Japanese Speech Competition

On Friday 6 September, three Year 7 students participated in the Japanese Speech Contest organized by the Frankston Susono Friendship Association. The students introduced themselves in Japanese and recited a portion of the Japanese folktale “Omusubi Kororin.” The judging criteria included accurate pronunciation, clear and fluent delivery, and appropriate eye contact. The students rehearsed diligently over the past month to build their confidence.

The results were impressive; all three students successfully delivered every part of the presentation in front of the audience and judges. Congratulations, or おめでとうございます, to all participants who embraced this challenge! This experience not only enhanced their language skills but also boosted their confidence in public speaking. Special commendations to Lucas Pham and Annabelle Eimermacher, who secured 1st and 2nd positions in the Junior Secondary Division, respectively. The trophy for Lucas will be delivered to our school once the engraving of his name is completed and will be displayed until next year. A special thank you to the parents who escorted the students to the venue and provided support throughout the event.

Ms Yukari Nibun

Japanese Language Teacher

Health & Physical Education Week

Monday 2 September marked the beginning of HPE Week for 2024. The theme for this year was Good for Children, Good for Schools and Good for Communities.

We began with offering free fruit to students on Monday, with special thanks to Ms Kate Goodwin for arranging the fruit supply.

Tuesday saw the qualifying matches for the 3 v 3 Basketball Comp which, over the following two days, culminated with finals.

The winners were:

Junior Boys: The Sigmas (Mejwok Mel, Liam Farrier, Nicholas Fournarakis, Jai Gunasekera)

Intermediate Boys: Ankle Breakers (Jamil Kurdy, Nathan Du, George Kurdy, Tim Kindler)

Senior Boys: MAC Attack (Rayan Imad, Fayez Sayegh, Shaun Thomas, Nicholas Dorozhkin)

Special mention to Ms Olivia Giblin for her organising of this competition.

Wednesday saw the students try their hand at the Rock-Climbing Tower and race each other through the inflatable obstacle course THE WILD ONE located in the GYM.

Finally on Friday we had the STAFF Vs Year 12 DODGEBALL and for the second year in a row it was a STAFF clean sweep of three wins to zero. The Staff took on the best of the Year 12 cohort, some would say the most athletically gifted for some time, with Krystelle Vougas the Year 12 MVP by far. For the staff there was an even spread of contributors from across many faculties, working seamlessly with great teamwork, strategy and focus. I was unable to play this year due to a shoulder injury, (some could argue because I carried the staff to victory last year), but that aside, it allowed me to appreciate the sheer brilliance and skill of my colleagues. So the challenge is for the Year 11s to start preparing now for next year…

A daily quiz was also run during the week with multiple winners rewarded. Thanks to Mr Chuck Chan for organising this. I offer a big thank you to all the HPE staff for their efforts and the extra time they gave to run the events and supervise.

Year 8 Surf Excursion

We had our first two Year 8 Surfing excursions on Tuesday 10 and Wednesday 11 September. In beautiful conditions on both days, over 70 students from classes 8A, 8B, 8C and 8D had a 2-hour surfing lesson at Smith’s Beach run by Island Surf surfing School.

Lots of first timers got to learn about Beach Safety especially how the waves and rips work together at a Surf Beach and that surfing is a lot of fun. We had several students stand up on a board for the first time and many others catch waves right into the shore. Mr Brendan Newcomb and Ms Emily Bryon also got in the water, had a surf, and helped students.

Those who came but were unable to surf this time, were shown how the experienced surfers use the rips to take them to the back of the waves and the different geography of the beach. In Australia it is so important that everyone, but especially young people, know the risks and dangers but also where and how to have a good time at the beach.

A big thank you to the staff who attended and help me out on the day; Ms Romy Bilu, Mrs Linda Smith, Ms Emily Bryon, Miss Olivia Giblin and Mr Brendan Newcomb. Also, a big shout out to the team at Island Surf who were awesome.

The next two excursions are on Thursday 14 (8E & 8F) and Friday 15 (8G + extras) November. Students who missed their classes excursion will have the opportunity to join the Friday 15 November excursion. Information regarding those two excursions will be distributed next term.

Mr Andy Moore

Instructional Leader Health & PE

Baby Infant Care Program

In August Nazareth College was fortunate to have the Red Ginger Virtual Infant simulator: Basic Infant Care Program. The program allowed our VCE Unit 2 Health and Human Development students to experience the many responsibilities required of a caregiver of a new infant. We hired FIVE babies for students to care for on rotation. The students were required to look after their baby all day and all night! These “Virtual babies” were the same size and weight of a newborn baby. The program was integral to Area Of Study One in Unit 2 in Health and Human Development where the students researched Developmental Transitions. The data they collected from the internal software informed their research and the SAC for this unit.

Students quickly discovered the needs of infants, that is, to be fed, burped, rocked, and have their nappies changed. Baby also cried if it was roughly handled, held in a position it did not like, or if the head was not properly supported. Students were required to care for their baby for an entire 24 hour period, this included in each of their classes, on public transport and to various after school activities. Overall, the students gained a very clear insight into the difficulties of infancy and were able to clearly report on the struggles many parents have. Feedback from the Health class was that it was fun, cute and exhausting!

Ms Gabby Spano

HHD Teacher

During Term 3 of this year, I had the great privilege to participate in the ‘Baby Think It Over’ program through the Unit ½ Health and Human Development Class. Reflecting on the assignment of looking after the mechanical baby named Jasmine, I found it to be a valuable and eye-opening experience. The task required me to care for the baby as if it were a real infant, which involved feeding, changing, burping, and comforting it at various times throughout the day and various times during night. This program gave me a hands-on understanding of the responsibilities that come with parenting, including the need for constant attention and the ability to respond to the baby's needs, even when it was inconvenient, such as cooking dinner for my family, bringing the baby to my basketball final, and even to a birthday party. Through this experience, I gained insight into the emotional and physical demands of caring for a newborn, as well as the importance of patience and consistency in providing care for the baby. It also helped me appreciate the challenges that my own parents and new parents face, especially in managing their time and balancing other life responsibilities. By engaging in this program, I am very appreciative of the opportunity I had to be able to learn more about the realities of parenting and the roles that support systems play in ensuring the well-being of both the baby and the parents.

Sienna Orlando

Year 11 MA1

During Term 3 of 2024, I had the wonderful privilege of taking care of baby Harry as a part of the ‘Baby think It Over’ program. In the week leading up to this experience, our Year 11 Health and Human Development class was overly filled with excitement, and I was eager to participate in the program. The task required me to care for the baby as if it were a real infant, which involved feeding, changing, and comforting it numerous amounts of times throughout the day and night. Although I did not particularly enjoy being woken up multiple times during the night, specifically at 2am when Harry required a 45-minute feed, I can confidently say that I loved taking care of the baby as if it were my own. Looking back on my experience, I gained insight into the physical and emotional demands of caring for a newborn, as well as the importance of having patience and perseverance. From this experience, I learnt just how much responsibility and determination a parent must have in order to adequately care for their child, as well the thought and consideration that must take place before deciding to become a parent.

Gabriella Bugeja

Year 11 KN4

Year 10 Social

Our Year 10 students put on their dancing shoes and their best threads to attend the Year 12 Social, held on Friday 13 September in the Ngargee Room. Mr Jason Robert played the tunes while Ms Kate Goodwin organised the snacks. Thank you to Mr Christopher Brown who coordinated the evening.

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