College News, 

Sports & Events

eSafety for Keysborough families and students

Keysborough Secondary College is a child safe organisation. We are committed to providing an environment where our students are safe and feel safe, where their participation is valued, their views respected, and their voices are heard. Child safety is a shared responsibility. Every person involved in our school has an important role in promoting child safety and wellbeing, including safety in the online environment.

We take proactive steps to identify and manage any risks of harm to our students, and in particular we give attention to the child safety needs of students in the online environment.

All parents and carers are invited to access the eSafety Commissioner website to find information on keeping your child safe online over the holidays. For parents or carers who are interested there are also a number of eSafety online seminars in which you can participate.

Have great and eSafe holidays!

KSC BANKSIA'S ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF BUNURONG COUNTRY

KSC Banksia’s new plaque to acknowledge Bunurong country was proudly unveiled today by KSC Aboriginal students Tahlia and Mackenzie. 

The plaque in the main foyer, with a replica in the senior building, was designed by Banksia Aboriginal students in collaboration with Wathaurong Arts, an Aboriginal owned and run co-operative, based in a Geelong and neighbouring Kulin nation Wadawurrung.  The plaque made from slumped glass depicts ‘meeting places connected by journey lines, and Bunjil’, an important Kulin nations deity. 

The plaque unveiling was witnessed by student leaders and Banksia campus principal Mr. Hastings. Special guests included Aboriginal community members Drucilla and Mark, from the Department of Education and Headspace Australia. 

KSC community are invited to view the plaque with pride as our school recognises and respects the traditional Aboriginal owners whose land our school is on.

STUDENT VOICE: STUDENT LEADERS EXCURSION

Written by  Nida, Tommy, Palak, Elmin

Our Keysborough College student leadership team had the opportunity to attend the Youth Leadership Conference, which takes place annually with the intention of strengthening and empowering high school leaders across secondary high schools in Australia. 

Not only were we able to listen to guest speakers with valuable insight, we were also able to share a space with like-minded individuals who are passionate about leadership and the ability to create change. 

We learnt many important skills and lessons to further improve our leadership taught by the founder of YLC, Wil Massara along with his team, Trent Dennis Lane, Skye Hughes, and Amanda Marshall.

As students of Keysborough College it is important to know that everybody has a voice and is capable of making change, as Skye Hughes said, “inspiration plus agency equal change”. As leaders, we believe that we must put all others above us and prioritise our teams before ourselves. Though this definition of leadership is renowned to us all, we learnt that self-leadership is just as important as supporting the needs of others. 

The Cycle of Self-Leadership entails three key aspects; our mindset, feelings and actions. The way we view the world around us impacts the way we perceive ourselves and our environment. This in turn influences how we choose to adapt to our circumstances. It is important that we keep a positive attitude towards change and challenge in order to effectively face these features of life in a way which we find beneficial for ourselves. It is important to note that “our small habits impact the way we live our lives everyday” which is something we, as leaders, are all actively working on. 

We were also able to appreciate the valuable formula we must follow in the pursuit of self-leadership which is “Knowledge + Action = Confidence”. It is our ability to learn and absorb information and enact ways of change in our lives which will allow us to develop confidence in ourselves and our abilities.

One of the many struggles that student leaders face is the ability to be taken seriously and for our voices to be heard. 

Through the words of Wil Massara, we learnt that “[our] age doesn’t determine [our] ability to achieve great things”. Though we are young, we have so much knowledge and capability to tackle the world around us and we aspire to create something as powerful as the Youth Leadership Conference, which has shaped so many young, extraordinary lives already. We would also like to acknowledge that leadership can be shown in many different ways. These forms include peer (This type of leadership is renowned and is a collaborative leadership where peers come together and work as leaders to support a group.), supporter (This type of leader who helps to foster a positive environment and works with everyone equally.) director (Traditional leadership being a solo leader who takes initiative and is persistent with their skills.). Advice and insight such as this helped us think more deeply on our roles as captains and allowed us to learn how we can be better leaders to the school and for ourselves. 

We want to also remind you that all of us are leaders in everyday life when we continue to be persistent and considerate to those around us. We hope you all embrace the leaders in you!

STUDENT VOICE: KEYSBOROUGH SOUTH COMMUNITY HUB

On May 20th and 23rd 2024, Acacia and Banksia students got the privilege of being a part of the decision-making for a new and upcoming Keysborough South Community Hub. Small groups from both campuses worked closely with the presenters, Elvis, Bethany and Sarah in providing feedback and opinions on behalf of all the youth in the Greater Dandenong area. The students involved helped make suggestions with the interior design of the building making valuable points and contributions. The main contributions included opinions and feedback on things like facilities, active places (Basketball court, Ping Pong table etc.…) and the sorts of colours and types of aesthetic that would be most inviting and welcoming to all. Thank you to all those who participated in the feedback groups. Special shout out to Elvis, Bethany and Sarah from the City of Greater Dandenong for coming to Keysborough Secondary College, to ensure that the new Keysborough South Community Hub will be a safe, welcoming and diverse place for all to use.

By Rosa Galban (year 9 Banksia)

BANKSIA ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE EXCURSION TO HASTINGS FORESHORE MANGROVES AND SORRENTO BACKBEACH

 Students enjoyed a field trip to explore some of our magnificent local ecosystems and to identify challenges of Climate change and Human disturbance. Thanks to all staff who enabled this at short notice and to students for their exemplary behaviour. 

DOCTORS IN SCHOOL PROGRAM

Keysborough College offers a Doctors in School program. The doctors are based on Acacia campus every Tuesday from 9am-1:30pm for all Keysborough students. If you would like to make an appointment, you can make one on the Intranet under Quick Links then Doctor and Wellbeing Appointments and click which campus you are from. You can also speak to your coordinators or someone from wellbeing to book your appointment.

FOOD PACKS

Home Food Packs are available to families in need. To organise a collection please contact your relevant campus Foodbank coordinator as below:  

Banksia - carolyn.geer@education.vic.gov.au 

Acacia - Maddy.Foulsham@education.vic.gov.au

ACACIA RITEMAN GROUP TRIP

On May 31st a group of year 9 boys involved in our riteman group went out on a trip to Lemans to go karting and then back to riteman mentoring for some team bonding activities. The boys had a great time and set some seriously fast lap times!  Over the past two terms the Riteman group have been have been doing a sessions once a week and have covered a number of topics in there weekly discussions 

THE GAT

On Tuesday, June 18th, the Wellbeing Team provided support to over 100 Year 12 students and some Year 11 students taking the General Achievement Test (GAT). To help them through the demanding day, the team offered food and refreshments. The GAT, which is broken into two parts, required sustained focus and energy. The WB team ensured that all students had the opportunity to have food and drinks during the break, helping them stay nourished and focused for the second half of the GAT.

5 WAYS TO STAY HEALTHY THIS WINTER

1 Eat your vegetables: Vegetables have lots of vitamins and nutrients that help you have a stronger immune system 

2 Get out exercise : when we exercise we realise hormones that make us feel good and we build up our immune system so getting out for a walk,playing a sport or lifting weights help our body and mind during winter

3 Talk to our friends: when its cold we feel like staying home in bed but making sure we our friends and keep social and doing things we enjoy greatly benefits our mental health 

4 Get a good sleep: Studies show that people who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to get sick after being exposed to bacteria or viruses, getting 8 hours of sleep is one of the best ways to feel better this winter 

5 Keep up with our hygiene: washing our hands, covering our mouth when we cough/sneeze and using sanitiser is one of the best ways we can fight of colds this winter when we keep up with our hygiene we protect ourselves and others from picking up colds and infections 

National Reconciliation Week (27th May - 3rd June) was a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia. At Banksia we made an educational compass post each day & provided lunchtime activities (Kahoot’s, colouring etc) to help raise awareness.

Refugee Week (17 - 23 June) has evolved into an international movement, with events spanning the globe. Refugee Week brings together people from different backgrounds to connect beyond labels, and foster a deeper understanding of why people are displaced, and the challenges they face when seeking safety. At Banksia everyday a compass post sharing a refugee story & a cultural recipe was made to build student awareness.

International Men's Health Week (10th-16th June) is a yearly event highlighting the importance of men's mental & physical wellbeing and the preventable health issues among men and boys. An educational compass post was made each day to help build our boys' capacity around this at Banksia.

BREAKFAST CLUB

Come join the Wellbeing team for Breakfast Club!

IDAHOBIT Day 

On the 17th of may we celebrated IDAHOBIT day with events across both campuses. IDAHOBIT day aims to raise awareness for LGBTQI rights and aims to raise awareness of  violations and discrimination still happening to members the LGBTQI community 

At our Acacia campus we had a number of students participate in fun games and activities in the retreat with activities also put on by the greater city of Dandenong the activities included nail/face painting, match the flag, prize wheel as well as a number of other games and crafts

At our Banksia campus The Spot became a flourish of colour as students showed their support for  LQBTQI community.

SRC ORGANISES DUO DAY

After many meetings and hard work organising activities, creating posters and decorations, cooking pancakes and selling cupcakes, on Weds 19th June the SRC ran Duo Day to raise money for Headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation.  We ran with the theme dress as a famous duo or just dress the same as your friends. Many students got involved and dressed and looked amazing.  Tug of war was a hit with students cheering for their favourite teams and there was definitely an awesome vibe around the school at lunchtime in preparation for the holidays.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE CENTRE

As I write this our English Language Centre students are taking their first mainstream classes. Six months from arrival to a new country they face another transition. Although you would expect they are seasoned at adapting by now, letting go of their ELC ‘comrades’ has been tough.

 In six months like other groups this group has formed a remarkable bond helping each other to learn in new ways and in a second language they had not heard in an Australian ‘accent’ until they arrived in Melbourne. They have made memories of a unique experience in the ELC centre with devoted teachers and a safe space to grow in their literacy skills in so many different subjects. The ELC teachers are to be commended every semester for getting a new group ready in less than six months to move into mainstream classes and do their best.

Kudos to the ELC Team: Ms K (ELC Manager), Mr J (Literacy), Mrs K (Maths), Ms T (Humanities), Mr Radcliffe and Ms V (Pathways), Mrs Cleary (Science), Ms Sullivan (Health) Mr Hern (PE)

LIBRARY NEWS

Reading Challenge

How are you going with your Reading Challenge? It is still not too late to get involved!!

All you need to do is read any 15 chapter books by the 1st of November, record and rate them. Graphic novels and manga don’t count.  Easy, right? 

You will be rewarded with a certificate, a goody bag, and be in the running to win great prizes! 

If you’re interested, go and visit your closest library staff member to join up. School holidays are coming up -what is nicer to do on a cold Winter’s day than curl up with a good book? Your friendly library staff can also recommend books for you to read. 

Enjoy this pic of Hay and Leang reading.

New stuff!

You may also have noticed some new furniture in some of the libraries. There is more to come! Once all the new furniture has arrived and is in place, we’ll do a big reveal. Stay tuned! 

Keep reading! 

INTERSCHOOL SPORT PROGRAM

The Victorian Inter-school sport program involves more than 260,000 students from 250 government schools trying out for the title of state champion in any one of 22 different sports. 

The last Banksia team to win a State Final was our 2015 Year 7 Girls Volleyball team.

Since then, we’ve had 19 teams make it to the State Finals in Badminton, Volleyball, Table Tennis and Football, with 5 teams finishing second and 4 teams finishing third. Last year, our Year 7 Boys Badminton team were the only team to make it to the State Finals. They drew their semi-final against Maribyrnong 3 games all, but lost on points 108-106.

This year, so far, Banksia has sent out 32 teams endeavouring to get to State finals. Of that, 13 teams have won our Dandenong and District and have thus, moved on to the regional finals. 

We had 3 Volleyball teams move on to the regional finals this term. Our Senior Boys Volleyball team won 1 game but didn’t reach the semi-final stage. Our Year 8 Girls Volleyball team won the regional finals and will now be going to the State Finals in November. Joining them at the State finals will be our Year 7 Girls Volleyball team, who also won their regional finals. Congratulations to the girls and also to their coaches, Revival from Year 12, Emily from Year 9 and Irene, Erica and Angie from Year 10. Incredible job everyone, and the best of luck in November!

10 other teams will be going to regional finals in Term 3. They are our:

• Year 7 Boys Tennis team
• Year 7 Boys and Girls Badminton teams
• Year 8 Boys and Girls Badminton teams
• Year 9+10 Boys and Girls Badminton teams
• Year 8 Girls Football team
• Year 9+10 Girls Netball team
• Year 9+10 Boys Netball team

We have also had success at the Dandenong & District Cross Country with two outstanding results. Elina Chhor got the bronze medal in the U13 Girls competition and Ousa Srengda got the bronze in the U15 Girls competition, just ahead of Emily Chhor in 4th, Anna Pham in 5th and Souy Ung in 6th, with the U15 Girls winning their age group for the school.

CDSVIC RECYCLE PROGRAM

Keysborough College is excited to announce that we are a donation partner with CDSvic and are taking part in the 10-cent refund scheme where eligible 10 cent containers are returned to deposit centres to be recycled. Keysborough College recently purchased 4 different coloured bins, one for each of the houses and modified them to be set up for the 10-cent collection scheme. 

With the help of the house captains and wood work department at both campuses, the bins were spray painted with advertisement logos for students to begin depositing their eligible 10 cent cans into. The competition was set and the house with the most eligible cans and containers at the end of the term would receive house points for their house. 

On Tuesday the 25th of June four Year 12 VCE-VM Jessica, Sarah, Carly & Harley accompanied Mr Wood to the local Return It! deposit centre in Keysborough to deposit and receive our first refund from the cans and containers collected from the Banksia campus. The four VCE-VM students interacted with the local community and staff and the deposit centre while scanning each can and container into the 10 cent refund kiosks. The staff at the deposit centre invited the four VCE-VM students behind the scenes of the kiosks to their sorting centre where students were informed of the different types of materials and the uses of each material once it leaves the centre. 

The four VCE-VM students are excited to report that we received $80 after Keysborough College’s first 10 cent refund deposit. This money will be donated back to the school as we are a community partner that anyone can donate their 10-cent refund money to by entering the code C2000016929. 

The money raised from this initiative will be used to fund future sustainability programs and event run by our students. The Keysborough College community is encouraged to continue to recycle their cans and 10 cent containers into the specific house bins rather than a general waste bin.