Secondary School News

Dear Families, we are thrilled to welcome everyone back for another exciting school year! We hope you had a restful break and are ready for the excellent opportunities that this year will bring.

Our students have already enjoyed a number of events in the Secondary School, such as the Swimming Carnival, Year 7 City Camp, Morrisby Profiles, and Project Salaam. It has been a busy but fantastic few weeks for students to return to their learning, friends, and community, highlighting what makes our school community so special.

Within my role, I have the privilege of working with the Secondary SRC students and will be appointing school captains early next week. The SRC had their first taste of success running the school BBQ at the Swimming Carnival and ensured everyone was fed, hydrated and happy. I'm very proud to work closely with students to consider how we can further enhance student voice and agency in our school.

In the coming weeks, we will organise various events and activities that encourage collaboration and connection within our community. I hope that you will come and break bread with our community for the Iftar celebration later this term.

I look forward to another fantastic school year filled with growth, learning, and unforgettable memories!

Rachel Wood

Acting Assistant Principal Secondary

Year 7 City Camp Report – Collingwood College

Introduction The Year 7 city camp at Collingwood College was an exciting and enriching experience that provided students with an opportunity to develop teamwork, resilience, and leadership skills. The camp was held at Collingwood College and various locations over two days. Throughout the camp, students engaged in a variety of team-building and cultural activities that encouraged collaboration and personal growth.

Day 1: Team Building and School Activities Students arrived at school excited for the camp experience. They then walked to Sir Arthur Rylah Oval for team-building activities, a challenging uphill journey for many. Upon arrival, they were met by Ray and Michael from Total Team Building, who split the students into six teams for a variety of engaging team-building exercises. Despite the oppressive heat, students demonstrated great resilience and grit throughout the activities.

After completing the team-building session, students took the No. 200 bus back to school. Following a quick lunch, they enjoyed a well-earned break in the air-conditioned confines of Room 225, where they relaxed and watched a movie. In the evening, students shared a meal together, prepared by the VET team from Wurun College.

The next activity took place in the library, where students broke into teams for a lively game of Kahoot. After the game, they set up their sleeping gear and settled in for the night, eventually falling asleep in preparation for the next day's adventures.

Day 2: ACMI and Cultural Exploration After a quick breakfast, students travelled by train to Flinders Street, arriving at ACMI for their first scheduled session at 10:00 AM: "The Story of the Moving Image." This interactive exhibition allowed students to explore the history and evolution of film and digital media.

For lunch, students walked down to the Yarra River and enjoyed a break at Birrarung Marr Playground. After lunch, they returned to ACMI to visit "The Future & Other Fictions" exhibition. This fascinating showcase featured people, costumes, and artworks through film and video games, sparking curiosity and creativity among the students.

At the end of the excursion, students took the train back from Flinders Street Station, returning to school as an exhausted yet fulfilled cohort, happy to reunite with their families after an eventful two days.

Conclusion The Year 7 camp was a fantastic opportunity for students to step out of their comfort zones, build new friendships, and develop valuable life skills. The activities provided a balance of adventure, teamwork, and cultural exploration, making it a truly memorable experience for all participants.

Kind Regards,

Simon Negrelli

Year 7 Coordinator

Head Start Program

Get a Head Start with a School-Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBATs)

Did you know that students enrolled in VCE can do an apprenticeship or traineeship and get credit toward their senior studies? It’s a great way to get into a career while completing Year 12. SBATs earn a wage, receive specialised training and complete their schooling all at the same time. The Head Start program is here to help. Speak to Nicola Smith, in the careers office Rm 320 to see if this is for you!

Welcome back…

I would like to congratulate students and their families on a great start to the term. This year, I am excited to step into the role of Acting Assistant Principal and be leading teaching and learning across Years 7-10. I look forward to getting to know families and feel fortunate to have the opportunity to contribute to the school, a place I am personally and professionally connected to, at this higher leadership level.

Walking the school building, I have noticed our students actively engaging with learning in a range of different ways from inquiry, collaboration, discussion and pracs, to problem solving and performance. I encourage families to have conversations at home and to ask your children about what they are learning. Dinner-time or even car/walking conversations are wonderful and simple ways to connect with your child’s school experiences, and for them to reflect on their learning.

The International Baccalaureate Middle Years Programme (IB MYP) provides an engaging and rigorous programme at Years 7-8 this year. Students develop skills and approaches to learning across and within their subjects through independent and collaborative learning. The IB MYP empowers students to make connections between the learning in each of their subjects and develop global perspectives.

Next term, families will be invited to visit the school for a Showcase: Gallery Walk of Student Learning and Achievement. More information to follow.

Please do not hesitate to make contact should you have any MYP related questions.

I would like to remind secondary families that Homework Club runs in the school library - Monday to Thursday from 3.15pm - 5.15pm throughout the term.

We are very fortunate to have qualified and experienced tutors available to offer support to our students at no cost to families. Attending Homework Club is beneficial to students who would like assistance with completing learning tasks and revising/understanding concepts covered during class time. It can also assist with developing students' time-management and organisation skills, and provide opportunities for catch-up and growth.

Warm regards,

Lori Michael

Acting Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning

The Learner Profile

Recently, Year 7 students were introduced to the Learner Profile. These are positive attributes that learners - both students and teachers - strive to embody through classroom learning/teaching, but they also apply to all aspects of our lives and are central to life-long learning and being responsible members of local, national and global communities.

During Home Group, students worked collaboratively to define the attributes and think of examples and situations that represent them with wonderful visual representations! A ‘challenge’ question was to think about how the attributes can help an individual or group of people become more responsible members of the community.

Below are a range of ways that you can promote the Learner Profile attributes at home within the family.

A simple approach is to model and recognise. Enjoy 🙂

The Learner Profile

Inquirers	We nurture our curiosity. We know how to learn independently and with others. We learn with enthusiasm and value a love of life-long learning.	Encourage your child’s interests by visiting places such as the Local/State Library, Museum, NGV… Model being an inquirer: admit when you don’t know the answers to a problem or a question and seek out answers with your child Use the internet as a tool for inquiry and have conversations around reputable sites Discuss the role of inquiry in your personal and professional life
Open-Minded	We critically appreciate our own cultures and personal histories, and those of other people. We seek and evaluate a range of points of view, and we are willing to grow from the experience.	Encourage your child to try new things - food, games, places, activities… Expose your child to different festivals, celebrations and traditions Encourage your child to listen for understanding Discuss issues and consider opposing points of view and reasons
Thinkers	We use critical and creative thinking skills to analyse and take responsible action on complex problems. We exercise initiative in making reasoned, ethical decisions.	Encourage your child to independently think of different solutions to problems Pose different real-life problems/questions to your child Ask your child questions when they are working on a problem: Do you have any ideas about how you will begin? Tell me about your thinking How could you do it differently? What do you notice and wonder?
Caring	We show empathy, compassion and respect. We act to make a positive difference in the lives of others and in the world around us.	Role-model the kind of behaviour you want to see in your child: helping others without being asked, being an active listener, acting in ways to show that you care… Reflect on the actions of characters in texts (prin/audio/film) Were they kind or caring? Recognise this quality in people’s actions
Knowledgeable	We develop and use conceptual understanding, exploring knowledge across a range of disciplines. We engage with issues and ideas that have local and global decisions.	Encourage your child to make self/text/world connections with what they read/view. Include first language books/films. Ask your child what they are learning at school and engage in conversations about it: Why do you think that is an important thing to know about? Encourage your child to become familiar with current local/national/global events and issues
Principled	We act with integrity and honesty, with a strong sense of fairness and justice, and with respect for the dignity and rights of people everywhere. We take responsibility for our actions and their consequences.	Discuss the importance of honesty/truth Talk about global issues and fairness/social justice Encourage your child to engage in team and independent sports/games Discuss the idea of norms Talk about the importance of effort over winning and being a gracious loser
Balanced	We understand the importance of balancing different aspects of our lives - intellectual, physical and emotional - to achieve well-being for ourselves and others. We recognise our interdependence with other people and with the world in which we live.	Encourage your child to participate in a wide variety of structured activities as a balance between school and leisure Discuss what you are eating with your child - is it a balanced diet? Emphasise that boredom is okay too - good for us! Put devices away Encourage your child to take timeout and go for a walk, engage with nature or read a book (Brain Breaks)
Communicators	We express ourselves confidently and creatively in different languages. We collaborate effectively, actively listening to the perspectives of other individuals or groups.	Encourage your child to stay in contact with relatives in other parts of Australia or different countries Encourage your child to explain their thinking orally or by drawing a picture Talk about what effective communication can look/sound/feel like Have family dinner-table conversations Play a game that requires a specific communication skill. e.g. Charades
Reflective	We thoughtfully consider the world and our own ideas and experiences. We work to understand our strengths and weaknesses in order to support our learning and personal development.	Review your child’s report with them; talk about successes and opportunities for improvement Reflect on sport outcomes Talk about recent events/actions and what you have learned, or adjustments you would make Set goals with your child Talk about a growth mindset
Risk-takers	We approach uncertaining with forethought and determination; we work independently and cooperatively to explore new ideas and strategies. We are resourceful and resilient in the face of challenges and change. We see making mistakes as a natural part of the learning process.	Encourage your child to attempt new things and then reflect on it - whether they liked it and how it made them feel Discuss the difference between being a risk-taker and dangerous behaviour Recognise the learning gains that result from risk-taking and making mistakes Talk about comfort zones and the benefits of goal-setting Share your own growth stories from taking risks

Lori Michael - MYP Coordinator

INSTRUMENTS FOR SALE (updated 27 October) -Contact Person - Steve Wu

Please click on the attachment below to see a list of Stringed instruments for sale. If you

have an instrument for sale please email Steve at: fengchih.09@gmail.com

List of instruments for sale - 1 Mar 2025.pdf

COLLINGWOOD COLLEGE ON FACEBOOK AND INSTAGRAM

Collingwood College is online! Feel free to follow us on:

Instagram https://www.instagram.com/collingwood.college/ and like us on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/collingwood.vic.edu.au/ to keep up to date with everything that our school has to offer our students and the community.