{"id":6543,"date":"2026-06-19T11:56:09","date_gmt":"2026-06-19T01:56:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/olmcburraneer\/?post_type=article&p=6543"},"modified":"2026-06-19T11:56:09","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T01:56:09","slug":"years-11-and-12-news-maria-biala","status":"publish","type":"article","link":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/olmcburraneer\/article\/years-11-and-12-news-maria-biala\/","title":{"rendered":"Years 11 and 12 News – Maria Biala"},"content":{"rendered":"\n


The Mid-Year Bridge: Maximizing Non-Term Time for Success<\/strong><\/h1>\n\n\n\n


“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence.”<\/em> \u2014 Abigail Adams<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The past two weeks have been another busy and productive time for our Year 11 and Year 12 students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our Year 11 students have had the opportunity to explore a range of future pathways when they visited Ultimo TAFE and UTS, gaining firsthand insight into further education options, campus life and potential career pathways. They also attended the HSC and Careers Expo at Randwick Racecourse, where they engaged with representatives from universities, training organisations and industry professionals, helping them make informed decisions about their future studies and careers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Our Year 12 students recently enjoyed a fantastic afternoon participating in the much anticipated Cookie Challenge alongside the boys from DLS. Working in teams, students showcased their creativity, teamwork, and competitive spirit as they decorated cookies with a variety of imaginative themes and designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The atmosphere was filled with laughter, collaboration, and plenty of friendly competition. Each group put in a tremendous effort, making it incredibly difficult for the judges to select a winner. However, there can only be one champion and congratulations go to “The Universe” team, whose outstanding creativity and presentation earned them the top prize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cookie Challenge was a wonderful opportunity for students to connect, unwind and create lasting memories during a busy term.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As we approach the break, it is natural for students to feel a sense of relief and a desire to step away from their desks. However, for Year 11 and 12 students, these non-term periods are not just a vacation; they are a strategic bridge between the foundational work of the first semester and the rigorous demands of the second. As parents, you can play a crucial role in helping your child strike the right balance between necessary rejuvenation and the opportunity to consolidate their knowledge without the daily pressure of a school timetable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the most effective ways to use this time is through consolidation rather than just “new” study. During the term, students are often so busy keeping up with new content that they don’t have the “white space” to connect the dots. This break provides a golden opportunity to review Term 1 and 2 notes, organise folders and identify gaps in understanding. We recommend that students spend a portion of their first week looking back at their previous assessments\u2014taking those feedback notes we discussed recently and applying them to summary notes or practice questions. This ensures that their foundation is rock-solid before the final climb of the year begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For those undertaking major projects, such as Visual Art, Design and Technology or Textiles and Design, this time is particularly precious. These subjects require deep, uninterrupted focus\u2014the kind of “deep work” that is nearly impossible to achieve between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM on a standard school day. Encouraging your child to dedicate specific blocks of time to these projects now can significantly lower their stress levels in Term 3. Helping them set realistic, daily goals for their practical work can prevent the “all-nighter” culture that often leads to burnout and diminished quality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While academic progress is important, we must also emphasise the value of a planned “recharge.” Effective use of non-term time does not mean studying every hour of every day; in fact, that is often counterproductive. We suggest helping your child design a schedule that honors both productivity and rest. A student who spends four hours in the morning on high-priority tasks and the rest of the day completely switched off will return to school much more refreshed than one who procrastinates all day and feels a constant, low-level guilt. By supporting a structured yet flexible approach, you are helping them build the professional habits and stamina they will need for the final months of the year. We encourage all students to take the opportunity to rest and recharge. While the holidays provide a well-earned chance to relax, they also offer time to refresh and prepare for the important term ahead, the final term of study for our Year 12 students and for our Year 11 students, it is the last term of Preliminary study before they begin their HSC journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you for your continued support and partnership throughout the term. We look forward to seeing you at the upcoming Parent, Teacher and Student interviews. Your encouragement and involvement play an important role in our students’ success and we greatly value the strong connection between home and school. We wish all students and their families a safe, restful and enjoyable break and look forward to a positive and productive term ahead. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maria Biala, Instructional Leader of Wellbeing – Year 11 & 12 (Relieving)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Mid-Year Bridge: Maximizing Non-Term Time for Success “Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and diligence.” \u2014 Abigail Adams The past two weeks have been another busy and productive time for our Year 11 and Year 12 students. Our Year 11 students have had the opportunity to explore […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":5799,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","article_category":[],"article_tag":[],"class_list":["post-6543","article","type-article","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/olmcburraneer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article\/6543","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/olmcburraneer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/olmcburraneer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/article"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/olmcburraneer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6543"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/olmcburraneer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5799"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/olmcburraneer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6543"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"article_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/olmcburraneer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_category?post=6543"},{"taxonomy":"article_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.thebuzz.net.au\/olmcburraneer\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/article_tag?post=6543"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}