Next Wednesday we will celebrate School Officer Day which is our opportunity to celebrate the vital role support staff play in education and in our College.  Our School Officers support our staff and students in our grounds, in our classrooms, labs, library and tuckshop, in our administration and IT, in careers, and on the bus!  We would be lost without them and we value the huge part they play in our OLSCC family.  If you see one of our amazing School Officers please give them a big smile and big thanks for all they do!

Parent Portal

Now’s the time to check your Parent Portal.  This handy tool is where you can find news from the College, links to Tuckshop Flexischools, enter student absences and most importantly view your child’s Report Cards.  As mentioned previously, this year report cards will only be issued digitally via the Parent Portal App, paper copies will not be printed and distributed by the College.  If you need support with Sentral for Parents App – Parent Portal please contact the office ASAP so we can address this before Report Cards are published next week.

Report Cards

Our reporting trial is going well with teachers finalising their marking, putting the finishing touches on the Report Cards and looking forward to Week 10’s Learning Discussions.  Things will be different this semester as we are beginning a trial which will involve progressive changes to our ‘reporting’ processes. 

Report Cards will be different!  In what way:

• It will be delivered digitally only
• There will be only one comment on each report card. This is a general comment from one of your child’s core teachers.  This personalised comment focuses on your child as a learner. 
• Attendance Data included on the report will not only mention days absent it will include the attendance percentage for your child this semester.

There will be some things that do not change:

• Achievement grades given for each subject (Key Learning Area) on a five point scale (A-E)
• Application to Learning and Attitude to Learning grades given as an indication of engagement in learning (S+, S, S-)
• Cohort Distribution Data for all classes with 15 or more students.

Learning Discussions will be offered in Week 10 with your child’s teacher/s.

• 10 minute discussions will be for parents and teachers (students optional)
• Open Two-way Discussion - The first question the teachers will ask in this discussion is what you, the parent, would like to discuss about your child as a learner. This is to open the dialogue and ensure this is a ‘discussion’ not an ‘interview’.  This two-sided conversation is to discuss your learner’s progress so far this year and opportunities for growth. 
• Time has been allocated for all P-12 staff from 3:30-6:30pm on Tuesday of Week 10. Teachers will then allocate an additional hour around their own commitments throughout the week. These times will all be shown on the Parent Portal booking platform.

These discussions are not compulsory for parents and if you have been communicating with the teacher about your child’s progress, you may not feel it is necessary to attend. We have allocated particular times for the formal Learning Discussions.  For our teachers in Year 7-12, that teach multiple classes and students, we ask that you consider which teacher/s you wish to have discussion with and prioritise booking with them. A letter detailing bookings for these discussions will be sent via email to all families and posted on Parent Portal on Friday.  Bookings open on Monday Week 9 at 9:00am and will remain open until after you receive your digital copy of the report card.  Please be mindful that parents are encouraged to reach out to teacher/s to discuss your child’s progress throughout the year, and we encourage teachers to also reach out to parents.  

This trial is a time of change and readjustment for our staff and parents, and we thank our amazing community for their flexibility and willingness to embrace change and work towards a better way of reporting for all.  It is our aim in 2024 to continue gathering feedback and a digital form will be sent to parents in Week 10 to gather feedback on Report Cards and Learning Discussions while it is fresh in your minds.  Please take this opportunity to give feedback as it will help us throughout the trial to refine our practices.

PUPIL FREE DAYS IN TERM 3

There are three Pupil Free Days in Term 3 for staff professional development.  Please mark these on your calendars in preparation. 

Monday 8 July, Friday 26 July and Friday 30 August. 

OLSCC Outside School Hours Care will be available from 8:00am – 4:00pm on these days.  Bookings should be made directly with OSHC.

DATE CLAIMERS – Term 3 and beyond

8 July - Pupil Free Day

9 July – First day of Term 3

26 July - Pupil Free Day

30 August - Pupil Free Day

3 September – Our Lady of the Southern Cross Day Celebrations

13 September – Grandparent’s Day Celebrations & Last day of Term 3

30 September – First day of Term 4 (10 week term)

7 October – King’s Birthday holiday

21 October – 12 November – Year 12 External Exams

13 November – College Awards of Excellence Ceremony

15 November – Year 12 Graduation Mass

5 December – Early Years Nativity Play (during school day) and College Christmas Carols (Twilight evening)

6 December – last day of Term 4 (10 week term)

Cate Brennan

Deputy Principal Religious Education