Senior School Bulletin - Term 1, Week 2

The Parent Information Night offered a range of sessions designed to equip parents with the knowledge and resources to support their children's education. Several sessions focused on pathways to university, with Edith Cowan University detailing their various admission options for school leavers and Curtin University presenting their UniReady in Schools program. A general overview of Senior School Pathways was also provided, clarifying the differences between WACE pathways like General, VET, CareerLink, and ATAR.

Beyond university preparation, the evening addressed contemporary topics such as generative AI in education and drug awareness, with SDERA offering insights and advice on talking to children about alcohol and other drugs. Other sessions focused on student well-being, covering topics such as managing school anxiety and available testing accommodations. Finally, information sessions were held regarding the Year 9 Outdoor Adventure Studies Expedition to Collie, detailing the program and its alignment with the Outdoor Adventure Studies course. Along with a detailed outline of the Year 10 Outdoor Adventures Studies Expedition to the Margaret River area. Overall, the evening aimed to provide parents with a comprehensive understanding of the academic landscape and the tools to effectively support their children.

Please find links below to teacher discussion points below:

Nick Irwin - Year 9 Outdoor Education Camp - click here

Nick Irwin - Year 10 Outdoor Education Camp - click here

Sam Goldberg - School Anxiety and/or Refusal - click here

Kelly Curran - AI in Education - click here

Ella Pearce - Careers - click here

Kind regards

Brittany Berghan

Deputy Head of Senior School

Dear Parents

The School uses SEQTA as its learning management system, and SEQTA and OneNote as the main teaching and learning platforms. Students access SEQTA for course overviews, assessment details, semester reports and timetables. Additional course content and resources are accessed through SEQTA or OneNote, depending on the course.

On Thursday, 6 March, we will offer parents a special session on SEQTA and OneNote. This session will show parents how to use SEQTA to find course and assessment information, track their children’s progress, and access assessment feedback. Parents will also be shown examples of how teachers and students use OneNote at St Mark’s.

The details of the session are as follows:

Who: Kelly Curran, Head of IT

When: Thursday 6 March

Where: Performing Arts Centre

Time: 6:00 PM to 7:15 PM.

Attending this session will give parents two hours to contribute to their school hours. Parents are welcome to join us for this very informative session.

Please see attached flyer with parent information regarding NAPLAN for later in Term 1. For information, NAPLAN is for all Year 3, 5, 7 and 9 students.

Please find below the Heads of Year and House contacts for 2025:

Heads of Year - Secondary School

Year 6 - Kellie Bailey: kbailey@stmarks.wa.edu.au

Year 7 - Paula McGibbon: pmcgibbon@stmarks.wa.edu.au

Year 8 - Rebecca McManus: rmcmanus@stmarks.wa.edu.au

Year 9 - Seb Salinas: ssalinas@stmarks.wa.edu.au

Year 10 - Troy De Bomford: tdebomford@stmarks.wa.edu.au

Year 11 - Jaime Milner: jmilner@stmarks.wa.edu.au

Year 12 - Lia Parsons: lparsons@stmarks.wa.edu.au

Heads of House - Secondary School

Carnley - Rachel Cool: rcook@stmarks.wa.edu.au

Challen - Kane Smith: ksmith@stmarks.wa.edu.au

Moyes - Trent Browner: tbrowner@stmarks.wa.edu.au

Watkins - Alex McNamara: amcnamara@stmarks.wa.edu.au

The Secondary Assistance Scheme is available to parents/guardians with children enrolled in Years 7 to 12 who hold an eligible concession card (a Pensioner Concession Card or a Health Care Card).

The SAS consists of two allowances:

• $235 Education Program Allowance (payment made to the school); and
• $300 Clothing Allowance (payment made to the parent/guardian).

Parents/guardians in receipt of the ABSTUDY School Fees Allowance from Services Australia (Centrelink) are not eligible for the SAS, but they may apply for the ABSTUDY Supplement Allowance.

Applications open at the commencement of Term 1 2025 and close on 11 April 2025. Forms are available from Main Reception during Term 1 between 8am and 4pm.

Please check the eligibility criteria here.

The Australian Government Department of Education would like to notify you that we have requested for your child’s school to provide residential address and other information.

Under the Australian Education Regulations 2023, the school is required to provide the department with the following information about each student at the school:

• names and residential addresses of the student’s parent(s) and/or guardian(s)
• student residential address (excluding student names)
• whether the student is a primary or secondary student (education level)
• whether the student is boarding or a day student (boarding status).

Can families please update their information on Consent2Go by Tuesday 11 February 2025.

More information on the purpose of collection and privacy information can be found here.

Please note that the Uniform Shop accepts EFTPOS only - no cash purchases. If your child needs to purchase an item, and you are not able to be there with your EFTPOS card, you do have the option of calling the Uniform Shop and providing your card details over the phone

Online Ordering

TARA Uniforms Online Ordering is available with orders collected from the Uniform Shop during opening hours. For convenience in Terms 2 and 3, grey tights are available for purchase from the Cafeteria via SmartRider or EFTPOS.

Uniform Shop Trading Hours - Term Time

• Mondays: 7.45am - 11.15am
• Wednesdays: 7.45am - 11.15am
• Thursdays: 1.00pm - 4.30pm

Please note: Uniform Shop operating hours differ during School Holidays

Location and Parking

The Uniform Shop is located between the Early Learning Centre and the Art Rooms in the Busselton Building. Parking is available in Visitor Parking, accessible via St Mark's Drive Gate 2.

Contact

For Uniform Shop queries telephone 0434 211 591 during opening hours. For urgent matters, please email customer.service@tarauniforms.com.au.

Elevate Education delivers high-impact workshops to our students that help to develop their study skills, motivation, and exam preparation. Over the next term, you're invited to join their parent webinar series, where you can help support your child at home by reinforcing the skills they're learning at school.

How to Get (And Keep!) Your Child Motivated - 12th February @6:30

Register today at: elevate education

Co-hosted by Black Dog Institute psychologists and a lived experience expert, this is a free opportunity for parents and carers to learn more about recognising and supporting their teen’s mental health.

https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_NERrmKCOQe6GIq2hpRd_tg#/registration

The Parents Prayer Group (PPG) meet fortnightly to pray for the students, staff and school community. We will be meeting every second Friday 9am in the school chapel, starting 14th Feb. Please sign in at reception and perhaps stop by the coffee van on the way. All are welcome. Please share any prayer requests by emailing parentsunitedforprayer@gmail.com or call Wing Shattock on 0433 002 151.

Download the flyer here.

Rotary is a worldwide service organisation with around 9 million members. Each year close to 8 000 children take part in a Youth Exchange. It is a year spent in an overseas country where you become culturally immersed. You will have host families that will care for you, and you will go to school, not to study, but to meet other students, take subjects that you may not have had the opportunity to do here and to learn the language. You will be hosted by a Rotary Club who will make sure you are well-looked after and will help you become involved in the local community.

This is NOT an exchange just for academic students, but for students who are willing to immerse themself in a new culture and be an ambassador for Australia. Think of it as a once in a lifetime gap year with benefits!

Two 2023 students ex-St Mark's spent last year in Belgium and Germany and had the most amazing experiences!

If you are a little curious or even a LOT interested, there is an information day this weekend, or simply email Jane Uspon jupson@stmarks.wa.edu.au if you have any questions

Flyer

Did you know that our Old Scholars' Association Little Lions Playgroup is run on-site every Friday during term time? We'd love to see your little cub there this Friday!

Join us from 8.45 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. for lots of fun and games. Little Lions Playgroup is a community-based group run in conjunction with Playgroup WA and caters for children up to school age. Families attending our Kindy and not in session on Fridays are more than welcome to join as well.

For more information and to book your spot, please email us, osa@stmarks.wa.edu.au or join our Facebook group HERE.

Everyone is welcome - you do not need to be an Old Scholar (former student) of St Mark's to attend.

Tickets are selling fast, for our Old Scholars' Milestone Reunion on Saturday 22 February 25.

All Old Scholars who graduated from St Mark’s in 1995, 2005 and 2015 are invited, and we can't wait to see you all and hear what you've been up to since leaving the land of maroon and blue!

Ticket details are available here.

If you have not received an email regarding the reunion, it means we do not have your current email - please update your details here.