General Achievement Test (GAT) rescheduled to Thursday, 29 July 2021
The Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) have made the decision to conduct the GAT on Thursday, 29 July 2021 from 10.00a.m. – 1.15p.m.
The General Achievement Test is a test of general knowledge and skills in these broad areas:

• written communication
• mathematics, science and technology
• humanities, the arts and social sciences.

All students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3 and 4 sequences must sit the GAT. No special study is required. The GAT is used to moderate both internal school student results and external examinations. It is also used in situations where a student whose examination performance is affected by illness, accident or personal trauma can apply for a Derived Examination Score. All applications are assessed by a trained, external panel.

If an application is approved, a student’s GAT scores will be used in the calculation of the Derived Examination Score.

At the beginning of next term, the VCAA will provide specific advice on the health and safety requirements for conducting the GAT, in line with the health advice at that time.

Reports
Teachers have been busily preparing summary reports for Semester 1 and these will be available through MyPenola on Monday, 5 July. An SMS will be sent out to parents when these reports are available for parents to view. These reports are the culmination of a whole semester’s efforts in learning, assessments, and exams. It summarises a great deal of work completed by students. Please take the time to read the reports carefully as it contains a summary of the percentages for each assessment task received throughout the year. This feedback is an important part of the learning process and should encourage healthy reflection and discussion between students and parents.

Years 7 & 8 STEAM PBL Week
This week has seen the continuation of our STEAM PBL Week with the focus upon students involved in projects that utilize the 21^st Century skills that are so critical both now and into the future. It is through these 21^st Century skills that our young adults will find the power to be globally competitive in a worldwide workforce and find the ability to face career challenges in an ever-changing world of technology.

These fundamental skills are gained through experience and involve learning skills, literacy skills and life skills. Learning skills teaches students about the mental processes required to adapt and improve upon a modern work environment. Literacy skills focus on how students can discern facts, publishing outlets, and the technology behind them. There’s a strong focus on determining trustworthy sources and factual information to separate it from the misinformation that floods the internet. Life skills take a look at intangible elements of a student’s everyday life. These intangibles focus on both personal and professional qualities.

Let’s take a look at the Learning skills which include:

• Collaboration – Working with others
• Communication – Talking, writing, listening to others
• Creativity – Thinking outside the box
• Critical Thinking – Finding solutions to problems

The Foundation for Young Australians have conducted research which indicates that current 15-year old’s will have 15 jobs over 7 careers over the course of their working life. They suggest that we need to be prepared for a lifetime of careers rather than the career of a lifetime. Hopefully this week will assist our students in developing the skills for these future careers and success in their future work life.

Year 12 English Oral Presentations
The Year 12 English Oral Presentations are scheduled for the second week of Term Three, on Friday 23, July and will proceed for the entirety of the day.

The Year 12 English students will have the opportunity to showcase their Oral Presentation to their Year 12 English teacher, a second moderator along with 4 of their peers from their respective English class. Students are only required to attend school for their allocated presentation time and thus, this will be a Remote Online Learning and Teaching day for Year 12 VCE students.

The timetable and all correspondence will be shared with all students and staff during the first week of Term Three. However, in accordance with school policy, students are expected to wear full College uniform and adhere to all Covid-19 preventative measures, whereby students are wearing masks appropriately and social distancing.

On this day, we ask that VCE students are only onsite when their Oral Presentation is scheduled and return home upon completion to continue with Remote Online Learning.

End of Term
Students will be dismissed on Friday 25, June at 3.06p.m. Classes for Term 3 resume at 8.40am on Monday 12, July.

I hope that the holiday period provides some respite from the normal busyness of life and that students and staff return refreshed for the new term.

Let us give thanks to God for the many blessings and gifts of the second term and the first semester.

Thank you, Lord, for the blessings you have bestowed on my life. You have provided me with more than I could ever have imagined. You have surrounded me with people who always look out for me. You have given me family and friends who bless me every day with kind words and actions. They lift me up in ways that keep my eyes focused on you and make my spirit soar.

Also, thank you, Lord, for keeping me safe. You protect me from those things that seem to haunt others. You help me make better choices and provide me with advisors to help me with life’s difficult decisions. You speak to me in so many ways so that I always know you are here.

And Lord, I am so grateful for keeping those around me safe and loved. I hope that you provide me with the ability and sense to show them every day how much they matter. I hope that you give me the ability to give to them the same kindness they have provided to me.

I am extremely grateful for all of your blessings in my life, Lord. I pray that you remind me of just how blessed I am and that you never allow me to forget to show my gratitude in prayer and returned acts of kindness.

Thank you, Lord.

In your name, Amen.