Secondary News
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We are fast approaching the end of the term. Next week is Exam Week for Year 7 - 11 students. Please see the schedules below. Year 12 students will be in classes as normal.
Below, we have provided some tips on how parents can support their children during exams. A reminder that Monday 23rd June is an exam marking day for staff and a student-free day for all secondary students.
Year 7-9 Exams
Year 10 & 11 Exams
📝Supporting Your Child During Exam Week
Exam time can be an anxious period for students, but with the right support at home, they can approach it feeling calm, confident and prepared. Here are some practical ways families can help students do their best—both academically and emotionally—during exam week:
✅ Establish a Study Routine Help your child plan a balanced schedule that includes study blocks, short breaks, meal times and relaxation. Encourage them to start revising early and spread their study across different subjects to avoid last-minute cramming.
📚 Create a Distraction-Free Study Space Ensure your child has a quiet, tidy area to study, away from TV, phones and social media. Having the right resources—stationery, notes, textbooks—on hand helps them stay focused.
🍎 Encourage Healthy Habits Good nutrition, plenty of water, and at least 8 hours of sleep each night are essential for concentration and energy. Try to avoid too many processed snacks or energy drinks, which can cause energy crashes.
💬 Be Calm and Encouraging Your support and encouragement can make a big difference. Avoid putting too much pressure on results—remind them that their effort and wellbeing are what matter most. Praise their hard work and remind them they are capable.
🧘♂️ Promote Breaks and Balance Short walks, stretching, or time outdoors between study sessions can help clear their mind and reduce stress. Encourage downtime in the evenings to help them relax and recharge.
👂 Stay Emotionally Available Check in regularly to see how they’re feeling. Sometimes just being there to listen (without solving every problem) can be a big source of comfort and reassurance.
🎉 Celebrate Effort Once exams are over, take time to acknowledge your child’s hard work—regardless of the results. A small treat, a fun activity, or simple words of praise can go a long way in making them feel valued and supported.
Thank you for the ongoing support you provide at home. Working together, we can help our students approach exam week with confidence and resilience.
Term 2 Dates:
Monday 16th June - Exam Week - Years 7-11
Monday 16th June - Year 8 Soccer
Thursday 19th June - Secondary Regional Cross Country
Monday 23rd June - Exam Correction Day (Secondary only)/Student free day for Secondary only
Friday 27th June - PTFA Lunch Order Day
Sunday 29th June to Friday 4th July - Year 9 Camp - Cairns
Tuesday 1st July - Senior Table Tennis
Thursday 3rd July - Intermediate Table Tennis
Friday 4th July - Year 11 and 12 Legal Studies Excursion
Friday 4th July - Last Day of Term 2
Yours sincerely,
Mrs Joanne Rothwell Mrs Amanda Trewin
Head of Middle School Head of Senior School
Year 8 Camp
50 Year 8 students and seven staff recently set off on a crisp May morning to explore Melbourne city as part of the Urban Adventure camp.
Students were introduced to the bustling life of the city, including riding trams, (even during rush hours), and trying to be conscious of not taking up the entire footpath as they integrated into their city experience.
They were kept very busy each day with many experiences including: ArtVo, Ice skating, Arcades, a 3D experience at DreamSkape, painting in the dark with blacklight and neon paint, all on the first day. This was followed by an Amazing Race that took them all over the city, rock climbing, the Queen Victoria Markets, bowling, to the theatre to watch an acrobatics show and dinners at an Italian Restaurant and tacos from a food truck.
The students and staff had a wonderful time bonding and getting to know each other better.
The students represented Lakeside College beautifully. Congratulations to Mrs Kohinga and her team for winning the Amazing Race! This was no small feat.
Ms Maree Worker
Year 8 Homeroom Teacher
Year 10 Melbourne Zoo Excursion
The skies were grey, with a forecast of showers early and late in the day. As we assumed from that, the middle of the day might be relatively free of inclemency. We even had some umbrellas in case of rain. As all year 10s arrived at the Parkville main location of the Melbourne Zoo there were some clear skies to boost our mood. We had an hour to choose, as a group, which animals we would like visit for our studies in vertebrate evolution.
We first entered a winding path into the big cat area, in the recently designed environments adapted to the various animals’ natural habitat. At a tropical bamboo riparian forest, a tiger prowled below our walkway and we were greatly impressed further on to observe the movements and adaptation of the highly endangered snow leopard clambering amongst huge boulders, as it does in the wild.
The reptile house was the next stop and unexpectedly popular. Maybe the sight of the animals cosy in their temperature controlled environments was appreciated by students given the chilly June weather outside.
Our session with the Zoo Education then beckoned, and Melbourne weather decided to do its thing and catch us under a solid burst of rain. We scrambled from shelter to shelter to end up just on time at the verandah of the Zoo Ed service adjacent to the lion enclosure. Inside the classroom we were afforded an incredible view of two large adult lion brothers not far away, separated only by thick glass, probably the 'mane' attraction of the day. The session we had was fantastic and students literally went through their structured activities analyzing the natural selection pressures that led to divergence of the roarers (a latin-named sub-family of the Felidae cat family of animals) ie the lion and the tiger.
While examining hands-on both lion and tiger skins & skulls preserved from former animals at the zoo, ther were only metres away, two lions to observe for structure and behaviours as well. Following that session we were warmed and fascinated by a visit to the butterfly house and finally the giraffes.
The students acquitted themselves well throughout the day, completing lesson material and were a standout group of delightful and interested zoo visitors.
A big thank you to Ms Sultan and Ms Davine for accompanying, supporting and guiding the students on a very successful day.
Mr Nevil Schultz
Science Teacher
Interschool Chess Tournament
On 28th May, the halls of Pakenham Secondary College buzzed with quiet intensity as it hosted the Northern Star Chess Competition—a celebration of strategy, intellect and spirited rivalry. The event brought together students from 11 schools across the region, each one eager to showcase their skills in a challenging yet friendly atmosphere. Among the competitors, Lakeside College made a memorable impression, not only through strong gameplay but also through outstanding sportsmanship, dedication and a genuine love for the game.
Each Lakeside participant brought something special to the tournament. From the quiet confidence of experienced players to the enthusiastic determination of those new to the game, the team demonstrated the school’s values in action. Their presence underscored Lakeside College’s commitment to fostering talent and encouraging students to strive for excellence beyond the classroom.
Amid the calculated moves, intense concentration and hard-fought matches, one student stood out—Milen M (Year 7). His remarkable performance throughout the day was a blend of tactical brilliance, calm under pressure and strategic insight well beyond his years. Milen’s consistent excellence earned him a prestigious honour: selection to represent Lakeside College at the state-level competition.
Milen’s achievement is a source of immense pride for the school community. It reflects the strength of Lakeside’s academic and extra curricular programs and the values it seeks to instil—resilience, critical thinking and the pursuit of personal bests. His success serves as a powerful inspiration for fellow students and aspiring chess enthusiasts across the school.
While trophies and titles are significant, the Chess Competition provided students with
opportunities to form new friendships, rise to fresh challenges and grow both individually and as a team. As in chess—and in life—it’s not just about winning the game, but about learning from each move and forging lasting connections along the way.
Mrs Regi David
Teacher
In Touch with Memory
As a part of their History unit on World War II, our Year 10s visited the Melbourne Holocaust Museum to participate in the 'In Touch with Memory' program. They had the privilege of hearing about the first-hand experiences of one of Melbourne's oldest Holocaust survivors, as well as working together in groups to unpack the meaning behind multiple artifacts from the Holocaust. The day concluded with a guided tour of the newly-built museum facility.
Overall, it was a thought-provoking and humbling experience and one that surely helped our students to understand the importance of standing up for one another and not remaining silent in the face of fascism.
Josh Rosaia
Head of English/Humanities
Literacy Games at Lunch
Every Thursday at lunch an eager group of secondary students and staff come together to play Literacy Games @ Lunch. It's fun, engaging, fosters social interaction, lively conversation and a bit of excitement. We've played Scrabble, Banagrams, Celebrity Heads and UNO.
Last week Mr Schultz even dropped in with his guitar and played some Spanish tunes.
All secondary students are warmly invited to attend.
Mrs Sarah Sankey