Reports will be out soon for term one’s work and so it’s a key time to reflect with your child on the efforts that they are putting in at school each day and on their ‘at home’ tasks and assignment work. Questions to ask them, as a good place to start are...

1. Do they think they are putting in their best each lesson and all lesson?
2. What is getting in the way of them doing their best?

Term 1 Reports are interim reports, giving grades to indicate your student’s academic progress as well as their effort and behaviour in each subject. Reports will be emailed home on Friday 5 April 2019. Should your expected emailed Report not arrive by Saturday morning, please contact cgree192@eq.edu.au. If you do not have an email address registered at PBC, then a Report will be mailed home.

Supporting your child with their reading, their weekly spelling list and their regular maths homework are routines that you can help build into the week around their family and extra-curricular commitments. With holidays coming up it’s a great time to encourage some extra reading by visiting the local library or downloading some ebooks. Wider Reading supports the following:

• Mileage- increasing the amount of reading that occurs in the Middle School ensuring that all students access a variety of texts,
• Meaning- providing opportunity for students to understand and communicate what they read,
• Enjoyment- encouraging students to enjoy reading through rating the novels they read.

Parent interviews are on in Week 3 (7, 8 and 9 May) and I would encourage you to meet with your child's teachers to work together to get the best outcomes for them. Along with reflecting on this completed term it's also the time to set some goals for the new term and what actions will be needed to achieve them. I ask our teachers and our students to challenge themselves in this goal setting as it’s from discomfort and pushing ourselves that great growth will come.

NAPLAN

In week 4 our Year 7 and 9s will be sitting NAPLAN exams, these exam results are used by our English and Maths teachers to tailor programs to continue to build on the literacy and numeracy skills as the students move on to the next year level. At PBC we also value these tests as research has shown that they are the best indicator of future academic success and of university entrance exam scores. We are encouraging students to follow our motto of doing their best when it comes to these exams. Our staff and those at the primary schools have been working on building the skills needed for these exams for years but there are little things that can be done in these last few weeks.

Exams are one of those times in life where we have to prepare for our best performance a bit like a job interview or a grand final. Yes there is stress in these moments and it’s important to talk to your child and share how you manage yourself in a situation where you have to bring your best performance. Other factors that will help, that as a parent you can support them with, will be getting enough sleep, eating healthily, doing some physical activity and not over scheduling them in the lead up.

The NAPLAN program is as follows:

Tuesday 14 May, periods 1 and 2. Normal classes periods 3 and 4.

Wednesday 15 May Period 1 only.

Thursday 16 May Period 1 only.

A ‘catch-up’ day for absent students is on Friday 17 May, to allow students who may have been ill during the week to complete the full program of tests.

All parents of Year 7 and 9 students should have received a letter (sent as an email attachment) concerning NAPLAN and parents of students supported by the Inclusive Practices Department should also have had separate contact from HOD Tammy Burn.

If your child has a recognised anxiety disorder which could be triggered by this type of event or you have any concerns about your child sitting NAPLAN please contact the HOD Middle School, Sharon Hillcoat (tel. 5525 9340) about whether withdrawal from the exams may be appropriate. Contact Anita Sgalippa, Principal Middle School if you any have further questions.