Assistant Principal - Learning & Teaching

Years 7 – 11 Reports

All Year 7–11 Reports have been presented to students in Stage-based Commendation Ceremonies today (Friday, 3 July).  Reports for Years 7–10 will have a Common Grade for each subject and subject marks are not reported due to the disruption caused by the Covid–19 Pandemic.  Year 11 Reports contain task marks for most subjects.  Moving forward, St Paul’s College Reports for students in Years 7–11 will contain a Common Grade for each subject and will not contain marks.  This is a requirement which is now stipulated by NESA and the Lismore CSO and conforms to the standards referenced assessment framework.  Staff at St Paul’s will communicate assessment results and ranks via Parent/Teacher interviews which are available after each reporting period. 

Restrictions still in place because of the pandemic, prohibit parents from attending our customary Semester 1 Commendation Ceremony.  Consequently, photographs and videos from these assemblies will be uploaded to St Paul’s College Facebook and Webpage so that parents can view the successes of their children. 

Parent Teacher Interviews

Face-to-face interviews will take place on Monday, evening 10 August (Week 4 – Term 3) at this stage, and social distancing measures will be applied if there is still a government requirement.  We will be taking bookings via the schoolinterviews.com.au portal and the booking code will be made available early in next term. 

Year 10 into 11 Subject Selection

All Year 10 students should now have the Year 11 – 2021 Course Selection Handbook and you would have received a letter outlining the timeline for subject selection.  On Wednesday, 22 July (Term 3 – Week 1) Year 10 students will be presented with subject information by a range of teachers at school.  This will be followed by the Year 10 into 11 Subject Selection Information night on Monday, 27 July (Week 2 – Term 2) from 4 – 6.30 pm.  This event will be staged face-to-face and restrictions will be applied if necessary.  On Monday, 3 August, we will then be conducting Year 10 Subject Selection Interviews.  I would like to say how important it is for parents to discuss subject selection with their children.  Students should choose the subjects that they enjoy and not be influenced by peers.  These important discussions should also include career choices and access to further education, ie university or vocational institutions, and any prerequisite subject that students may require in order to pursue certain career pathways. 

Year 8 into Year 9 Subject Selection

The Year 8 into 9 Subject Selection process will begin in Week 5 of Term 3.  Year 8 students will be able to choose two elective subjects as part of the Year 9 curriculum.  They will choose five subjects to participate in during the Year 9 subject selection taster day.  During this day in Week 5 of Term 3, students will be shown a sample of the content available from the Year 9 course and will participate in practical activities associated with that subject.  At the conclusion of the taster day, students will be asked to complete an online subject selection form where they will choose three subjects in order of preference. The subject lines for elective subjects in Year 9 will then be created using these subject selections.

Reflections on Term 2 at St Paul’s College

As the term comes to a close, it is important to reflect on all the excellent learning that has occurred at St Paul’s College and online over the past ten weeks.  We have been blessed in the valley by our relative isolation and the fact that the Covid–19 virus has had virtually no impact on our community in regard to cases and transmission.  We have not, however, been immune to the impact of the virus on the economy.  Many families and businesses have been impacted by closures and job losses.  It is pleasing, in these uncertain times, that students and teachers at St Paul’s have taken the opportunity to enhance their learning skills using a wide variety of online tools. Zoom, Screencastify, Prezi, SORA and the Google suite of apps are now routinely used by all members of our community and have provided a huge range of learning opportunities and challenges for families, staff and students.  Let us use these new learnings to continue to improve all aspects of education at St Paul’s College.

Mr Leon Robinson - Acting Assistant Principal