Deputy Principal – Academic

Amy Byrnes

Welcome to our new and returning students and their families. As we come to the end of Week 3, I am hoping our students have embraced their timetable and have met their class teachers and peers. 2020 aims to be a rewarding year for our students throughout their respective subjects. We hope this year sees our students achieving their individual goals, whilst challenging themselves academically. I look forward to working closely with our students and their families in all areas of the curriculum to ensure that students are fully supported to achieve their academic goals.

Subject changes

Subject changes for Semester 1, 2020 have now closed. The next round of subject changes will be for Semester 2, 2020 and will open at the end of Term 2, 2020.

For Year 11 students, Unit Two Subject Changes occur at a different time due to the new Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) requirements. Year 11 Unit Two subject changes will close on Friday, 5 June 2020.

Assessment Calendar

The Semester 1, 2020 assessment calendars have been published. This document has been emailed to all parents and students and is also available on the College website at https://www.stpatscollege.qld.edu.au/curriculum-842s6j/academic/assessment-exams/. Parents and students can use this document to plan their study timetable and ensure that students meet all due dates. The final page of the document also contains an excerpt of the College Assessment Policy with further details on page 114 of the College Diary.

Tutoring Schedule

Teachers at the College provide a range of tutoring opportunities for students, including before and after school and during lunch breaks. The tutoring schedule for Semester 1, 2020 is located on the College website at https://www.stpatscollege.qld.edu.au/curriculum-842s6j/academic/curriculum/ and has been emailed to parents and students. As well as this document, students are encouraged to speak to their teachers for alternative tutoring times.

Study Timetable

With students receiving their Timetable, Assessment Calendar and the Tutoring Schedule, they can now begin to plan their study timetables. It is important that students are implementing these procedures early in the year and having a regular routine. The College diary includes further information regarding study including appropriate places to study, time management, organisation, sleep habits and balance. All of these hints are included in the College diary on pages 110 to 111.

Year 11 ATAR Preparation and Support Program

All Year 11 students were involved in the above mentioned program on Thursday, 30 January 2020. The day was presented by Elevate Education and allowed Year 11 students to learn strategies for study habits and time management as they enter the first year of their senior years as part of the new Senior Assessment and Tertiary Entrance (SATE) system. Elevate Education will return later in 2020 to again work with Year 11 students to focus on memory mnemonics and exam preparation.

Diligence Criterion 2020

2020 sees a slight change to the criterion for Diligence Awards. Per page 119 of the College Diary, Diligence awards in 2020 will be based on the following criterion:

High Distinction Academic Award: A student who has a GPA of a 13 or above (A- or above) is awarded a High Distinction. The GPA is calculated on the Overall Result of each subject at the end of the reporting period.
Distinction Academic Award: A student who has a GPA of a 12 or above (B+ or above) is awarded a Distinction. The GPA is calculated on the Overall Result of each subject at the end of the reporting period.
Merit Academic Award: A student who has a GPA of a 11 or above (B or above) is awarded a Merit. The GPA is calculated on the Overall Result of each subject at the end of the reporting period

Our first round of Diligence Awards will be based on the Term 1 Interim Report and will be held in Term 2.