Year 12 Boarding News Term 3, Week 2, 2011
Dear Year 12 parents,
It’s been great to see the sun this week and the boys have appreciated the chance to get outside a lot more. With the HSC trial period just about to begin I would emphasise that any leave requests during that time should be sent through to me. These will treated on a case by case basis but all boys must fulfil their sporting commitment at training and on Saturdays. We will be having lunch at 12.00 each week day in case lunch leave is planned and as Mark Fenech has communicated it is important that boarders are at school the night before each exam.
At Assembly today a large number of Year 12s were presented and congratulated on stage. The College Musical “Joseph” received great reviews last term and those who gave so much to the performances were recognised for this. Luke Amasi, Harry Coppen, Max Ford, Hamish Mathers, Duen Siauw, Kristian Lojszczyk, Tim Hill, Julian Herrera and Ronald Szeto were all presented with certificates.
Several Year 12s performed outstandingly in the Australian Schools Geography competition. The following received High Distinctions: Andrew North, Nick McMahon, Cameron Booth, Andrew Schwager, Hugh Sterndale-Smith and Joe Carey. Joe was placed in the top 10 students in the whole competition. Joeys were placed 8th overall out of 800 schools that participated nationwide. The top seven schools were all selective high schools.
Our Cross Country senior team was announced and we congratulate Aidan Blair as captain, Josh Klarica, Matt Smith and Josh Parker. We wish them well for the GPS competition races. Josh, Matt and Josh were joined by Dom Egan to receive the gold medals for winning the schools relay race at the recent CIS Cross Country championships.
Finally, Duen, Max and Kristian all played in the Chambers Strings to complete a very packed Assembly in which Year 12 featured heavily.
I will begin handing out the individual and group photos that were ordered last term. I will stress to the boys the importance of these getting home, so if you are here over the weekend it may be worth asking them as they may have their minds on other matters.
On Friday we have the Design and Technology Display evening at 6.30pm in the Hall. The year 12s students have been all working hard to complete their major works in time for this. Parents are very welcome, of course, to view these on the night or on Sunday between 9am and 3pm.
I thoroughly enjoyed the 1sts Debating performance last Friday. George Atkin and Josh Klarica spoke very well against a top class Sydney Grammar side in the first round of the competition. Over the next six Fridays the competition will continue and we wish them all the best.
Everyone should have received information about this term which includes a reply sheet to the graduation and Formal. Thank you to those who have already returned these and could I encourage others to get these back so that planning can go smoothly. If you haven’t received these please let me know.
Can I remind parents that on Saturdays the boys are present at school in the dorms, playing or supporting until after the 1st XV? If you wish to take your son, a brief email is needed to me. All boys should be in the stand by 2pm or watching the end of the 1st football game.
I have been asked to publicise the following two events:
On Friday, 19 August, St Joseph’s College Foundation will celebrate 130 years of Joeys achievements at their “Men of Rugby” dinner, and invites you to get join with Matt Burke, Kurtley Beale and other Wallaby and Waratah legends for a fantastic evening. Hosted by award winning Sky News sports reporter James Bracey, guests will be treated to a three course meal, drinks and entertainment. A live auction of a few very special items will also be conducted on the evening.
Tickets to the dinner are $150 per head. A limited number of Premium Tables (seating nine or ten guests) are also available for $2,000, and will be located in a front of house/premium location and include the option of having a special guest (e.g. Wallaby or Waratah player) seated with your guests for the evening. Individual tickets can also be purchased, and if you indicate your son’s year group we will arrange a table for you.
All proceeds from the evening will go towards supporting the St Joseph’s College Capital Appeal: Realising the Vision.
Tickets can be purchased in two ways:
Online through the Joeys shop
or
Download a booking form
Want more information?
Contact Joanne Wilson (SJC Development Office) on email events@joeys.org or telephone: +61 2 9816 0958.
The City Country Joeys Mothers Luncheon is once again preceding the Joeys Riverview match and will be held on Friday August 12. We would be grateful if you could inform the Year Coordinators and ask them to include the attached invitation with their newsletters/blogs.
The details are:
Friday 12 August, 12-3pm in the Y12 Ref.
Tickets are $45 and are available through www.joeys.org
I am sure many of you would be interested in supporting these.
All the best until next week
Pat
Year 12 Academic News Week 2, Term 3, 2011
Dear Students, Parents and Carers,
As Pat has already covered the procedure relating to requesting leave from the College during the examination period, I will not cover it again here, except to say that every student must honour their Co-Curricular commitments both mid-week and on weekends ahead of any leave.
I concur with Pat’s comments about Year 12 achievements that were recognised at Assembly this week. It gives me great pleasure to see these students achieving in such a broad range of activities and subjects at a time that they are also focussing on Trial examinations. Well done to all those boys and to the staff who work with them. Particular emphasis must be given to the outstanding achievements of Joe Carey in the Australian Geography Competition – Mr Mark Cahill, Head of Geography, told me that Joe placed within the top 10 Geography students throughout Australia. It was especially good to have Br Anthony available at our Form Meeting this week to congratulate students who were awarded Study Effort Awards for Term 2. Br Anthony’s philosophy of ‘mastering the small things’ that is applied to the whole spectrum of activities at SJC to build a positive culture was not lost on our Year 12 students as they ready themselves for the Trial Examinations.
As promised, I have distributed a hard-copy of the examination timetable to all students to keep in their rooms. This is also available on last week’s blog posting.
While some rugby teams will be travelling to Armidale for games next weekend, no Year 12 students will be involved. It is a strong message to our community from the College as to how important these examinations are and that students must sustain a routine of study in order to achieve the marks that they are capable of.
Reports
There will be two mail-outs of academic reports this term. The Trial HSC Report will be posted a week or two after the examinations have finished. This will report on the Trial examinations ONLY (no other assessment tasks are included). Students who do practical subjects will understand that those practical submissions and performances are also regarded as ‘exams’ and the practical components will make up part of the Trial Report Mark. A final Yr 12 Academic Report will be sent at the end of the term which will cover the whole of the HSC course and this will include the final HSC Assessment Ranking. Assessment Marks are not reported to students – only rankings. This is an important condition set down by the Board of Studies.
The Headmaster’s Reference will be sent in November/December and this will comment on the student’s attitude, involvement in activities and general character. It is a very important document that should be included in every student’s portfolio.
Resume’ Builder
Mrs Charters distributed a booklet this week to assist Year 12 students in setting out an efficiently comprehensive and effective resume’. I encourage parents and carers to take an active part in helping their sons to construct this important document. Mrs Charters is also available to give advice on this as well.
Best wishes to all students for their examinations. I encourage all students, carers and parents to contact me if they require any assistance or advice during the examination period.
Mark Fenech