Secondary News

Dear Families,

As Term 4 draws to a close we reflect on what a wonderful term of learning and fun within our College community we have had. With so many achievements, and personal and academic growth successes, we have so much to be thankful for.

First and foremost, a big thank you to our dedicated teachers and staff who work tirelessly to create a positive and engaging learning environment for our students. Their commitment to education is truly commendable, and our College is extremely grateful and indeed blessed for the passion, dedication and enthusiasm they bring to our classrooms every day.

The College would also like to extend our gratitude to you, the parents and guardians who play a crucial role in supporting our students. Your involvement in our school activities and events contributes significantly to the overall success of our school community. This partnership is invaluable, and we are grateful to God for you and for the trust you place in us to educate and nurture your children.

A few highlights from the latter half of Term 4 are listed below.

On Friday 24th November the students participated in the PTFA Colour Run. They enjoyed running the obstacle course and having an array of colours splashed onto them. It was wonderful to see the smiles and laughing as the students participated. A highlight from the afternoon would have been the sliming of the teachers.  Students that had raised the most money were selected to slime a teacher of their choice. A huge thank you must go to the five teachers who nominated themselves to be slimed; Mr Tassoni, Mrs Harford, Mr Cavalin, Mr Glover and Mr Frank. We would like to thank the PTFA for organising such a wonderful and enjoyable event for our students and we are already looking forward to next year’s event.

On Thursday 30th November we gave thanks to God and celebrated our students' achievements at our Semester 2 Thanksgiving service. It was time for us to gather as a school community to acknowledge the incredible efforts of our Years 7-12 students from Semester 2, in the areas of learning, care and achievement, and above all to give glory to God and serving the world in love. The College would like to again thank all the special guests who attended to present awards and the hard work of our administration and events extraordinaires; Mrs Melissa McIntyre and Mrs Nina Matar who worked tirelessly behind the scenes to make this event possible and such a success. 

A special mention must go to the following students who were presented with these prestigious awards:

Jeremy S: Middle School Principal’s Light of Christ Award 

Elijah V: Senior School Principals Light of Christ Award

Minuthi D: ADF Long Tan and Leadership Award

Henifha A: ADF Future Innovators Award

Jess D & Jaswinder J: Latrobe Leadership and Community Service Award

Ding D: Duffy & Simon Law Award

Our College Arts Festival was held on Friday 1st December. It was wonderful to see all the artwork displayed that the students have worked on during the year and watch the pride on the student's faces as they showed their work to their family and friends. The musical performances were exceptional and demonstrated the hard work and dedication the students and instrumental/music staff have put in for the year. The biscuits baked by the Year 7s in Food Technology were delicious and a testament to the skills they have been taught in their educational programs. It was great to see the work that students have been doing in Media and Digital Technology with displays of photography and online games that students have made. We would like to thank the following staff from the Arts and Technology faculties for their hard work, dedication and for organising a wonderful festival that showcased the talents of our students: Mr John Glover, Ms Ruth Page, Ms Leonie Vaughan, Mrs Rowena Kohinga, Mr Josh Rosaia, Mr Michael Bonsall, Ms Adele Smit, Mrs Melissa Tonkin, Mr Alejandro Espino-Aldana, Ms Sheena Shi and Ms Amla Periakarpan.

The Year 7, 8 and 9 students and all Secondary staff had a fun and enjoyable day at Gumbuya World on Thursday 7th December. The weather was perfect and the students enjoyed engaging in all areas of the park. The student’s behaviour was impeccable and they were excellent representatives of our College.  It was wonderful to see the students having so much fun, with many of them going outside their comfort zones on some of the rides and slides. 

The staff had an enjoyable day too. Ms David gave Mr Tassoni quite a few bumps on the Dodgem Cars. The rollercoaster was a hit with the staff and competition was fierce on the racing waterslide. Overall a fabulous day was had by all and we look forward to doing it all again next year. Photos of the day are featured further in the newsletter. 

Again, thank you to all who have contributed to making the end of our 2023 school year such a positive one. We trust you all have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and remain safe over the holiday break. 

Yours sincerely,

Mrs Joanne Rothwell                                                                                          Mrs Amanda Trewin

Head of Middle School                                                                                      Head of Senior School

National Gallery Victoria, Ian Potter Gallery - Unit 4 2023 Literature students.

During our recent Head Start program, the 2024 Unit 3/4 Literature class enjoyed a wonderful morning at the Ian Potter Centre of NGVA with the guidance of an outstanding education team. Initially, we delved into the world of Literary Perspectives, analysing artworks through a range of lenses and expanding our interpretations with the benefit of supplementary information. Our assumptions were challenged and appreciation of First Nations cultures expanded in our next session at the Indigenous gallery. We then explored the various galleries - and lunch options - before joining the English cohort at ACMI for an afternoon examining the history of filmmaking, which will become most useful during our film adaptation study of our first novel in the new year. 

Many thanks to Miss Ball for organising a most memorable outing for the class of 2024. 

Mrs Amanda Neil

VCE Literature Teacher

ACMI

On Monday 27th November, our 2024 Year 12 English students headed on an excursion to ACMI as part of the Headstart program. Under the guidance of Miss Ball and Mr Tassoni, students had the unique opportunity to watch the classic film Sunset Boulevard on the big screen, preparing them for the study of the text next year. 

Following the screening, our seniors engaged in a thought-provoking lecture, enriching their knowledge and preparing them for the academic challenges ahead. The day continued with lunch around Federation Square, basking in the sunshine and discussing their first impressions of the film. The students then joined the Literature students to explore ACMI's Story of the Moving Image exhibition, further igniting their passion for the world of cinema. 

The day was a wonderful experience and will serve as a solid foundation for their studies next year.

Ms Megan Ball

English and Humanities Coordinator