Outside the Classroom
Photos from Year 6 into 7 Transition, Nelson Alexander Scholarship, ICAN Expo, Outdoor Ed Camp, Year 9 Gives Back to the Community, Blue Edge, Library, RSPCA, Junior Speaking Program, Year 9 Leadership Program, Year 9 Intersection Walks, Summer reading and viewing
Incoming Year 7 students were given the opportunity to apply for the Nelson Alexander Scholarship, generously sponsored by Nelson Alexander Coburg. Students submitted a written and creative response, with this year's prompt being "Should Australia do more to help other countries around the world or should we focus on issues in our own country?".
Congratulations to our winner, Tia-Lily, who has received a MacBook Air as the major prize, and Ruby and Mathilda who received gift cards as runners up. Competition was incredibly strong, so we also extend our congratulations to all entrants, it was a pleasure reading and viewing your entries!
Student recently attended the ICAN expo in the city. Well done to students Althea and Elijah who spoke at the expo.
Brigitte Rogan & Sasha Martin
Year 9 Outdoor Education students headed to the Grampians National Park for a three day camp where the utilised the skills and knowledge gained in the theory and practical classes from this term. Students further developed their knowledge on the different types of environments we have in Victoria, the flora and fauna, and the impacts we can have, and put into practice the practical skills of cooking, setting up a tent, and using minimal impact strategies.
During Term 4 Coburg Connect year 9 students learned about the importance of community, social cohesion and reflected on their place in their own local community. As a way to give back, the whole year group participated in Week 8 Community Day performing a range of activities, including helping out a teacher around the school or participating in a clean-up of areas such as The Merri Creek and Coburg Lake. Here is 9I taking a breather after their stellar effort. Well done year 9.
Catherine McInerney
Blue EDGE is an early intervention and prevention program for secondary school students. The program aims to build positive relationships between young people, their peers, community, and police, providing them with the tools to increase their mental and physical wellbeing and make healthy safe decisions.
This term, Coburg High School were lucky enough to host this program for 20 students from Year 7. Each session consisted of fitness activities, a shared meal, and workshop. Workshops focus on key capabilities including mental health and wellbeing, safe decision making, emotional regulation, resilience, and connection.
The staff allocated to the sessions saw excellent engagement and growth from participants and congratulates them on their involvement. We hope the lessons learned are spread throughout the Yr8 community and school in 2025!
Nait Cassamento
Wellbeing Officer
Well, what a year it has been in the library. From blind Date With a Book to Library Trivia Master to Book Week to Halloween without the librarian (sad face). None of this would have been possible without the commitment to fun from our students here at Coburg High. It is for you that we do this.
Each year we have our Library Trivia Master challenge running throughout. With each year’s passing there is one student who becomes that year’s Library Trivia Master Champion. This year will be the first since the library first opened where we have a new champion. Taking over the title from Deborah P who has graduated from the year, undefeated in her role, is Liam C. Congratulations Liam, you are this year’s winner and have the fun task of now spending your generous Dymocks book voucher. For those who missed out, Library Trivia Master will be back in 2025.
It is always an added bonus to be able to support our students' creative writing journey and it is this librarian’s absolute pleasure to see Ada H win her age group in the Merri-bek writing competition with her incredibly touching, emotional story about her ideal pet. What an incredible talent you have Ada. I cannot wait to read more of your stories as you continue on your pathway.
The library was also host to one of the most fun exhibitions in its history and it had nothing to do with books! We held a Retro Gaming Exhibition thanks to Hugo K and Joseph C from year 12 who brought in their incredible retro gaming devices and consoles for students and staff to play over a two day period. It was so much fun. Thanks to the both of you.
Each year the library awards certain students with the Library Legend award for being an integral part of the dynamics of the library. This year’s winners were Amy P, Adam S and Anna H. Each student brought something to the library that represented everything the library community hopes to achieve. Thanks to all three of you.
For the past five years this librarian has had two library assistants who have become integral to the running of the library. Althea and Justice have both brought a willingness to learn and a confidence in the running of the library that this librarian will be forever grateful for. Sadly it is time to say goodbye to Althea and Justice and hand the reins over to our new Library Assistants, Anna H and Amy P. Our two new Library Assistants bring with them a new chapter in the life of the library. I cannot wait to see what both students bring.
My sincere thanks to the Coburg High School Historical Society for their incredibly successful book drive which ended with an incredible haul of beautiful books to add to the library collection. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Finally, each year we ask for donations due to funding being at a minimum. If you have any teen, young adult or kids books in good condition that you, or someone you know, are considering donating to an op shop, STOP!!!! This library would be extremely thankful for these books. Plus, did you know that you can also make a tax deductible donation to the Library Fund? This fund enables us to be able to purchase new furniture and shelving for our ever increasing library visitors.
One last thing. The library will require students to bring their Compass cards for borrowing from term 1, 2025. Think of your Compass card as a library card. Bring it in, scan it, borrow a book.
This librarian will now leave you with some images from the past year.
Until next we meet in 2025, au revoir, adios, sayonara, zaijian, see ya.
Dianna Jarnet
Year 8 students were given the opportunity to visit RSPCA Burwood East for a day of animal experiences. We visited the education barn and met some of the rescued farm animals who reside there. Students toured the adoption centre and view the dogs, cats and small pets awaiting new homes. Students met staff and volunteers and found out how they contribute to RSPCA Victoria's goal of ending cruelty to all animals and their career pathways.
Students explored the needs of animal groups and the needs of humans.
RSPCA educators guided students through planning out their chosen action to help animals. Students each received a certificate of participation and a gift from the RSPCA team. This program was developed for the Victorian Challenge and Enrichment Series.
Katherine Ryan
The Junior Speaking Program (JSP) concluded in Term 4 with a fantastic debate led by Zetta, Sadie, and Maggie. They didn't win the debate but they won their audiences hearts, and certainly the respect of the audience too!
Students engaged in a series of activities where each of them took an active leadership role in directing the exercises . Here are students leading their classmates an exercise that potentially they will lead the new Year 7s next year.
The last excursion of the year for Year 9 saw students heading in to the city to do a walk on empathy and homelessness by The Intersection; and then completing a self guided tour of the NGV.
Kelly Harper
If you’ve got a few hours up your sleeve over the summer break, the English team has you covered!
Lachie Gaylard - Reading: this was a stunner. It’s as close to the awarding of a major literary prize as I’ve ever gotten - won the Booker this year, and I read it this year; what a turnaround! Harvey was evidently a space obsessive as I was when she was a kid and this really contemplative story taking place almost entirely on the international space station is unlike anything I’ve read. I don’t know that there is a story particularly, and I recommend reading it a bit at a time to check in with your spacegoing friends with their 16 sunrises a day - you start to feel like you’re hanging out with them, too.
Viewing: I’m an Almodovar Guy so look forward to catching up with Pain and Glory, and am booked in for Furiosa at IMAX as I missed it on the big screen the first time around. Also the 100 Years of Solitude adaptation is finally here on Netflix so there goes 8 hours of my life!
Selina Dennis - Reading: I started reading this to my daughter and have to admit it sucked me in and I may have read ahead and finished it without her knowing. Classified as ‘cozy fantasy’, this is a delightful little story that celebrates companionship, family and all of the ‘small things’ that help make life matter. A little cheesy at times, but a great read if you enjoy fantasy with a sprinkling of baked goods.
Viewing: I have an eclectic taste in film, so on my to-watch list: Red One, Silo, Secret Level and then whatever else catches my fancy. Maybe Squid Game considering I’ve held out for so long that Season 2 is coming.
Melanie Buscema-Moore - Reading: I picked up The Crossover from the school library and found it a quick enjoyable read. It’s been a long time since I read a YA poetry novel and given I come from a basketball-loving family, found the style and content fun and engaging. I loved the rhythm of the writing and the visual play of it on the page. It follows Josh, who along with his twin Jordan are stars in the making at a time in their life where they are dealing with issues of brotherhood, family, illness and love. I’d encourage any young basketball fans, particularly those who’ll be in Year 8 next year when they study poetry, to pick it up and give it a go and see what it inspires!
Kelly Harper - Reading: Last month I finished a novel that was very different for me, a horror novel ‘Cinderwich’ by Cherie Priest. Now though, I’m back to my fantasy roots crossed with delightful Jane Austen vibes and reading ‘The Wisteria Society of Lady Scoundrels’ by India Holton. The main character, Cecilia, is an ideal Victorian lady and also a pirate, who flys around England drinking tea, blackmailing friends and acquiring things from interesting places. It’s an interesting mash of genres - and wisterias are my favourite flower! I look forward to seeing where it goes.
Viewing: I recently found out that one of the book series I read as a child had a recent adaptation so I’ll be watching series one of ‘All Creatures Great and Small’, adapted from the book series by James Harriet. The original series is mostly loosely connected vignettes following a vet in 1920’s England, and I understand the recent adaptation gives similar vibes while creating a connected plot and I’m keen.
Gary Vella: When out of books at a hostel in Sri Lanka I traded something terrible for Murakami’s IQ84 books 1 and 2. Since then I have developed a bit of an addiction to the surreal yet plausible dreamscapes of isolation and melancholy that only the Japanese can portray. It’s at about this time every other year that a new Murakami is released and on schedule comes ‘The City and its Uncertain Walls’. So I think Santa will be getting me a copy for Christmas.
