PBC has a rich history of producing outstanding student leaders that have had great influence not only on the PBC school community but the wider community. Week 8 will see the start of the formal process to elect our school captains and student council for 2023. Head of Year 11, Ryan Jesser has done an amazing Job of putting together an outstanding group of Year 11 students with potential to lead our school in 2023. Our aspiring leaders will be selected following an intensive process, which includes addressing their cohort at a Year 11 assembly on Thursday Week 8, teacher and student vote and formal interview. We wish all our prospective leaders all the best.

Year 12 Mentoring – ATAR

Wednesday 31 August and Thursday 1 September, we are again running mentoring for all ATAR-eligible students. These are 1-on-1 sessions with a senior staff mentor where we will discuss ATAR predictions, academic progress, university entry and pathway options for next year and beyond.

We strongly encourage all ATAR eligible Year 12's to take part in this process, it is one of the last opportunities you will have in your schooling to access this level of advice.

To take part you'll need to come along to LL37 and LL38 for a 10 minute meeting

Mr Jones will be present to assist with QTAC applications and any other pathways information that you need.

Senior Study Skills – Year 11 students

Term 4, Week 2: Study skills for long time retention

Monday 10 October 1:55pm – 3:05pm in LL37/LL38

Presented by the Griffith University Schools Engagement Team. As Year 11's will begin their Unit 3 content in Term 4, this session will focus on providing strategies and skills to support students in their study practices and for the long term retention of information. This session will run after regular classes on a Monday where students are encouraged to remain at school to attend.

Exam Shutdown

As we enter the last 2 weeks of term, the Senior school will go into shutdown exams for Years 12 first in Week 9 and then Years 11 and 10 in Week 10.

Exam timetables and schedules for Years 10, 11 and 12 are published on the school website: https://pbc-shs.eq.edu.au/curriculum/testing-and-assessment

Students need to know the date, time and room of their assessment and ensure that they are present in full school uniform at least 15minutes before exams commence.

Main points are:

• Year 12 full shutdown all of Week 9 and 10 (5 to 16 September) for Mock exams and Applied assessment.
• Year 11 full shutdown Week 10 (12 to 16 September)
• Year 10 full shutdown Week 10 (12 to 16 September)

Students that are behind in their VET certificates will be required to attend school during shutdown to catch up.

Year 11

Year 11 students will finalise Unit 2 in shutdown during Week 10 of this term 13 to 17 September.

Moving forward Year 11 students will commence the summative units for ATAR in Term 4 of this year and will have their first assessment for Unit 3 in the last week of Term 4. This will be a full shutdown in the week of 21 to 25 November.

The school commences Unit 3 in Term 4, this is the last opportunity for Year 11 students to change subjects in Senior Schooling. Any student requesting a subject change should come to Y block at the end of this term to collect a subject change form.

A reminder that all students must have passed a Unit of English and Maths by the end of Unit 2. Students that do not meet this requirement will have to complete Unit 1 or 2 gain in 2023 to be eligible for the QCE.

Year 12

To access the External Assessment timetable please visit the myQCE website: https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/assessment/external-assessment/timetable

Year 12 students also have access to practice exams for all General subjects on the QCAA website. This should be used in preparation for both the upcoming Mock exam and the External assessment. As an example, the practice External exams for General Maths and General English can be located on the following links:

https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/senior-subjects/english/english/assessment

https://www.qcaa.qld.edu.au/senior/senior-subjects/mathematics/general-mathematics/assessment

It is expected that all students complete these practice exams for their General subjects in preparation for their External Assessment.

Students are again reminded that they must complete all assessment in Applied and General subjects to be awarded a result.