In the co-curricular areas of service, academics, and the arts, it has been a very active, enjoyable, and successful year. Our most recent Co-curricular Celebration Assembly, led by our new Student Leadership Team, celebrated students' commitment, resiliency, competence, and leadership in these areas. Over 230 students were commended for their enthusiastic and positive support of the activity to which they contribute.

In addition, we congratulated our current co-curricular leaders, who have consistently demonstrated commitment and made significant contributions, and we commissioned the 2024 co-curricular leaders.

Thank you to our staff who continually volunteer and commit their time to the co-curricular program to ensure diverse opportunities are offered for our students.

St Vincent de Paul Christmas Appeal
As we approach the end of another school year and excitedly anticipate the joy of Christmas, we remember those who live on the margins. Our local St Vincent de Paul Conferences at Ashgrove and The Gap provide material, financial, pastoral and practical support to hundreds of families in our local community. As the cost of living continues to increase, and the rental crisis continues to wreak havoc across our city, both conferences have seen a rapid increase in requests for support.

At MSM, our Missions of St Vincent group has a long and proud tradition of providing support to the conferences at this special time of the year through our annual Christmas Appeal. If you are able to add a few items to your weekly shop, all donations would be gratefully received.

We are asking that year levels focus on particular items:

• Years 7 & 8: Toiletries – toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, deodorant, soap, moisturisers etc.
• Years 9 & 10: Non-perishable pantry items – rice, pasta, tinned foods, flour, oil, sugar, tea & coffee, hot chocolate, jams & spreads, cup a soups & noodles etc.
• Year 11: Non-perishable Christmas Treats – plum puddings, mince pies, Christmas cake, chocolates, cookies, chips, lollies, Christmas crackers & decorations etc.

Donations can be added to the baskets in homerooms. Our appeal will run until Friday 17 November.

ExtravaCANza
Congratulations and well done to our CAN groups and 2024 Student Leaders on running another highly successful ExtravaCANza, our last for 2023. Once again, our Sophia Centre was filled with laugher and joy as our students enjoyed the wonderful options on offer. Alongside the ever popular MSM Sausage Sizzle were Cold Rock and Zooper Dooper Stalls. Our Social Justice Council made wonderful and very popular lolly bags, and our Environment Group created some lovely handmade Christmas themed soaps. Heartfelt thanks to all who have a hand in making these special events possible. Funds raised from this week’s ExtravaCANza will go towards our 2023 Interact fundraising project for Beddown, a local charity that provides pop up accommodation for people experiencing homelessness.

Year 12 External Examinations
Our Year 12 students will commence their external examinations next week and will run for the following three weeks. I urge our Year 12 students undertaking these examinations to continue to put their best foot forward as they complete their final assessment tasks.

I am confident our Year 12 students have been given many revision tips and study techniques that will put them in good stead for success. The work of our teachers in supporting our Year 12 students cannot be underestimated; it is therefore fitting that Australia will celebrate and thank the teaching profession on World Teachers’ Day on Friday 27 October.
 
Year 11 Unit 3 Summative Assessment
Year 11 students are currently preparing to complete their first piece of Unit 3 summative assessment. All students are strongly encouraged to be revising the content they have covered in class across the term on a regular basis. These assessment instruments represent the first internal assessment tasks that will contribute to their final ATAR calculation, whilst also contributing to their QCE certification, if they are on an ATAR pathway.
 
Homework
Students in Years 7 and 8 should be completing 1 – 1 ½ hours of homework each night. Students in Year 9 should be completing 1 ½ hours – 2 hours each night. Students in Year 10 & 11 should be completing between 2 – 3 hours of homework and study each night. Students should not be panicking the night before an exam or assignment is due if they are maintaining a consistent homework routine. When students do not have set homework, they should be using this time to complete assignment work or revision for any upcoming exams.

Extensions
As the term progresses, if students fall behind in their studies, generally through illness or misadventure, then they are entitled to apply to modify their assessment deadlines, should there be a valid reason. If your student feels that they may need to negotiate their deadlines, then I strongly encourage them to come and have a conversation with either Ms Larkings for students in Years 7 – 9 or Mrs Kean for students in Years 10 & 11. Ms Larkings and Mrs Kean are in the best position to ascertain whether your daughter will meet the requirements for an adjustment to be made.
 
Revision Techniques
Students in Years 7 – 11 need to ensure that they start to revise the key content covered throughout the term over the next few weeks. Revision allows students to:

• Check their understanding.
• Remind themselves of the material covered earlier in the term that they may have forgotten.
• Reinforce their learning.
• Identify possible areas that they may need to clarify with their teacher prior to their examination.

1. Create a revision timetable that divides revision time between all subjects that will be tested. It is important to stick with this timetable until all examinations are complete.
2. Create an optimum learning environment that will encourage focus.
3. Vary the material that is revised. It needs to vary from the difficult to the more familiar.
4. Take regular breaks but be strict about following the revision timetable.
5. Vary the style of revision to keep motivation high. Study individually for some of the time, but also in a group occasionally to generate discussions. Also vary the subject areas covered on any given day.

• Mind maps can be a great way to identify connections between ideas. Your student can use colours and images on their mind map, which will help to aid memory. They may also find drawing diagrams useful to remember processes or cycles.
   
• Flash cards allow your student to practice summarising information and can help identify any gaps in their learning. Students can use them in a variety of different ways:
  • Condense notes about a specific topic on to a card
  • Write a term on one side and a definition on the other
  • Write a question on one side and an answer on the other. 
     
• Your student may find that they learn better by listening to information. If this method works, your student could use their phone to record themself reading out key information from their notes. They can then listen back to these recordings at any time, allowing them to utilise their time, especially on the journey to and from school.

I encourage all students to commence their revision soon and wish them every success for their upcoming assessment period.