Dunhelen

Ms Jacquelyne Armstrong

Year 8 City Experience

The Year 8 City Experience went very well last week. Students all had such an amazing time and really stepped up to highlight just how well they can work together and overcome obstacles. They visited some of our city’s great sites and enjoyed some free time to shop and eat. A few even got to see Shaq who showed up in Hosier Lane while they were there taking photos.

Students visited places like the Eureka Skydeck, Birrarung Marr, Queen Victoria Market and the Shrine of Remembrance. One of the most interesting parts of the excursion was the visit and education session at the Big Issue Office. It was here students were given facts and figures about homelessness in Australia. Students participated in a quick game that showed how different factors can control the situations people find themselves in. They were also given firsthand accounts from people who found themselves homeless and what this entailed. This excursion is a wonderful opportunity for students to begin to develop some independence and decision making. 

It was wonderful to hear the stories, particularly those when things didn’t go as planned and how they managed to fix the problem. The most common one being getting on a tram and heading in the wrong direction! 

A very big thank you to Mrs Sadler for organising the 4 days of fun and learning. 

Mobile Phones

A reminder that students seen with mobile phones (whether they are using them or not) between the hours of 8.45am and 3.15pm will have them confiscated for the day. Parents should ring through to Dunhelen Administration if there is a message that needs to be passed on. Students can go to their homeroom teacher, Head of School or and Assistant Head of School if they really need to contact home. Students who feel ill must present to First Aid and parents will be called by staff. 

Student Workload Management

We are almost at the end of Term 3 and students are working hard to ensure they keep up to date with schoolwork. Mr Eleftheriou is running a Monday lunch session for students who need/want some extra time or assistance on their classwork. If your child reports that they have no homework, perhaps they can spend some time revising the topics being covered in their subjects so that they are not cramming all the study into one night. Reading is also something that students should be doing every night, even at this age. 

It is pleasing to see that most of our students are working hard and doing the right thing. It is always a pleasure to work with young people and learn with them. Our students are wonderful and should be proud of themselves. They display kindness, courtesy, and manners and in most cases, can ‘negotiate’ properly when they don’t agree with something. It is a magical (albeit also frustrating) time of life – too bad they won’t realise it until they are much older.