Middle School

The students of the Middle School have had opportunities for the first time in nearly two and half years to be involved in school activities such as camps, excursions and debating. They have shown great resilience, but more importantly, engagement in their learning and a desire to be involved in life at school. The staff of the Middle School have been alongside them to support and nurture their curiosity. It is always a pleasure to hear directly from students. So I share the thoughts of a Year 8 student who spoke at our recent Open Day to prospective families about his experience as a student at Oakleigh Grammar.

“To me, being a student at Oakleigh Grammar means connection to a community where everybody knows your name. There are many things I really love about the School but one thing that really stands out is the understanding and relationships that the teachers have with the students. The emphasis they place on wellbeing is second to none. Throughout my time at the School, I have been able to nurture my curiosity, leadership and interest in my learning. Oakleigh Grammar is a school where students are provided with opportunities in areas such as sports, academics and the Arts.”

Arkie Stathopoulos

Year 8

Arkie’s thoughts about relationships between teachers and students sum up our philosophy. Without honest and open exchanges, relationships cannot be established. Our students are important to us and seeing them thrive is our end goal. The students of the Middle School are blossoming and growing into remarkable young men and women and it is truly a pleasure to be part of the process. 

Sharron Frame

Head of Middle and Senior School

Years 8 and 9

An exciting few weeks have passed in Years 8 and 9, with our students continuing to achieve success across the board. There has been great involvement in a range of social clubs operating at lunchtimes and the academic programs after school, supporting those interested. It has been great to see the investment Middle School students continue to have in a range of extra-curricular activities to follow their passions and improve in their studies. 

Currently, Year 8 Pastoral students had the opportunity to start on their debating service project this week, with each Home Group battling it out against the other. There was much verbal jousting to be had, with some well-crafted arguments and quick-witted rebuttals in the first round of debates. It was great to see students take on the challenge this project presents, as it gives them insight into the importance of dialogue and healthy disagreement. I look forward to the next round of debates with this cohort and if there is time, a potential staff versus students round toward the end of term. 

Within the Year 9 Pastoral program students have once again delved into their own personal growth, reflecting on their individual strengths and focusing on championing these through a range of discussions and experiences. To finish, I will share some insights from students relating to a great activity run by their Home Group teachers which focused on building resilience. 

“Because I don’t usually talk to everyone in the classroom, it was nice to interact with new people. In the ‘SHUFFLE’ activity, I wasn’t with all of my friends and had people who I barely talked to in class. So it was engaging how we interacted with one another throughout the game. For resilience, I loved how our team worked well and were responsible for our own actions.” 

Samita U 9A

“The lessons/ tips on resilience and friendships which I took away from the activity were that there are solutions to all issues and there are ways to bounce back and prevent a situation from resulting in conflict/negative tension or an altercation; I was ultimately also able to take away the prominent lesson that the people who you have never spoken to before, generally tend to have more in common with you than you may think and that you never know who you may get along with unless you give them a chance! Conclusively, SHUFFLE was a great game and taught me and many others meaningful lessons which we can keep with us, continuing into the future.”

Mattea G 9B

Michael Pegiou

Years 8 & 9 Coordinator

Years 6 and 7

What a fantastic start to Term 2. Students have settled back into the routine well and are now managing and navigating the challenges of upcoming assessments. Of critical importance is ensuring that our students are pushing themselves to excel in all facets of their school life. This requires students to take a Risk-Taking attitude to challenge themselves to improve and grow. As we come into an assessment period I would like to stress the importance of aiming high and making the right preparations in order to achieve, whilst also maintaining a balance.

In Week 2 of this Term, our Year 7 students ventured out to Camp Marysville. It had been our first camp in two years and what a fantastic experience it was. It was fantastic to see students challenge themselves and confront personal fears. Students were exceptional in their behaviour and general resilience under some uncomfortable situations, particularly during the campout and hike to the beautiful Stevenson Falls.

In two weeks our Year 6 students venture to Camp Jungai in Thornton. Forms must be returned by May 24th. Forms returned after this time will not be considered. It is important to remember that the camp is strictly technology-free.

Dean Damatopoulos

Years 6 & 7 Coordinator

OG Computer Games Club

Last week, the Oakleigh Grammar Esports team, TSM (Toss Six Million), played their first game “League of Legends” tournament against Uni-High. 

While it was hard-fought, TSM came out on top, closing out the game with a victory. This is significant to our team, as it was our first tournament win over both of the tournaments that we have participated in. 

The team members consist of: 

Our Top Laner - Jonathan Carmody, 

Our Jungler - Benjamin Carmody, 

Our Mid Laner - Sotiris Kakarnis, 

Our Attack Damage Carry (ADC) - Daniel Carmody. 

We would like to give thanks to the effort of Mr Pegiou and Mr Akbiyik, for the ongoing support through both seasons, and to the parents for supporting our efforts. Let’s hope the rest of the season is equally as challenging and rewarding as this first game was.