Year 9 News

It has been a busy start to the term for our year 9 cohort! We’re thrilled to share some of the highlights and reminders from the past few weeks. 

A positive start! Our Year 9 students have started the semester on a positive note. Attendance has been strong; students have settled quickly into routines and there has been a noticeable improvement in the way many students are approaching their learning. It's been pleasing to see students getting involved in school life and setting themselves up for a successful term.

Year 9 Camp

Our Year 9 camp was a highlight! Students enjoyed a range of activities of indoor rock climbing, MCG visit, Eureka Skydeck and lots of shopping. Thank you to the staff for their hard work, and to our students for their enthusiasm and willingness to try new things. 

“In week 9 of Term 2, year 9 went to Melbourne Discovery Camp. We got experience of a range of different activities like The MCG tour, Melbourne Zoo, Ice Skating, Aquarium, IMAX and plenty more! The camp also allowed students to be very independent because we had a lot of free time and the opportunity to explore on our own. We had lots of nice food like Chinese, Yassas, Pizza/Pasta and Grilld. Overall, this camp would have to be most students favourite camp ever!” – Taylah S

“On Melbourne camp, we got to attend lots of activities like going to the zoo and seeing all the animals. The activity that stood out to me the most was going to the Eureka Skydeck.” – Connor B

Morrisby Career Testing

Year 9 students recently completed their Morrisby Career Testing. The program gives students a better understanding of their strengths, interests and possible career pathways. Students will unpack their results over the coming weeks and use them to help inform future subject selections and pathway conversations.

“The Morrisby program is designed for the year 9’s to answer a few sets of questions, ranging from their aspirations for future careers or what they would do in certain situations. After all the tests are completed, each student will have the chance to have a one-on-one interview from a Morrisby employee” – Mia C

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS)

As previous years, we will be continuing the use of Kurnai Positive Acknowledgements (KPA’s), it has been fantastic to see students working hard and showing determination to display all of Kurnai’s four pillars. Keep up the great work! 

KPA Data for Semester 1:

9A - 844

9B - 682

9C - 621

9D- 785

NAIDOC Day Celebrations

We were proud to celebrate NAIDOC Week with a range of activities that honoured Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, history, and achievements. Some of our students attended a special celebration session at the Morwell campus, where they connected with peers, participated in cultural activities, and deepened their understanding of this year’s NAIDOC theme. 

“There was NAIDOC Week on Friday, and I did the Acknowledgement of Country. Delicious BBQ, awesome band and cool hoodie.” – Logan S

Year 9 School Netball

Well done to our Year 9 netball team for the way they competed throughout the day. The team showed resilience, supported each other and played with great sportsmanship from the first game to the last. Thank you to the staff who coached and supported the team.

In Week 2, some of the Year 9 students went to Sale to compete in school netball. The girls won 3 games against Sale, Maffra and Lavalla, but lost the last game against Sale Catholic. The boys played 2 games against Sale and Maffra but lost both of their games. Overall, the whole day was a great experience.” – Ivy S

AFL 9’s and Gippsland Power Netball

Our students also took part in the AFL 9s and Gippsland Power Netball competitions, competing against schools from across Gippsland. It was great to see students challenge themselves, work together and enjoy the opportunity to compete at a high level. Days like these are a valuable part of school sport and give students the chance to build confidence both on and off the field.

“In the second week of term, some of the KAAP students were chosen to play AFL nines and play for Kurnai, the students that were chosen can get scouted by people who are apart of Gippsland Power. The boys AFL nines team played two games against Sale Catholic and Bass Coast. We lost both games, but we got to show off our skills.” – Lachy L

Kurnai Aspiring Athletes Program

Students involved in the Kurnai Aspiring Athletes Program recently attended an excursion designed to expose them to high-performance sport. Experiences like these give students a better understanding of the commitment, preparation and mindset required to perform at an elite level, while continuing to inspire them in their own sporting journeys.

“This term in week one, we visited the Gippsland Power training facilities. This involved KAAP year levels 7-10. We learned about how teams prepare for matches against rival teams and did some challenging team games and fitness challenges. Overall, it was a great experience to teach those who aspire to be an AFL player or even professional sport person.” – Billy B

Don Valley Alpine School

Congratulations to the five students selected to attend the Don Valley Leadership school. This unique experience will give them the chance to build independence, develop leadership skills, and connect with students from across the state. We can’t wait to hear all about their journey when they return!

Expectations

As a cohort, we have been focusing on key expectations for our Year 9 students. The three main areas we are working on are: arriving to class on time, bringing all necessary equipment to class, and wearing the correct uniform.

Over the last few weeks, the year 9 students have been struggling to wear the correct uniform. 

Just a reminder that students need to wear the correct shoes (Closed shoes). The following shoes are not a part of Kurnai’s clothing policy; Ugg boots, Crocs, Thongs, sandals, steel cap boots. 

Students also need to ensure that they are wearing either white or blue jumpers underneath their uniform.

Thank you for your continued support of our year 9 students. We are proud of everything they have achieved so far this year and look forward to more exciting opportunities ahead.

The Year 9 team.

Contact Details

If you have any concerns regarding Year 9 students, please don’t hesitate to phone me on (03) 5165 0600 - option 3 or email at ryan.mayo@education.vic.gov.au

Ryan Mayo

Year 9 Team Leader