Dear Parents / Guardians

As reported in the February newsletter I would like to further inform the community of the college intent to communicate more frequently and regularly with parents and carers.
Parents were mailed during the past week an interim report for their child. The interim reports were issued to all students indicative of the first six weeks of schooling 2014. This is the first time Atwell College has initiated an interim report for all students in the early part of the academic year.
Coupled with this early performance information and behaviour information regarding students parents should have received email information from the college regarding the teachers responsible for teaching their child. Feedback from parents is indicating to me that this is a successful process in establishing closer community contact between the college, in particular individual teachers, and parents. The college is also using a variety of interactive software packages including and EdMoDo, Schoology, Mathsonline and Connect to keep parents more closely informed with academic progress and other organizational matters concerning learning at Atwell College. The software packages can all be accessed at the college and at home. Not all students are using all packages but if in doubt please ask your child about the methods the teaching staff are using these interactive packages to support student learning.

College Calendar
I direct the community's attention towards the calendar on the college website. The calendar has significant information concerning school events, excursions camps and incursions. In particular I draw to the community’s attention to the information regarding teachers in charge of these events, start time, finish time, location of the event and further information.

OLNA
Parents and Carers of Year 10 students will be aware of the recent OLNA testing (Online, Literacy and Numeracy Assessment) that occurred in the college during March. This is the first time this testing has occurred and as informed through the information on the college website and through direct information to parents and carers the testing is now an important part of student graduation requirements. Year 10 students will be given a further opportunity to pass OLNA tests in the last part of this year and will have further opportunities in Year 11 and 12. All students from now on will be participating in this testing as part of student graduation unless students have an exemption through achievement in NAPLAN to Band 8 level.
NAPLAN tests are due to be completed in May this year for all Year 7 and Year 9 students. The college has been working towards preparing the students for the NAPLAN testing and further information concerning dates and times will be forwarded to the community very soon.

Industrial Action Planned for Tuesday 1 April
Please see the college website for the latest information regarding this planned action from unions representing education assistants and teachers. The college will be open with students being supervised all day. Some alteration of learning programs may take place depending on the number of student absences and staff participation in the action. Please contact the college if you would like more information.

Holidays
At this stage I would like to wish all students staff members and people connected with the college a well earned break during the upcoming holidays in April. I urge parents to look at the term dates in this newsletter and the college online calendar concerning the resumption of school. Staff start on Monday 28 April with students starting Wednesday 30 April.

Kind regards

Noel Woodley
Principal

The college continues with an emphasis on e-learning to become more generalized in all learning areas in the college.  More online resources are being accessed and more additional support materials are available to students.  The college supports students purchasing the recommended laptops with teaching and learning tuition in the classroom.  The college will continue to support the specific recommended model into the future.

Please note the college will ONLY support the Toshiba Protégé R930 model in terms of loading on the software required for lessons.  This is essential for security and networking capabilities.

In 2014, students at Atwell College have the opportunity to study one of eight nationally recognised industry qualifications across six industries.

Students in Year 10 have the opportunity to select the Certificate I Business, delivered by Mr Steve Dimech or the Certificate I in Visual Arts delivered by Mr Kimbar.

Year 11 and 12 ATAR and VET students can choose from a diverse range of certificate II and III qualifications delivered at the College.  Read more

On Tuesday 18 March, students from KB1, KB2, KB3 and Avet-1 had the opportunity to visit the Sculptures by the Sea exhibition at Cottesloe beach.
They attended a Tactile Tour which is designed to introduce people with disabilities to a new experience with contemporary sculpture.  The students were taken on a guided tour through the exhibition with an experienced guide from Disability in the Arts and encouraged to engage with a selection of sculptures located in accessible areas along the Cottesloe beach precinct.

The main car park is for staff parking and for the drop-off and pick-up of Education Support students only.

The drive to the undercover entry to KBLC is for official buses only and is not to be used. Read more

It's been another wonderful start to the Cadets year with many new enrolments.  We have a very dynamic and excitable bunch of Bushrangers. We have already had our Snake Handling training and last weekend saw the first camp of the year go off without a hitch at Woodman Point Recreation Camp.  Read more