Welcome to DHS, Year 7s!

I would like to take this opportunity to warmly welcome our new Year 7 students and families to our Dandenong High School community. The start of the year is always an exciting time and it has been a delight to watch the students settle into their new surroundings. Year 7 Welcome Week activities designed to support students with their transition to High School set a positive tone and included activities such as IT sessions, school tours, activities from the Student Transition and Resilience Training (START) resource and getting to know you and team building activities. A personal highlight for me was watching our Year 7 and Year 12 students participating in a workshop together. Watching our school leaders nurture and guide our youngest community members through activities exploring their hopes and fears was remarkable. When asking students to share their highlight it was unanimous! The Year 7 excursion to Lysterfield Lake Park!

We are looking forward to welcoming our Year 7 families in person at our Annual Welcome Picnic on Wednesday 21st February. The evening gives families the opportunity to visit their child’s learning space, see some of the work they have completed this year and meet staff. We look forward to seeing our Year 7 families at the event.

Students have also taken home information and forms relating to the Year 7 Camp. We are returning to the Phillip Island Adventure Resort. This venue has hosted our Year 7 camp for over 2 decades and each year they provide us with an incredible experience. We encourage all students to attend the camp to continue fostering positive relationships with their teachers and peers. If you have any questions regarding the camp, please contact Ms Sherry in Callistemon House. 

Take a look at the video below of one of our previous Year 7 camps! Do you recognise any faces?

Mr Beattie

Callistemon House Leader 

Year 7 Excursion to Lysterfield Lake Park!

On the 2nd of February, all Year 7s went on an excursion to Lysterfield Park. It was an exceptional way to start the year and everyone had a great time! 

When we arrived, we were greeted by a curious kangaroo who cautiously wandered by the Year 7s. It was amazing to see and experience first-hand. To begin our activities for the day, we explored the surroundings of the beautiful park by going on a group walk. During our walk, we saw lots of trees, flowers and native birds. We then crossed a bridge that overlooked a beautiful lake where a group of ducks were gracefully swimming below.

We then did some House activities which focussed on team-building skills. One activity we did was the human knot game, where we needed to untangle ourselves from a human knot without letting go of each other’s hands. It was fun and a great way for us to work as a team. After that, we were allowed to have some free time and there were various activities we could choose from. There was volleyball, cricket, soccer, or you could chat with your friends and explore the park.

The school also provided us with a delicious lunch which everyone was grateful for. After lunch, we had a bit more time to have fun and play with our friends until it was time to head back to school. My highlight of the day was when we had the walk in the morning, because we could talk to our friends while having a look around the park. In my judgement, Lysterfield Park was an exceptional excursion and I’m sure the Year 7s for the next coming years will enjoy it as much as I did.

Izzy Antoine 

Grevillea House

Year 7