At St Agnes, we encourage all students to do their best and then try to extend themselves. The following may help to achieve this goal.
- The first and most important factor in learning is to have regular attendance. Turning up on time every day gives students the best opportunity to learn. Every absence impacts on learning.
- Be organised. Do they have all the equipment they need? Do they check their timetable each night and pack their bags ready for the next day. We all know how busy mornings can be for families
- Set goals. Many young people have clear goals for their chosen sports but do not set academic goals. It is important to visualise what they want to achieve.
- Read every day. Encourage your child to read for enjoyment every day. Ask them questions about what they like.
- Have a routine. There needs to be time set aside each day for exercise, work and for play. This takes a little planning but once a routine is established it becomes much easier to get things done.
- Get enough sleep. Ensure that they get plenty of sleep so that they are not tired the next day. There should be no electronic devices in bedrooms. This can be difficult to achieve for some families but the rewards are immense. Do not be afraid of enforcing rules around technology for their own benefit. Young people should not be connected 24/7.
- Completing homework and assignments. To get done what they need to do, it is essential for students to apply themselves for well structured periods of time out of school time – home learning. The key is to spark in them a willingness to build these study sessions as everyday habits in their lives. They pursue their interests, hobbies and sport with enthusiasm; we need to encourage them to extend these attitudes to their learning.
- Reward positive behaviours. We should encourage the behaviour we wish to see, not just punish the behaviour we do not want. Achieving small regular goals should be celebrated and rewarded. Young people can then see the relationship between regular effort and achievement. The aim is that eventually, they become self-managing.
The school year has begun very well and we would like that to continue. Each day we have 850 students and 90 staff who need to make their way to and from St Agnes, safely and promptly. To assist with this we need to have a clear understanding of the rules that are in place to ensure there are no dangers to students, parents or staff.
- Students are not permitted to cross the road on front of the school (Evans Rd) unless they do so via the pedestrian crossing. Under no circumstances are students or parents permitted to walk in between parked buses. This is a major safety concern.
- Students catching buses of an afternoon are to move quickly to their bus line and sit down and wait to be called for their bus. If students are playing with footballs or basketballs during this time the balls will be confiscated.
- Parents dropping off or collecting students via car between 8 - 8.20am or 2.20 – 2.40pm will need to find a parking space outside the school grounds. There will generally be no free parking spots in the car park. Please do not drive into the car park during these times. We have a number of vehicles delivering goods to the school and we still have construction going on and so even one or two cars will cause congestion as they will not be able to turn around and then no one else can enter or leave the school.
Mr Ken Wolffe
Assistant Principal
