Viewbank College

From the Principal Class

Dear Viewbank Community,

 

Welcome back to Term 3.

 

We welcome back the following staff from leave:

  • Caitlin Vine
  • Shandelle Feduniw
  • Sarah Buffey
  • Spencer Nelson

We welcome to the College our new staff members:

  • Genevieve Galvin
  • Georgie Kellock
  • Jordan Adams
  • Janine Kieburg
  • Floria Zhou
  • Jessica Leslie
  • Jamie Lyngcoln
  • Eric Pobucky

We farewell the following and wish them the very best for their future endeavours:

  • Thomas Buttifant
  • Marc Shen

Term 3 has a lot of important and exciting events on the calendar.

We are so grateful to be onsite for the first time in three years to be able to conduct our Subject Expo, Course Selection interviews, and to be able to hold our College Production - We Will Rock You and many other events.

 

The latest wave of Omicron is posing further interruption and illness amongst staff and students.  I thank families for their support – we must continue to test if symptomatic, stay home if unwell and continue to practice our Covid safety measures. 

 

The College continues to have some staffing disruption also.  Whilst we are trying to do our best to maintain learning continuity, I recognise that some classes have had teacher changes.  This is a system wide problem relating to teacher shortages.  Be reassured those students are being supported and will be fully engaged in their learning program.

Subject Selection:

It was wonderful to see so many families at the Year 9 into 10 and Year 10 into 11 Subject Expo and Course Information evening, which was very well attended.  It is so important that pathways decisions for students are well informed and a clear indication of how much our community values education. 

College Production:

A reminder that our College Production, We Will Rock You, will be held next week:

  • Wednesday 27th July - 7.30pm
  • Thursday 28th July - 7.30pm
  • Friday 29th July - 7.30pm
  • Saturday 30th July - 1.00pm
  • Saturday 30th July - 7.30pm

Rehearsals have been ramped up and our cast, crew and staff are incredibly excited to be able to hold so many performances after a few Covid-interrupted years.

There are still tickets available through Trybooking.

Our Friends of Performing Arts parent group have put together some wonderful prizes and I want to thank them and Emma Ford for their work in supporting the Production.

Do not forget to purchase raffle tickets online or on the evening - more details on how to purchase will be available on Compass shortly. 

Advocates of Sport and Physical Activity (ASPA):

A new Viewbank Friends group of interested parents will meet for the first time on Monday, August 1st at 6.30pm in our College Conference room. 

This group has been formed with the specific intention of encouraging greater participation in physical activity in general within the School, particularly in groups that may have lower levels of day-to-day activity. 

 

Also:

  • to promote participation and to celebrate excellence in sport in the school community
  • to promote the physical, social and mental benefits of sport and physical activity
  • to work collaboratively with the School community to fundraise and advocate for upgrades to sport/physical activity equipment and to tie to longer-term aspirations of the School 
  • to promote career pathways in sport and physical activity
  • to connect to local sport and physical activity-orientated clubs and organisations

If you are interested in joining this group, please feel free to come along to our first meeting!

The Victorian State Schools Spectacular:

We are fortunate to have four students selected for the State Schools Spectacular, which happens each year. The four students auditioned and were selected to be part of the different performance areas of the Spectacular. 

 

Our selected students are:

  • Jack C, Principal Vocalist
  • Lachlan D, Victorian State School Choir Vocalist
  • Callum G, Lighting Crew
  • Aaron W, Alto Saxophonist

A special shout out to Jack, who has been selected for his 9th Spectacular. 

What an incredible achievement and a testament to his talent!

 

The Spectacular brings together government school communities from across Victoria to produce a three-hour live show – involving music, dance  and circus arts – which will be performed to an audience of around 12,000 people at John Cain Arena on Saturday 10 September over two shows at 1pm and 6:30pm.

 

Talented Victorian students will feature on stage, while many other students will work behind the scenes, gaining unique, on-the-job, professional experience. 

 

The Spectacular is a creative vision of industry professionals including Creative Director Neill Gladwin, Musical Director Chong Lim AM, Dance Director Deon Nuku, (Scooby Doo, Happy Feet, Moulin Rouge) and Associate Dance Director Yvette Lee, (Dancing with the Stars, X-Factor Australia, Australia’s Got Talent and So You Think You Can Dance).

 

For a fun, family entertainment experience, and to cheer on our students from the audience, be quick to secure tickets when they go on sale at 10am Wednesday 15 June via www.ticketek.com.au/spectacular

Adult:$40
Child Under 15: $20
Concession: $30

Buy 10 tickets and get one adult ticket free (the 11th ticket is free) by calling Group Bookings on 1300 364 001.

Advocates of Sport and Physical Activity (ASPA):

A new Viewbank Friends group of interested parents will meet for the first time on Monday, August 1st at 6.30pm in our College Conference room. 

This group has been formed with the specific intention of encouraging greater participation in physical activity in general within the School, particularly in groups that may have lower levels of day-to-day activity. 

 

Also:

  • to promote participation and to celebrate excellence in sport in the school community
  • to promote the physical, social and mental benefits of sport and physical activity
  • to work collaboratively with the School community to fundraise and advocate for upgrades to sport/physical activity equipment and to tie to longer-term aspirations of the School 
  • to promote career pathways in sport and physical activity
  • to connect to local sport and physical activity-orientated clubs and organisations

If you are interested in joining this group, please feel free to come along to our first meeting!

Staff v Student Basketball

On Thursday, our Year 12 students took on the teachers in a competitive baskeball match in the gym.

The teachers team was too good on the day and came away with a convincing win 38-19 🏀

Code Camp:

During the last holidays, the school hosted ‘Code Camp’.

The three-day program, for primary aged students, engages them in learning about digital technologies.  The students had an amazing time, with really positive feedback.

We will provide this opportunity again next term holidays, so any families with primary aged students should look out for more information.

Thankyou on behalf of all staff!

The staff at Viewbank College would like to thank parents for the fantastic spirit of donations of treats and biscuits late last term. The treats and kind words of support were truly appreciated at an incredibly busy time while we were finishing assessments and wrapping up reporting for semester 1. 

The first year back onsite while managing the pandemic has been so challenging for our community and it is the ‘acts of kindness’ as shown by you that will help up get back to where we all want to be!

 

 

Sharon Grimes, Principal

Emma Ford, Assistant Principal

Rachael Smith, Assistant Principal

Anna Crosswhite, Acting Assistant Principal

Jackson Moloney, Acting Assistant Principal