POSITIVE MINDSET TIME!

Year 12 are entering the most important phase of their schooling leading up to the HSC and we are supporting students in every class in every lesson.  Students should seek out help from our teachers at every opportunity.  We have a culture of support and commitment at St John’s and this is reflected in everything we do.  Here are some thoughts for students to consider in the coming months:

• Most skills are always learnable
• Learning is valuable and students must understand what it takes to get there can be difficult
• Learning “does not” always depend on innate talent
• All your teachers, peers and other adults in your life are resources for learning. We all help each other to learn. Everyones’ marks are important.
• Seek feedback as often as possible from your teachers on a task so that you can move forward with it each time
• You don’t need to always get things right the first time, you build towards it being right step by step and always consider what else you can try. Thomas Edison tried 10,000 different strategies before he was able to invent the light globe

• Don’t always do the same old thing ie. using the same approach to solving a problem, ask for help to do it differently and to get it right next time

PALS GROWTH CONVERSATIONS

To enable our talented year group to succeed we are conducting Growth conversations in extended PALS to support students in a simple goal.

– ‘To do the best they can possibly do and create opportunities for pathways in further education and careers.’ 

PALS teachers are conducting structured conversations with students one-on-one.  This produces a SMART goal that is Simple / Measurable / Achievable / Realistic / Timely.  Staff engage with students weekly to support them on this journey.

We know that every student is different and learns differently and these conversations support students in identifying areas of their studies that need support and to affirm what they are currently doing well.

LONGER LIBRARY HOURS

In order to further support students on their HSC journey staff are supervising extended study times in the school library allowing students to make use of this to collaborate with their peers. At this point the library will be available to students until 5.00pm on Tuesday and Wednesday afternoons instead of the usual 4.00pm close.  

YEAR 12 RETREAT

Our Year 12 Retreat will take place in Term 2, Week 3, Wednesday 5 May to Friday 7 May. We are now asking that all remaining payments are made to the school for this.  PALS teachers are working with students to remind them about this and a letter detailing the requirements of these special days for Year 12 is being emailed directly to parents from Mr Comensoli.

SWIMMING CARNIVAL

What a day! Year 12 are to be congratulated on their attendance and participation on this day.  We were governed by restrictions around COVID and had a competitors and Year 12 only carnival. 

Our Johnnies spirit was evident once more and our Year 12’s were awesome in their organisation and commitment to the day.

POSITIVE PEER AFFIRMATIONS

Because we have such an outstanding group of Year 12 students at St John’s (which I knew would be the case when I met them on their first orientation day in Year 7 !) we will be recognising their adherence to our school values and dispositions fortnightly in Year assemblies.  Students will nominate their peers through a Google form identifying the school value or disposition they have displayed in a real school example. 

This will be known as the “Justice and Education Award”.  Students will receive a recognition award based on our school values of Hope, Love, Spirituality, Justice, Love and Compassion and / or related to our Learning Dispositions of Inquires, Imagination, Ownership, Challenges, Connecting and Reflection.

Students must offer a short justification on the Google form as to “why” they have nominated a particular person

IMPORTANT CALENDAR DATES

Remaining in Term 1

Week 7: Thursday 11 March: Year 11 & 12 Parent Student/Teacher Night

Week 9: Friday 26 March: School Cross Country

Term 2

Week 2: Tuesday 27 Apri HSC and Beyond Evening 6pm - 7pm 

Week 2: Friday 30 April School Athletics Carnival 

Week 3: Wednesday 5 – Friday 7 May Year 12 Retreat

Week 5: Friday 4 June Foundation Day