College Newsletter

Significant Events

International Womens Day

 

International Womens Day was on Friday 8th March and it is a day to celebrate women's achievements and raise awareness about gender inequality that still exists in the world today. Our College recognised the day through a number of initiatives and activities:

  • Wearing purple ribbons in display of support. Thank you to Trish and the Wellbeing Team for making all the ribbons.
  • Our TV screens were lit up purple with IWD slides and a IWD display was set up in the Library. Thank you to Sue Hayward and Miriam Evans. 
  • Friday's Movie Cub featured Barbie! Thank you to Hannah Genova for creating a cosy space for our students to watch the movie.
  • Purple cupcakes and jelly were sold at the Canteen. Thank you Canteen staff!
  • A short IWD activity was completed in the Managing Me classes.

 

 

 

Harmony Week

Harmony Week was on the 20th - 26th March and the theme was EVERYBODY BELONGS. Harmony Week is a celebration of our diversity and different backgrounds. It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.​ We encouraged staff and students to wear a touch of orange to show support for Harmony Week.

 

Our College recognised Harmony Week through a number of initiatives and activities:

 

  • Wearing orange ribbons in display of support. Thank you once again to Trish for making all the ribbons!
  • Our Tuesday Crafternoon Club made special Harmony Week friendship bracelets and a chain of origami cranes. Thank you to the Wellbeing team for making all the orange origami cranes that are now decorating our W-Block space. A visual reminder to all that we are an inclusive school.
  • On Thursday 21st March, our Year 7s participated in an alternative program of activities, aligned with Harmony Day. Thank you to Drew Hanna and Ty Dennis for the significant coordination of this day for our students. 
  • Also on Thursday, our College quadrangle came alive with Nowruz, Persian New Year, celebrations. Thank you to Mali Panahi and Sahar Hassani for setting up a delightful Haft Seen table which invited lots of curiosity from our students. Ms. Panahi and Ms. Hassani also invited local dancer, Diana Zamanikia, from Box Hill High School to perform a traditional dance for Nowruz.  
  • Thank you to our Canteen staff for providing orange jelly and orange cupcakes.
  • On Friday 22nd March our Wellbeing Breakfast Club hosted a special Harmony Week barbecue breakfast which filled the quadrangle with the comforting aroma of toasties. Students were invited to contribute to the making of the Community that Cares banner.

International students enjoyed Harmony Week activities

On March 21st is Australia’s Harmony Day, which celebrates the country’s cultural diversity. It coincides with the United Nations’ International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

 

Our international student, William Y., actively participated in the DSC’s Harmony Week activities by wearing traditional Chinese costume and playing two beautiful Chinese songs, Silver cloud chasing the moon and Celebrating our new day, on DSC’s piano.

 

 

 

Here is William’s reflection on Harmony Day:

On March 21st, which is the harmony day, we were encouraged to wear clothes with our own cultural features. On that day, I wore the “Hanfu”, which is the clothes that people wear in ancient China. I wore it that day because I remembers that I am a Chinese, and I want others to know about our customs and traditions. The “hanfu” I wore is made up with mostly Chinese red, which has the meaning of luck and happiness in China. Ancient Chinese also believes that red can make demons go away and make people safe. The costume also has Chinese dragon on it, which is made up with mainly yellow. Yellow was the symbol of the emperor, and the dragon is the sacred creature in Chinese Tails, and it is also the symbol of China. The combination of red and yellow has made up the color of the Chinese national flag. I like the activity this time very much, it gave us an opportunity to show our own culture, it made the school community more diverse than usual and gave us more knowledge about cultures in this world. 

- William Y., Year 7