For our community, Easter is the key celebration within our calendar. Holy Week is the final week of Lent and a time where we recall the events leading to Jesus’ death and resurrection. On Sunday we will celebrate the story of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where he was welcomed by crowds worshipping him and laying down palm leaves before him. On Easter Thursday, we recall that Jesus was arrested and tried. Jesus shared his Last Supper with his disciples. Jesus was crucified on Friday. He was buried the same day and arose three days later, on Easter Sunday. On Thursday we move into the John Shannon Centre for our Easter Liturgy and will acknowledge students’ collective efforts in raising money for Project Compassion.
In last fortnight’s newsletter I made mention of the importance of partnering with families in a student’s education. Some of the benefits include:
- Holistic Development
Families provide insights into a student’s background, interests, strengths and weaknesses that can inform educator’s approaches to teaching and support. Understanding a student’s home environment helps create a more holistic educational experience.
- Consistency
When families and educators work together, they can ensure that the messages and expectations for the student are consistent across home and school environments. Consistency is key for a student’s understanding and adherence to rules, routines, and academic expectations.
- Supporting Learning
Families can reinforce learning outside the classroom by engaging in activities that complement what is taught in school. Whether it's reading together, discussing current events or exploring educational outings, family involvement enhances and reinforces academic concepts.
- Emotional Support
Students thrive when they feel supported emotionally. Families provide a nurturing environment that can bolster a student’s confidence, self-esteem and resilience, which are crucial for academic success.
- Problem-solving and Collaboration
When challenges arise (whether academic, behavioural, or social), partnering with families allows educators to work collaboratively with parents or carers to address these issues effectively. This collaboration fosters problem-solving skills and models positive conflict resolution for the student.
- Cultural Understanding
Every family brings its own cultural background and values into the educational equation. Understanding and respecting these differences enriches the educational experience for both the student and the school community.
- Parental Involvement
Research consistently shows that parental involvement in a student’s education correlates with higher academic achievement, better attendance, and improved behaviour. When parents and carers are actively engaged in their student’s schooling, it sends a powerful message about the value of education.
- Building Trust and Rapport
Collaborating with families builds trust and rapport between educators and parents/carers, creating a supportive network focused on the student’s wellbeing and success.
Overall, partnering with families in a student’s education fosters a strong support system that enhances the student’s learning, emotional wellbeing and overall development. It's a collaborative effort that benefits everyone involved. I encourage families to log onto PAM and ensure that you are up to date with your student’s progress in their respective studies. Holidays may provide an opportunity to catch up on work that has been missed or to create a summary of first term learnings. Year 12 students are now one-third of the way through their learning program, so a comprehensive revision of content to date will be important. If you have any queries regarding assessment tasks or classroom learning, I encourage you to contact your student’s teacher.
Subject Teacher Interviews provide a great opportunity to connect with your student’s teachers to receive clarity around any questions that you may have. Subject Teacher Interviews will be held on the following days:
Monday, 29 April 2024 3.40pm to 6.30pm (Onsite or Virtual)
Tuesday, 30 April 2024 3.40pm to 6.30pm (Onsite or Virtual)
Thursday, 2 May 2024 1.00pm to 8.00pm (Virtual only)
Interviews will be 8 minutes duration and you have the option of completing interviews onsite or virtual (Monday and Tuesday) and virtual only on Thursday, 2 May 2024. Bookings will open early in Term 2.
Please note that Thursday, 2 May 2024 is a student free day for staff to conduct interviews.
If you have a student in Year 10 who has work experience next term and the paperwork has not been returned to the College, could you please attend to this as soon as possible.
Students will be able to wear summer or winter uniform (but not a mixture of both) for the first two weeks of Term 2. Can I ask families to please get out their winter uniform now and attend to it if there needs to be some alterations made. As parents/carers, daughters will say to you that no one else has their skirt to knee length – please hold firm in supporting the College requirement and ensuring that it is the required length to avoid unnecessary and embarrassing follow up! There is also a pant option if students are uncomfortable with the skirt or an appropriate length.
You may also be pressured to purchase a rain jacket. This item of uniform was introduced to cover the expensive blazer as students walk to and from school or as they wait at bus stops. It is an optional item of uniform.
It is exciting to see the progress made on the new building. It has been a hive of activity on the building site over the past month, with the ground floor slab laid (above the basement level), then concrete panels being lifted into place to form some of the south walls and the lift shaft. Columns are now being formed to hold up the remainder of Level 1, before another big concrete pour. Exciting times!
I wish everyone well for a blessed Easter and a safe and happy holiday.
Chris