What's Been Happening!

MIDDLE SCHOOL HITS THE POOL

BY FRANCIS BEST (YEAR 7 TEAM LEADER) 

All of our Middle School students braved the exhausting 5-minute bus ride to Belgrave Pool last Thursday for the annual Middle School House Swimming Carnival.

The day started well before the bus ride, with students spending time in their House Groups in the morning showing off underwater-themed costumes and practicing house chants with their incredible House Captains. 

At the pool, more than half of the entire student cohort from Year 5 to Year 8 voluntarily entered a race and competed to win points for their house - in total around 140 students!

For the non-swimmers, relays, costume parades and cheering on their housemates was the main event, as well as some free time in the pool to cool off before packing up and heading back to school.

We were also fortunate to have spectators at the event, which I’m sure was a treat for the students and parents who soaked in the atmosphere of a real-life school event…with real people…and no mute buttons.

The results are in and… we will find out those results at our next Middle School Assembly (Thursday February 24), as well as our top swimmers in each year level who may get the chance to represent the school at the CSEN Swimming Championships in March.

A big thank you must go to all of the Middle School and Office staff who helped to get everyone entered, happy and prepared for a big day of racing in the week prior, as well as students in Year 12 and Year 10 who came to help with the smooth operations on the day.

And of course, a big shout out to the Middle School students who participated in the day, and made the day so special for all of the other students, teachers and spectators.

Next up - Senior School Swimming on Monday, 21st February at Belgrave Pool!

STRONG START IN VCAL

BY GLENN BOOTH ( VCAL TEACHER) 

This year we have had a strong start in 11 VCAL. We have already been involved in organising and running an activity day for Year 9 students and began working with the kinder students along with our other class activities. 

Students have enjoyed starting their VET studies and have shown some great passion in these areas as well as focusing on workplace safety, the power of story, employability skills, leadership and personal development skills. 

VCAL takes a more hands-on approach to ready students to enter the workforce with knowledge, skills and abilities that prepare them for a successful transition into the world of work.

For the Year 9 activity day, students in teams were to create or use an activity they had done previously that they could explain and run for a competition between house groups. We had an amazing time running these activities and it was a really fun day!

Some of these activities involved bright coloured powder, chocolate ice cream, water slides and sponges, the old classic kickball and a team game called mat ball which was a new game for me. 

Students reflected that their organisation skills, their confidence to speak in front of others and their leadership skills were all strengthened through these activities. 

Marunari house were victorious on the day so congratulations to the Year 9 Marunari students on their passion, involvement and determination.

THUMBS UP FOR THE BASS COAST

Year 11 VCE Outdoor & Environmental Studies students had fun with some hands-on study of the Bass Coast this week.

During their 2 day camp they explored coal mines and rock pools, searched for fossils, surfed and even crashed an unsuspecting couple's Valentine's beach date, Oops! It is wonderful to see our students able to enjoy camps as 2022 gets into gear.