Daily Archives: September 23, 2011

Boarding News Week 10 Term 3

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QUOTE: “IT IS GOOD TO HAVE AN END TO A JOURNEY FORWARD, BUT IT IS THE JOURNEY THAT MATTERS IN THE END!”

Dear Year 11 Parents,

The dorms sit quietly and dusty after the high energy of a long ten week term. Our boys go home tired but satisfied in rounding off this last week, where they received back exams and assignment marks, with much instruction concerning the process behind dropping a subject or picking up a one unit course to organizing their text books, all in readiness for the commencement of their HSC studies next term.

Last weekend was the GPS Track and Field Championships and our boys were magnificent in all their performances, the vast majority of them recording personal best efforts on the day and this resulted in an outstanding second place finish behind the Kings School. After a long winter sport season our boys worked intensely for three weeks before the championships and many of them scared the life out of competitors with State and National rankings, whom had the luxury of a winter’s preparation due to not playing Rugby or Football. I would like to congratulate Zac Guilfoyle, Tim Palmer, Joe Callaughan, Hugh McLean, Sam Barclay, James Harrison, James Goldie, Alex Beasley, Ben Rodgers, Tom Martin, Josh Wilde, Laurence Nelmes, Tom Cleary, Magnus Heywood, Andrew Hookey and Josh Schwager for their outstanding performances on the day. It was impossible for me to see all the boys compete so I cannot comment on them all, but I found the efforts of Ben Rodgers and Tom Martin to be absolutely inspiring and  Alex Beasley’s efforts across the day were sustained and exceptional. 

Our Division Meeting on Wednesday was dominated by the details concerning the boys’ patterns of study and Year 12 text books, which Darren outlined to the boys very comprehensively. Wednesday was also the day we announced our Year 11 Cheer Leaders, Callum Flitcroft, Max Hall, Charlie Landers, Eddie Browne, Tiger Parker, Brendon Follington, David Ryan, Dom Mullane, Kian Heffernan, Oliver Roberts and Michael Thompson revved up our Years 7 to 11 boys with a cheering practice in preparation to take on the mantle of leading the school for the first time on Thursday to send off our Class of 2011 at their Final College Assembly. The Farewell Assembly went extremely well and to quote many a Year 12 boy commenting about the cheering after the event, “Year 11 was awesome!”  Fitting praise from their senior peers and a great start for our new Leading Year of the College.

Further to the wonderful examples our boys are setting in undertaking their leadership role in the school seriously, is that forty-three boys also nominated to take on the role of Dorm Seniors for 2011/12. Unfortunately only fourteen boys are chosen for the positions that leave the majority disappointed, but the generosity and commitment from all of the boys who did volunteer for this role, is greatly valued and appreciated. In a very difficult process to select the fourteen amongst so many worthy candidates, the following boys have been selected to commence as Dormitory Seniors next term.

In Year 7: Seth Turnbull, Jade Tubnor.

Year 8: James Quinn, Tom Murphy, Alex Newsome.

Year 9: Joe Callaughan, Ben Carolan, Alec Rainnie, Connor O’Gorman and Charlie Landers.

Year 10: Max Hall, Josh Kay, Josh Wilde and Anthony Baker.

One for the diary, the Semi-Formal will be held at the College on November 18th and I have been finalising details for the evening. We will need to have about 40 parents helping out on the night, so if you could keep that night free and volunteer some time it would help with the smooth running of the evening and make it a really special occasion for our boys.  Once the semi-formal is underway, you can sit back and relax and enjoy an informal get-together with pizza and a glass of wine.

You will receive by early next week the very comprehensive Year 11 Academic Reports for the completion of the Year 11 Preliminary Course and an Interim Boarding (Pastoral) Report. There finally ends a busy term in the lives of our boys. In Term 4, Full Boarders and all Weekly Boarders return at 8pm on Monday evening, 10th October; Day Boys – 8am on Tuesday morning, 11th October our boys commence the first term of the HSC.  Be rest assured your son is ready for it. They all have worked hard over this term and I do hope your son’s Report rewards his efforts this year.

I do hope all the boys have an enjoyable break as these holidays will be their last where they can feel totally free of any need to do school work as they return refreshed ready to take on the mantle of leadership in the many facets of College life at Joeys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Academic News Term 3 Week 10

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Dear Parents and Guardians,

We made it! Year 11 have completed their Preliminary HSC course. In the next few days you will receive your son’s yearly report. This report is a summation of student achievement for the year in each subject and it is an important tool to help decide which pattern of study to undertake in Year 12. A reminder that all students at Joeys in Year 12 must undertake a minimum of 11 units, including 2 units of English and at least one unit being a study of Religion.

On Wednesday all Year 11 received a “Pattern of Study” booklet that details important information concerning requirements for the HSC. Included in this booklet are forms that need to be completed by all students and which you need to sign. These forms include:

· pattern of study for HSC

· Application for extension courses

· Change of Subject

All students must complete the “Pattern of Study” form. Depending on your son’s circumstances, he may need to complete numerous forms that are attached with the booklet. I request that your son’s forms are stapled together and returned to myself first day back next term, the 11th of October. No change to a student’s pattern of study will occur if their forms are not returned by this date.  This information is needed to create new study classes. Processing all these forms is an onerous job but it is hoped that this can occur by the end of week two. If a student decides to drop a subject, they will remain in that subject’s lessons but complete private studies within these classrooms until new timetables are issued.  

By now the majority of textbook orders for Year 12 subjects should have occurred. The 23rd of September was the deadline for orders to guarantee delivery for first day next term. As I have mentioned in previous emails, if your son is still finalising his pattern of study, once a decision has been made about this subject please order the appropriate textbooks to ensure best chance of delivery for the first day of term.

I hope you and your son have an enjoyable holiday. The majority of the boys will not have much work to complete overthe break since HSC courses do not start until next term. It will probably be the last time until after the HSC examinations that they will have a holiday when they do not have to complete assessment tasks or study for examinations. This provides   a great opportunity for them to help around the home or family business and give something back to the family. A small gesture of appreciation for all that you do to make their life so enriching.  Unfortunately the accelerated mathematics students do not have this luxury as they will be studying for the HSC examination in mathematics. I hope all families have an enjoyable and safe holiday.

Regards

Darren Frost