifts from God) commendations program was launched this year. The program aims to extend opportunities for positive reinforcement of student achievement and behaviour, helping to build a holistic story of an individual student’s development. Students are encouraged to extend the pursuit of excellence into a wider range of fields that are classified into the three pillars of our Learning and Wellbeing Framework - Connect, Engage and Learn. These pursuits allow our talented students to demonstrate their many and varied skills.

Due to COVID-19, a number of our activities were not able to proceed, which impacted on our overall 2021 points. Despite this, a number of students have been successful in applying for their first embroidered badge for their blazer. These students are to be congratulated for their efforts and contributions to the College this year. We are excited to continue this program and the pursuit of achievement, for years to come.

The 2022 Student Executive begin their leadership training.

THE REVIEW OF STUDENT LEADERSHIP

A review of the Student Leadership Model was conducted in term one of this year. The review involved the collection of data from students, staff and parents via surveys, student forums and interviews.

A significant theme that arose during the review was that impactful student leadership opportunities should be available to all year levels, including Year 7s, and that the role of the House Representative should be expanded. As a result, a Student Engagement Team or SET will be introduced.

In 2022, we will also have House Representatives at each year level. These House Representatives will elect students from each year level to form the SET. The role of the House Representatives and the SET will be to amplify student voices and to work with staff to create a better school for all.

Next year, two additional roles will be established. The Peer Support Leader role will be offered to Year 10 students to support the transition of our incoming Year 7s and new students in Years 8 to 12. The other role to be introduced is the Student Wellbeing Action Team Captain, which will be open to a Year 12 student and will sit on the existing Student Executive.

All student leaders will be partnered with specific staff, who will support and mentor them in their leadership roles and journey at the College.

Ms Suzanne Krajcer and Ms Mariya Saric team teaching in the VCAL room.

LEARN INSTRUCTIONAL MODEL

The Learn Instructional Model (LIM) was spearheaded by Head of Learning and Teaching, Greta Bajada, and provides a clear framework for teachers and students specifically to design and implement rich learning experiences across all learning areas. The LIM has been rolled out throughout the College during 2021. The LIM has become a foundational reference for teachers in designing, reviewing and reimagining the way learning and teaching happens within and beyond the classroom. The LIM follows through six key elements: Activate, Explicit Instruction, Curious Application, Collaboration, Reflective Practice and Flourish.

Teachers use the LIM as a tool to be very explicit and intentional about their pedagogical approaches. Each element is ‘signposted’ within unit plans and used explicitly across the scope of a lesson or a range of lessons. Throughout the year, students have become more familiar with the elements of the LIM and use language of the model to describe their learning. This allows students to have a greater understanding of their teachers thought processes and become more active learners. The LIM has also become pivotal to the professional development cycle. A key feature of the LIM is coaching conversations, which involve Instructional Leaders working with teachers in conversation and classroom visits to observe aspects of the model within classes and provide support where needed.

The implementation of the LIM during 2021 has been a positive one. The model has shown to be effective even in a remote learning setting. Both students and teachers have taken to the elements, language and structure of the model successfully. The LIM will continue to be realised throughout 2022 and beyond.