2023 | ISSUE 12 | SJC Newsletter

TIME Project Update

The subject selection process for all students has now been completed, and our College Timetabling team are tasked with creating the subject blocks for our students. In the context of a secondary school timetable, a subject block refers to a designated time or period during the school day when a specific group of subjects are taught. These blocks are created on student choice, and the College Leadership team analyses this information to make decisions regarding which subjects have the support from the student cohort to warrant running in 2024 and those subjects that are not viable due to a lack of student interest.

At Mt Sion, this is where the relationship between Sacred Heart College and St Josephs’ College is crucial, as the College leaders discuss subjects that are on the fringe of running or potentially where we are over-prescribed with student interest and we look at ways we can share classes to support student choice and support individual learning pathways. Both College's timetable teams then work on building our subject blocks, by allocating the subjects to a block to minimise the impact on student choice. This is guided by a timetabling program that works on an algorithm to try and build a pattern that provides the maximum opportunities for students to get the subjects they have allocated. Naturally, each year some students need to revise their program due to subjects clashing in blocks, or lack of numbers to warrant a class running, but the aim is to meet the greatest access for all.

Once this process is done our students are assigned to the blocks, and we begin to build their timetables. The College timetable team will continually inform senior students if there is an issue in their senior pathway and discuss alternative options. Early Term 4, before 2024 booklists are released, students in Westcourt and Waterford will also be informed of their elective choices and towards the end of Term 4 the College’s Headstart will be released.

For students in Year 12 next year, one of the major changes will be the opportunity to study from home on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, subject program dependent (e.g. some students will have VET or structured workplace learning). The College library will also be available for independent study, but students will need to ensure they are aware that school-based assessments (SAC’s) may occur on these afternoons, so they will be expected to ensure they manage their calendars effectively and be aware of when they are required to stay at school. Currently, our Year 12 students have this opportunity on a Wednesday only, but by restructuring our timetable, we have been able to create more time for independent study.

For students in Years 10 and 11, they will also be given a supervised self-regulated learning period once a week. This is not a study period as such, but there will be an opportunity to use this time to devote to learning new and prior learnings. Self-regulated learning (SRL) is an active, constructive process and one that requires support, scaffolding, and explicit teaching as our students' self-regulatory practices develop. The focus is on teaching students how to set goals, manage their time, choose effective study strategies, and monitor their progress. The goal is to equip them with skills that go beyond specific assignments and enable lifelong learning. The lessons will be led by our teachers who will incorporate specific strategies and techniques for independent learning. While guidance is provided, the emphasis is on students taking responsibility for their learning and developing skills that extend beyond a single study session, enabling students to become better learners over time and adapt their strategies to various subjects and situations.

Over the coming weeks, we will continue to update you with the changes to the 2024 timetable.

Parent-Student-Teacher Interviews and Mid-Semester Reports

A reminder that Parent Student Teacher Interviews have moved to Week 7 of our term, where they had previously been held at the end of term.

Key dates include:

• Mid-Semester 2 Reports will be released on Friday 18 August.

• Bookings for Parent Teacher Interviews Open through PAM Friday 18 August and close Wednesday 23 August

• Parent Teacher Interviews

- Interviews on Thursday 24 August will be Face to Face in the College Gym

- Interviews on Friday 25 August will be online via Teams (link in PAM)

Note: Friday 25 August is a student-free day.

Lisa Pope
Deputy Principal - Learning