2023 | ISSUE 14 | SJC Newsletter

2024 Subject Allocations

Last week our students were emailed the subjects they have been allocated for 2024. I want to take this opportunity to shed light on our approach to subject allocation at St Joseph’s College and how we assign students to classes to ensure a fair and equitable process is put in place.

St Joseph’s College firmly believes that education should be student-centred. We understand that each student has unique interests and aspirations, and we are committed to providing a wide array of subjects to cater to their individual needs. Our subject selection process is designed around the concept of "subject blocks." Students indicate their preferred subjects, and we use this information to create these subject blocks. However, it's important to note that the availability of subjects depends on student interest and class size.

In cases where the number of interested students for a subject fall below our threshold, we collaborate with Sacred Heart College to broaden the scope of subjects offered. This partnership allows us to pool resources and offer a wider range of subjects than either college could afford to provide independently.

Additionally, some students may encounter clashes in their subject blocks. To address this, we provide access to Sacred Heart College's timetable, allowing students to resolve scheduling conflicts and ensure they can pursue their preferred subjects.

We are committed to making subject selection a transparent and equitable process, where student interests are at the forefront of our decisions. We have a good relationship with Sacred Heart College, and by combining resources we aim to give all students the best possible educational opportunities.

Already we have had some requests for students to swap classes. Whilst we can explore this, especially if students have changed their minds about the subjects they have chosen, it is important to note we do not swap subjects for access to specific teachers. Teachers are not allocated to subjects yet, but we wish to highlight this, to avoid disappointment when these requests are made in the future. If students or parents have an issue with a specific teacher, this should be raised with the College prior to subject allocations and raised through our grievance processes so issues can be appropriately addressed. This way we believe all students are treaty fairly around the process.

VCE Unit 3-4 Revision Lectures and Practice Exams

Finally a reminder that the College has both Unit 3-4 Revision Lectures occurring in the first week of the school holidays. Students can book online https://www.sjc.vic.edu.au/events/vce-revision-lectures

Lectures available:

History Revolutions (18 Sept 9.00am-12.00pm) ROOM: K107

Chemistry (18 Sept 9.00am -12.00pm) ROOM: PAC

Physics (18 Sept 12.30pm - 3.30pm) ROOM: K107

General Maths (18 Sept 12.30pm-3.30pm) ROOM: K207

Legal Studies (19 Sept 9.00am-12.00pm) ROOM: K207

Specialist Maths (19 Sept 9.00am-12.00pm) ROOM: K107

PE (19 Sept 12:30pm - 3:30pm) ROOM: PAC

Psychology (19 September 12:30pm -3:30pm) ROOM: K207

Revision Exams – Week 2

All students who complete a Unit 3-4 are asked to attend the Revision Exams in the second week of the school holidays. This is run by the learning leadership team, and provides an opportunity for all students to get feedback on where they are positioned in the last few weeks before the VCE exams commence.

Exam feedback provides vital information on what areas a student is performing well and areas which need improvement. Students also need to be honest with themselves on how they have prepared for their exams and what they need to do to make improvements. Based on the feedback, they should identify specific areas where they struggled the most and how they can be strategies in place to improve performance, eg revising a skill, accessing teacher support, or working on time management.

The revision exam schedule was emailed to all students and parents this term, however if you are not aware of the schedule please contact Brad Smith and he can resend a copy.

Lisa Pope
Deputy College Principal - Learning