Year 9 

Mentone Campus

It is hard to believe Term 1 is almost over.  The Year 9 students have embraced the 2022 school year and are so relieved to know that school life is back to normal.  They can finally be offered a myriad of extra-curricular opportunities that were mostly off the table in the previous 24 months.  Already Year 9 students have participated in the following:

• Junior Athletics Carnival
• Travelled to Don Bosco Retreat Centre in Lysterfield for their Retreat Day
• Signed up for the Debating team
• Considered being part of the College swimming squad
• Walked 10kms on Mission Action Day
• Attended tryout sessions for ACC Football and ACC Soccer
• Chosen to have private music lessons
• Auditioned for the College play
• Joined the E-leaders team
• Volunteered to be part of the Kingston Council Active Youth Program
• Held class elections for Class Captains

We congratulate the following 18 students who have been elected as Class Captains for Semester 1:

We wish them well in their important leadership role.

Inside the 4 walls of the classroom, the students have been focused, respectful and engaged in their learning.  They appreciate that Year 9 allows the curriculum to be opened up more for them.   This has given students direct ownership of several subject areas as well as providing them with an opportunity to study a subject that keenly interests them.

Looking ahead to Term 2 are the Year 9 camps which will take place at Lake Eildon National Park.  All students are eagerly awaiting their camp experience as it will challenge them both physically and mentally and create a good environment to bond with their classmates. 

Carmel Moloney

Year 9 Coordinator

Bentleigh East Campus

After 2 years of interrupted schooling, the Year 9s at the Bentleigh East Campus have settled in well to the comparatively normal conditions this year. They have enjoyed the Swimming and Athletics carnivals, the latter at which they got to experience with the Mentone campus students. 

The Year 9 Retreats at Lysterfield in Week 8 also proved very popular. As one student said:” We enjoyed our activities, hiking up the hill, games, the liturgy, drawing and demolishing our doughnuts.” The day centred around three F words: Fun, Friendship and Faith and it again provided an opportunity to form friendships with students from the Mentone Campus.

The Year 9 @ Bentleigh Program has moved to Friday’s this year and we have almost completed our first rotation. The students in City Project have visited the Shrine and taken a tour of the MCG in addition to completing their City Challenge in Week 1. With the help of Ms Karakatsanis and Ms Cardamone, students in The Apprentice successfully opened their business “El Bedos Café” on the 18th of March and will open again this Friday. With a Mexican theme, they are specialising in many authentic Mexican dishes: quesadillas, beef tacos, loaded nachos, the yummiest desserts. The Live Well unit has a focus on Health and Fitness and students have successfully completed their Bronze Star and CPR qualifications. Students in Vocational Preparation have been able to compile a resume’ and experience a job interview. They have also been able to visit workplaces in an industry that interests them. Lastly the Lasallian service group have been helping out back at their Primary School or for some students at the Holland Foundation Opportunity Shop.

Looking ahead to next term, the students are looking forward to their first camp in three years and also to ACC weekly sport beginning.

Paul Riley

Year 9 Coordinator