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Dear Families,
I’d like to formally welcome back all of our students, and by extension you, to Term 3. So many good things happen at Thomas More College this Term and it’s great to be back with our students and staff.
As a staff we spent day one of Term working with the Director of Positive Minds Australia, Madhavi Nawana Parker. Madhavi spent the day working with us, through a mix of face-to-face and virtual modes, focusing on staff wellbeing. This involved connecting with wellbeing practices, as well as helping us to focus on what working at Thomas More College nourishes our wellbeing. Amongst a variety of elements, what came through as a really clear reason here, was the connection we also have to our students. It’s great to have this affirmed by so many of our staff.
With the beginning of a new Semester late last term, and a new start to Term 2, we have been fortunate to welcome some new staff to Thomas More College:
- Madina Ahmet, who is teaching English/HASS/RE across the middle and senior schools.
- Leah Williams, who is also teaching English/HASS/RE across the middle and senior schools.
- Jackson Dutschke, who is teaching Health & PE across middle and senior.
- Tayla Sibley, who joins as a teacher in Inclusive Education.
- Ali McLarty, who also joins as a teacher in Inclusive Education.
We are really pleased to have attracted such quality staff to Thomas More College, and I warmly welcome Madina, Leah, Jackson, Tayla and Ali.
This week I also heard there are 10 weeks to go for our Year 12s (not that they are counting). I enjoyed the chance to touch base with them during our Academic Assembly to discuss the impact they’ve had so far, and that which they can still have in this all-important term for them.
I look forward to seeing how they will remain impactful during this time, and where they take their journey of their final school term.
Take care,
Corey Tavella
Principal
Oral Presentation
Students use both Italian and English resources to undertake research into a current issue in Italy (The Italian-speaking Communities). They then present an informative talk with the help of a Power Point presentation to the audience at a forum on their main findings. They demonstrate their ability to organise their ideas logically and to use a range of language to express their ideas, creating interest in their talk.
To prepare for this summative task an Italian tutor, Christian Martino has been working with the class to practice and improve their oral skills. To further enhance their oral ability at the end of the term they played briscola, an Italian card game, speaking in Italian only. Thanks to Ms Guerra for organising this.
Languages Leader
9 Blue and 9 Aqua RE students were asked to produce a piece of artwork that represented their own experiences and understanding of what it means to be a student of Thomas More College. We researched the history of Saint Thomas More and learned to understand the significance of his commitment to God, the Church, his enthusiasm of women’s education and applying it to our modern lives. Here are a few examples:
RE Teacher
Our largest cohort of Year 11 & 12 volleyballers journeyed to the Lights Community Centre to compete in the Northern Zone competition on Friday Week 1 this term. Twenty six tactful Thomas More students took to the court with adrenaline pumping and spirits soaring from start to finish. Our Open Girls team began the day with a tense match that resulted in a draw against Avenues College but were able to shake the cobwebs off, ultimately taking the top spot on the ladder.
In a strikingly similar way, our Open A Boys team started the day with a loss against Parafield Gardens High School, but managed to overcome nervous energy, and a slight change to the starting six, to finish triumphantly in first place. Our Open B & C Boys’ teams both performed admirably through their divisions and finished second and third respectively with both teams taking a loss from Salisbury East High School’s first team.
As always, our senior volleyballers represented our school with the utmost pride and respect on and off the court. Congratulations to the players and the coaches on a successful day on the volleyball court!
Volleyball Coach
Keenan Smith (CESA Indigenous Mentor) demonstrated his damper making skills recently with a small group of students.
Keenan shared that traditionally damper would have been made from dried wattle seeds and the process would have taken many days. Safe to say the students were happy that they didn’t need to wait days to tuck into their homemade damper!
Keenan is here every Thursday and is establishing strong connections with our community whilst sharing his culture.
APRIM
In Semester 1, Thomas More College's first Certificate I in Hospitality class was run in conjunction with the Adelaide Institute of Hospitality (AIOH) RTO code 40138. This involved students completing six nationally recognised units of competency to receive their Certificate I in Hospitality qualification.
Students learnt to prepare and present a range of gourmet sandwiches SITHCCC003 (Sandwiches) and simple dishes SITHCCC002 (Simple Dishes) that are often served in hospitality establishments including fish and chips, calzone, fettucine napolitana, focaccia bread, bruschetta, chicken caesar salad, steamed Asian fish, club sandwiches, apple pie, raspberry frangipane tart, doughnuts and much more! They also applied knowledge and skills in displaying hygiene procedures, safe work practices, working effectively with others and providing customer assistance; all of which are important skills needed when working in the food and hospitality industry.
All 14 students were presented with their certificates at the Academic Assembly and now have an excellent addition to their resume when applying for part-time and casual jobs in takeaway stores, cafes and restaurants. The qualification also provides a pathway for students to continue into the Certificate II in Kitchen Operations, which will be run through TMC and AIOH in Stage 1 (Year 11) next year for the first time.
Emily Donoghue
Food & Technology
Below are just a few of the many free resources that you'll find on myfuture to help them explore different options and pathways to inform these important decisions.
Selecting Senior School Subjects
There is a lot to consider when choosing senior school subjects with potential careers in mind. myfuture provides information to help students and families navigate this process, including the articles below, which offer tips on selecting subjects for years 11 and 12, and how parents and carers can assist.
How to select senior school subjects
Help your child choose school subjects.
Exploring Future Education and Training Options
Get ready for upcoming open days
Open days are valuable for students thinking about higher education or TAFE or preparing to make decisions about applying. They offer a first-hand opportunity to ask questions about an institution's courses and entry pathways, explore campus facilities, and speak with current students or graduates about their experience.
There are many open days on this term – campus-based and virtual – ahead of 2023 course preference and application deadlines. Encourage your students to research events that interest them, register (if attending), and start planning now to make the most of the opportunity. These resources can help them get started:
2022 university and TAFE open day dates
8 ways to a great university open day
Preparing for an open day
How to choose a course that's right for you
Alternative pathways to higher education.
Explore VET and Apprenticeship Options
For students considering VET and apprenticeships, there are lots of options available, including some that may be combinable with senior secondary study. As well as teaching work-ready skills and offering direct qualifications towards hundreds of occupations, some VET courses also provide alternative pathways to uni.
View apprenticeship resources
Find out more about VET.
Search occupations' training and skill requirements
Some students may be aspiring to particular occupations but unsure as to how they can qualify, while others may still be exploring ideas and where their interests, values and skills may take them. Students can search over 350 occupations on myfuture to find education, training and skill requirements (including related courses), or identify suggested occupations to research by completing My career profile.
Log in to search occupations
Log in to My career profile.
Discover new myfuture Insights
What counts when making career choices: lessons from Australian agriculture
Our term 3 Insights paper looks at the different stages of career exploration through the lens of the Australian agricultural industry. It explains the core concepts of 'self-efficacy' and 'outcome expectations' in relation to careers, and how they can be used to drive students' career exploration.
Read the latest myfuture Insights paper.
Prepare for National Skills Week (22–28 August)
National Skills Week is an annual initiative that aims to raise the profile and status of vocational learning and showcase the range of career opportunities attainable through vocational education and training (VET). Want to get involved or find ways for your students to participate?
Visit the National Skills Week website.
Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)
Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).
Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:
- year of schooling
- category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
- level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive.
This information assists schools to:
- formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools
- consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
- develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.
The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability.
The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students is ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy (https://www.education.gov.au/privacy-policy).
Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal (https://www.nccd.edu.au).
If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact the school.