Junior School News
Year 7 Midterm Review
It has been a great start back to our term for the Year 7s. They arrived back from their holidays eager and ready to engage again. Students have been busy both in and out of the classroom, where they are working through assessments in all of their subjects.
The first rounds of Interschool Sports went out in the first week of term, where we had a large number of students participating in Cricket, Volleyball, Tennis and Softball. We also recently had teams go out in Boys Netball, Futsal and currently our girls are training hard for Junior Girls Football.
Students were fortunate enough to watch the German Puppet show, where the story of Cinderella was brought to life in both English and German.
Coming up, students are working hard to continue their great start to the year. We have the Brainstorm Production upcoming on Friday 29 May. Please give consent for this via Compass by Thursday 28 May.
The first set of progress alerts have also come out last week to inform if students have any outstanding CATs which they are yet to complete. Please contact the subject teacher for more specific information on each alert if this applies to you or your student.
Kristy Ackland
Year 7 Coordination Team
CLP Excursion Reflection
Recently in CLP we’ve had some great excursions that have allowed us to demonstrate our leadership skills and learn beyond the classroom. Already this term, we have participated in a high experience at Cable Park, where many showed 2 of our College values of Persistence and Excellence.
We stepped out of our comfort zones and many overcame their fears of height by conquering a variety of challenges and obstacles.
Both classes have also recently ventured to Phillip Island for a day of surfing. A lot of us had not surfed before, we went into this ready to try something new and have an exciting day out.
On arrival to YCW Beach, we met our instructors who sorted us with our wetsuits and boards. We learnt the basics of surfing, getting briefed on safety while also practicing paddling techniques on the sand before we were able to put everything to the test by getting in the water. We all strived to do our best, having several wipe-outs before some of us found the confidence to stand up and properly ride a wave, all of us persisting.
Everyone was giving it their best shot some even braving the waves further out in the water. One of my favourite parts of the excursion was how supportive of each other everyone was, constantly uplifting each other and encouraging others even if they were finding it difficult.
Looking ahead, there are even more opportunities for us to learn beyond the classroom including a hiking experience at Arthurs Seat.
Finally, on behalf of the entire CLP class we would like to say a big thank you to Ms Blackburne and Mr Andriessen for organising and letting us do activities like this.
Mia & Felicity
Year 9 Leaders
Learning For Life Midterm Reflection
How are humans contributing to climate change? In what ways can sport and exercise enhance an athlete’s performance? How does vaping and alcohol affect the developing brain? These are just some of the thought-provoking questions students have been investigating in Science and Health as part of the Learning for Life program.
Throughout Term 2, Year 9 Learning for Life students have explored a diverse range of topics across both Science and Health. In Science, students investigated key concepts in chemistry, electricity and light and sound before selecting an elective area of interest to study in greater depth out of Sport Science, Body Science or Plants and Animals.
As part of their elective studies, students responded to a rich inquiry question connected to their chosen topic, encouraging them to think critically, research independently and deepen their understanding. Students then presented their findings to peers, demonstrating their growing knowledge while also developing valuable communication and presentation skills through peer feedback and discussion.
In Health, students examined issues that can significantly impact an individual’s wellbeing, including alcohol, vaping and mental health.
Through these topics, students built their understanding of the potential risks associated with harmful behaviours and developed practical help-seeking strategies to support informed and healthy decision-making.
Looking ahead, students will investigate the important role health promotion plays in empowering individuals and communities to improve their wellbeing by addressing social, environmental and behavioural factors. Drawing on their learning about alcohol, vaping or mental health, students will step into the role of health promoters and design their own health promotion campaigns aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of young people.
In the second half of Term 2, Year 9 students will take part in two exciting city experiences designed to build teamwork, independence and real-world learning skills.
During Week 6 or 7, students will travel into Melbourne to watch Jane Goodall’s inspiring IMAX documentary Reasons for Hope. The film takes students on an uplifting journey around the world, showcasing positive stories of people making a difference for the environment and their communities. This experience will support students in their upcoming Learning for Life unit, Tomorrow Starts with You.
While in the city, students will also participate in a team challenge, navigating their way from Queen Victoria Market to Federation Square in small groups. Along the journey, students will complete a series of challenges designed to strengthen their teamwork, problem-solving and time-management skills, while also building confidence navigating Melbourne independently.
To be eligible to attend the city trip, students must be up to date with all outstanding CATs by Monday 25 May (the beginning of Week 6). Students who have outstanding work will attend Academic Redemption at school instead, where they will be supported by a supervising teacher in the Year 9 Centre to complete their tasks. If work remains incomplete after Tuesday 2 June, students will be required to attend lunchtime Academic Redemption sessions until the work is submitted and resolved with their teacher.
To finish the Term on a high, students will work collaboratively in small groups to create their own smoothie business. As part of this project, students will design a smoothie that meets a specific dietary requirement and pitch their product to a judging panel. Parents and carers will be invited to visit during Learning for Life class time to see students’ creativity and hard work first hand, while also providing valuable feedback. Further information about this parent engagement event will be shared soon.
Mrs Kate Adams
Year 9 Program Leader
