College News, Sports & Events
Year 7 Immunisation Reminder - Consent Required
Dear Year 7 Students and families,
Students in Year 7 are offered free vaccines under the Secondary School Immunisation Program (SSIP) as part of the National Immunisation Program (NIP).
City of Greater Dandenong Immunisation team deliver the program to this school. Online consent given by a parent/guardian is required for students to receive their school immunisation. Please complete the consent form if you have not already done so.
If you have not already returned to the consent form please do so via the link or with the paper consent forms that have been sent home. Please return these consent forms to the school main office. More consent forms can be found at the main reception.
Please see below the Basic Consent form link:
Year 7 Immunisation Consent Form – Greater Dandenong
If you received a phone call from a member of the Healthcare center team this week we have not yet received your consent form.
The immunisations will occur on the following Dates: Acacia Campus 19/08/2026 Banksia Campus 11/08/2026 (next week).
Should you require assistance completing this form, please contact the Dandenong Immunistion office on 8571 1477.
On this day, students will receive two vaccines:
- Diphtheria–Tetanus–Whooping Cough booster (dTpa)
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV – GARDASIL®9)
These vaccines protect against serious illnesses such as:
- Diphtheria – causes breathing and heart problems.
- Tetanus – causes painful muscle spasms and can be life-threatening.
- Whooping Cough – causes severe, long-lasting coughing and breathing problems.
HPV– can cause cervical cancer, cancers of the throat and mouth, and other serious diseases.
Consent is required
Students cannot be vaccinated without parent/carer consent. Every student must have a completed form — either to consent or to decline the vaccines.
Further information about the vaccines provided in secondary school or the NIP, see Immunisation in secondary schools on the Better Health Channel website
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/immunisation-in-secondary-schools
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72dzucwg2v4
Translated resources in community languages
For translated resources, please visit the Department of Health website https://www.health.vic.gov.au/immunisation/secondary-school-immunisation-program
Enquiries: 03) 8571 1477
Emily Kate Daly
Health Service Manager
VCE Applied Computing Excursion
Our VCE Applied Computing and Software Development students across Acacia and Banksia visited RMIT University on Tuesday 14th of July, gaining a firsthand look at how classroom concepts translate into industry innovation.
The action-packed day began with an eye-opening pathways presentation. Students heard from current undergraduates, exploring how both direct school-leaver entry and TAFE pathways with credit recognition can lead to tertiary success.
Diving straight into hands-on activities, students teamed up for a high-energy Cubelet robotics challenge before stepping inside the incredible VX (Virtual Experience) Lab. Here, they explored immersive tech, including Meta Quest VR headsets, 3D interactive displays, and cutting-edge advanced robotics.
Following a campus tour and a lunch break at Melbourne Central, students shifted into creator mode for a Sustainable Tech Workshop. Combining physical engineering with software design, they built a Micro:bit-controlled robot and used a specialised Climate Action Kit to code a simulated technology response to a fire.
The excursion concluded with an inspiring Q&A panel featuring RMIT’s Women in STEM Ambassadors, followed by an invaluable wrap-up session mapping the day's experiences to the formal VCE problem-solving methodology.
Our students returned armed with fresh inspiration for their School-assessed Tasks (SATs)!
YEAR 12 Sociology Excursion
As part of their Community unit, our Year 12 Sociology students visited the Keysborough Country Fire Authority (CFA) to gain a firsthand understanding of the important role community organisations play in Australian society.
During the visit, students learnt about the vital work of CFA volunteers in responding to emergencies and supporting community safety. They explored how the CFA relies on community participation and volunteerism to build resilience and protect local communities. Students also had the opportunity to tour the station, view emergency response vehicles and equipment, and hear from volunteers about their experiences and commitment to serving the community.
The excursion provided valuable real-world examples, allowing students to examine the role of community organisations in addressing community needs. It was an engaging and insightful experience.
Ms Chieu and Ms Kean
Acacia Year 12 Psychology students visit the Monash Sleep Lab
Sleep has been our Unit 4 focus in Psychology this term. In class, we have been learning about how sleep is measured, the different stages of sleep, and sleep disorders, particularly those associated with shift work.
During our visit to the sleep laboratory, Shinjon and Melody volunteered to be our very sleep-deprived participants! They were connected to an EEG, EOG and EMG before taking a nap while the rest of us watched their brain and body activity change live on the monitors. The sleep scientists Josh and Seb explained what the changes in their recordings meant as they occurred. Luckily for us, both Shinjon and Melody were tired enough to enter N2 sleep, allowing us to observe how their brain wave patterns changed during this stage of sleep.
The sleep scientists told us that sleep apnoea is the most common sleep disorder. They also shared an interesting piece of history, people didn't always sleep in one long block. Before electric lighting became common, it was normal for many people to have a "first sleep" and a "second sleep," with a period of wakefulness in between during the night.
The excursion gave us the opportunity to visit a real sleep laboratory and meet sleep scientists whose work involves conducting research to better understand sleep and sleep disorders. A big thank you to Ms Komljenovic for getting us out of the classroom and giving us the chance to experience what happens inside a real sleep laboratory.
Community Bunnings BBQ, Keysborough Store
On Saturday August 1st a group of eager staff and students were part of a Bunnings Community BBQ to fundraise for the Australian School Volleyball Cup, 2026.
Keysborough College has nominated two Senior teams to compete in this National Sports event and the students have been busy helping with the fundraising efforts.
Thanks to all of the staff and students who came to the store on Saturday to say Hi, support the event and help out. Special thanks to Ms Keane who bought snacks and treats for the volleyball students helping out for the day. Also thanks to Mr Andy Rae & Mr Andy Ngyuen, Ms Wong and Ms Neave, your help and support was appreciated!
The event raised $2266 which will be used to help each of the students attending with their associated costs.
Thank you,
Mr Van - Coach & Mrs Riley - Team Manager
Youth Voice Forum
On Tuesday the 4th of August the SRC and Interact Club members went to the Springvale Community Hub to attend the Ggreater City of Dandenong Youth Voice and Democracy 101 Forum.
As we came to school early in the morning, we had time to prepare for the exciting day to come. We hopped onto the bus and went to the Springvale City Hall right next to the Springvale Library. We were welcomed by the members of the Young Leaders Program including two of our own Keysborough College Students Maahdan and Vanessa who are a part of the program, and had an opening speech from the young leaders and the Mayor Cr Sophie Tan. We were fortunate enough to have keynote speaker Martina Charonesak who is project lead at Victorian Youth Congress and someone who focuses on youth leadership and women's rights.
We then had an opportunity to participate in three different workshops. The first workshop was about democracy ambassadors delivered by the Victorian Electoral Commission, where we learned about the different levels of government leadership. The second workshop was called ‘Say it Loud’ by Youth Affair Council Victoria and this was about self-individual and social advocacy. The last workshop was called “The Ball is in Your Court” by the 2026 Young Leaders and we had to discuss problems and strategies that affect our local community. After this experience we learnt a lot about democracy and leadership skills that are important in our everyday lives as young people.
We would also like to thank the City of Greater Dandenong and the Young Leaders, as well as Mr Wood and Mr Masson for organising this wonderful event.
Tyson Lai- Banksia Year 7 Captain
Debating
Our senior teams (Year 9-12) have been busy competing in the Debating Association of Victoria’s competition – competing again schools in the local area. The senior competition runs from February to August each year and provides a fantastic supported environment for the students to develop their debating (and life!) skills. We are very proud of the students’ performance, not only in the debates themselves, but as wonderful representatives of our school. The students skills and confidence have grown immensely and we are looking forward to continuing to work with them in the competition next year.
Students in years 9-12 who are interested in debating for 2027 should look out for advertising on compass in term 4 or can contact the campus debate team leaders for more information.
Junior students in years 7&8 are about to undergo a 4 night training/debate workshop which runs once a month from Thursday 13/8 – Thursday 5/11 at Avila College, Mt Waverley. There are still a couple of spots available at each campus – if interested, contact your campus debate team leader as soon as possible.
Apart from the cost of own transport to and from venues, involvement in both the junior and senior debate competitions are funded by the school at no cost to parents/families - so why not give debating a go!
Pamela Stokes (Debate team leader – Banksia Campus)
Angela Joseph (Debate team leader – Acacia Campus)
Here's what our students are saying about it!
B Grade: Astrid Nguon, Ryan Watson, Zion Rebello
C Grade: Magdalini Fytopoulos, William Santos, Kiara Tormey (not pictured)
“Being in debate has given me the opportunity to socialise and meet new people while practicing my public speaking skills.” (Yr10 Magdalini – Banksia Campus)
“Debate has allowed me to improve my confidence while also giving me a chance to spend time with my friends.” (Yr10 William – Banksia Campus)
B Grade: Rotanak Srun, Ryan Watson, Zion Rebello
“I chose to do debating cause I really wanted to have a good extracurricular activity for my resume and as a result of it, I learned various skills relating to teamwork, critical thinking and working under pressure, as all three are needed to succeed in the debate night, and the skills I learned can be used in everyday life too. Overall, debating is a good experience to try out and you are able to learn skills that is applicable to everyday life.” (Yr11 Rotanak – Banksia Campus)
C Grade: Madison Oates, Menara Haupe Gamage, Maika Tran, Lincy Dua
“This year we all joined the debate team to try out skills in negotiating, develop our public speaking skills and advance in our critical and analytical thinking skills. It's really fun and an interactive experience where we get to debate topics present in the current media, while exchanging ideas and learning information about topics that interest us. We would highly recommend joining the debate team! “
– Acacia C Grade Team
'Debate is a great experience where we got to make new friends and muck around! Its not even about the losses, what school we verse, or the scores we got - okay maybe it is- but what is more valuable is the lifetime experience, connections and fun we got out of it!'
(Year 10 - Menara Acacia campus)
A Grade: Sophia Teng, Maika Tran, Royce Hina
Sophia, Miss Joseph, Menara, Maika and Madison
“In debating, it’s ok if you don’t know what you’re doing, as long as you can convince other people you do.”
(Year 11 Sophia – Acacia Campus)
Learning to Record & Manage Business Inventory in Accounting
THE SMARTIE ACTIVITY
During Unit 2 Accounting, students are learning how to account for transactions for a ‘trading’ business. This involves learning how to process the transactions through the accounting records, prepare accounting reports and analyse business performance.
To help consolidate and enhance students understanding of this process, both year 11 Acacia and Banksia Accounting classes recently completed ‘The Smartie Activity’. Students enjoyed this hands on activity, although some businesses strangely suffered often substantial ‘inventory losses’ over the course of the activity…
“We found the Smartie activity to be an engaging and practical way to apply what we had learnt about inventory management. Working through purchases, sales, FIFO and stocktakes together helped us better understand how accurate inventory records influence financial reports and business decision-making.” (Norman – Yr11 Accounting, Acacia Campus)
Banksia Wellbeing
Our Banksia students recently enjoyed their excursion to Horses for Causes as part of the Rite Mentoring program. Throughout the day, students participated in equine-assisted activities, learning how to safely interact with and lead the horses while developing confidence, communication, emotional regulation, and teamwork skills. It was a fantastic experience that encouraged students to step outside their comfort zones, build positive connections, and strengthen their overall wellbeing in a calm and supportive environment.
Year 12 Formal
On the 24th of July, the Year 12s from both the Acacia and Banksia campuses came together to celebrate our year 12 formal. That evening was most definitely a night to remember for our cohort, because it was dedicated to being able to celebrate our mid-year accomplishments together with our friends and peers. There were so many memorable moments that we had together, that many students were left unable to decide which highlight stuck out the most.
Many students loved the decorations and activities, and most tables were torn apart between attending the Photo Booth and letting loose on the dance floor! We had a few “professional dancers” on the stage, these were the type of people to get the crowd hyped up and full of energy throughout the night… Even though we had a few mishaps with people going on each others shoulders from overexcitement.
Several teachers have made comments about this year’s cohort being the most “energetic and lively” in comparison to prior years, and to this day, students are still suffering through an extremely persistent sense of FOMO as a result of the fun that we had that evening. We had a voting system that allowed students to vote for titles such as the “Social Butterfly” and the “Golden Retriever”, but the ones we all looked forward to the most was our campus formal “King and Queen.” We hereby congratulate the students who received the awards, and we all are proud of you! Formal is just one of the key highlights that the Year 12’s will never forget and so many more events and celebrations that we all look forward to!
Formal Committee
Year 11 Deakin Uni Excursion
On the 6th of August, Year 11 students had the opportunity to travel to Deakin University in Burwood, where they were taken on a tour around the campus and shown all the different facilities and places on campus.
As each group of students were toured around they got to see the nursing building, modelled to be akin to a regular hospital or clinic, with realistic practice dolls, the law building where students were shown a mock court room similar to one that would be used for real cases, and the science building with a robotics room and labs full of various equipment that are used for the multiple experiments taking place. As the top University globally for sports science, students were also shown the gyms and the multiple large recreational rooms used for lectures and classes.
The Year 11 students found the experience to be interesting and motivational, hearing from the speakers during the presentation. We got to ask students from Deakin about anything we had to ask whether it was something random or something about university life. We found it fun to walk around the campus and experience the different buildings on campus.
Library News
We are half way through the year, which means it’s CBCA time in our Libraries!!! Every year our Libraries celebrate the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) awards. New books, new Authors, and new Illustrators are voted for, to win in different categories… we focus mainly on Young Reader, Older Read and the Eve Pownall awards, but there are also other awards. Book week runs this year from August 22nd til August 28th, but jump online to check out all the winners on August 21st! Our Libraries will be running fun games and quizzes during this week (and some games before) for students to win tickets to go into our lucky draw to win some fantastic prizes. We also have a special bonus prize that our Literacy department have kindly donated. Who will win, Colouring, Which teacher likes what Musical, Audio/Visual quizzes, Escape room, seek and Find, and many more games for everyone to enter! So come into the Libraries this month and give it a go… You might win after all!!
Don’t forget to check out our New Books stands too. We have so many new books coming through the Libraries at the moment! We are still getting our regular book orders, ordering book requests and we also have so many more books that were donated by Dymocks books and Rotary.
Remember, our Libraries are a safe place for all students to come and enjoy before school, recess, lunch and after school. If you have a request for a new book or an activity that we can run in the Libraries during breaks, just speak to Ms Talbot (J) and Ms Kirby (S) at Banksia OR Ms Pascoe (J) and Ms Sansom (S) at Acacia!
Finally, do you have something to say and want your voice heard? Why not join the team at the Hear Ye Newspaper at Banksia Junior Library! Ms Talbot is always looking for fresh writers to write or draw the next big news item!
Interschool Table Tennis
On Tuesday August 11 a team of 5 very enthusiastic Year 7 boys participated in the Greater Dandenong Division Interschool Table Tennis Competition.
They played both singles and doubles matches and represented the school with competitive spirit and sportsmanship. They played against Lyndale (eventual winners), Keysborough Banksia and Carwatha.
The results during the day were mixed but they finished with a great outcome with all of the boys winning both their singles and doubles games.
A great experience and well done to Liam Perry, Logan Donnelly, Damien Ung, Mason Poh and Hirun Kolonna Appuhamilage.
Mrs Riley