KOLBE CATHOLIC COLLEGE GREENVALE LAKES

NEWSLETTER NEWSLETTER No. 06

25 MAY 2018

Reconciliation Week Prayer Holy Father, God of Love,

You are the Creator of all things.

We acknowledge the pain and shame of our history and the sufferings of Our peoples,

and we ask your forgiveness. We thank you for the survival of Indigenous cultures

Our hope is in you because you gave your Son Jesus

to reconcile the world to you. We pray for your strength and grace to forgive, accept and love one another, as you love us and forgive and accept us in the

sacrifice of your Son.

Give us the courage to accept the realities of our history so that we may build a better future for our Nation.

Teach us to respect all cultures. Teach us to care for our land and waters.

Help us to share justly the resources of this land. Help us to bring about spiritual and social change to improve the quality of life for all groups in our communities, especially the disadvantaged.

Help young people to find true dignity and self-esteem by your Spirit.

May your power and love be the foundations on which we build our families, our communities and our Nation, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

(Wontulp Bi-Buya Indigenous Theology Working Group 13 March 1997 Brisbane, Qld).

IMPORTANT DATES

Monday 28 May Years 8 & 9 Examinations SACCSS Intermediate Futsal

Monday 4 June Years 8 to 11 Examinations

Tuesday 29 May Years 8, 9 & 11 Examinations Tuesday 5 June Years 10 & 11 Examinations VCAL Community Service

Wednesday 30 May Years 8 to 11 Examinations Wednesday 6 June Years 10 & 11 Examinations SACCSS Senior Basketball Year 7 Premier League Semi Finals

Thursday 31 May Years 8 to 11 Examinations VCAL Intermediate Excursion

Thursday 7 June No classes for Years 10 & 11

Friday 1 June No Classes for Students Staff Professional Practice Day

Friday 8 June No classes for Years 10 & 11 Year 12 MasterClass (Lesson 5) Year 8 Art Excursion

Monday 11 June No Classes for Students Queens Birthday Public Holiday

From the Deputy Principal

The midway point of the term has arrived, and it is an amazing time of celebration and reflection of learning. With students experiencing exams and other forms of assessment in the next weeks, the finishing and starting of units of work, and the rich experiences of achievement, reflection and personal growth, it is illustrated how dynamic the College is as a provider of an education that is holistic and attempts to provide each person with growth. Looking around the school gives a positive sense of learning and teaching. Most Kolbe students are engaged in their learning, and this has been a key point of discussion when we consider all that we do at Kolbe, as reviews of our teaching and learning practices aim to improve the way in which our students better engage to enhance their individual development, and we continue to strive as a community in attempting to live and celebrate holistic development. With the second part of the term approaching in the next 4 weeks, it is important to remind your child of the need to be Safe, Fair and Kind in all that they do. As mentioned in past newsletters, this is a mantra that underpins our relationships and actions at the College. We urge you to ensure that your child uses such mantra in their actions while attending our College. Recently, I have challenged our students to read before going to bed. Irrespective of the age and year level attended, reading between 20 to 30 minutes prior to sleep is essential in creating effective literacy skills. Please ensure to support your child through encouragement, and please support the process of reading accordingly. Lately, I have had many discussions with parents who raise concern about the amount of time that their children spend using their electronic devices at home. The appropriate time for this to happen depends on the year level and the homework or revision that takes place. Please ensure that the students are focused on completing school work and discourage use of the device for social media or to play games. They need to rest and to be off the devices for long periods of time. Any questions can be forwarded to me at the College. Dr Napoleon Rodezno Deputy Principal

From the Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching

Year 9 and 10 Formative Reports: Formative Reporting is employed for students in Years 9 and 10 on a six weekly basis. These reports aim to progressively notify parents/guardians of student progress and class performance. Receiving regular reports from subject teachers highlights areas for opportunity and improvement during the semester to explicitly map direction for higher achievement. This reporting approach builds data that informs student learning and sets immediate goals to enhance student progress in each subject area. The second round of Year 9 and 10 Formative Reports will be made available to families in the week commencing Monday 28 May 2018 via SEQTA ConeqtP. We ask that you read through the report with your child and take time to discuss the successes and their goals for the remainder of this semester. If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s report, we ask that you make contact with the relevant Learning Advisor.

Semester One Examinations: Examinations for students in Years 8-12 will occur on the following dates:

YEARS 8 and 9 Monday 28 May 2018 - Monday 4 June 2018.

YEAR 10 Wednesday 30 May 2018 - Wednesday 6 June 2018.

YEAR 11 Tuesday 29 May 2018 - Wednesday 6 June 2018.

Timetables for each examination period are available for families via SEQTA and the College website and have been provided to students through their Pastoral Care Groups. Note:

There will be no examinations for Year 7 students this semester.

VCE Unit Three and Four examinations will occur in October/November 2018.

All Year 7-10 students will complete Progressive Achievement Testing during these periods as part of the College Targeted Testing and Assessment Program. More details regarding this will be delivered to families shortly.

Preparing for Examinations at Home: Listed below are some tips and tricks for assisting students with examination preparation at home.

1. Create a study timetable and display it on the fridge or in a visible area. When doing this make sure: - Time is included for regular breaks. - Time is included for sporting, family and any other commitments. - Study occurs for appropriate periods of time.

2. Set up a place to study at home. Make sure it is: - Quiet and not distracting. - Well lit. - Comfortable. - Spacious. - Different from the areas used for relaxation (This will help to create an even split between work and leisure time.).

3. Make studying a family activity where everybody sits down and completes work at the same time. This will stop students from feeling isolated and may offer extra motivation.

4. Use the diary or ICT device applications and create a ‘Study To Do List’. When doing this, make sure tasks are prioritised so that those that are related to examinations scheduled sooner are completed first.

5. Use human resources. Within the household there may be older siblings or parents who are able to assist students. Ask your child questions, play memory games etc.

6. Ensure that study time is complemented by leisure and social activities as well as relaxation. Bodies are like machines, if they are not looked after they do not operate at their full potential.

Targeted Testing and Assessment Program- Progressive Achievement Testing (PAT): As part of our focus on the 5 Ls of Learning and Visible Learning, in 2016 Kolbe Catholic College implemented a tailor made Targeted Testing and Assessment Program for all students across Years 7-10. The program enables data in relation to student learning to be collected at different intervals throughout the academic year, providing objective, norm-referenced information in relation to student skills, understanding and growth in a range of key areas that contribute to the learning narrative and formation of the individual. The third phase in the collection of data about individual student growth will commence throughout the Semester One 2018 Examination Period. One of the tools used to gather student data will be ACER’s Progressive Achievement Tests for Mathematics and Reading Comprehension. All tests will be year level specific with students supported throughout the testing process by their Subject Teachers and key members of College staff. The testing schedule has been incorporated into the Semester One Examination Timetable and is available for families for download via SEQTA ConeqtP.

General Achievement Test (GAT): All students completing a VCE Unit 3 & 4 subject are required to complete the compulsory General Achievement Test (GAT) on Wednesday 13 June 2018 from 10:00am to 1:15pm. The purpose of the GAT is to check that your son/daughter’s examinations and school-based assessments have been accurately and fairly assessed. The GAT plays a very important part in determining your son/daughter’s final assessment for the VCE. Specific details pertaining to the GAT will be made available to the families of students participating. Further information about the GAT can be found via http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/Pages/vce/exams/gat/index.aspx

Year 10 Work Experience 2018: As part of the Pathways Program all Year 10 students will participate in the College’s Work Experience Program from Monday 25 June 2018 until Friday 29 June 2018. Work experience is designed to give students insights into the industry and workplace in which they are interested. Work experience has enormous benefits for students as it gives them a chance to:

Work alongside adults as part of a team, gaining an understanding of work.

Develop and practice a range of new skills.

Become more independent and confident.

Relate the school curriculum to the workplace.

Increase motivation to continue their study and/or undertake further training.

Explore career options. Questions or concerns related to Work Experience, student placement and all related documentation can be directed to Ms Debra Williams (Coordinator: Careers Discovery and Programs.).

NAPLAN 2018: Students in Year 7 and Year 9 participated in the annual NAPLAN testing on Tuesday 15 May 2018, Wednesday 16 May 2018 and Thursday 17 May 2018. The students were tested in Reading, Writing, Language Conventions (Spelling, grammar and punctuation) and Numeracy. Results from this testing period will be sent home to families as soon as they are available later in the school year. The Year 7 and 9 students are to be congratulated on their approach to this testing. Families with questions or concerns relating to any aspect of NAPLAN are asked to make contact with Miss Samantha Mizzi (Curriculum Leader: Middle Years.).

Homework Club: Throughout 2018, our very popular Homework Club will continue to be offered for students. This is a great way for students to receive some extra academic support and complete homework tasks as well as study alongside their peers in the comfort of the College Library. Homework Club will operate on Monday and Thursday afternoons between 3.30pm and 4.15pm. Homework Club sessions will be advertised for students via the Daily Memo. In addition to the general strand of Homework Club, the English as an Additional Language (EAL) and Mathematics strands of Homework Club will continue to operate in 2018.

Year 7-12 Assessment Schedules: Assessment Schedules are now available to download for students in all year levels. These aim to:

Strengthen the partnership between home and school, allowing parents to have a greater idea of what is happening at school.

Establish student ownership and accountability for learning.

Allow parents to assist their children with time management and study skills.

Ensure that students are not overwhelmed with too much assessment at one time.

Ensure Learning Advisors are aware of the assessment demands being placed on students at any given time.

Ensure all groups operate within a similar assessment time frame. These are available for students and families to download from SEQTA and the ‘Curriculum Section’ of the College website. Mr Dane Calleja Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching

From the Assistant Principal – Staffing & Operations

Safety around campus It is very important that the whole community is vigilant to the safety of students. As the weather turns we are experiencing heavier car traffic at drop off and pick up times and there have been occasions where students (and other vehicles) have been put at risk due to drivers not taking enough care and following road rules. There are several strategies in place to provide for a smooth and safe drop off/pick up experience:

We remind all families that Lysterfield Drive is a 40km zone during the morning and afternoon

The area outside of the main gate is a no u-turn zone

The main driveway entry is closed to non-staff traffic from 8:20am – 8:50pm and from 3:00pm in the afternoon

There are no right-hand turns allowed into the main driveway entry from 8:20am

The lower gate is provided as a safe student drop-off/pick-up zone and is opened from 3.00pm

A crossing guard is provided by the council to allow safe crossing of students We ask that all families support the College in maintaining the safety of all students and community members. We also remind families that Kolbe Catholic College, as all schools across Victoria, is a smoke free zone. Anyone found smoking on campus, or within 5 metres of the gates, will be asked to leave. Ms Allison Stott Assistant Principal - Staffing & Operations

From the Director of Faith & Community

Winter Appeal Please remember to support our Winter appeal. Thank you!

Faith and Community Important dates

27 May Solemnity of The Most Holy Trinity National Reconciliation Week

3 June Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)

5 June World Environment

8 June Solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus

9 June Memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary

Ms Caith Malone Director of Faith & Community

Student News

Year 7 Camp to Marysville Last week, 151 Year 7 students and 18 staff members boarded four buses and headed up into the mountains of Marysville for three action packed days on camp. Students were initially placed into their groups and their cabins then faced the eight challenges Camp Marysville has to offer. The Vertical Wall, Low Ropes and Cycling rotations provided some of our students with quite confronting scenarios, as they were pushed to move out of their comfort zones and to take on things that seemed scary at first. The long walks through the Big River, Tall Trees areas gave us glimpses of the native flora and fauna and the BIG walk into the community of Marysville itself helped us to understand the devastating effects of Black Saturday and the incredible human spirit shown by locals as they rebuilt their town and communal areas. The staff who accompanied the Year 7’s found the students to be engaged and totally immersing themselves in all activities, including taking on responsibility for Dining Hall duty and getting down at the Crazy hair and wigs disco on night two! The chickens who live at Camp Marysville in the Bush Tucker garden enjoyed lots of attention from some of our Year 7’s, many of whom spent time patting them and feeding them the scraps from our meals. The camp also has a focus on Sustainability and the challenge was set for every one of us to reduce our food waste while we were there. We definitely needed the heaters at night as the temperature dropped into single figures, but we were very fortunate with the weather as the day after we left, they were expecting SNOW and extremely cold nights! Thank you so much to all of the staff who attended camp this year, without you we could not have had such an amazing experience! Thank you also to all of our Year 7 students for getting yourselves involved and making the most of our time away!

Ms Simone McLaughlin Director of Students – Middle School

Year 12 Formal One of the highlights of the Year 12 calendar - the Year 12 Formal was held at Firenze Reception Centre on the 4 May. It was a fantastic opportunity for our Year 12 students, and staff, to have a brief break from their studies and enjoy a great night together. A big thank you to the Year 12 Formal committee and Mrs O'Callaghan for all their behind the scenes organisation that made the night so memorable. Special mention to Roshan Titus and Tanetini Mareko for their special musical performance on the night.

Mr Heath McClaer Director of Students (Senior Years)