Senior School report

Our Year 10s experienced their “One Night of Homelessness” on Thursday May 19. Craig Schepis, who instigated the Soup Bus along with many other initiatives to support the homeless, generously gave of his time to make our boys more aware and understanding of the plight the homeless people in Ballarat.  One important message for our boys is to show kindness to any in their cohort who might be at the fringe socially.  If we all did this our communities would be so much happier and healthier.  Our boys were cognisant of the fact that while they had the physical discomfort through the night, unlike the homeless they were safe at all times and were able to go home and have an easy day afterwards.  Many thanks to the staff who stayed awake all night to make this evening possible.

Our Year 10 and 11 exams commence on Thursday June 9.  This is a time for students to revise / increase their understanding of the material they have covered during the term and develop their exam techniques.  We know that reading and highlighting are not very effective ways of preparing for exams, however recalling and using knowledge and skills by completing and correcting practice questions will lead to the most improvement.  The exams are a chance for all students to consolidate their knowledge and skills, and for some students it is an opportunity to put in a big effort to make up for some earlier results.  Year 11 students doing a 3/4 Study will be required to attend those 3/4 classes during the exam period.  If students have exam clashes, they are to arrange for these to be re-scheduled with their Year Level Coordinators.

As we approach the end of the Semester, I encourage parents to talk with their sons about their progress (and check PAM).  If you have concerns about a subject, please do not hesitate to email your son’s teacher directly or give them a phone call.  It is when parents, the school and the student are all working together that the most progress is made.

Currently St Pats and many other schools have many staff and students absent due to COVID and other illnesses.  It is likely that most students will get more than one illness which keeps them away from school this year, and if it is influenza, it may make them too sick to attend for an extended period of time.  For this reason it is more important than ever for students to be at school at all available times while they are well, and to stay as up to date as possible so that if they get sick they will feel that staying in touch is achievable.