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University Senior College
OCTOBER 2014 Newsletter
From Heads of School
Community
News and Events
Principal
Important Dates 2014 and 2015
Year 12 Dean of Studies
Changes at USC
Highlights of Chinese
Background Speakers
Year 11 Dean of Studies
Careers and SATAC information
From the Development Office
University Senior College, North Terrace Adelaide SA 5005
Telephone: +61 8 8313 4988 | Facsimile: +61 8 8313 4887
Email: usc@adelaide.edu.au | Website: www.usc.adelaide.edu.au
Summer of the Seventeenth
Doll Production
APOGCE Conference
University Senior College | October 2014 Newsletter
2
To all members of the USC community
All too quickly, the business end of the year has arrived and Year 12 students have embarked on
their final revision and assessment period. During the last week of term most Year 12 students
received a ‘Partner’s Pathway’ offer to the University of Adelaide for 2015 and can approach the
final exams confident in the knowledge that a highly desirable tertiary course of study is in place.
We encourage every student to aspire to excellence and focus their time and energy towards the
implementation of a well-planned revision program.
During Week 9, all Year 11 students received their detailed subject Progress Reports from their
mentors. I encourage parents/caregivers and students to review these reports as they contain
important information to help identify the most appropriate study pathway for 2015. Students
should speak with subject teachers and mentors to confirm the suitability of their subject choice. An
Information Night for prospective Year 12 parents/caregivers has been arranged for Thursday 27
November. On this occasion Lisa Temple (Year 12 Dean) will outline important aspects of the SACE
program, our Partner’s Pathway and the nature of our transition experience to university.
The Year 11 Drama Production will take place in the Little Theatre on Wednesday 29 and Thursday
30 October. The Year 12 Art exhibition begins on Friday 7 November and an official opening will
take place at 7.00pm in the Art Studio, Level 1, Charles Street. Invitations will be distributed early in
Term 4.
The USC Graduation will be held in Elder Hall on Thursday 4 December. Graduation is a particularly
important event in the school calendar and we know that Year 12 students and their families will
want to take the opportunity to attend. An invitation was posted to all parents/caregivers along with
a copy of the Term 3 Progress Reports during the first week of the school vacation. It is important
that the reply slip is returned to Tash Pressley in the USC Main Building by Friday 24 October if you
wish to secure reserved seating.
I remind you that during the school vacation the USC Main Building (Nexus 10) remains open,
Monday - Friday between 9.00am and 4.00pm, to enable computer access and a place for quiet
study. A number of Year 12 subject teachers have made themselves available during the holiday
period and specific arrangements have been put in place with individual classes. Facilities in the
Jordan Laboratories and Charles Street will not be accessible during the holiday period unless by
prior arrangements and with staff supervision.
I wish all members of the school community a relaxing and highly productive holiday break.
Bob Holloway
Principal
From Heads of School
Community
Principal2
Important Dates 2014 and 2015
5
Year 12 Dean of Studies
3
Changes at USC
6
Year 11 Dean of Studies
4
Careers and SATAC information
6
From the Development Office
7
Back to Contents
News and Events
Highlights of Chinese Background 9
Speakers
Summer of the Seventeenth
Doll Production
9
APOGCE Conference
9
University Senior College | October 2014 Newsletter
3
From the year 12 Dean of Studies
I encourage every student to make the most of the opportunity to consolidate their learning over the
next few weeks. A solid program of revision will make a difference to the ATAR your son/daughter
achieves.
Please note that the examined subjects will continue to run revision programs until the finish of
lectures and tutorials in Term 4, Week 2. This period of revision and the fine tuning of examination
skills offers students the great benefit of the expertise of their teachers.
The final day of Year 12 classes at USC is Friday 24 October. There will be a final Mentoring
session at 12.10pm in the Ligertwood 333 Lecture Theatre 2 concluding at 1.00pm. All Year 12
classes will run according to the usual timetable until this time.
The SACE Board examinations for USC students will be held in the Schulz Building of the University
of Adelaide. This venue will provide a quiet, focussed environment for the students as they
undertake their examinations.
SACE Board examination timetable: www.sace.sa.edu.au
Please contact USC as soon as possible should your son/daughter become ill or otherwise
incapacitated during the exam period. If your son/daughter is going to arrive late for an exam please
contact Yvette Winter as a matter of urgency on 8313 4988 or by email yvette.winter@adelaide.edu.au.
The Graduation Ceremony, held in Elder Hall, is on Thursday 4 December. Graduating students are
required to attend at 6.00pm. Rehearsal for this event is earlier in the day from 11.00am – 1.00pm.
Lisa Temple
Year 12 Dean of Studies
University Senior College
Year 12 Graduation
Thursday 4 December
7.00pm, Elder Hall
The University of Adelaide
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University Senior College | October 2014 Newsletter
From the Year 11 Dean of Studies
The Year 11 cohort has had a busy end of term investigating and selecting subjects for their Year 12
program. They needed to consider prerequisites and assumed knowledge for possible university
courses, their individual talents and the subjects which they most enjoy. This process has involved
many people and I would like to thank the mentors, subject teachers and families for their guidance
and support throughout this process.
The Term 3 reports, distributed to students in Week 9, are a very good indication of progress
towards Year 12 for most students. We consider this semester to be a lead in to Year 12 studies.
Students should be very effective in managing their time in class and independent study, be well
organised, meet all deadlines and, of course, be more confident with the material and assessments
within their chosen subject areas.
It is timely to remind students that attendance at all lessons and mentoring is compulsory. Students
who miss lessons due to illness should see a doctor and ask for a medical certificate. SACE rules
on missing work are very tight and teachers are not able to give extensions based on a phone call
from a parent.
After the Term 4 exams, students will attend a series of Transition Lectures to give them a taste
of what is to come in Year 12 and perhaps to learn what preparation can be done in the summer
holidays. A reminder that the last day of school for Year 11 students is Wednesday 3 December
when semester reports will be distributed at specially arranged exit interviews with mentors. Please
do not plan to leave on holidays before this date.
Partner’s Pathway Program
The first mentoring session of Term 4 is for independent study as well as an individual
self-assessment as part of the student’s progress through our Partner’s Pathway program. Students
will be asked to reflect on their independent learning skills, attendance and attitudes to learning as
well as academic results and preparedness for the Semester 2 exams. Students should be in no
doubt that Year 11 examination performance will be a very persuasive indicator of student success
in our program. Several review processes take place during the students’ two years at USC and it
is often the performance during exams which makes all the difference when choices for a Partner’s
Pathway offer is being considered.
Towards the latter weeks of Term 4, students should be placing a great deal of emphasis on
revision and examination preparation. Teachers will be providing resources and revision materials
and students should always approach their teachers during availability time if they require further
clarification of course content.
Simon Sypek
Year 11 Dean of Studies
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University Senior College | October 2014 Newsletter
Important Dates 2014
5
Term dates
2014
October 2014
13
Term 4 Commences
Term 4
19
Open Day 2.00pm - 4.00pm
2015
22
Year 11 Mentoring
O-Week Wednesday 28 January - Thursday 29 January
24
Year 12 Final Assembly
Term 1
Monday 2 February - Friday 10 April
Term 2
Monday 27 April - Friday 3 July
Term 3
Monday 20 July - Friday 25 September
Term 4
Monday 12 October - Friday 4 December
November 2014
3
Year 12 SACE Exams Commence
Year 11 Subject Selection Night
5
Year 11 Mentoring
7
USC Art and Design Show
19
Year 11 Final Assembly
Year 12 Exams Conclude
27
Prospective Year 12 Parent Information Night
Napier 102 Lecture Theatre
Monday 13 October - Friday 5 December
December 2014
1
Year 12 Transition Lectures - Day 1
2
Year 12 Transition Lectures - Day 2
3
Year 11 Transition Interviews
4
Year 12 Graduation
19
School Office closes and reopens
5 January 2015
DO YOU HAVE YEAR 11 OR
YEAR 12 TEXTBOOKS THAT
YOU WISH TO SELL TO THE
2015 STUDENTS?
If so, please collect and fill out a
form from the front office. We will
aim to sell the books for you in
January 2015.
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University Senior College | October 2014 Newsletter
Changes at USC
We are pleased to announce that USC is in the process of upgrading our student and finance databases to a new
system that will allow us to adapt to the changing climate of working in a more online environment. Our old database,
which has been with us since our second year of operation (2003) has reached the end of its development life and as
such we needed to investigate options that would comfortably move with us into the future.
After much research we have chosen Synergetic Management Systems as our new provider; they are a Melbourne
based Australian company that have been operating since 1978 providing education management systems to many of
the independent schools throughout Australia.
While this is an exciting time for us, it is also an exacting one as well. Matching data fields from two disparate systems
has resulted in the need for intensive cross checking – a process that has been ongoing since mid-July. Our “go-live”
date is Monday 13 October, which is the first day of Term 4. Although we anticipate that there will be little disruption to
how members of our community experience this transition, there will no doubt be some small teething issues.
One of these issues to highlight at this point is that we will be unable, initially, to automatically send text messages for
unexplained student absences. We will, of course, still be keeping records of absences and if you have any queries or
concerns about your child’s attendance, please don’t hesitate to contact reception (8313 4988) for clarification.
Once the data in the new system has been verified, we hope to send an address details summary sheet home for you
to check, and get back to us to confirm the details we have on record.
Please contact us immediately if you do notice any data inaccuracies and be assured that we have made every effort
to make this transition as seamless (and painless) as possible.
Heather Wiseman
ICT Manager
CAREERS and SATAC Information
Year 12 students who have completed a SATAC
application have until Monday 5 January 2015 to change
preferences and still be given equal consideration for
entry to most undergraduate courses. Students who
missed the early closing date of Tuesday 30 September,
will still be able to apply for admission to most courses,
but a late fee of $105 is payable, in addition to the $26
processing fee for current Year 12 students.
In most cases the interstate deadlines are the same.
However a separate application must be submitted.
Students are also advised to research the scholarships
which may be available at individual universities.
http://www.satac.edu.au/
Year 11 students have made subject choices for
Year 12 in 2015. However, they are reminded to check
prerequisite or assumed knowledge for university courses
they are considering and ensure that these will be met.
Louise Small
Careers Counsellor
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University Senior College | October 2014 Newsletter
From the Development Office
USC OLD SCHOLARS’ ASSOCIATION COMMITTEE
2015 USC Quiz Night
There is a group of dedicated USC Old Scholars who
have donated their time and who comprise the USCOSA
Committee. In addition to organising events, they also
raise funds to support students from disadvantaged
backgrounds to attend USC, have set up a networking
event, mentored current students, and are continually
working to grow the network of USC Old Scholars to
help current students with future career progression and
studies.
The University Senior College Quiz Night will be returning
in 2015 for its third consecutive year.
The current committee members are:
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Joel Beamish (05) – Chairperson
Celia Le (06) – Secretary
Leigh Gembus (04) – Member
Joshua Gutteridge (04) – Member
Laura Logan (12) – Member
Marielle Smith (04) – Member
Rachel Ingleton (13) – Member
Murray Thompson (USC) – Ex-Officio
Carmen Bishop (USC) – Ex-Officio
We are looking to source prizes for the evening.
Prizes can include, but are not limited to:
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Wine
Restaurant vouchers
Gift vouchers
Memorabilia
Appliances
Art work
Movie passes
No prize is too large or too small. Prizes will be awarded
to table winners, for raffles and there will also be a silent
auction. All of the funds raised will be directed to the
USC Scholarship Fund, giving potential students from
disadvantaged backgrounds the opportunity to attend USC.
If you would like more information with regards to joining
the committee, please contact either Carmen Bishop or
Joel Beamish via joel.beamish@au.ey.com.
Committee meetings are held at the USC Main Building
on Wednesday evenings from 6.00pm – 7.00pm.
The 2014 dates for these meetings are:
If you have a business that you would like to advertise,
this is a great way to do it. All companies who donate
goods and/or services will be advertised on the evening,
brochures distributed on table and in ‘goody bags’, the
USC website, social media channels, directly to the USC
database and via the USC newsletter.
If you are interested in either attending or donating prizes
and/or auction items, please contact Carmen Bishop.
• Wednesday 22nd October
• Wednesday 10th December (Planning Meeting followed by Christmas Drinks)
Contacting the Development Office
Carmen Bishop
Phone: +61 8 8313 8370
Fax: +61 8 8313 4887
Email: carmen.bishop@adelaide.edu.au
USCOSA
Website: http://www.usc.adelaide.edu.au/uscosa/
Email: uscosa@adelaide.edu.au
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University Senior College | October 2014 Newsletter
From the Development Office
Old Scholar News
Class of 2004 – 10 Year Reunion
University Senior College Old Scholars and Torrens
University Inaugural Bachelor of Commerce students,
Ben Nelder and Sammy Van Diepen, were invited to
attend a special address on Globalisation in Education by
Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Mr Tony
Blair.
On Friday 12 September, the USC graduating class of
2004 gathered at the Leigh Street venue, Casablabla, for
their 10 Year Reunion.
With so many old scholars interstate and overseas, it was
fantastic to see this group back together. The venue was
wonderful and the USC Old Scholars’ Association looks
forward to organising reunion events in 2015.
Ben Neldner (Class of 2013)
Sammy Van Diepen (Class of 2012)
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University Senior College | October 2014 Newsletter
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Highlights of Chinese
Background Speakers
In order to provide authentic opportunities for members
of the school community to enhance international and
intercultural understandings, the Year 12 Chinese
Background speakers shared their in-depth study learning
experiences with a some staff members. The students
found this task challenging but meaningful. Whilst initially
nervous about presenting, in the end, they were pleased
to have had the opportunity to serve as a bridge between
cultures. They not only helped the staff increase their
understanding of the students and the society from which
they come, but at the same time they learnt more about
the cultures of others through the questions that were
posed by the participating staff.
Staff feedback was most positive, commenting on not
only how confidently the students presented themselves,
but also the richness of the learning experience that the
students had undertaken.
Learning is for sharing - and sharing is core of the
learning! By doing this, we build a more cohesive
community.
Toni Chen
Chinese Teacher
APOGCE Conferance
Our school has been invited to participate in an Education
and Teacher’s Day at the 2014 Asia Pacific Oil and Gas
Conference and Exhibition (APOGCE). This event will be
held at the Adelaide Convention Centre on Wednesday 15
October. The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) aims
to educate the next generation of aspiring engineers,
scientists and managers about the oil and gas industry.
There are 20 places open for Year 11 students who have
indicated an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering
and Mathematics (STEM). This is an exciting opportunity
to learn more about this vital field of study, through a
guided tour of the exhibition, and a chance to meet SPE
members from across the globe and discover the world of
Petroleum Engineering.
Zahra Pirvali
Physics Teacher
Have you got Instagram?
Summer of the Seventeenth
Doll Production
USC Year 11 Drama Students attended the Therry
Dramatic Society’s production of Summer of the
Seventeenth Doll as part of their course work
requirements. This classic Australian play, which
premiered in 1955, certainly challenged some students
with its “historical pop culture references” but was an
enjoyable night out and formed the basis of the current
reviewing assignment.
Lynn Jackson
Drama Teacher
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