Kennedy Baptist College is ready to effectively deliver the curriculum with the help of our families, who we rely on to be familiar with policies, procedures and staff/student expectations. As well emailing letters citing important curriculum dates and a link to the College Assessment Policy, we have collated a list of frequently asked questions and answers on how to best support your child or children on their journey at Kennedy.
We hope that this information assists our Kennedy families and especially the new members of our College community.
How do I find out anything to do with results, assessments, or what is being taught?
SEQTA is a critical information platform for all students and parents. In SEQTA, you can see your child’s timetable, assessment due dates, results, and highlights of current and past class content. Some teachers and learning areas use SEQTA to provide assessment feedback that is visible to parents.
OneNote is an additional platform used by some learning areas (such as Mathematics) and teachers to provide notes, lesson outlines, and supplementary information. Access to OneNote is restricted to students. I encourage parents to ask their child to show them OneNote, especially if they are completing a Mathematics course.
Homework that can be set in advance is included in SEQTA. In some areas, it is not possible to predetermine homework, and the class will be informed during the lesson. In these cases, a teacher may not be able to include the daily task in SEQTA. Therefore, students will still need to use their diary to keep track of homework.
SEQTA is also the main communication tool between parents and teachers. All teaching staff have been asked to use SEQTA Direqt Message (not email) when communicating with parents. There is no expectation that teachers email parents and send a Direqt Message. SEQTA Direqt Message is preferred and sufficient. The College uses email only for broad communication to the wider Kennedy community. I encourage all parents to become familiar with SEQTA as soon as possible.
I am planning a family holiday — when is a good time to go?
School holidays are the only acceptable time for students to be on a family holiday.
What happens if my child misses a test or examination?
If your child is absent the student completes the assessment as soon as is practicable, which may be the day they return to the College. The mark is recorded but may not be used when grades are allocated.
An “Assessment – Absent for Information Only” email is sent to parents the day after an assessment is missed, even when the reason for the absence is known (e.g., due to an excursion). This email is particularly useful when a child is absent for multiple days, as it helps parents ensure their child is ready to complete the assessment.
A mark of zero will be awarded for any assessment where the reason for absence is not sufficient. I would encourage families to provide reasonable details of an absence. Medical certificates are also encouraged and, in some cases, mandated.
If the absence is for a holiday or non-school related activity a result of zero will be allocated.
For an examination, a medical certificate is to be provided. Year 9 & 10 examinations are not rescheduled. Although rare, in Year 11 & 12 the College may require a student to complete the examination on an alternate date.
My child has many teachers — with whom do I communicate?
If you have any concern, it is important to discuss the matter as soon as possible. Start with the relevant teacher, as most issues can be resolved at the parent–teacher level. If there are still issues to discuss, the Head of Year or Learning Area should then be involved, followed by the Directors and Deputy Principals. Members of the College Executive are always willing to discuss concerns, but we will speak directly with teachers or Heads of Learning Areas to ensure all perspectives are understood. Please do not delay raising matters with the appropriate College staff, as this is the only method that leads to effective resolution.
When can my child make changes to their courses?
At the start of each year there are opportunities for students to adjust their courses, subject to availability. The following dates are important for all students/families:
- Year 12 – course changes open; closes Friday 21 March
- Year 11 – course changes open; closes Friday 21 March
- Year 10, 9 & 8 – opening shortly – see notices for details; closes Friday 27 February.
Kind Regards,
Miss Jennifer Lamet
Deputy Principal: Curriculum
