Altona North Campus News
As we close the 2025 academic year, we finish with our celebrations, from our End of Year Altona North Concert, the Year 9 Farewell and the Grade 6 Graduation. And finally with a little splash to celebrate with joy and other successful encounters.
End of Year Concert
Our music teacher, Ms Noordhoorn, has worked tirelessly throughout the year—both in classroom lessons and through lunchtime band and choir rehearsals—to help our students feel confident and well-prepared for our celebrations.
Grade 6 Graduation
On Thursday 4th December, our Grade 6 students graduated, marking an important transition from Primary to Secondary schooling. This was a formal occasion, featuring speeches and music and, importantly, the presence of our community. Hundreds of people came together to celebrate their children.
Jason Hutchison and the Grade 5–6 team—Darren Sutcliffe, Virginia Thompson and Louise Robertson—worked for weeks to ensure each student’s speech was carefully prepared. Every parent had the opportunity to hear their child speak, with 36 speeches delivered in total. The students were delighted to see their former classroom teachers in attendance—Christine Sun, Lorrine Cahill and Rowan Hill, with even Ian Murdoch joining the celebration. As did our wonderful ES, Kim Wood, Ritika Sharma and Tina Nardo.
Each student was given the opportunity to shine, reflecting on their primary school years and sharing their hopes for the future. Families watched with pride and wonder, perhaps reflecting on just how quickly their children had grown. Families travelled from across the state, the country, and even overseas to be part of the celebration, with Maximo acknowledging not only his immediate family and grandparents, but also his grandmother who travelled from overseas to attend.
Finally, Jason Hutchison organised a retrospective photo collage for each student.
Year 9 Farewell
On Wednesday 3rd December, we celebrated and farewelled our Year 9 students. The session was meticulously organised by Ms Gogos, Year Level Co-ordinator, in collaboration with the Year 9 students. Students were acknowledged through speeches of thanks and guidance, and they celebrated their journey through song and performance.
A highlight for the students was the videos they created about themselves and for each other, showcasing a group that is united and genuinely cares for one another.
We wish them every success as they transition to our Paisley Campus in 2026.
Finally, thank you to Ms Gogos and Ms Noordhoorn for the dedication and effort they have put into shaping such a cohesive and highly musical group.
Lifesaving Victoria Education
In November a group of our primary students attended an excursion to Altona Beach, where representatives from Lifesaving Victoria taught them valuable lessons about water safety. The students were highly engaged and appeared to have a wonderful time.
This program was so successful, in 2026 all our primary students will be involved in this program as part of our ‘swimming’ curriculum.
Kid’s Conference @ Melbourne University
Year 5/6 and Year 7 students from Bayside P–12 College proudly represented our school at the 13th Kids’ Conference hosted by Melbourne University.
The Year 5/6 team presented their journey in using 3D modelling and printing to design solutions to real-life problems they encounter in their daily lives, showcasing creativity and innovation.
The Kids’ Conference brings together primary and secondary students to share the innovative projects they have designed and developed, celebrating the idea that “kids teaching teachers” reminds us that we are all co-learners and that students have valuable knowledge to share.
Thank you to Mr Sutcliffe.
My Canvas, My Art
Celebrating our students’ achievements is central to helping them feel proud of their work, believe in their abilities, and continue to grow. Recently, a number of our students visited the Hobsons Bay City Civic Centre to admire their artwork showcased in the My Canvas, My Art exhibition. It was a wonderful opportunity for them to see their creativity recognised and celebrated within the community.
Once again, our SRC is making a meaningful difference in our community. Thank you to all our families for donating non-perishable goods to support the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre, an organisation that provides vital assistance to refugees in times of need and crisis.
Bee-Bot Design Challenge in Prep/One
In Prep/One, students have been busy working together this term on a Bee-Bot design challenge as part of our Design and Technologies learning.
Students began by exploring a range of Bee-Bot floor map designs using iPads. They talked about what they liked, recorded ideas in their inquiry books, and thought about how different layouts could help the Bee-Bot move and follow directions.
Working with a partner, students then planned and designed their own Bee-Bot floor maps. They shared ideas, made decisions together, and chose features to include in their designs.
Once their plans were complete, students transferred their designs onto a large gridded floor map and used Bee-Bots to practise programming using forward, backward, left, and right commands. They tested their designs and made changes where needed.
To finish, students reflected on what worked well and discussed how they could improve their designs or instructions next time. This learning experience supported problem-solving, teamwork, and early coding skills. They all did an amazing job!!
Thank you to all for all that you do to support our students. We look forward to seeing you in 2026.
Regards
Vicki Kfoutelaris
Campus Principal