Middle School

Experiences, Effort, and Excellence 

Article by Halide La Rocca, Deputy Head of Middle School  

The term was busy balancing academic, wellbeing and social activities. 

As the weather became cooler, balancing illness and academic demands provided a challenge in resilience for staff and students. The achievements and experiences are a testament to our Middle School community. 

This term, a range of engaging lunchtime activities are being offered to Middle School students, providing opportunities to connect with peers, explore new interests, and stay active during the colder months. Highlights include the Middle School Games Club, where students explore strategy-based tabletop games in an inclusive and social environment.   

On Monday, 27 April, The Years 7-9 House Athletics Carnival was held at Keilor Athletics Track. As always, the carnival was an opportunity for students to engage in a variety of events and positively demonstrate House spirit. 

In Week 9, several Year 5 and 6 students competed in the Middle School House Public Speaking Competition. These students spent a few weeks developing a persuasive speech on something they are passionate about with the help and support of our Year 8 House Leaders. It was an exciting opportunity for students to further develop their persuasive writing and public speaking skills. Students presented their speeches at lunchtime to a panel of judges. Well done to everyone who took part and congratulations to Anvita S from 5F who took home first place for her speech on sharks, winning house points for Edison.  

Reconciliation Week in Middle School was an opportunity for learning, and connection. Key activities included dedicated Pastoral Care lessons exploring the significance of reconciliation, and participation in the Reconciliation Assembly.  

A highlight of the week was the Reconciliation Sports Day held in partnership with the Melbourne Indigenous Transition School (MITS), providing students with opportunities to connect through sport, celebrate cultural diversity, and build mutual understanding.  

Students also participated in a lunchtime rock-painting activity, creating messages of unity that will form part of a permanent garden display within the College grounds.  

These experiences provided valuable opportunities for students to learn, reflect, and contribute to a more inclusive school community.  

IDAHOBIT Day  in Middle school provided an opportunity to reinforce the school’s commitment to empathy, kindness, respect, and inclusion. The day encouraged students to value diversity and stand against discrimination, ensuring all members of the community feel seen, supported, and safe. To acknowledge the occasion, students enjoyed live music in the amphitheatre at lunchtime on Friday, 15th of May, celebrating diversity within the Overnewton community.  

On Wednesday 3 June, Year 5 students participated in a Wild Action Zoo incursion, providing an engaging hands-on learning experience with Australian wildlife.   Led by experienced wildlife educators, students observed and interacted with a variety of native animals, including reptiles, amphibians, birds and invertebrates. The opportunity to safely handle selected animals generated considerable excitement and curiosity, while supporting curriculum learning in science and environmental education.  

In Week 8, Year 8 students embarked on their Semester One exams for English, Maths, Science and Humanities. Students were supported in the lead up with a Pastoral Care session on preparing for exams as well as engaging in revision classes within each subject. This included short retrieval practice techniques, practice questions and exams, conferencing and feedback. We were so proud of the way the Year 8 students were prepared and how they conducted themselves during these exams. 

On Thursday 28th and Friday 19th June, Year 7 students had an exciting opportunity to venture to the Melbourne Museum for the current Ancient Rome exhibition. After studying Ancient Rome in Humanities this term, students were able to enrich their understanding as they wandered through the exhibit, analysing ancient roman artefacts that date back thousands of years. Students were able to further develop their knowledge of the daily life of people in Rome, ancient belief systems, the emperors who ruled and different forms of public entertainment.  

On Monday 22nd June, Year 6 students benefited from a Proactive Policing Unit Presentation on Digital Safety, to wrap up their Pastoral Care unit. They explored the topics of safety online, engaging in conversation with parents and trusted adults, and were able to answer student questions. We are so fortunate to have access to community resources such as the Proactive Policing Unit in Caroline Springs to support student safety and education about the ever-changing digital world. 

With a couple of jam-packed days still ahead as we close out the term; on behalf of the Middle School Leadership team, we thank you for your partnership and wish our students and their families a safe and restful winter break.  

Year 7 Excursion  

Article by Carli Bonavia, Head of Humanities 7-12 

On 18 and 19 June, our Year 7 students visited Melbourne Museum as part of their Humanities studies, supporting their exploration of Ancient Civilisations, including Ancient Australia and Ancient Rome. 

Students engaged with two fascinating exhibitions: one focusing on Ancient Rome and another exploring the history of Melbourne. The Ancient Rome exhibition provided an exciting opportunity for students to encounter artefacts more than 2,000 years old, including original statues, mosaics, frescoes, jewellery and everyday objects. These remarkable items offered students a vivid insight into the political, cultural and social life of one of history's most influential civilisations. 

During their exploration of Melbourne's history, students completed a source analysis activity, selecting an artefact of personal interest and applying the historical inquiry skills developed in the classroom to interpret and evaluate its significance. 

We were incredibly proud of the way our students represented the College throughout the excursion. They demonstrated respect for members of the public, curiosity about the past, and a genuine sense of wonder as they engaged with the stories and artefacts that help shape our understanding of human history. Experiences such as these enrich classroom learning and foster a deeper appreciation of the world and the people who came before us. 

Year 7 Chinese Reading Competition 

Article by Jiaqi Li, Middle School Languages Leader 

Our Year 7 students participated in an internal Chinese Reading Competition during last Monday’s lunchtime. 

This competition was open to students from non-Chinese-speaking backgrounds who had successfully passed the initial online submission round. It was highly competitive, and the results were extremely close. 

During the competition, students were required to read a Chinese text aloud after only a short preparation time. The standard of performance was exceptionally high, with students demonstrating impressive Chinese language skills, confidence, and dedication to their learning. Well done, Norah, Samaira, Elliot, Emiliya and Jonathan! 

We wish Norah the very best of luck representing Overnewton in the upcoming state competition and congratulate all participating students on their outstanding efforts and achievements.