Dear Parents, Caregivers and Community Members,
Term II has been extremely busy with two Minister visits, our ANZAC ceremony, Music Concerts, Assessments, Year 6 to 7 transition activities and environmental enhancement excursions. However, it has not finished yet with a number of key events such as the Canberra Trip, Country Week, Borneo Trip and REAL Activities/Rewards still to occur.
Assessment and Reporting
During this term, students have performed well during the formalised assessment weeks, exams, NAPLAN (National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy – Years 7 & 9) and OLNA (Online Literacy and Numeracy Assessment – Year 10). Year 12 General Course students also participated in an Externally Set Task for the first time across the state (EST). Teachers continuously analyse these assessments (and others) so the curriculum can be adjusted to cater to each students’ needs. The Semester I reports will be mailed home prior to the end of this term. These are valuable indicators on how your child is progressing with their assessments and learning. Please discuss with your child their progress, and support them with their learning. Reports should be used to plan for improvement and build better results in Semester II. Parents who attended the Year 10-12 Parents Night found it valuable to discuss with teachers ways in which their child could improve. If you were unable to attend or you are a Year 7 to 9 parent, please do not hesitate to contact the school to arrange an appointment with the teacher concerned, as they are more than happy to support student learning.
Year 10 to Year 11
Year 10 will begin their course counselling to select their pathways for Year 11 and 12. This is an important time for these students, as the decisions that are made this year will impact on their chance of graduation and forge a future career path. Busselton Senior High School has a number of courses to select from that will allow students to progress to their post-secondary destination. We have a sound breadth of ATAR courses that include Physics, Chemistry, Human Biology, Biology, Visual Arts, Physical Education Studies, Geography, History, Music, English and all Mathematics courses including Specialist Mathematics. A Certificate IV Course in Nursing Preparation is also available. These offerings satisfy the prerequisites for any University course. Our expert teachers ensure that students selecting ATAR pathways will achieve the mark they require; over the last two years, every ATAR student that has applied for university has been accepted. Students have an opportunity to complete a Certificate II in Engineering, Building and Construction, Business, Kitchen Operations and Sport Recreation. Students selecting these pathways will also be involved in work placement opportunities. If you have any enquiries about enrolling in these pathways, please call the school.
Year 7/8 Homework Lunch and Kick-start
In the previous newsletter I outlined to parents a new initiative; the Year 7 and 8 Homework Lunch. This was being implemented in response to an ever-increasing number of students who are not completing the set work in class. It has been operating using the following process:
Each week students will be checked off at the end of each lesson as to whether they have completed their work.
- A list will be compiled, and students who have not completed the set work will be informed on Friday that they must attend.
- Parents will also be notified on the Friday via SMS that their child has work they need to complete.
- On Monday, the students will attend Homework Lunch for the rest of the week until the work is completed.
I want to reiterate that ‘Homework Lunch’ is not a punishment. Expert teachers have been available to assist students with one-on-one instruction if they do not understand the work.
The students have been doing very well and the initiative has been an overwhelming success with the number of students having been attended reduced by up to 60%. To continue to build upon this success Year 7 and 8 Humanities and Science Classes will now be involved starting Term III. Furthermore, students that have been identified as not understanding the work that is being provided in class will be catered for by a new program entitled Kick-Start. This specialised class will be conducted between 8.35 – 9.02am as a part of form. It will be staffed by expert Maths and English teachers and breakfast will be provided. This will ensure that no child falls behind in their education. If you have any questions relating to either Homework Lunch or Kick-Start, please do not hesitate to contact the school.
Finally, I would like to say good luck to all the students who will be representing the school at the many events we have coming up. Country Week is an opportunity to represent the school with pride and test your sporting abilities against some high-class opposition. I also hope students enjoy the REAL activities in Week 10. Attending the REAL excursions demonstrates that students are showing Respect, displaying Empathy, Striving to Achieve and committed to their Learning. Decisions on whether students are eligible are based on the REAL attributes in the Semester I reports. Students also need to have attended at above 90% of the time. I also hope the Year 9 Canberra trip and the trip to Borneo to undertake volunteer work are experiences that will be remembered for years to come for our students.
Term III begins for students on Tuesday 19 July.
Kind Regards,
Dainon Couzic
PRINCIPAL