As mentioned in our previous Ignatian Newsletter, Term Three is an extremely busy - but exciting - time in our academic year! The coming weeks will feature the following teaching and learning related events:

• 2025 Subject Selection

• Parent Teacher Interviews

• The release of Mid-Semester Reports

The information below will help families prepare for the weeks ahead:

Subject Selection 2025:

This will be an extremely busy time of the year for all students, staff and parents, including year level assemblies, a Subject Selection Evening and Web Preferences becoming available. Over the coming weeks, you will receive letters regarding the various important areas related to your child’s education. These letters contain essential information and updates.

Senior Subject Selection Evening: Tuesday, 13 August 6:00pm – 8:00pm: This year, the evening will take on a slightly different feel compared to previous years. It will be face to face and will take place in the MPAC, Universities will be available in the foyer for students to meet and discuss future pathways, a VTAC presentation will be available to parents and students, and subject selection information will be presented for parents and students in Years 9-11.

Web Preferences open on the evening of Tuesday, 13 August.

Course Guide 2025:

It is important that our students make their decisions about subject choices in an informed manner. An important stage of this process is to carefully read the 2025 Course Guide. The format is new this year as we transition to an electronic and interactive version. This change aims to make the Guide easier to use by centralizing all information in one location. We value any feedback you may have regarding this new format. The link to the Course Guide will be available to parents and students in the coming weeks.

Please be aware that not all units listed in the Course Guide may be available in 2025. Furthermore, whilst the School aims to meet the needs and wishes of all our students, there may be occasions when we are unable to accommodate student preferences. Reasons for this may be timetable constraints, demand for certain subjects or limits to class sizes.

Subject Selection Conversations: 

During the Subject Selection Process, all current Year 9 and 10 students will meet with a member of the Learning Pathways Team.  Students are provided with a copy of their career plan and are strongly encouraged to discuss their Learning Pathways conversation with you.

Parent Teacher Interviews:

A reminder that our Parent Teacher Interviews will take place on Wednesday, 21 August and Thursday, 22 August. In response to feedback, we are continuing the hybrid approach for interviews, with the format listed below:

• Wednesday, 21 August: 3.40pm – 7.30pm (face-to-face)
• Thursday, 22 August: 2.30pm – 7.30pm (online via MS Teams) - Please Note: Students will be dismissed at 1.15pm

Parent Teacher Interview Bookings: 

• Opened on Tuesday, 6 August at 7pm (Y11 & 12)

• Opened on Thursday, 8 August at 7pm (Y7-12)

• Will close Tuesday, 20 August at 1pm (Y7-12)

Parent Teacher Interview Locations:

• LCH (H032 on your booking list): All subjects with the exception of those listed below:

• Portable Classrooms (T1-7 on your booking list): Maths & Science

• iCentre (L069 on your booking list): Humanities

Parent Teacher Interview Appointments:

Appointments will last for 6 minutes with 2 minutes provided to move from one appointment to another.

If the occasion arises whereby parents/carers miss the 2-week booking window, then they are asked to contact staff directly. Please do not ask staff at reception to book appointments for you.

Clarification for Online Appointments (Thursday 22 August 2.30pm – 7.30pm):

• Your interview schedule will be the same as it is when the interview is face to face.

• The interview will occur on MS Teams using your child’s Loyola account.

• At the scheduled time, the teacher will ring the student on their MS Teams account – please be available to receive the call.

• Cameras will be required to be switched on by the teacher and student/parent.

• If unanswered, the teacher will call for a second time during the designated appointment time.

• If the call is still unanswered, then the teacher will not attempt to call again.

• The student may message the teacher in the chat if they wish, explaining the reason for the absence. Depending on the reason, the teacher may call again.

• Interviews will last for 6 minutes with a 2-minute gap before the next one.

• We acknowledge some families have special circumstances. If both parents wish to attend these Conversations, we ask that you make one mutually agreed interview time.

• If you are unable to attend together, but both still wish to meet with your child’s Subject Teacher, please make an alternative time directly with your child’s Subject Teacher.

Assessment & Reporting Codes:

Thank you for your support as we aim to uphold consistency and fairness for all our students with the recent changes made to the requirements when your child is absent from an assessment. We value your input and recognise that obtaining medical certificates can be challenging. In light of this, we have introduced the acceptance of Pharmacy Certificates and Statutory Declarations in circumstances where a medical certificate was not able to be obtained.

We ask that documentation of medical absence is provided to the class teacher at your earliest convenience, either via email or hard copy.