Welcome back to the 2018 academic year and a warm welcome to all of our new students and families. May I introduce the Senior Learning Leaders who are responsible for learning in our College in 2018: Christine Miller Head of Religious Education Jemimah Walsh Head of Humanities Tina Di Camillo Head of Languages Simone Ryan Head of Learning Enhancement Paul Failla Head of Mathematics Marissa Joyce Head of English Laine Rice Head of Health and Physical Education Assimina Semertjis Head of Science Claire Al-Noah Head of The Arts and Technology Glenda Morris Head of Library Michael Petrie Head of Senior Pathways
As part of the Heads of Learning team, we also have: Michelle Robertson Director of Learning and Innovation Donna Laughlin Leader of Pedagogy Rosanna Merriweather Leader of Pedagogy
You are welcome to contact any of the Senior Learning Leaders (mentioned above) but as always, your first point of contact for curriculum related matters should be the subject teacher. It is essential that we continue to develop open and transparent communication and if possible, contact your daughter’s subject teacher earlier rather than later, if you perceive there to be a concern.
秘色传媒 Central
All new parents and guardians will have received their login name and password for 秘色传媒 Central. If a parent or guardian needs further assistance to log on to 秘色传媒 Central via the website, please contact ithelp@siena.vic.edu.au.
We will send further information on how to access your daughter’s class page to prepare you for next week’s launch of the 2018 秘色传媒 pages for parents and guardians.
Year 12 Learning Conversations
Year 12 students require an ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) for entry into many undergraduate entry university programs in Australia. This year we will again run the Year 12 Learning Conversations. This program provides an opportunity for the student to share a learning conversation with a senior member of staff about their academic goals, strategies that may assist in their learning and finally develop a 2018 Action Plan with a focus on improvement. Year 12 students will also estimate an ATAR based on their Year 11 Semester Two Examination results. The Year 12 students will receive the relevant documents and an ATAR calculator program so that they can spend some time reflecting on their Year 11 achievements and prepare for their learning conversation. The focus is not so much on the estimated ATAR that they calculate but the way in which they can maximise their learning opportunities in 2018.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
The Year 7 to 12 Parent/Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, 15 March and Wednesday, 21 March between 4.00pm and 7.30pm in the Latingata Morrom Centre (Gym). The Parent/Teacher Conferences are an important opportunity to develop a working and supportive relationship between subject teachers, parents and students. It is essential that the student attends the Parent/Teacher Conferences so that they are able to share their learning experience and participate in the conversation about their subject expectations. Parents and guardians will be able to download a copy of their daughter’s Interim report prior to the Parent/Teacher Conference. Further information will be provided in a later newsletter issue.
Bernadette Donnelly Deputy Principal Learning and Teaching
