As the term continues to rush on by, the calendared events are taking place at a rapid pace. The National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) has taken place across Australia this week. For many of our Year 9 students it was first time they have gathered in a major exam/test setting such as our Assembly and Sports Hall for a formal assessment activity. Some students were nervous and unsure about what it all meant, but the majority of them took the event in their stride and were able to get through the process without major issues. The NAPLAN results will be made available to parents later in the year.

College Backpacks
Over the past twelve months some modifications were made to the normal everyday processes to satisfy the COVID requirements. One of the changes was to allow students to bring small backpacks to school which they could take to class with them. The plan was to minimise the large gatherings of students at lockers.

Given, the improved situation with COVID in our city, the college has decided to revert to pre-COVID requirements regarding the backpack. As from this week, students have been instructed to place their bags in their lockers and not to carry them into classrooms. They were also instructed that from next week the genuine College backpacks are the only bags to be brought to school. For those who need to purchase a College backpack, they are available from the college’s reception building.

Parent Teacher Student Partnership Meetings (PTSPMs)
The next PTSPMs will take place on Thursday 27 May. Given how close we are to the end of Semester One, this is an opportune time to talk to teachers about your child’s progress as well as preparation for upcoming exams. This round of PTSPMs will be done via a Teams Meeting. Instructions on how to book can be found here.

Student Leadership
Over the next few weeks, the college will commence the process of identifying and preparing student leaders for 2022. In two weeks’ time, an assembly to launch the leadership program will take place for current Year 10 and 11 students. This launch is an invitation for them to be involved in the program that will prepare them for student leadership opportunities. This program is highly recommended, as students will be able discover and enhance their own qualities of leadership that will assist them in experiences both at school and beyond. More information about the Student Leadership Program will be passed onto students in the coming weeks.

Australian Dental Health Victoria
Australian Dental Health Victoria will be visiting the school in August to conduct free dental health checks for students. This is not a compulsory dental check, however, it is highly recommended as it may identify dental issues that are developing and that may be corrected with appropriate advice. In the next few weeks consent forms will be distributed to students which will have further information about this program. To be eligible for these dental checks, the consent forms must be returned to the college and signed by a parent.