Ulverstone Secondary College eNewsletter

What a start to Ulverstone Secondary College our grade 7s have had! Our students have transitioned into high school very well and are enjoying all the different subjects that are being offered to them. From learning new timetables, to mastering their new locks, and finding their way around the school, we are very pleased with the grit our students have shown towards their first few weeks. Things to look forward to this term is our swimming carnival which for some students will be their first ever swimming carnival! Students have been placed in a house team and we love to see our grade 7s wearing their team colours with pride on carnival days! An exciting day coming up for our grade 7’s is our Paton Park Team building day. Information around this will be handed out to students in the coming weeks. Also starting next week is our NAPLAN testing for grade 7’s. A reminder that we ask students to just try their best and give everything a go. Our grade 7’s are lucky to have some wonderful peer leaders to play some fun games in their homeroom each week. Our leaders love working with our grade 7’s to ensure they feel comfortable in their new surrounds and always have someone to talk to or ask for help. It was also great to see some year 7 students going to netball training and getting ready to represent our school on Saturday mornings in Spreyton. More sporting opportunities will be available throughout the year and all our year 7’s are encouraged to get involved in as many things as possible.

Below is our first round of year 7 interviews to see how some of our students have settled in and what they are enjoying so far at USC.

I look forward to sharing news and highlighting our year in year 7 in future newsletters!

Miss Ellen Bowerman

7A – Brooke, Miranda & Libby

What is your favourite subject so far and why?

Brooke – MDT because you get to make things

Miranda – MDT because it’s different

Libby – All of the subjects!

What have you enjoyed about grade 7 at USC so far?

Brooke – Going to different classrooms

Miranda – Having different teachers

Libby – Having variety and more grown-up environment.

7B – Amelia & Sophie

What is your favourite subject so far and why?

Amelia – English & Maths because they’ve been pretty fun!

Sophie – MDT & PE because you get to build things and play games.

What have you enjoyed about grade 7 at USC so far?

Amelia – All the different subjects

Sophie – Catching up with friends

7C – Hayden, Kaleb & Will

What is your favourite subject so far and why?

Hayden – PE, MDT & Digital Technologies

Kaleb – MDT & PE – They’re just good

Will – PE & Drama – I like that they are physical subjects where you get to move around

What have you enjoyed about grade 7 at USC so far?

Hayden – Everything’s better at high school

Kaleb – Meeting new friends

Will – Meeting new friends

7D – Zayne & Mia

What is your favourite subject so far and why?

Zayne – English because we get to write stories and learning in more detail

Mia – Drama – enjoying acting and having fun

What have you enjoyed about grade 7 at USC so far?

Zayne – Hanging out with friends

Mia – All the new opportunities

7E – Riley & Doug

What is your favourite subject so far and why?

Riley – Music because you get to express yourself

Doug – Music because I get to hit the drums!

What have you enjoyed about grade 7 at USC so far?

Riley – Meeting people from older grades to make new friends

Doug – Harder subjects and more variety

Welcome to Term One! It has been great to see most of the Year 8s have settled back into school quickly, without fuss, and ready to learn. Speaking with several Year 8 students, they are enjoying having new teachers and full-year options that they have chosen.

Well done to the following students who have received a good note in the first few weeks of term:

8A: Jhett and Tahlia

8D: Braydy, Shakayla, Emma, Stella, Annika, and Tom

8E: Jack, Ruby, Roxy and Mel

This week we have our swimming carnival. We would like to see everyone have a go and participate. Carnivals are all about team effort and participation! If any students are not sure of which sporting house they are in, please see one of the PE staff.

One area we would like to see improve with the Year 8s is school uniform. We still have a number of girls wearing tights to school. If you have an issue sourcing uniform, please contact the school so we can assist you with this.

If you have any queries about your child, please contact the school on 6425 1433 or via email ulverstone.secondary.college@decyp.tas.gov.au

Wendy Leonard and Shaun Conkie

Assistant Principal and Grade Coordinator

We would like to first start by acknowledging the fantastic start that our Year 11 and 12 students have had so far this year; well done! It has been excellent to see students in their classes getting to know their teachers, understanding what they need to do this year to succeed and working to their ability level. We have a number of students that are shared enrolments with other schools this year. We have students travelling to Parklands to study Certificate III in Healthcare Assistance and students studying a number of VET and TASC courses at Don College.

This year we have 22 staff teaching in the Year 11 and 12 space at our school; a reflection of the diversity of courses that we have on offer to meet student needs this year.

Communication with teachers

We actively encourage parent/guardians to get in touch with teaching staff throughout the year to check on how students are progressing. This can be done through email or a phone call through the office.

Formal feedback

Parent/Guardians will receive formal feedback through written reports three times throughout the year including:

1. Interim Report – initial feedback on progress during Term 1.

2. First Progress Report – comments from teachers that give further progress towards the end of Term 2.

3. Major Report – comments from teachers with a focus on feedback from the mid-year assessment period and what needs to be done before the end of the year to improve (completed mid Term 3).

Matthew Deegan, Fiona Paterson and Kate Reynolds

KEY DATES

Year 11/12 Moderation Day 1 (student free day for Year 11/12s) - Tuesday 14 March

Year 11 and 12s only at school (student free day for Years 7 to 10) - Monday 24 July

Year 11/12 Moderation Day 2 (student free day for Year 11/12s) - Friday 1 September

Last day of classes in 2023 for Year 11/12s - Thursday 2 November

Level 3 Examinations - Tuesday 7 November to Friday 17 November

Art has kicked off the year in full speed with students already completing their first works of art for the term!

Miss Vanderpol's classes have been looking at Dada, Surrealism, collage, mixed media and photography conventions.

Mrs Chamberlain's classes have been looking at the elements of art, still life drawing, personal imagery, Pop Art and functional ceramics.

Art club has started for the year, they are planning their first project which will be a mural for the Ulverstone Ambulance station.

We are so proud of how the students are ready to create and willing to take a chance with their art and can't wait to see what the year holds for the creative arts.

Mrs Chamberlain and Miss Vanderpol

In Year 7 Jaxson played many games of UNO against some Teacher Assistants throughout the entire year. Jaxson kept a tally with the staff getting 49 points and Jaxson winning with 50. Well done Jaxson and we hope you teach your Mum how to play.

It is very important as we start the new school year, that all medical action plans for asthma, anaphylaxis or other allergic reactions are updated and returned to the school office. If we have medications or epi pens for your child at school, it is also good time to ensure these are up to date.

All students need - to come in house colours

- plenty of food and drink

- swimming gear

- to be at school at normal time and will be

back for normal end of day

The Canteen Will Be Open!