ATHolme
Issue Three | April 2022
AT HOLME
FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S PEN: BEGINNING The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide you’re not going to stay where you are. - J.P. Morgan And so, another term peeks around its corner, full of promise. How we begin matters. It sets up the platform for how well we learn, how well we maximise opportunities and well we achieve the milestones that make up our goals. At this important juncture in time we can decide to do things differently, particularly if we are dissatisfied with where we are at; thus, we may realise different outcomes.
‘Learning to work respectfully in relationship
There is a lot to look forward to in this quick quarter of the year – beyond the three long weekends. Outside of the classroom, our Cross Country will be held on Thursday 21 April, we will observe ANZAC Day with a school service on Friday 22 April, and, looking ahead, from 20 – 22 May, our annual Art Exhibition: FACETS will take place. FACETS provides a celebration of Art and, more generally, the Arts, as well as a rich social opportunity.
across our school community.’
Congratulations to Senior leader and Prefect for Service, Mahsa Nabizada who was named in the Chronicle’s Toowoomba’s 30 most Influential people under 30. We welcome a number of staff who begin, return, or undertake new roles in Term 2. Welcome Back Mrs Sarah Pinder – teacher of Business and Mathematics Ms Kate Johnston – teacher of Design Technology and Christian Studies Welcome Anew Ms Amaris Lancaster and Ms Caitlin Devenna – Boarding Supervisors Mrs Sabrina Runnalls- Assistant to the Pathways Centre *Mrs Juanita Willett joined the College at the end of term as
with others, forms part of the way we do things here. To work restoratively means that we value relationships and connectedness - Dr Evans Administration Assistant to Middle & Senior School New Roles Mrs Rachel Cubby – Full time Kindergarten Teacher (Term 2) Mrs Julie Devine – Boarding House Office Assistant Of note, this term, 16 staff members will attend a three-day professional learning segment facilitated by expert in the field of restorative practices and prolific author, Ms Margaret Thorsborne (OAM) https://www.thorsborne.com.au/margaret-thorsborne/ at Fairholme College. They will be joined by staff from four other schools within Toowoomba. For nearly 20 years we have utilised a restorative approach to the management of relationships at Fairholme, and, foundational to that has been a commitment to annual staff professional learning in this important philosophical space. Learning to work respectfully in relationship with others, forms part of the way we do things here. To work restoratively means that
AT HOLME FROM THE PRINCIPAL’S PEN Continued...
we value relationships and connectedness across our school community. You will note the inclusion of two important articles within this publication. From Deputy Principal, Ms Catrina Sharp, there is an update on COVID protocols, including information about the reclassification of close contact status. We will continue to run a symptom-free school in order to maintain a healthy living and learning environment for all. It is a requirement that any staff or students who have tested COVID-19 positive since 31 March complete the COVID-19 Testing and Contact Advice Form – link within the COVID information bulletin. This allows us to monitor and manage the COVID impact within the school community and, importantly, allows us to understand the close contact landscape within the Boarding House. Mr Tom McCormick addresses the topic of attendance. Middle and Senior School parents would have noted this inclusion on the most recent report card.
Whilst attendance rates have been adversely affected by COVID-19, they remain a strong measure of learning engagement. Positive attendance rates reflect a culture where a community values face-to-face learning as well as the benefits of interactions with peers, colleagues and mentors. Research indicates that school attendance is a powerful predictor of student outcomes. To be engaged in a school community as a learner and as a participant is a protective factor for now and into the future – connection cannot be replicated on-line, learners who state that they prefer the quiet of home, miss out on fundamental learning nuances both within and outside of the classroom. We value our student being present and working within our community at Fairholme, wherever it is possible. Thank you for your support. Here’s to Term 2 – the second quarter, and taking the first step towards a new approach in order to reach a new destination.
Dr Linda Evans | Principal
AT HOLME
Every day counts
Central to raising standards in any educational setting is building a culture of positive attendance - From Tom McCormick, Head of Senior School Everyone has a favourite TED talk. It could be Brené Brown’s power of vulnerability, Simon Sinek’s ‘How great leaders inspire action’ or the popular piece by Sir Ken Robinson- Do schools kill creativity? My personal favourite is What if students controlled their own learning? This TED Talk is from 2015 and was produced by the ex-Principal of the wonderfully innovative school Templestowe College in Victoria. There are two questions that Peter Hutton asks the audience that I love. 1. What did we do to our education system where we need to employ people to track attendance? 2. Why did we create a system where students do not want to come to school? These thought-provoking questions span much bigger educational topics than just ‘school attendance’. But I like the way they make us question an education system. The questions Peter Hutton poses in his TED Talk make me reflect on my time working in London. Tracking attendance and managing absenteeism in schools in the UK is a big deal. Parents can be fined and taken to court (or even sent to prison) if their child does not attend school regularly. Typically, schools will hire an individual or a small team to manage the absentees within a school. In 2008, I found myself teaching in Northwest London in a brilliant school. In this school, a team of five people were employed to manage attendance full time. This involved hundreds of phone calls, text messages, spreadsheets and a plethora of systems and processes to ensure the attendance was accurate. Even more interesting was the Lead Education Officer’s role in co-ordinating the team. His role involved contacting parents to
let them know that he would be coming to their houses to collect their sons or daughters to escort them to school, and this is exactly what he did each morning. Context is key to understanding how schools operate, and admittedly this was a very large school with a large proportion of students classed as ‘at risk’. However, you would be hard pushed to find an educator who did not agree that central to raising standards in any educational setting is building a culture of positive attendance. I believe that at Fairholme, we have students who love coming to school each day; Fairholme is clearly a place where students feel connected to the community, however, like any school, we need to carefully monitor attendance and responding appropriately to ensure we are giving every student the opportunities they need and deserve.
Evidence-informed Much has been written about the correlation between student attendance and student outcomes. There is a vast body of research that highlights that improving attendance is not only about closing the gaps in educational outcomes for disadvantaged students, but it is about all students fulfilling their potential, academic success and future employment prospects. It is evident from the extensive work of Professor John Hattie (2009) that teacher quality is the most important factor influencing student achievement. We also know that school structure and resourcing, socio-economic background, level of parent education, motivation and attitude to learning are also key indicators in determining how students will perform academically.
AT HOLME However, these factors are all mediated by the amount of time students spend in a classroom. Student absence reduces even the best teacher’s ability to provide sound learning opportunities. The body of research available on the importance of school attendance includes studies that unpack the relationship between individual attendance and student achievement. For example, Moore (2006) found that standardized testing results, end of year GPA scores and performance in Maths based tests were considerably higher for those students who attended school regularly (Moore, 2006).
‘The best memories of school learning are not always in the classroom. More often than not, our most fond memories are experiences formed outside of the curriculum...’
Similarly, a study by Gottfried (2010) looked at the relationship between student attendance and achievement in the United States. This study found that high rates of attendance in a Biology class increased the probability of high grades and low rates of attendance had the opposite effect. The data points to the importance of class attendance for the success of schooling. Monitoring attendance even in the early years is as important as the senior schooling years. A study looking at young children found that absenteeism in kindergarten in the US was associated with negative first-grade outcomes such as greater absenteeism in subsequent years
and lower achievement in reading, math, and general knowledge (Romero & Lee, 2007). Interestingly, A student who has 90% attendance equals half a day of school missed every week. This means that one whole school year at 90% attendance is equal to 3.4 whole weeks of learning missed. If we look at this on a bigger scale- 90% attendance over the course of Years 7-12 is equal to half a school year missed.
Beyond the classroom Any absence from school constitutes a loss of educational opportunity because students miss out on an opportunity to learn. However, it is crucial to note at this point that learning occurs from the minute a student walks through the College gates each morning. What happens inbetween classes, on the sports fields and during assemblies is as important as what happens in the classroom. The best memories of school learning that we all have are not always in the classroom, learning about mathematical concepts or about the Qing Dynasty. More often than not, our most fond memories are experiences formed outside of the curriculum, like the conversations in the Year 12 common room, the anticipation of a March Past, the passionate guest speaker at a Year level assembly, being part of the school musical, the hikes on Year 10 camp, or simply sitting around in Daisy Culpin during lunchtime. When a student misses a lesson or a daythey miss so much more. They miss the connection to the school community; they miss the interactions with staff and their peers. Learning occurs throughout all aspects of a school day, and connection to a school is fundamental to performing well academically. Parents, students and schools all play a role in ensuring students are attending school and are well prepared. As with any focus on student achievement and well-being, this triangular partnership is key to enhancing student outcomes.
REFERENCES Moore, R. (2006). Class Attendance: How Students’ Attitudes about Attendance Relate to Their Academic Performance in Introductory Science Classes. Research and Teaching in Developmental Education, 23(1), 19–33. Gottfried, M. A. (2010). Evaluating the Relationship Between Student Attendance and Achievement in Urban Elementary and Middle Schools: An Instrumental Variables Hattie, J. (2009). Visible learning: A synthesis of 800+ meta-analyses on achievement. London: Routledge. Approach. American Educational Research Journal, 47(2), 434–465. Romero, M., & Lee, Y. S. (2007). A national portrait of chronic absenteeism in the early grades.
AT HOLME
Winter uniform
We anticipate the changeover to winter uniform to occur around Week 4/5, dependent upon weather forecasts. In the interim, girls can make use of jumpers, blazers and navy stockings for the cooler mornings. Do be in touch with the Holmestore if you require specific winter uniform items. Please feel free to visit us when it best suits you (within opening hours below). It is not necessary to make an appointment. Please respect social distancing while visiting the store. Term Trading Hours Monday: 1pm - 4pm, Tuesday - Thursday: 7.45am - 4pm, Friday: 7.45am - 2.30pm.
HOLMEstore Contact Details 40 Wirra Wirra Street Toowoomba QLD 4350 T +61 7 4688 4666 HOLMEstore@fairholme.qld.edu.au
Upcoming events Cross Country
21 April
ANZAC Day Public Holiday
25 April
Labour Day Public Holiday
02 May
FACETS: An Art Exhibition
20-22 May
Fairholme Girl For A Day
27 May
Term Two Concludes
16 June
Reminder
We understand how busy our Fairholme Families are! To make communicating with you as quick and as easy as possible, we consolidate all of our news into one communique at the end of the day, called Happenings at Holme. It’s important you read this email as it includes specific information dedicated to your daughter/s.
FAIRHOLME COLLEGE | Wirra Wirra Street Toowoomba | (07) 4688 4688 | communications@fairholme.qld.edu.au