Middle School

Middle School Newsletter – End of Term 2

As Term 2 draws to a close, it’s been another exciting and action-packed time in the Middle School. Our students have continued to show curiosity, maturity, and a willingness to challenge themselves as they take important steps toward their future pathways.

One of the highlights this term was Cluster Day for our Year 9 students, where the focus was on Youth Volunteering. Students were inspired by guest speakers from a range of local charities and community organisations who shared their stories and opportunities to get involved. It was a powerful reminder of the importance of giving back and how volunteering strengthens our community. The students left with a greater appreciation of how they can make a positive difference.

Another standout event was the Subject Expo, which was attended by both Year 9 and Year 10 students. This valuable opportunity allowed students to meet with teachers from every learning area, explore a wide variety of subjects, and gain a deeper understanding of what is required to be successful in each one. The expo has given students greater clarity as they begin to plan for their senior years and make informed choices about their academic futures.

For our Year 10 students, Term 2 also brought with it the experience of exams. It was wonderful to see how seriously the students approached this challenge. Exams are a vital step in preparing for the rigours of VCE, and our students rose to the occasion. Many made great use of the Middle School Study Centre, forming small study groups and supporting each other through the preparation process. It was heartening to see such collaboration and commitment.

We are also incredibly proud to share that 195 of our Year 10 students are currently out on work experience. The effort and resilience they showed in securing their placements has been inspiring. While many began the week feeling a little nervous and unsure of what to expect, early reports coming in tell us that students are growing in confidence, embracing the opportunity, and thoroughly enjoying the experience. We look forward to sharing more of their stories in our next newsletter.

We wish everyone a safe and restful break, and we look forward to an exciting Term 3 ahead.

- The Middle School Team

Year Italian 10 Day Out

On Thursday June 26th a small group of Year 10 Italian students were lucky enough to participate in VATI’s “Year Italian 10 Day Out” program.

Over 150 year 10 students of Italian from all over Victoria gathered at the National Gallery of Victoria where they had the opportunity to collaborate with peers from other schools and showcase their Italian language skills in a fun, competitive environment.

Students attended a variety of sessions ranging from Italian Art, Movies & Language.

Grazie also to Emmanuel for coming along.

- Luisa Allen

We are excited to share an article and short essay written by Year 9 student, Gavin, in this edition of our school newsletter. Gavin has written his pieces in traditional Chinese. These articles are published in both Chinese and English, ensuring that parents, Chinese-speaking students, and members of our wider community—whether they speak English or not—can enjoy and understand his work.  We are very proud of Gavin’s efforts and encourage everyone to read his work for inspiration. Great job, Gavin!

他像一顆流星，劃過我的校園時光

                                                                                        馮彥風

           CHAN 是一名來自韓國的留學生，在我們學校只待了短短十一個月，剛剛離開了。他身材高大，膚色黝黑，文質彬彬，是老師眼中的好學生，同學們眼中的好夥伴。

我第一次和他合作是一份英文作業。我和他並不熟識，所以一開始有點不情願。可是我們一起工作時我才發現他的優點。他不但聰明，還做事細緻。這次的作業，我們都拿到一個心滿意足的結果。這次後，我們成了無話不談的好朋友。

最難忘的是我們一起去KTV。 那時的他，搖身一變成了一個多才多藝的人。在五光十色的燈光照耀下，特別帥氣，猶如一個明星一樣亮眼。

        天下無不散的宴席。前幾天，他突然告訴我：「我要回韓國了。」我當時的心情猶如晴天霹靂。我看著他，不禁灑下男兒淚。但我也知道，人生本來就是人來人往。

CHAN 在我人生的列車上，只是暫時下了車，有可能在下一站他又會上車。所以，我現在也期待著再和他見面！

      CHAN, 感謝祢！

He Was Like a Shooting Star, Passing Through My School Days

By Feng Yanfeng（Gavin Feng）

CHAN was an international student from South Korea. He stayed at our school for only eleven short months and just left recently. He was tall, with tanned skin, gentle and refined—an excellent student in the eyes of our teachers, and a great friend in the eyes of us classmates.

The first time I worked with him was on an English assignment. Since I didn’t know him well at the time, I was a bit reluctant at first. But once we started working together, I discovered his strengths. He was not only smart, but also incredibly meticulous. We both achieved satisfying results with that assignment. After that, we became close friends who could talk about anything.

One of the most unforgettable moments was when we went to a karaoke bar together. There, he transformed into a multi-talented star. Under the dazzling lights, he looked especially cool—like a true celebrity.

All good things must come to an end. A few days ago, he suddenly told me, “I’m going back to Korea.” I felt as if a bolt of lightning had struck me out of a clear sky. Looking at him, I couldn’t hold back my tears. But I also understand that life is full of meetings and partings.

On the train of life, CHAN just got off temporarily. Maybe at the next station, he’ll get back on. So now, I look forward to meeting him again!

CHAN, thank you!