OPTIMA ASSEMBLY

Last week we had the pleasure of gathering to celebrate the achievements of our Year 9 cohort, in our first OPTIMA Assembly of the year.  This Optima Assembly recognised outstanding application to school during Semester 2 of 2023, as well as academic, sporting, community and cultural achievements. We would like to further thank all families who were in attendance at this assembly and to all students another hearty congratulations on your achievements.

LIFECHANGER

The Year 8 Life Changer workshops will be held in Week 4.  The focus will be on life skills such as goal setting, problem solving, resilience and gratitude.  Resilience is the centrepiece of this workshop with students developing a better understanding of what to do when faced with a challenge.

Year 7 Camp 

Reminders the RSVP for the Noosa North Shore camp close 16 February 2024.   Please email events@pbc-shs.eq.edu.au.  Please state Year 7 Camp as the subject and provide your child's name in the body of the email. 

Year 7 2025 Excellence Information Evening

The Year 7 2025 Excellence Information Evening is being held on Wednesday 21 February.  Please see the attached flyer for further information.

NAPLAN 2024

In Weeks 8 and 9, Year 7 and Year 9 students will sit NAPLAN.

NAPLAN results help our English and Maths teachers to tailor programs that continue to improve students’ literacy and numeracy skills.

Teachers have carefully worked with students to prepare them for the test and we look forward to every student making their best effort. NAPLAN is now done online, with adaptive test so that every student can show what they can do, rather than what they cannot do.  A rehearsal is being held in Week 5, to help create supportive test environment.

NAPLAN Dates:

•  Week 5 - Thur 22 Feb – NAPLAN Rehearsals
• Week 8 – Wed 13th March – Writing Test
• Week 9 – Tue 19th March - Reading
• Week 9 – Thur 21 March - Language Conventions
• Week 9 – Fri 22nd March – Numeracy
• Year 9 tests will be held in CARE and Period 1 sessions, and Year 7 in Period 2 (and into lunch if needed)

Students will receive information at school about which room to attend for NAPLAN. All other scheduled lessons will run as usual during these days. Should your child be absent for a test, they will be provided with a catch-up session on Monday 25th March.

Participation

We encourage all of Year 7 and Year 9 to be part of NAPLAN, and we make special provisions for the inclusion of students with PLPs. If your child requires adjustments then please contact Kylie Gibson, Acting HOD of Inclusion via email:  kgibs68@eq.edu.au

PBC teachers frequently use NAPLAN data to make decisions about differentiation and targeted teaching in the classroom so knowing where each child is currently at in terms of their literacy and numeracy is very important to our planning. A standardised test like NAPLAN is a great tool to help us. The adaptive tests mean that every child can complete their NAPLAN with a sense of accomplishment.

NAPLAN Equipment

No special equipment is required. Students must bring their charged PBC laptop and a pen or pencil. Students using BYOD will be provided with a device at each test session.

Preparing for NAPLAN

Students cannot study for NAPLAN. You might support your child to visit the Public Access Site, where they can make sure that they know how to use the online tools and answer different styles of online questions. https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/public-demonstration-site

Students are best off having a good night’s sleep and a decent breakfast to prepare for each day of the tests.

Concerns?

Contact our team in the Junior Secondary office if you have any further questions.