Teaching and Learning Report – February 23, 2017

February 22, 2017

Academic Assembly

The College community gathered last week for the annual Academic Assembly. The Academic Assembly recognises the academic excellence of our high achieving VCE and VET students and those boys whose aggregated performance in all semester two assessment tasks placed them in the top 15% of their year level.

The College Dux is presented annually to the Year 12 student who attains the highest ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) for his year. With an ATAR score of 99.2, the College proudly recognised Patrick Keogh as the 2016 College Dux.

Patrick’s journey to his ATAR of 99.2 started in Year 11 when he achieved a study score of 43 in Further Mathematics. In 2016, Patrick attained scores of: 43, scaled to 45.28, in English Language; 41, scaled to 45.79, in Mathematical Methods; 44, scaled to 45.81, in Physics; 47 in Physical Education and 37, scaled to 47.91, in Specialist Mathematics.

Late last year, we acknowledged Patrick with a Chris Nolan Distinction Award as one of just eleven Year 12 boys to have received a Chris Nolan Award at the end of each semester of their six years at St Patrick’s. Patrick’s average in receiving his Chris Nolan Distinction Award was 87%. An average result of 87% for the hundreds of assessment task completed and reported on from the first weeks of Year 7 through to the last days of Year 12 in all areas of the curriculum is a truly remarkable academic achievement!

Patrick is an outstanding role model who is very well regarded by his peers and a deserving recipient of the 2016 College Dux award.

Patrick had many academically gifted classmates in 2016. The following boys were presented a VCE Achievement of Excellence Award in recognition of their efforts in attaining an ATAR of 90 and above:

Nathaniel Corboy- – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

ATAR of 97.15

– – – – – – – – – – – 2016 offer: Psychology (Honours).- La Trobe University

Hasker Dawborn

ATAR of 95.05

– – – – – – – – – – – 2016 offer: Commerce/Law. Deakin University

Patrick Keogh

ATAR of 99.2

– – – – – – – – – – – 2016 offer: Science (Chancellor’s Scholars Program). The University of Melbourne

Samuel McMaster

ATAR of 91.7

– – – – – – – – – – – 2016 offer: Science. The University of Melbourne

Alexander Mooney

ATAR of 94.55

– – – – – – – – – – – 2016 offer: Applied Science/Physiotherapy Practice.- La Trobe University

Liam O’Shea

ATAR of 94.85

– – – – – – – – – – – 2016 offer: Arts. Monash University

James Parini

ATAR of 96.65

– – – – – – – – – – – 2016 offer: Arts. The University of Melbourne

Joshua Taylor

ATAR of 91.65

– – – – – – – – – – – 2016 offer: Science. The University of Melbourne

Luke Wynd

ATAR of 97.35

– – – – – – – – – – – 2016 offer: Commerce. The University of Melbourne

VCE Academic Prizes (subject Dux)

The VCE Academic Prize, or subject Dux, is presented to the boy with the highest study score of 40 and above for each VCE and VETiS Units 3/4 offered in any year. For 2016, prizes were awarded to following students:

Liam Cappello

Dux of Visual Communication Design – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Study score of 50

Nathaniel Corboy

Dux of Chemistry – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Scaled study score of 42.86

Dux of Literature – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Scaled study score of 46.13

Hasker Dawborn

Justin Quill Dux of Legal Studies – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Study score of 44

Joshua Devoogel

Dux of Further Mathematics – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Study score of 49

Patrick Gray

Dux of Engineering Studies (VCE VET) – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Study score of 41

Patrick Keogh

Dux of English Language – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Scaled study score of 45.28

Stephen Callahan Dux of Mathematical Methods – – – – Scaled study score of 45.79

Dux of Physical Education – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Study score of 47

Dux of Physics – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Scaled study score of 45.81

John Cosgriff Dux of Specialist Mathematics – – – – – – – – – – Scaled study score of 47.91

Lawrence McCrabb

Dux of Media – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Study score of 42

Samuel Mcmaster

Dux of Health and Human Development – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Study score of 40

Alexander Mooney

Dux of Biology – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Scaled study score of 43.97

Connor Murphy

Robert Connelly Memorial Dux of Revolutions – – – – – – – – Scaled study score of 41.5

Jacob Norman

Dux of Food and Technology – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Study score of 42

James Parini

Dux of Australian History – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Scaled study score of 46.5

Dux of English – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Study score of 46

Thomas Ryan

Dux of Outdoor and Environmental Studies – – – – – – – – – – – – Study score of 41

Xavier Schuurs

Dux of Sport and Recreation (VCE VET) – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Study score of 43

Corey White

Dux of Business Management – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – Study score of 43

Luke Wynd

John Cosgriff Dux of Specialist Mathematics – – – – – – – – – – Scaled study score of 47.91

VCE (Baccalaureate)

To conclude the acknowledgement of the academic successes of the class of 2016, the assembly recognised those boys who received the Victorian Certificate of Education (Baccalaureate).

The VCE (Baccalaureate) was introduced to support the State Government’s objectives to encourage more students to include languages and higher level mathematics in their senior secondary program of study. – To be eligible for the VCE (Baccalaureate) a student had to achieve a study score of 30 and above in their chosen study of English, satisfactorily complete a Units 3/4 sequence in either Mathematical Methods or Specialist Mathematics and satisfactorily complete a Units 3/4 sequence in a VCE Language (Japanese here at St Patrick’s).

In 2016, the Victorian Certificate of Education (Baccalaureate) was awarded to Benjamin Hutchins and Riley Stephens

2016 Semester Two Chris Nolan Awards.-

The assembly continued with the presentation of the 2016 Semester Two Chris Nolan Awards. The Chris Nolan Awards were established in 2008 to acknowledge the academic excellence of individual students. To receive a Chris Nolan Award, a boy must be in the top 15% of his year level. The 15% is determined by the aggregation of all semester results (including exams and all reported assessment items).

Chris graduated from St Patrick’s College in 1985 as College Captain. He completed his Law Degree at Monash University and went on to practice law in Vietnam. Chris was highly respected by all for his commitment and enthusiasm to all aspects of College life and demonstrated his intelligence and ingenuity shortly after leaving St Patrick’s as one of the co-founders of the highly acclaimed Meredith Music Festival. After several years in Vietnam, Chris tragically acquired severe brain injuries from a viral infection leading to total organ failure. Chris is profoundly disabled physically and in his communication systems. With the strong and unconditional support of his family and friends, Chris has continued to fight against these disabilities and has developed various means of communication and is now the face for those developing awareness of and the fight for young people requiring care in nursing homes.

As a student at the College, Chris regularly achieved strong academic results and in his final year he was awarded:

– – – – – – – – – – – – the Headmaster’s Award for Leadership

– – – – – – – – – – – – the History Prize

– – – – – – – – – – – – the Sir Hugh Devine Prize for Impromptu Speech

– – – – – – – – – – – – a W.T. Doyle Prize for Debating

– – – – – – – – – – – – the 1st XI Cricket Bowling Award

In his time at St Patrick’s, Chris clearly exemplified the pursuit of excellence across a range of our important educational programmes and activities.

In addition to the Semester Two Chris Nolan Awards, boys who received a Chris Nolan award in both Semester One and Two in 2016 were presented with a Headmaster’s Academic Excellence Certificate to acknowledge their sustained academic excellence throughout the year. These students are marked with an asterisk (*) on the following list.

2016 Semester Two Year 7 Chris Nolan Award recipients:

Joshua Ballinger*

Taylor Bell*

Josh Bull

Kyall Busscher*

Patrick Clarke-Thomas*

Patrick Cocks

Ben Collier*

Thomas Collins*

Jacob Cowan

Connor Gaffney*

Lewis Grigg*

Alex Guevara*

James Harrington*

Declan Hart

Vidath Jayasooriya*

Riley Kenny*

Daniel Lalor*

Jackson Leech*

Jack McKenny

Hugh McKenzie

Tom McKinnis*

Sam Newcombe

Hugh Ollerenshaw*

Daunte Osman

Jake Pennisi*

Alexander Pituch*

Alex Savage

Jack Sheehan*

Jeremy Spedding*

Harry Taylor*

Sam Tilley*

Edward Tobin

Kade Towk*

Henry von Burg

Tyler Weickhardt

Darcy Williams*

2016 Semester Two Year 8 Chris Nolan Award recipients:

Jack Atkinson*

Tom Barry*

Anakin Bawden*

Isaac Beaston

Jack Clinton*

Darcy Cosgriff*

Elijah Cross*

Nathan Delvescovo*

Joe Freeman*

Marshall Gladman*

Benjamin Gray

Joel Harbour*

Lachlan Huf

Hamish Irvin*

Nigel Koot*

Finn Lappin*

Jordan Lauton*

Will Liston

Anthony Lloyd*

Oliver McCrabb*

Kynan McPherson*

Charlie Molan*

Kai O’Keeffe

Max Olver*

Owen Pearse*

Jamie Quick*

Siddharth Rajesh*

Aidan Rieniets*

Henry Ross*

Will Rothe*

Mitchell Scobie*

George Simpson

Ben Stevens*

Nick Stevens

Josiah Tudball*

Liam Tuohey*

Max Waller*

Harry Wills*

2016 Semester Two Year 9 Chris Nolan Award recipients:

Sean Antrobus*

Lachlan Atkinson*

Joel Azzopardi*

Justin Bleicher

Hamish Britt*

Xavier Brodie

Jack Cameron*

Michael Cappello*

Matthew Catterson*

Jett Currie*

Matthew Duffy*

Owen Ellerton

Hugo Ferguson*

Cooper Gillett*

Broden Haintz*

Aidan Hanrahan*

Ignatius Holland

Tom Howes

Hayden Irvin*

Jed Labbett

Leighton Lauton

Declan Magri

Mitchell McKee*

Michael Mennen*

Tom Miller-Schmetzer*

Seamus Murphy-McKay*

Jacob Pawlowicz*

Jobe Quick*

Mark Ritchie*

Callum Shaw*

Gregory Sims

Hugh Valpied*

Damian VanGaans*

Bill Walker*

Enrico Yu*

2016 Semester Two Year 10 Chris Nolan Award recipients:

Andrew Amor

Jayden Ashmore*

Kyle Brown*

Jakob Busscher*

Matt Butler*

Duncan Cadman*

Riley Cartledge

Tom Clark*

Bayley Cocking

Lachlan DeVries*

Josh Findlay*

Mitch Findlay*

Joel Fitzgerald*

Mitchell Furlong*

Declan Gannon*

Nick Gaylor*

Oscar Grigg*

Casey Haseloff*

Quinten Henderson

Edan Huggett

Jude Jeandet*

Jesse Jury*

Fletcher Loader*

Conlon Love

Emmet Macklin

Samuel McCrum*

Patrick McGoldrick*

Ryan Mulheron*

Emmett Murphy*

Dean O’Brien*

Lachlan Owens*

Dil Shah*

Shilo Smith

Lachlan Suttie*

Nathan Suttie*

Jack Tuohey*

Harry Twaits

Sam Williams*

2016 Semester Two Year 11 Chris Nolan Award recipients:

Josh Allen*

Joel Batchelor*

Brendan Bell*

Nicholas Carta*

Tim Collier*

Sam Coxall*

Jake Curran

Josh DeVoogel*

James Duffy

Joshua Duggan*

Nick Elliott*

Charlie Fenton*

Lachlan Furlong*

Jack Gaffney

Joel Gallagher

Callum Hofler*

Thomas Hughes

Ben Hutt*

James King*

Brandon Lauton*

James Meagher*

Tom Millard*

Brandon Pryor*

Lachlan Reynolds*

Sam Rousch*

Dev Russell*

Shamus Ryan*

Ben Simmons*

Tiernan Somers*

Caelan Thompson*

Hayden Thompson*

Mitch Tuddenham*

Henry Ward*

Corey White*

Congratulations to each boy acknowledged at the Academic Assembly. I hope that the success of each provides all other boys at St Patrick’s with the example and motivation to vigorously pursue personal academic success.

Year 7 and Senior School Parent/Student/Teacher interviews

Week 5 of Term 1 sees the first of the College’s Parent/Student/Teacher sessions. This first round of interviews aims to provide Year 7 parents, accompanied by their son, the opportunity to meet subject teachers and their son’s Pastoral Care Tutor. These interviews form part of the broader Year 7 transition program designed to support each Year 7 boy with the move from primary to secondary school.

The Senior School Parent/Student/Teacher interviews provide the parents of Years 10, 11 and 12 boys the opportunity to meet subject teachers and their son’s Pastoral Care Tutor. These interviews will assist parents in coming to further understand the assessment requirements of each Senior School subject and allow the subject teacher to provide some initial feedback to parents regarding their son’s progress based on the first six week of classes.

Parents of Years 11 and 12 boys studying VCE Units 3/4 and scored VETiS subjects are strongly encouraged to attend this round of interviews. Where possible, these teachers will give parents results for any SAC tasks completed early in Term 1 and provide feedback for future learning based on these results and other tasks completed in class to-date. Equally, parents of Years 10, 11 and 12 boys completing studies in the Applied Learning program (VCAL), should also endeavour to attend this round of interviews to ensure that they are well briefed and fully understand their son’s involvement in this new program. It is important that Senior School boys attend the interviews with their parents.

There will be two interview sessions in week 5 -“ the first on Tuesday, February 28 and the second on Thursday, March 2. Both will run from 4:00pm until 8:00pm.

The Parent Access Module (PAM) will again be used to make interview bookings. This system enables you to book interviews at a time that suits you best from any internet-connected computer. An email outlining the procedure to access Parent/Student/Teacher interview bookings via PAM has previously been sent. Parents who require further assistance with Parent/Student/Teacher interviews are asked to phone Student Services on 5331 1688.