Chifley College
Learn Discover Inspire
Staff Development Day
A huge thank you must be extended to all those involved in our joint Staff Development Day. An incredible amount of work in planning, administering, facilitating and evaluating stages went into the day.
The broad range of workshops were reflective of the talent and collegiality of our staff across the College. Our three university partners, UWS, Macquarie and Sydney along with Westmead Childrens Hospital, OXFAM, Headspace,BREED, Isobel Freeborn, Lizzie Chase, Maureen Wenzel and Sue Matthews provided a diverse range of professional learning. 82.8% of staff indicated that this range of courses met their needs either fully or mostly.
The over enrolment in a number of courses has indicated the teacher identified need for professional learning in pedagogy, technology and community. There was particularly a high interest in working with boys, PacifiKa students and ipads.
This year we utilised MyPL@Edu to accomodate our early career teachers in accounting for their teacher identified hours. This proved to be somewhat problematic through a range of circumstances. However, over 50% of staff indicated that it was either very easy or easy with a third of indicating that they had some difficulty in using MyPL@Edu with 3.7% finding it impossible to use.
The majority of staff indicated that working and sharing with staff from across the College; the skills, knowledge and understandings that I can use in my practice; the courses that I attended as being the most valuable outcomes of the day.
Recognition and thanks must go to your CDT representatives who put in an enormous amount of effort to ensure the success of the day.
Science at Macquarie University
Our junior scientists had the opportunity to work with Macquarie University Science staff on a range of projects that used state of the art equipment and processes earlier this week. The partnership led by Macquarie University's Dave Harrington and organised by Durgesh White and other Head Teachers Science has provided our students and staff with outstanding experiences across the sciences.
Students constructed cars from 3D printed parts and then raced them against the clock whilst being filmed by a powerful slow motion camera. They then explored the engineering and physics behind the recorded results.
Interestingly, there was a large number of students from our highest ever cohort to go onto tertiary studies studying the sciences at university this year - many of whom had participated in this invaluable program.
Following Up Cosi - NIDA at Senior
Previously, we were able to publicly thank Julia Selby and the Cosi cast from the National Institute of Dramatic Arts for an inspirational performance of Cosi (one of our prescribed texts for Standard English). What happened next was truly amazing. After phoning NIDA and telling Julia how much this performance benefitted those Chifey students who saw the production, she offered and organised the cast to come to us (free of charge!).
The 2nd year actors and set designer jumped on a bus and ventured to our MPC where they performed two key scenes from the play. Our senior Standard students again witnessed a performance that will assist their results in the HSC and were enthralled by the set designer who demonstrated how you turn a normal space into a ‘burn out theatre.’ The question and answer time allowed our students to delve deeper into all the aspects of the play and the NIDA students were approachable and explained thoroughly all questions asked. A testament to their ability is the fact that performances at NIDA had finished three weeks prior and yet they were still as captivating and word perfect as they were on the night.
If that’s not enough, NIDA has invited Chifley College Senior Campus to join them in a free school trial where webcasts of performances can be viewed by our students sitting in our connected classroom.
Our College was fortunate to have such a unique experience offered to them and no words can completely express Chifley College Senior Campus’ gratitude to NIDA, Julia and her talented students. They are already stars in our eyes.
The 2nd year actors and set designer jumped on a bus and ventured to our MPC where they performed two key scenes from the play. Our senior Standard students again witnessed a performance that will assist their results in the HSC and were enthralled by the set designer who demonstrated how you turn a normal space into a ‘burn out theatre.’ The question and answer time allowed our students to delve deeper into all the aspects of the play and the NIDA students were approachable and explained thoroughly all questions asked. A testament to their ability is the fact that performances at NIDA had finished three weeks prior and yet they were still as captivating and word perfect as they were on the night.
If that’s not enough, NIDA has invited Chifley College Senior Campus to join them in a free school trial where webcasts of performances can be viewed by our students sitting in our connected classroom.
Our College was fortunate to have such a unique experience offered to them and no words can completely express Chifley College Senior Campus’ gratitude to NIDA, Julia and her talented students. They are already stars in our eyes.
Enrichment Activities
Many of the articles in our newsletters focus on the outstanding extension activities that have been offered to students across a range of subjects. Students have the opportunity to work with each other, explore ideas in depth and often work with university staff and other members of our community. We value these partnerships as they provide students with access to alternative learning environments.
This term, Head Teacher Planning Days will include the planning of the Enrichment Days for Semester One 2014. It may seem a long way off, but we want to ensure that we have a rich range of activities that are able to be scheduled into campus calendars to ensure as many students as possible have the opportunity to engage with extended learning.
If you have a great idea for an activity, please speak with your Head Teacher before their Planning Day.
Events for Term 3
Senior Campus Open Night Tuesday Week 3 5.00 - 7.00 pm
College Council Tuesday Week 5 5.30 pm West Tradies Club
College Disco Monday Week 8 6.30 - 9.00 pm St Marys Leagues Club
Head Teacher Planning Days Weeks 2-9
CHIFLEY COLLEGE
Email: nerina.pretlove@det.nsw.edu.au
Location: Bunya Road, Bidwill, New South Wales, Australia
Phone: 9628 2222