Senior School 

 

Year 12

Our most senior students are now well into their Unit 4 studies during a busy time with assessments and the Year 12s are closer to the finish of their final year at Koonung! It's been pleasing to see the Senior Centre being used as a study space again (with hot drinks to survive this Melbourne winter weather). 

Recently, the students listened to the inspiring Ben Pettengill to cultivate a continued sense of purpose for the students approaching a challenging period. Ben endorsed making the most of each moment, controlling what can be controlled and having a vision that aligned with their own values. 

It is important to note that the Unit 3/4 Practice Exams will be taking place during the second week of the September holidays (beginning on the 29th) - further details will be provided early next term. 

As we approach the holidays, there are a number of university open days that will be taking place. These can be found here: https://vtac.edu.au/opendays

VCE Formal 

There has been a lot of excitement this week for the formal that will take place at Vogue Ballroom on Thursday 3 July from 6.30pm until 11. A big thank you to those on the formal committee who have assisted with the planning - we look forward to a fun evening! 

Year 10 and 11 Exams 

We do want to congratulate the students on how they conducted themselves during the exam period over two weeks. This is excellent practice for their final year in similar conditions and provides valuable feedback.  

Subject Selection 

At the beginning of Term 3, students will be making decisions about their subjects going into Year 11 and 12. It's important to take time to reflect on their strengths, passions and what aligns to future career aspirations. More information will be provided early next term and the subject handbook can be accessed here:

Furthermore, it has been exciting to hear the Year 10s embrace a week in the workforce for their work experience. A big thank you to the Careers team for their tireless work in supporting each student!

We encourage the students to end the term on a positive note and be organised with completing assigned holiday homework to have a successful second semester. Please reach out to the Senior School if you have any questions or require support for your child. 

We wish that all the senior students have a restful and enjoyable holiday!

Senior School team

• Chris McKay   christopher.mckay@education.vic.gov.au   – Head of Senior School 
• Allana Edgell   allana.edgell@education.vic.gov.au     – Senior School Administrator
• Alistair Tuffnell   alistair.tuffnell@education.vic.gov.au    – Year 10 Coordinator
• Nikita Natsis  nikita.natsis@education.vic.gov.au    – Year 11 Coordinator
• Glenda Hanslow  glenda.hanslow@education.vic.gov.au   – Year 12 Coordinator
• Mia Poulton  mia.poulton@education.vic.gov.au    - Senior School Assistant Coordinator
• Peter Scott   peter.scott@education.vic.gov.au  –   Senior School Assistant Coordinator 

Chris McKay

Head of Senior School

Student reflections from our first semester in the Vocational Major

We have had lots of hands-on learning and a mix of activities throughout semester one in Year 11 Vocational Major (VM). We’ve done a lot of different things across our subjects, and learned heaps about ourselves, school, and the real world.

Term 1

In Numeracy, we started the year learning about money. We did two big projects called My First Job and My First Car. We looked at real payslips (even some of our own), learnt about tax, different types of income, percentages, and rounding. Then we researched our dream first car - how much it would cost, what we’d need to keep paying for (like petrol and insurance), and how to pick a safe one.

In Personal Development Skills, we made our own superheroes. Each one was based on our best and worst emotions. It helped us think about how we feel and how to turn challenges into strengths.

Another big highlight was going to the Formula 1 Grand Prix. It was exciting to be there and watch all the action. While we were there, we walked around and interviewed a mix of people working at the event and asked them about their jobs and how they got there. One of our classmates, Hamish, felt really proud because he helped build one of the McLaren/Quad Lock containers that was actually used at the event for his work experience!

Term 2

This term, we’ve been working with Box Hill North Primary School. Every second week, we went there to teach Year 5/6 students fun maths games that we created. It felt great to help younger kids learn while practising our own leadership and developing our confidence. In the last week of term, they’re coming to visit us at Koonung. We’re planning some fun games and will give them a “frog in a pond” as a thank you.

In Work Related Skills, we worked on presentations about ourselves. We made PowerPoints with information like our hobbies, interests, and the TAFE courses we’re doing. We also added some fun facts and then shared them with the class. This helped us get better at speaking, using computers, and learning more about each other.

In Numeracy, we did a project called Eat for Health. We planned healthy meals, combined ingredients using fractions, and scaled recipes for different amounts. We even went to Coles to use our skills in comparing prices and finding the best deals to buy ingredients. The best part was cooking one of the meals in the Food Tech kitchen.

In Literacy, we studied a movie called Remember the Titans and talked about big themes like racism and including others. We also created our own businesses and job ads, which will be useful for our futures especially if we want to start our own business.

We also went bowling, which Ms Brugliera organised so we could have something fun to look forward to. It was a great way to bond with our class.

Nikita Natsis

Year 11 Coordinator | Maths and Japanese Teacher