First term is now ramping up into full routine. It has been good to see students take things in their stride given this particularly warm spell of weather. I’ve enjoyed the early opportunity to spend time meeting and chatting with students as they embrace their challenges for the year ahead. As usual, their positive and friendly manner and willingness to engage respectfully in conversation has been pleasing.

Now that the early weeks have passed, various information evenings, year assemblies and outlines have set the scene for what lies ahead for students and parents this year. For our senior students in particular, the increased demands of study and preparation for their courses and assessments will already be very apparent and the need to develop a clear routine and balance to successfully manage everything is critical, even now. Again, I stress that full attendance is not to be overlooked.

Our Year 12 students are well aware of the increased rigours and intensity of a year that is effectively, compacted into three terms. Our day one orientation programme highlighted the importance of finding a clear balance between study and academic demands and a healthy lifestyle with plenty of breaks and rest, physical activity and time with family and friends.

Year 11 parents and students are also being reminded about the significant change and increased demands of stepping into the different structure and requirements of this two-year commitment in upper school. Students will fall behind if they regularly miss class time or are complacent about their work. It is crucial to develop and reinforce a strong study routine early on, so that the transition into the final year is much smoother. Importantly, the first part of Year 11 is the true indicator of whether students are appropriately placed, or suited to their courses and if there are any concerns, they need to be addressed quickly without hesitation, with advice from the Head of Learning Area, the class teacher or Deputy Principal.

Chisholm parents and students should also know how important the first semester of Year 10 is in providing the best chance of attaining the minimum prerequisites for being able to choose certain courses in Year 11. These requirements are not to be ignored and as with other schools, students should make no assumptions about what they will be able to select, irrespective of their Year 10 performance.

We welcome the ongoing challenge of continually improving what we do at Chisholm whilst upholding the values and what we know to be the right elements of a quality Catholic Education. We will continue to refashion parts of our core work in teaching and learning and introduce things that we know will better prepare our students for the rapidly changing future. Mr Randazzo, Mrs Flower and I will look forward to the opportunity to visit more classrooms and speak to students and parents, as the year rolls out.

Mr John Bormolini
Principal