As part of our vision for ensuring your child achieves the best possible learning outcomes, we are committed to keeping you informed of your child’s progress and development. The following are the ways through which we will keep you informed, regarding your child’s progress towards educational outcomes:
THE NEW MEL APP
Marist e-Learning (MEL) is our online information platform for you to keep up to date with your child’s progress. We have recently launched a “Marist Regional College” MEL app that you are able to download for a more accessible way to access MEL. Throughout 2023, we will be transitioning the majority of our parent communication to MEL and the new app. Some forms of communication will remain via email and post.
However, when bulk messages are required, this will be done via MEL rather than SMS. For those without a smart phone, these same messages are still accessible by logging into MEL on another device.
Also on the MEL app, you will be able record student absences, have access to student reports, class specific feedback, student’s due work, student’s timetables, the College calendar, our newsletter ‘The Marist Star’ and other important College information. Because of the app, parents will no longer receive the MEL digest email as these notifications will now come through the app. If you would prefer the digest to the mobile notifications, you can change this setting in your personal settings on MEL.
MEL FEEDBACK
MEL Feedback is a form of continuous reporting, in real time, on your child’s progress. In Term One, teachers will provide a minimum of one item of detailed feedback on MEL in response to a Common Assessment Task. In Terms Two and Three, teachers will provide a minimum of two items of detailed feedback in response to Common Assessment Tasks.
In Term Four, teachers of students in Years 7-10 will provide a minimum of two items of detailed feedback in response to Common Assessment Tasks. Teachers of students in Senior College, and of Year 10 students studying TASC (Tasmanian Assessment Standards and Certification) courses, will provide one item of detailed feedback, typically indicating the internal awards for relevant course criteria.
You can access this feedback via the MEL Parent Portal by clicking on your child’s subject which will take you to each class page. As progress is provided via MEL Feedback throughout the year, subject teachers do not write comments on reports.
REPORT ACCESS
All reports are issued and accessed via the MEL Parent Portal (or MEL app) via the button “Academic Reports”.
TERM ONE PROGRESS REPORT – All Year Levels
At the end of Term One, a Progress Report will be issued. A comment from your child’s Pastoral Care Group Leader will be provided on your child’s participation in Pastoral Care and general progress, including uniform and behaviour. Subject teachers will provide an update on your child’s application and attitude attributes demonstrated in their subject.
SUMMATIVE A-E REPORTS
Years 7 – 10
It is a Commonwealth Government requirement to issue two summative reports each year. The first of these, the Semester One Report is issued at the end of Term Two. The Semester One Report reflects the level to which a student is ‘on-track’ to meeting the achievement standard at the end of the year. The End-of-Year Report reflects the level to which your child has met the achievement standard for each subject. The award is based on assessment throughout the year, with emphasis on progress in Semester Two.
Teachers for each of your child’s learning areas will report on your child’s achievement against the relevant strands, indicated as Extending, Consolidating, or Developing, and award an overall grade against the Australian Curriculum standard using a 5-point grading system (A-E). For non-ACARA subjects (i.e., courses that deliver a curriculum outside of the Australian Curriculum), teachers will mark against relevant criteria. If a subject is only taught in Semester One (e.g., Years 9 and 10 semesterised electives), a grade will be reported in the Semester One Report and will not appear in the Semester Two Report and vice versa.
In the Semester One and End of Year Reports, teachers of each subject will provide an assessment of your child’s application and attitude attributes. Pastoral Care Group Leaders will comment on your child’s participation in Pastoral Care and general progress, including attendance, uniform, and behaviour.
Senior College
Senior College Semester One Reports are sent out in early Term Three after mid-year exams. The teachers of Senior College students will report against the relevant criteria for each course. For reporting this will include mid-year exam results. Teachers of Vocational Education and Training (VET) courses will report against relevant competencies. In the Semester One Reports, teachers of each subject will provide an assessment of your child’s application and attitude attributes. Pastoral Care Group Leaders will comment on your child’s participation in Pastoral Care and general progress, including attendance, uniform, and behaviour. The College does not issue a summative report for Senior College students at the end of the year. Senior College students will receive a report from TASC in December detailing overall awards for courses studied and accumulated points towards the Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE).
PARENT-TEACHER MEETINGS
Parent-Teacher Meetings will take place in the first weeks of Terms Two and Three. You are encouraged to attend Parent-Teacher Meetings with your child, even if there are no apparent concerns. The meetings give you and teachers the opportunity to meet and enhance the home-school collaboration that is so important in optimising your child’s educational outcomes.
If you have a concern, please contact your child’s teacher directly in the first instance. Our teachers are professionals and welcome feedback and conversations around your child’s learning.
You can request meetings with your child’s teachers at other times during the year. Teachers may also request meetings during the year. Ongoing communication with your child’s teachers is encouraged and welcomed. Individual teachers utilise various means to communicate with parents. This may be through diaries, emails, newsletters, MEL Class Pages and phone calls.
We remain steadfast in our commitment to providing opportunities for ongoing communication between families and staff regarding student care, progress, and performance. We look forward to working with you in partnership, towards the best outcomes for your child in 2023.
Mrs Emily Sass
Deputy Principal: Learning & Teaching
