IONA 6

May 1, 2020

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IONA 6

Principal's Message

Prayer

Get Active and WIN at Home

Musical Update

Year 9 Virtual Mock Interviews

Year 12s

Career News

Academic Excellence Scholarships

Year 7 2022 Enrolment

Catholic Education Today

Principal's Message

Feedback

 

We are very appreciative of the time that families and students have taken to respond to our surveys regarding online teaching.  As this is a new and untried space for all of us, it is important that we are continually seeking feedback to ensure we continue to set the right conditions for learning, while being flexible and adaptable to changing needs as they emerge.  Ensuring the wellbeing of students and staff remains a high priority.

 

As a result of the feedback, the following changes will be made to the structure of the day, acknowledging the impact that prolonged screen time is having on everyone’s concentration and energy levels.  Brain breaks, time away from any screen, and time to engage in physical activity, remain as important as engagement with the learning.  These times will be reflected in student timetables on SIMON.  We will also communicate this to them via the Student Bulletin and an email:

 

Period

Start

End

Duration

Lesson 1

9:00 AM

10:00 AM

60

Recess

10:00 AM

10:25 AM

25

Lesson 2

10:30 AM

11:30 AM

60

Rest Break

11:30 AM

12:00 PM

30

Lesson 3

12:00 PM

1:00 PM

60

Lunch

1:00 PM

1:55 PM

55

Lesson 4

2:00 PM

3:00 PM

60

 

Staff will also spend some time together on Tuesday afternoon reviewing the student feedback regarding their experience of teaching and learning in the online space.

 

COVID-19 Mental Health Resources Fact Sheet

 

We received the following resource created by e-Mental Health in Practice, a project team funded by the Australian Department of Health to disseminate Australia’s various digital mental health resources to health practitioners and others who work with potential mental health consumers.

 

The Fact Sheet is very comprehensive and contains reliable and safe mental health support options which are relevant for all school communities and their staff, parents and students. 

I hope you find it useful.

 

Conversations with the Leadership Team

 

In an effort to keep in touch and connected with our parent community we decided to proceed with the second of our planned “Conversations with the Leadership Team”, and to host this remotely.  Thank you to the 70 (or so) families who joined us online.  It was an opportunity to provide an update about how the College is managing this shift to online learning, to model some of the tools that our students and teachers are using within their learning programs, and to hear the feedback that parents have to offer, about any element of College life.

We have one more planned “Conversation” in Term Three, and once we know more about the restrictions that will be in place at that time, we will decide on the format.

 

 

Prayer

Eastertide Prayer

 

At this time of great uncertainty and whilst in this time of Easter until the great feast of Pentecost, we celebrate God present amongst us and we ask for help as we work towards building God’s kingdom.

 

God of our journey, God of hope,

we give you thanks and praise,

as we continue our online learning.

May all who are part of this community

find a welcome place to grow and be.

Especially at this Easter time,

give us the grace to begin our journey

with hope and joy.

This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

 

 

Get Active and WIN at Home

Students do you need some inspiration to keep moving at home? Get Active and WIN!  Our challenge to you is to get creative and be active while at home. Come up with a fun and entertaining video to inspire the STC Community to be active!

Staff and students are invited to create a fun active video using what’s at home.  Need some inspiration.  Check out the new treadmill workout that you can do in the comfort of your own home.

Requirements:

  • Get creative on how to keep active while at home (chair, food items, couch, stairs, music)
  • Video must be no more than 2 minutes
  • All video entries are to filmed outside or in a common space
  • Dress appropriately
  • Winner: Receives an At Home Fitness Pack from Knight Sports (Valued at $100)
  • Runner up: Receives an At Home Activity Kit from Knights Sports (Valued at $50)  

All videos need to be sent in by Friday 29 May to kingc@columba.vic.edu.au

 

Musical Update

Musical rehearsals are looking a little different at the moment, but in true theatrical spirit “the show must go on” and students have adapted quickly to our new virtual reality with rehearsals continuing two afternoons a week. We have built an online community where students and staff can share ideas and the cast are able to access pre-recorded tutorials to learn songs and choreography, while video conferencing is utilized to run lines, block scenes and hold singing lessons. 

 

This week we challenged the cast to record a minute of the choreography they have learnt so far and upload it to Flipgrid. We then enjoyed some snippets together in a virtual production meeting on Thursday afternoon.

 

Our students have been phenomenal in the way they have embraced change and we are sure to be treated to an incredible production later in the year. 

 

Who knows it might be livestreamed, right now anything is possible.

 

 

Year 9 Virtual Mock Interviews

We are looking for volunteers to help with this year’s Year 9 Mock Interviews.

 

If you are happy to help, we would love to hear from you. Information below or you can click here.

 

 

Year 12s

Our Year 12s have received their official Class of 2020 windcheaters.

 

Current circumstances have meant that our Year 12s have had to miss some milestones, and we know how disappointed many of them are. We wanted to bring some joy during this time, and to give our Year 12s a moment to remember.

 

We present you with the class of 2020!

 

 

Career News

Welcome to our first edition of the Career News for term 2.

 

In this edition:

 

  • Get excited about maths and data careers
  • Research apprenticeships and traineeships
  • Research occupations
  • Apply for university (Yr 12)
  • Apply for early entry and guaranteed entry university programs (Yr 12)
  • Speak to current university students
  • Watch a webinar
  • Research your TAFE and university course options
  • Enter competitions
  • Check out upcoming events
  • Dates for your diary 

Access Careers News here.

 

Academic Excellence Scholarships

St Columba’s College is offering Academic Excellence Scholarships for students entering Year 7 2022 as well as Year 9 and Year 11 in 2021. Details and online registration are available on the College website.

Registration closing date is Friday 17 July 2020

Scholarship testing date is Saturday 25 July 2020

Year 7 2022 Enrolment

A reminder if your daughter is currently in Grade 5 and you wish to send her to St Columba’s College, please ensure you have submitted an application form even if you already have a daughter at the College. Applications can be downloaded from the College website or collected from Reception.

Applications for Year 7 2022 close on Friday 21 August 2020.

 

Catholic Education Today

Access the Term 2 edition of Catholic Education Today here.