The Auracle - Issue 63 February 2023

From the Principal's desk

Welcome to Aurora College v9.0!

This year, close to 750 students from 220 rural and remote NSW government schools are connecting locally and learning globally with Aurora College. The map below shows the growing reach of the state’s virtual school.

A special greeting goes to the students joining our school for the first time in 2023. Aside from our Year 5 and Year 7 cohorts, we also have new students joining our school in each of the other year groups. We are especially pleased to welcome 53 Year 6 students who form the first cohort of our Aboriginal High Potential and Gifted Students program. On behalf of the whole Aurora community, we welcome each of you and your families to your new school.

When a student joins Aurora College, they become a valued member of a dynamic and high achieving community of learners. Aurora is committed to building relationships which foster in its students, a strong sense of belonging to Aurora and to their home school. Remaining in their local community, Aurora students benefit from the enhanced opportunities that come from belonging to two education communities. Of course, with all opportunities come responsibilities. I therefore urge all students to ‘seize the day’ and to make their Aurora experience the foundation of a happy and successful future.

On Tuesday 28 February, we will be hosting a livestream for our parents/carers. At this event, we will introduce you to key members of our staff and will give you a brief overview of our systems and processes. A chat facility will enable you to ask questions of our staff in real time. A recording of the meeting will also be available to all families in the days following the live event. Please check your email account for information on how to connect.

Driving the learning and teaching in 2023 is a full complement of 74 staff members, working from 41 locations across the state. I know you will join me in welcoming our newest staff members: Alison Armitage (English - Blakehurst High School); David Cranby (Languages - Winmalee High School); Jordana Zonaras (English – Sir Joseph Banks High School); Kristy Neilson (HSIE - Dungog High School); Larry Polak (HSIE - The Rivers Secondary College, Kadina High Campus); Tegan Morgan (English - Macintyre High School); Ian Judd (Science - Belltrees Public School); Natasha Palumbo (Science - Cecil Hills High School); Scott Herdman (Maths – Wadalba Central School); Jane Swindle (Stage 3 – Parkes East Public School); and Scott Warner (Stage 3 – Stratford Public School).

Over the summer break, Serena McLean (A/Deputy Principal Primary) was successful in her application for the position of Principal, NSW Centre for Effective Reading. Serena joined Aurora College in 2018 and her outstanding contributions to our school include the successful development and implementation of the Stage 3 Opportunity Class provision, and more recently, the Aboriginal High Potential and Gifted Students program. Serena is an outstanding educator and leader, and her legacy here will benefit generations of Aurora students. Serena’s work with rural and remote communities will continue in her new role. I know you will join me in thanking her for her work at our school and congratulate her on the next step in her career.

With Serena’s promotion, the leadership of our Stage 3 team passes to Beth Hodson (A/Deputy Principal Primary) and Lisa Pearson (A/Assistant Principal). Beth and Lisa bring to their respective positions a wealth of knowledge and experience that will ensure the Stage 3 curriculum continues to engage and challenge our youngest bright lights.

The other important event, just prior to the summer break, was the publication of HSC results. Despite the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and extreme weather events, the Year 12 Class of 2022 showed great fortitude to achieve very pleasing HSC results. An impressive 34.4% of course entries achieved in the top two Bands, with 12 Band 6/E4 and 21 Band 5/E3 results.

Our HSC results should be of particular interest to our current Year 10 students, as they consider their Stage 6 subject choices. Of course, Aurora College is not a selective school in Years 11 and 12; we operate in this space to provide a broader range of curriculum offerings to students in rural and remote government schools. Information about studying Year 11 subjects with Aurora College in 2024 will be provided later this semester. Year 10 students and their families should keep Thursday 3 August 2023 free to connect to our Stage 6 subject information livestream. Further details will be emailed to all Year 10 families later this semester.

In supporting the growth and development of our students’ fundamental skills in literacy and numeracy in 2023, Aurora College will again be tracking progress using Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT). The PAT are a series of tests designed to provide objective, norm-referenced information to teachers about their students’ skills and understandings in a range of key areas. The online tests are conducted twice per year and are central to Aurora’s drive for continuous improvement. The data gathered from these tests will be used to further inform teaching practices and to support differentiation. The information will allow staff to design individualised approaches to address areas for growth. The students’ results will be emailed to families during Semester 1 and Semester 2 each year.

The Aurora College P&C is a group of dedicated and hard-working people who recognise the importance of connection with, and support of, our school. Our first General Meeting for 2023 will take place at 7:00 pm (AEDT) on Wednesday 1 March. Please see your email account for information on how to connect.

Parents and carers of current, past and future Aurora students are eligible to be P&C members, as are Aurora teachers and staff, and all adult residents of the Aurora catchment area (i.e. in localities with Rural and Remote schools). The annual membership fee is $5, and it must be paid to Aurora by credit/debit card via the college website. Please follow the instructions on our website here if you wish to become a member. For all enquiries related to the Aurora P&C, please email auroracollege@pandcaffiliate.org.au

Enjoy another great edition of The Auracle.

Chris Robertson | Principal

Deputy Principal's report

Welcome back to all our returning Aurora families and a very special welcome to all our new students and their parents. I hope you all had a relaxing break over the summer holidays to rejuvenate and ready yourselves to get back into the full swing of all things Aurora. The staff at Aurora College are once again looking forward to working with you all.

Who do I contact if I have concerns?

For most concerns, the best first point of contact for students and their parents is the Aurora College Coordinator (ACC) which is a position based in the home school. Your child should have located their ACC by now and if they are studying science with us their Science Practical Teacher (SPT) as well.

Aurora College Coordinator (ACC)

In each of our partner schools, Aurora College funds the release of a teacher to fill the role of the Aurora College Coordinator (ACC). The ACC adds an important layer of support for the educational, social, and emotional needs of our students.

The role of the ACC is similar to that of a Year Advisor. The role has an administrative component, but the main focus is to support our shared enrolments. The ACC is also the key contact person for Aurora College executive, teachers, students, and parents.

The ACC in your ‘home school’ is responsible for:

· monitoring and reporting student attendance to the coordinating office at auroracoll-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au for partial absences only when students are on ‘other school business’

· facilitating the exchange and dissemination of information between Aurora, the home school, students and parents

· monitoring the wellbeing of your child and reporting any concerns to Aurora College and the home school

· assisting Aurora College to develop and implement appropriate support strategies, including individual Student Learning Plans or Personalised Learning Pathways

· coordinating the completion and return of Illness and Misadventure forms to the relevant Aurora College Head Teacher

· supervising student examinations and assessment if needed

· printing and distributing allocated Aurora College merit awards and reports to students.Y our ACC has access to a range of information via Aurora College’s Constellation portal, including attendance rolls, details of assessment tasks, timetables, merits, and reports. Your ACC can also provide advice about who to contact if you have concerns they cannot assist you with.

More information regarding the role of the Aurora College Coordinator can be found on our school website: ACC_role_statement_2023.pdf

For concerns related to learning and assessment, students should always make their first approach to their class teacher. Students and their parents then have the option of contacting the relevant Head Teacher:

· Relieving Head Teacher English, HSIE and Languages – Marnie Etheridge marnie.etheridge@det.nsw.edu.au

· Relieving Head Teacher Mathematics and Software Design and Development – Karen Bellamy karen.bellamy3@det.nsw.edu.au

· Relieving Head Teacher Science and Agriculture – Silvia Rudmann silvia.rudmann@det.nsw.edu.au

· Acting Assistant Principal – Lisa Pearson lisa.pearson11@det.nsw.edu.au

All other correspondence to Aurora College should be directed to auroracoll-h.school@det.nsw.edu.au or via phone on 1300 287 629.

Assessment handbooks

Assessment handbooks for Years 7 to 11 have been distributed via email to all students, parents and Aurora College Coordinators. These handbooks outline Aurora College’s processes and policies related to assessment . These handbooks can also be accessed on our school website. Assessment policy handbooks - Aurora College. I encourage all students and parents to read these carefully.

Expectations of all students

When a student enrols with Aurora College, they become a shared enrolment of two schools. It is the school’s expectation that our students will behave in a manner that reflects well on Aurora College and their home school at all times.

All students in NSW government schools are expected to:

· attend every school day, unless they are legally excused, and be in class on time and prepared to learn

· maintain a neat appearance, including adhering to the requirements of the school’s uniform or dress code policy

· behave safely, considerately and responsibly, including when travelling to and from school

· show respect at all times for teachers, other school staff and helpers, including following class rules, speaking courteously and cooperating with instructions and learning activities

· treat one another with dignity and respect

· care for property belonging to themselves, the school and others.

Behaviour that infringes on the safety of others, such as harassment, bullying and illegal or anti-social behaviour of any kind, will not be tolerated. [Source: Core Rules – Student discipline in NSW Government Schools].

Our students should be prepared to engage in learning, by:

· showing a positive attitude

· having the correct equipment for every lesson

· doing their best at all times

· arriving to class on time

respect themselves and others, by:

· accepting responsibility for the choices they make

· treating all people with respect

· using appropriate language and actions

· following teachers’ instructions at all times

· being responsible for looking after their own property and school property

· respecting the property of others

behave safely, by:

· following class rules

· caring for themselves and others

· behaving in a way that does not put themselves or others at risk

· negotiating and resolving conflicts

Use of technology

As heavy users of the internet and online communication services provided by the NSW Department of Education, all Aurora College students must abide by the Department’s conditions of acceptable usage. Student use of digital devices and online services lists three key areas of responsibility for students when working in the college’s virtual learning environment. These relate to a student being Respectful, Responsible and Safe as a Digital Citizen.

« A reminder to parents and students that they have signed the student technology loan agreement which outlines the responsibilities of students using and accessing technology. If students choose to misuse technology disciplinary action will be taken.

« Laptop audits can and will happen if a student is suspected of downloading games and programs or accessing inappropriate material.

Student attendance

Students need to attend school regularly to meet the course requirements of the ROSA, Preliminary HSC and HSC. Student attendance is recorded in each lesson at Aurora. The coordinator or parents/caregivers are required to inform the coordinating office of Aurora College within seven days if the student is sick, or:

· has an unavoidable medical or dental appointment

· is required to attend a recognised religious holiday

· is required to attend an exceptional or urgent family circumstance

· has a home school commitment including school excursions, school carnivals etc.

· arrives late or leaves early from an Aurora lesson at a time that has not been negotiated and does not appear on his/her timetable.

If a student is a way for a full day absence, then it is the parent/carers responsibility to inform us of this absence with a legitimate reason.

The safety and supervision of your child/ren is very important to us so I would like to remind both parents and students that logging into Aurora lessons can only be done while students are on the premises of their home school. Students who are home sick from school cannot connect to live lessons. If they wish to access Aurora work during this time, then they can watch the recording of the lesson later and complete the work outlined in their class's term planners. Please be aware that students who connect from home or locations other than their school will be reminded of our expectations and asked to leave the lesson.

Students on leave or away for extended periods

Students who will be away for a period of time or need to access lessons from home must ensure that the appropriate paperwork has been completed and approved before this can happen. These applications will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and will also need the approval of the principal at the home school. If your child/ren falls into this category, please contact me to discuss the matter.

A Certificate of Exemption from Attendance must be obtained from the principal of your home school if the student plans to be on leave for an extended period. An example of when this may be required is when travelling overseas. In the case, where a student is granted a Certificate of Exemption, Aurora College requires a copy via the ACC. Students will still be required to complete assessment tasks and classwork as negotiated by the Head Teacher for each subject in order to meet course outcomes.

Home school excursions or events

Students involved in home school excursions, such as sports or swimming carnivals, must notify Aurora College via their ACC. This can also apply for special events in schools where the students will be absent from their timetabled Aurora classes.

Carolyn Hungerford | Deputy Principal (Secondary)

Residential Term 1 - 2023

In 2023, Residential 1 will occur in Term 2 Week 2, from Monday 1 May to Friday 5 May. It will take place at the Narrabeen-based Sydney Academy of Sport (Years 5, 7, 8 and 10) and Sydney Olympic Park (Year 9).

Information packs for parents and students will be sent in the week of 7 March. Parents will be then be able to pay for the excursion and will need to give authorisation for their child to attend. The Sydney Academy of Sport requires parents to complete an additional registration form. Details on how to complete this will be included in the parent information pack.

The parent information pack will also include all of the information about transportation to and from the residential. A separate form will be issued to you if your child needs medication or has a health plan. This information will enable us to provide the best possible care of them while they are on camp.

Activities planned for the camp so far include:

Inquisitive Minds (Years 7 and 8)
Taronga Zoo workshops (Years 5 and 7)
ANSTO workshops (Years 9 and 10)
Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation led activities (All year groups)
Robotics short course (Years 5, 7 and 8)
Bell Shakespeare (Years 9 and 10)
Bell Shakespeare, The Players Performance (Year 9 and 10)
Brainstorm Theatre Company (Years 5, 7 and 8)
Australian Business Community Network workshop (Year 10)
Northern Beaches Coastal Environment Centre (Year 7)
Gibberagong Ecological Excursion (Year 8)
Manly Surf School (Year 10)
Book shop (Years 5 to 10)
Lesson time with teachers onsite (Years 5 to 10)
Guest speakers

We are looking forward to seeing our Years 5, 7, 8, 9 and 10 students at the residential school in Term 2.

Virginia Cluff | Instructional Leader

Events

Parent Webinar

We started this year with a fabulous parent webinar with Dr Justin Coulson on Monday 20 February. Dr Justin Coulson is the co-host and parenting expert on Channel Nine’s Parental Guidance, the founder of happyfamilies.com.au, and one of Australia’s most trusted parenting, relationships and wellbeing experts. If you were unable to join us for the webinar, check your email account for a link to the recording. The recording will be available for a limited time only.

Masterclasses

During Week 5, our Year 7 students and new students in Years 8-10, will be participating in Orientation Masterclasses hosted by Mrs Virginia Cluff, Instructional Leader. These masterclasses will assist with the students’ transition to our unique learning environment.

We are busy sourcing presenters for the 2023 Masterclass program, drawing inspiration from student suggestions. While I believe it will be difficult to book Chris Hemsworth for a presentation on Acting (but I will try), we do have a masterclass on Public Speaking occurring in Week 11 this term. This will be conducted by Justine Clarke, the Speaking Competitions Officer from the Arts Unit.

ThinkTank

A great opportunity has come up for Aurora students in Years 5 to 10 to join ‘ThinkTank’, an online after-school club teaching critical thinking and communications skills. Run by Consensus Education and generously supported by the Braidwood Community Bank, ThinkTank invites rural and remote students to have fun building their skills through collaboration with other keen thinkers from around NSW, and guided by the Consensus expert team. We’ve engaged with Consensus to provide training for our amazing debating teams and we’re sure that the classes will provide plenty of food for thought and intellectual stimulation!

Interested students can find out more and register online at https://www.consensuseducation.com/thinktank

 If you have any questions about the opportunity, please feel free to contact James Smith at james.smith@consensuseducation.com

Cathy Crouch | Rlg Head Teacher Teaching and Learning

Bright Lights

On 4 and 5 February 2023, Emily (Year 7, Dubbo College South Campus) competed at the Region 3 Little Athletics Championships in Dubbo.

Emily broke the U12 Girls High Jump record, jumping 1.51 metres. The record was previously 1.45 metres.

Emilys full results were:

1^st - U12 Girls High Jump with new Regional Record of 1.51 metres. The previous record was 1.45 metres.

1^st - U12 Girls 100 meres

1^st - U12 Girls 200 metres

1^st - U12 Girls Long Jump

To the right is a photo of Emily with her 4 medals.

Congratulations, Emily!

Extra Curricular - Chess Club

Join our chess club!

Chess is a game for all ages and has many benefits in developing memory, logical thinking, imagination, creativity and independence. Besides, chess is fun! No chess game ever repeats itself, which means you create more and more new ideas each game.

There is a Chess Club channel in the Aurora College Students Team where you can join our weekly meetings, share chess resources and find out what’s on.

This year Aurora College will be entering the NSW Junior Chess League Country Secondary School Chess Competition. A team of four players from Years 7 to 11 will represent Aurora College, provided they are not selected to represent their home school.

Any prospective players should contact chess organiser Mr Hayden christopher.hayden1@det.nsw.edu.au to express their interest.

Connect Locally, Learn Globally

Meet Claire in Year 6

Where is your 'home school'?

I live out of Eugowra on a farm. My home school is Canowindra Public School. It is located in the Central West of NSW.

What is it like growing up in your town?

My community is small so everyone is friendly, happy, generous and everyone looks out for each other. It is amazing growing up in a regional area. There are lots of opportunities for kids to succeed away from the hustle and bustle of the city. l also like the wide open spaces, sunsets and the lots of chances to work on the farm.

What is your favourite subject/s?

My favourite subjects are Mathematics, Science and Geography.

What do you like most about learning at Aurora?

l like everything about learning at Aurora, especially meeting new kids and studying mathematics.

What is a random fact about yourself?

All my favourite food starts with s (sushi, salad, sour lollies, sausages and subway). They're not my favourite food because they all start with s. They're favourite food because they are delicious!

Do you have any career aspirations or ideas of what you might like to do in the future?

I want to be a criminal lawyer or a teacher.

Student Support - Library

Summer Reading Challenge

We had over 20 students enter the summer reading challenge this year. Students were asked to record the books they had read, write a review on our library platform Oliver, and record where their book adventures had taken them.

What adventures we have had! There were plenty of stories from all over Australia, including Broken Hill. There were stories read from nearly every continent on Earth – and a few from beyond Earth too. Three lucky students were randomly selected as the winners and they have each received $25 gift vouchers to their local Newsagent or Collins bookstore. Congratulations to Adhrit Singh from South West Rocks, Lena Jones from Orange and Francesca Nivison from Walcha!

Book reviews

A number of Astras have been awarded to students who have written book reviews. Book reviews are so helpful for other students who are browsing for their next read. They are also a great way to develop your concise writing skills as you reflect upon your last read.

Join a book club!

Book clubs are a great way to meet other students and have fun while reading! Each book club meets once a month. Students can join 1 or all 4 groups.

Student inductions to the library

I am looking forward to meeting our students in weeks 5 and 7 to show you through our virtual library and to share with you some of the exciting things happening this year.

In the meantime, please send though any enquiries to Hayley.laurie@det.nsw.edu.au

I would love to help out!

Hayley Laurie | Teacher Librarian

Student Support - Wellbeing

A warm welcome to the 2023 school year from the Aurora College Wellbeing Team.

We are pleased to announce that the team has grown this year with highly qualified staff working together to support our students in their educational goals and future aspirations. The team consists of:

Danielle Latinovic – Years 5, 6 and 7

Luisa McDiarmid – Years 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12

Kim Morris – Literacy Leader and Careers Adviser

Chris Hayden – Numeracy Leader

Julie Ruming – Head Teacher Wellbeing

Our team provides many options for support, including:

Tutorial Support which is subject specific individual tutoring with a subject specialist teacher
Study Support aimed at assisting students with organisation and study habits
Wellbeing check-ins
Stymie referrals to report bullying or harm
A dedicated school psychologist, available 1 day per week
Development of Personalised Learning and Support Plans for identified students
Assessment adjustments for identified students
Literacy Coaching for identified students
Numeracy Coaching for identified students

Students can use the following link or QR code to self-refer themselves to our team https://bit.ly/ACstudentsupport

Julie Ruming | Head Teacher Welfare

Student Support - Careers

Introduction

I am the Aurora College Careers Adviser. I am so excited with all the new opportunities available to students and can’t wait to share them in 2023.

I have been a teacher for 28 years (so yes, I am a bit old) having taught in the areas of English, History and Drama. I live in Ballina on the Far North Coast, and feel lucky to be living near the beach.

Favourite things:

cats (I have had two rescue cats for 11 years), netball, eating pasta, talking, listening to music, Dr Who/ Marvel movies/ Star Wars, reading crime fiction

Least favourite things:

bullies, brussels sprouts, spiders

Personality:

funny, positive, open-minded, love challenges, organised, efficient, and if I say I’m going to do it - I always make sure I do it!!

My Saying:

“What’s your Plan B?”

My contact details are:

Phone: (02) 6681 0482

Email: Kim.morris19@det.nsw.edu.au

Microsoft teams: in the general area of your Year group

Career Tools

Students, staff and parents are welcome to access the websites below as a free search tool for anything related to:

Job information, industry search, university – early entry, scholarships, TAFE, emergency services, ADF, medicine, law
Quizzes to find out your strengths, multiple intelligences, career personality matching
Templates to write a resume, personal statement, job application, portfolio
Careers lessons

Aurora College Careers Website

StudyWorkGrow Careers Hub

Virtual Careers Classroom

I have created a virtual careers classroom that students can access, like you would at your home school. This virtual room has PDF documents and guides on 24 aspects of careers for students to explore and download items of interest, like a library system. Located in the Aurora Student Team/General Channel/Files/Virtual Careers Room Virtual Careers Room Resources - all Students

e-Mentoring Program

This is an optional program for students in Years 7 to 12. Participating students are linked to external mentors and meet fortnightly in a 30 min session in TEAMS.

The goal of the program is to provide students with an opportunity to:

better understand their skills, values and interests
explore academic and career options
further develop social, emotional, study & organisational skills

The Expression of Interest form for 2023 will be distributed to students once Mentors have been finalised.

Kim Morris | Careers Advisor

Faculty - OC

The start of a new school year is always a time filled with anticipation, buzz and excitement and 2023 has been no different!

It was very exciting to see that in the last few weeks we have on-boarded over 100 partner schools and 98 students into our Year 5 program. The year 6 student chat channel was busy well before our 136 Year 6 students returned to classes. Our total number of Stage 3 students is now over 230. How exciting!

Behind every successful student and classroom is a group of dedicated and hardworking teachers and support staff, and we are so fortunate to have an exceptional team. These individuals have spent countless hours preparing and planning to ensure that this school year is not just successful, but enjoyable and memorable for each and every one of our students.

We welcome two new teachers to the Stage 3 Team, Miss Jane Swindle and Mr Scott Warner. We welcome back Mrs Janet Matthews, Mrs Alex Lunguly, Ms Claire Houston, Mrs Kylie Snell, Ms Annalissa Roy, Ms Lisa Pearson and Ms Beth Hodson.

This team of teachers are committed to fostering positive learning environment and helping our students reach their full potential. We have no doubt they will continue to make significant impacts and contributions to the success of our students at Aurora, empowering the students to succeed at school, home and within their local communities.

Year 5: Miss Jane Swindle, Mrs Janet Matthews, Mrs Alex Lunguly and Ms Lisa Pearson.

Year 6: Mr Scott Warner, Miss Claire Houston, Ms Kylie Snell and Ms Annalissa Roy

Year 6 AHPG: Mr Scott Warner, Mrs Alex Lunguly, Miss Claire Houston and Ms Kylie Snell

A/Assistant Principal: Lisa Pearson

A/Deputy Principal: Beth Hodson

Year 5

Year 5 has been busy bees exploring the Teams platform, learning how to use the chat pod, mute and unmute themselves and learning all about the various tips and tricks when navigating the app. They are now experts on navigating their OneNote and the tools that allow them to engage in the Maths and Science content.

Through whole class discussions and breakout rooms, students have been exploring Agile Learnership and the value of identifying the types of mistakes. They have also enjoyed joining the various applications such as STILE, WeVideo and Mathspace.

Keep on shining Year 5! It is sure to be a great year with you all on board.

Year 6

As experts of the OC, Year 6 have demonstrated their independent work habits by getting logged on and set up and by downloading their brand new OneNotes.

So far, they have been exploring temperatures around the world while busily learning all about negative numbers. They have also competed in some serious matches of the Factiple game and have begun delving deeply into the world of Space.

Welcome back, Year 6!

AHPG

We are thrilled to welcome back our fabulous AHPG group! These amazing students have jumped right back into the swing of things, connecting with their classmates and teachers, while also becoming proficient in OneNote, Mathspace, and STILE.

They've become experts at using their stylus to write, inserting videos and voice recordings, while also exploring what it means to be an agile learner.

In Science classes, students have begun preparing for their next big project, which will see them create a 3-minute video using the video editing suite in WeVideo. They'll be showcasing themselves, their stories, and their area in a fun and creative way.

We can't wait to see all the amazing work that Year 6 will produce this year!

Lisa Pearson | Rlg. Assistant Principal

Faculty - English, Languages, and HSIE

Welcome back from the wonderful world of words and humanities! Our staff are thrilled to be working with Aurora in 2023, and we are very much looking forward to a fantastic year.

I would like to welcome our new staff members: Tegan Morgan (English); Jordana Zonaras (English); Pam Dowd (English); Alison Armitage (English); Kristy Neilson (Legal Studies); Larry Polak (Economics); David Cranby (Languages); and Eleanor McRae (Geography)

They have kicked off lessons this week with students and are thoroughly enjoying getting to know the amazing young people who are enrolled in Aurora College.

Some of the exciting things our students are learning about this week are:

Year 7 English is getting an introduction into high school English by building their writing skills through fun activities.
Year 8 English is exploring the Gothic genre, looking at what elements identify this style of text.
Year 9 English is investigating short texts and poetry that reveal and represent Lived Experiences.
Year 10 English have kicked off with Life Writing and sharing interesting events from their own lives.
Year 12 Economics is exploring the differences between macro and micro economic policies and who these policies affect.
Year 12 Advanced English is diving deeply into the Craft of Writing, and the process of making their own writing into a digital text.

We have so many wonderful learning experiences planned for Aurora College students this year and we can’t wait to share more of them with you as the year goes on!

Marnie Etherbridge | Head Teacher English, Languages, and HSIE

Faculty - Mathematics and Software Design & Development

We are excited to welcome everyone to a new year of mathematics classes with Aurora College.

We wish to welcome Kalpana Ram and Scott Herdman as our new mathematics teachers at Aurora this year, and welcome back our existing staff: Karen Bellamy; Rob Gorton; Chris Hayden; Helen Spencer; Mahezabeen Tariq; Susanna Trikilis; Nadine Wild; Kumie Pather; Katharine Tat; Scott Preskett; and Connor Boyko.

Classes begin!

Students have had an excellent start to the year, and it has been very exciting getting to know all the new classes and observe the many actives being run by staff. Students in the eastern region participated in a week of getting to know you and introductory activities, while many students in the western region returned to school a week later for heat-week. In the short period we have had together it is great to see the friendships between students forming and their interests and passions for mathematics blossoming under the tutelage of their teachers.

However, now that all classes have officially begun you can expect to see the following topics studied by our students: Indices (Year 7); Pythagoras (Year 8); Financial Mathematics (Year 9); Bivariate Data (Year 10); Functions (Year 11 Advanced); Functions (Year 11 Extension); Algorithm Design (Year 11 Software Design and Development); Integral Calculus (Year 12 Advanced); Binomial Probability Distributions (Year 12 Extension 1); Extended Proof by Mathematical Induction (Year 12 Extension 2); Software development and problem identification (Year 12 Software Design and Development).

Students in Years 5 and 9 have also begun to complete PAT testing, whereby students complete a series of adaptive quizzes designed to showcase areas of strength and areas requiring growth. This provides our teachers with valuable information on how best to cater for our students' individual needs.

A list of the topics students will study this year has been provided to every student as a ‘scope and sequence’ document. An outline of when each assessment task will be due and which topics they will cover, can also be found in the ‘assessment schedule’ document.

Students will be also able to find a list of the classwork completed each lesson and recordings of lessons in their OneNote Content Library under the ‘Term Planner’. For child protection and privacy, recordings are to be viewed only by students of that class.
Students can also find their current progress through assigned tasks in their OneNote Collaboration space under the ‘Completion of Work’ (COW) tracker. Students who have missed work or were absent are expected to complete that work outside class time.

Calculators

Students are required to have their own personal physical calculator, separate from their other devices for all mathematics lessons. A single calculator can last students their entire 7-12 schooling, only requiring a change of battery occasionally.

The list of calculators approved for the HSC can be found in the NESA’s approved calculators website page. We recommend the Casio FX-82AU plus II, which is the calculator most staff will be using. The Abacus calculators are very similar to Casio, and most staff are also familiar with the Sharp calculator range.

Mathspace Homework Tasks

Students have a weekly homework task assigned to them on Mathspace. These tasks are optional, but highly encouraged to combat the ‘curve of forgetting’.

The ‘curve of forgetting’ is research that backs up the saying ‘use it or lose it’, suggesting that memories of what one has learnt will weaken over time, particularly after you have just finished learning it for the first time.

‘Spaced Learning’ – including revision such as homework on past topics, or creating summaries of learning for use in future assessment tasks, can help combat the curve of forgetting. It has been shown to improve short- and long-term retention of mathematics knowledge, improve test scores, and reduce overconfidence (‘Spaced Retrieval Practice Increases College Students’ Short- and Long-Term Retention of Mathematics Knowledge’; ‘Spaced mathematics practice improves test scores and reduces overconfidence’; ‘Spaced Learning Enhances Episodic Memory by Increasing Neural Pattern Similarity Across Repetitions’).

Previous years here at Aurora have shown that our own students who did spaced revision tasks in the lead-up to an assignment had higher than expected growth. As such, these spaced revision tasks have been assigned to all students as homework. We want to encourage our students to attempt the homework earnestly and regularly.

If you have any concerns or questions, we encourage parents/carers to contact their child’s mathematics teacher. Remaining up to date with all work will ensure a positive experience for your child and we value the support of all parents and carers in this endeavour. Once again, we look forward to another fantastic year of assisting our students to grow and excel in mathematics.

Karen Bellamy | Rlg. Head Teacher Mathematics and Sofware Design & Development

Faculty - Science

Welcome to science 2023!

A warm welcome to our Year 7 students, to our new students in other cohorts, and of course, to all our students returning to our classes.

The science team at Aurora College is excited to start a new school year. Our faculty goals this year are to: keep improving the scientific literacy and numeracy skills of all our students; to increase our HSC achievements; and support our students in all aspects of their learning. In science, we work as a strong team, not only amongst the teachers, but also with our students to create an environment in which everyone feels safe and is motivated to learn and teach.

Science is fascinating; its advances have improved the lives of all of us over the years and the current research in all branches of science is breathtaking. We want to transmit that fascination to our students, to cater for their high curiosity, and to challenge them to become agile, life-long learners.

Assessment tasks

In science, students usually have one assessment task to complete per term. The Head Teacher Science will send the notification for the task to all students in the cohort, to their parents, and the Aurora College Coordinator. A copy of the task will also be uploaded to CANVAS, our assessment task platform.

The nature of the tasks varies each term to cater for different scientific skills. This year, the types of assessments are:

Senior practical days

Our senior students in Years 11 and 12 have an extra practical component called a 'practical day'. On that day, students perform particular experiments in their home school, delivered by the Science Practical Teacher and funded by Aurora College. Practical days may also see our students participating in a virtual excursion, linked to universities or private institutions.

Instructions for the day are sent closer to the date of the practical day by the teacher in charge of the senior subject.

The senior practical days for this term are:

Work completion

Science lessons are delivered on two platforms, Stile and Teams OneNote. The expectation is that students complete the assigned classwork in Stile and/or in OneNote by the end of each lesson.

Each fortnight, students perform a practical investigation in their home schools with an allocated Science Practical Teacher (SPT). At the end of each practical, students must write the collected data and answer the discussion questions for the Aurora College class teacher to mark. Flipped lessons are allocated to students every fortnight as well, and those must be completed in the students' own time, during free periods at their home school or at home.

If work is not completed by the end of the fortnight, teachers will notify the Head Teacher Science and a letter of concern will be sent, notifying parents and Aurora College Coordinators. Hopefully, we will not need to reach this point with any of our students.

Silvia Rudmann | Rlg. Head Teacher Science

From the Engine Room

We are excited to announce our school will be transitioning to an upgraded School Bytes finance system on 7 March 2023!

In preparation for the transition to a simplified finance system for both you and the school, we will be required to implement a short payment lockout period where we will not be able to receive any online payments.

What this means for you

• No payments can be made online from 4pm, Wednesday 1 March 2023.

• We will advise you when payments can resume closer to the above date.

• Any existing payment links that have been sent to you previously in emails can still be used after the transition and will automatically redirect to the new system.

• After the transition, a School Bytes portal will be available for you to register and begin using (Link: https://portal.schoolbytes.education).

• All previous payments made will be migrated to the new School Bytes finance system and portal.

What is the School Bytes portal?

The School Bytes portal provides flexibility for you to conveniently:

• make school payments online (including paying for multiple siblings at once)

• use a family credit to pay for an activity or school contributions

• download a receipt for payments made

• view all historical payments in one place

• complete and submit digital permission notes

• view the status of all permission notes

• request a refund if required.

This can be done wherever you want and at any time, day or night.

Through the portal, you will easily be able to download a receipt once a payment has been made and you will have access to view all historical payments when needed. Online payments are processed in real-time and can be viewed by school staff immediately.

While our preference is for payments to be made via the portal, we will still accept payment via cheque and money order.

Denise Deaves | Business Manager