Congratulations to all students for the effort they have put into their studies in recent weeks. As the semester concluded students were involved in lots of assessment of student learning. This is intended to be a very positive experience for students requiring organisation, focus and concentration.

Exams are only one measure of how students are progressing in their learning, and when results are released it is important parents are mindful of this. The College Learning Management System (CANVAS) provides a progressive and up to date picture of your daughter’s academic progress. This includes achievement levels and feedback in assessment tasks.

The feedback from exams and SACs is an integral part of the learning cycle. In order to add value to the exam experience, regardless of the result, it is important that students and parents and cares engage in a reflective conversation about what they have learnt from the experience and how students approached their studies. The most effective learners are those who are able to respond to feedback, thus encourage students to follow up this feedback with their subject teachers to develop strategies they can implement in second semester.

Term 3 is an exciting time with the opportunity for students to consolidate their learning and the opportunity to engage with new concepts and skills. With the benefit of results from Semester One students are encouraged to reflect on what they have achieved and set new goals for their learning in semester 2.

End of Semester Reports

Semester 1 reports will be available July 17. The details providing access to parents and carers online will be communicated to families.

The reports provide feedback from each subject teacher (and Learning Mentor) regarding your daughter’s achievements during semester one.

One element of each subject report is the student’s approach to learning. Approaches to learning are viewed as important behaviours that when carried out to a high level help students to achieve their best. The approaches to learning that teachers provide feedback on are:

• Effort
• Behaviour

The factors considered for ‘Effort’ are persistence, presentation of work and application to tasks.

The factors considered for ‘Behaviour’ are engagement, concentration and contribution.

It is important to have a conversation with your daughter about the report highlighting particular strengths and areas of improvement.

Subject Selection Process 2020

The process of subject selection is designed to equip students with the information to make decisions about the elective subjects that they select. Early Term 3 students from Years 8 to 11 will be involved in the process of selecting their subjects for 2020. It is important that students be informed about the available subjects and that the selection of courses is suited to their interests and abilities. An integral part of the process is that parents discuss with their child the subject choices they wish to make for the following year. Information to students will be distributed at Year Level Assemblies. Students will be informed about the pathways selection process and how to complete the selection guides.

Subjects should be selected largely on the following basis and should be done in consultation with parents, teachers and pathways coordinator:

• The student’s personal interests
• Known ability and past success in a particular area of study
• Prerequisite and recommended studies for entry into Higher Education courses (Tertiary and TAFE)
• Career aspirations

Year 11 2020 Subject Selection

For Year 10 students, the transition into the Senior School is an important one, and marks the beginning of a significant phase for students at Mount St. Joseph Girls' College. The process will include student and parent information sessions, course guidance and formal interviews. It is the start of a very personal journey for each student, as decisions about which courses of study to pursue are made. As with all journeys, some will have a final destination clearly identified and subject choices will be clear. For others, the pathway will not be as smooth; it may take some time to reach a point of certainty about which choices to make.

The Course Selection Handbooks will be available from the College website to assist students to make well informed decisions about their elective program.

For current Year 10 students, parents and carers please make a note of these dates:

Tuesday July 23 – Year 11 2020 Parents/Carers Information Evening and Domain Expo

• 6.00pm – 6.55pm: Domain and University Expo
• 7.00pm: a general information session for students and parents covering the subject selection requirements, procedures and timeline.

Tuesday August 6: Year 11 2019 Students/Parents/Carers Interviews

2.00pm – 7.00pm interviews will be conducted for students and parents. Each interview is scheduled for 10 minutes and designed to support students and parents to clarify any concerns regarding VCE/VCAL subject selection.

Pathways Planning

Is your daughter considering studying at university in the future? It has been estimated that 1 in 2 people from Generation Z will gain a Bachelor degree qualification. With more people than ever before studying at university, many young people are wondering if there will be a job in their profession or interest area when they graduate.

Australia’s Chief Scientist Dr Alan Finkel AO has written a thought-provoking article that all potential university students should read. The main points he covers are:

• It is increasingly unlikely that your profession will be the same as your degree
• The most reliable predictor of success is the capacity to ‘pivot’.
• STEM degrees are extremely useful for problem-solving in all types of jobs
• Expect to be job-capable rather than job-ready.

It is more important than ever to carefully plan your post school pathway.

To read the article, click HERE

NCCD Information Sheet

The Federal Government has introduced major changes to the way it funds schools to provide additional support for students with disabilities. Schools must now complete the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disabilities (NCCD) every year. The NCCD counts the number of students who receive additional adjustments or ‘support’ at school because of disability. The NCCD helps governments plan for the needs of students with disability.

More information regarding the NCCD can be read in this attachment