Year 12 Retreat
Our community opened Term 2 with our second annual Year 12 Resident Retreat. Blessed with spectacular autumn weather, our Year 12 cohort and accompanying staff members enjoyed a peaceful stay at Luther Heights, Coolum. Using the metaphor of the Yellow Brick Road from the Wizard of Oz, our students reflected on their own life’s journey, giving thanks for the people and experiences that have shaped, nurtured and challenged them along the way. At a powerful candlelight liturgy, students acknowledged the role that their classmates have played during their journey and prayed for peace, strength and courage for the months ahead. 
 
I would like to sincerely thank Ms McLaughlin, the Year 12 Pastoral Team and the wonderful staff who attended this special Retreat experience. Thanks also goes to our seniors, who embraced the experience with openness and great maturity. We look forward to sharing in their journey towards graduation. 

ANZAC Liturgy
On Wednesday, our community gathered to mark ANZAC day with a special liturgy called “Letters from Home”. Earlier this year, the Australian War Memorial launched a campaign asking the public to assist with transcribing and digitising the thousands of pieces of wartime correspondence that passed between servicemen and women and their loved ones across the course of a century. These letters paint an intimate portrait of Australians at war. 

As part of our liturgy we heard stories of nursing sisters on the Western Front, of sweethearts separated by POW camps, words of comfort sent to mothers who had lost sons, and the words of Aboriginal officers to their loved ones. These were real Australians, ordinary people swept up in the terror of war, and their letters give us a fascinating glimpse into domestic life during war. We remember with gratitude all who have served their country, and pray for a time when there will be no need for war. 

I thank the many students and staff who had a role in our ANZAC liturgy, and especially thank Ms Townsley for coordinating a joint MSM Marist Choir for our ANZAC Commemoration events this year. Thanks also to the many MSM students who so ably represented the College at Thursday's Ashgrove ANZAC Day March and Service. 

Adult Attention to Encourage Positive Behaviours
By and large we are blessed at Mt St Michael’s College with girls who demonstrate positive behaviour most of the time. It is important to acknowledge that our young people are in formation and the opportunity to teach and encourage prosocial behaviours should not be missed. As a parent of teenagers, I am constantly reminded of the room for growth in this dimension of adolescent development and some days will always be better than others. You are not alone. As previously noted, our staff have been focusing on implementing a consistent approach to supporting and promoting positive behaviour at MSM. We are collaborating to create a community where the many admirable traits and actions of our students are acknowledged and reinforced. The starting point to enable influence is always cultivating a positive relationship built on consistency, trust, and kindness.

This week our teachers explored the importance of adult attention as a means of encouraging preferred behaviours, both non-contingent and contingent on students exhibiting those behaviours. This strategy is wonderful for creating a productive and positive learning environment, however its relevance goes well beyond the classroom and the school. Extensive longitudinal research has concluded that affecting change in human behaviour is far more successful when positive behaviour is encouraged than when poor behaviour is discouraged or corrected. The other finding of interest was that demonstrating preferred behaviours and enacting frequent warm interactions leads to a person’s willingness and ability to develop these behaviours themselves. To this end, I would invite you to follow the link below that gives practical tips for parents to promote the behaviours they wish to see their children embody, at home at school and throughout their lifetime. Much of this information will resonate with you and although it is not a guarantee for perfecting our teenagers, it is a positive place to start!
 
Positive attention: why children need it | Raising Children Network
Raising Children Network (Australia) Limited, (2024) Positive attention: why children need it. https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/connecting-communicating/bonding/positive-attention

I feel privileged to be assisting the MSM community this term in the role of Dean of Teaching and Learning while Ms Crothers takes a well-earned break. During this time, I am looking forward to working closely with the teaching staff, students, and parents to ensure the continued delivery of the excellent high-quality curriculum on offer in the College. I am also excited to be working with our Curriculum Middle Leaders as we implement new initiatives that will enhance the teaching and learning experience at MSM. I hope to contribute to the ongoing growth and improvement of this wonderful community.

Parent Teacher Conferences
We will be running Parent-Teacher Conferences (Years 8, 10 & 11) on Tuesday, 7 May from 9am – 4:30pm. The conferences will be held on campus in the Sophia Centre. Parent-Teacher Conferences provide an opportunity for parents to connect with their student's teachers and gain insight into their child's academic progress, learning behaviours and overall wellbeing.

It is an essential communication platform for parents and teachers to discuss issues, share information, and develop strategies for supporting a student's success.
 
It is essential to approach Parent-Teacher Conferences with a positive and open mindset. Teachers have valuable insights into your student's progress as well as their approach to learning. It is important for teachers to discuss both a student's strengths, as well as areas where they may need to improve. It is vital that students remain open to constructive feedback as this will enable them to improve.
 
It is also important to follow up on any action items discussed during the meeting. If the teacher recommends additional resources or activities to support your student's learning, please make sure to discuss how this recommendation can be applied with your student.
 
Whilst we have a set time for formal interviews, parents and caregivers are encouraged to contact either homeroom teachers for pastoral matters or subject teachers for curriculum matters at any time throughout the academic year should concerns arise. For matters pertaining to what is occurring in the classroom, the subject teacher is the best person to contact in the first instance, as they are in the classrooms with students. Homeroom and subject teacher contact details are all available in Parent Lounge. Please go to Student Details > Email Class Teachers > select the teacher’s name that you want to contact.

Student Free Day – 7 May
Even though Tuesday 7 May is a student free day, students can still use this time to engage in some constructive activities for their education. Here are some suggestions:

• Bring your student along to Parent-Teacher Conferences (Years 8, 10 & 11) to hear feedback directly from their teachers. They can then spend some time identifying the areas they need to work on. Set some specific and realistic goals for themselves and plan how they will achieve them.
• Students can catch up on any assignments, projects, or homework that they may have missed or fallen behind on. Encourage them to use this opportunity to clarify any doubts or questions with their teachers via email or Teams.
• Suggest reading a book, an article, or a blog post that is of interest and relates to their subjects. Remind them that they can watch a documentary, a TED talk, or one of the extensive range of educational videos available through our ClickView subscription.
• Students can practice skills in a subject they enjoy or want to improve in, using online resources, apps, games, or quizzes to test themselves. A great option that is fun at the same time!
• Suggest they do some revision or preview of the topics that they have learned or will learn in class. Students can use flashcards, notes, summaries, or mind maps to help them remember the key points and concepts.

These are just some examples of how students can use the student free day to enhance their learning and personal growth. Students need to be reminded that they are responsible for their own education and can make the most of it by being proactive, motivated, and curious.