Middle School Report

Message from the 

Director of  Learning - Middle School

Ms Michelle Collins

Wow, I can’t believe how fast this year is racing by! We have had another busy term here in the Middle School and I think we have all earned a well-deserved rest over this upcoming holiday break!

I would like to extend a big thank you and congratulations to the Middle School students this term for showing up every day with a ready to learn attitude and putting their best foot forward. We expect this dedication and commitment to your learning will be reflected in your progress reports which will be released to families next week.

I would also like to thank the staff, students, parents, and guardians who attended course selection meetings in preparation for 2024. We appreciate and thank you for your active involvement in your child’s education. 

A reminder that next term students will be expected to wear their summer uniform. If you have any trouble sourcing correct uniform, please contact your child’s Year Level Coordinator. We understand that cost of living pressures are impacting our community and if you do require any extra support, please reach out to us or any of the services listed below.

Finally, we would love to see you all at our Parent/Teacher conferences next week. At Westall, we strongly believe that collaboration between parents, guardians, teachers, and students is essential to ensure a well-rounded and successful educational experience and we are eager to discuss your child’s performance, so we hope to see you there!

Stay safe and have a wonderful break everyone!

Ms Michelle Collins

Director of Learning, Middle School 

Year 10 Wellbeing Day

On Friday 1st September, we held a Wellbeing Day for our Year 10 students. Students participated in workshops designed to improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Students learned about making healthy nutritional choices before putting their learning into practice by jumping on the blender bike to mix their own smoothies. 

WSC Therapy Dog, Paisley, was on hand to help us learn about the wellbeing benefits of animals and we also had a visit from a farmyard petting zoo. A big thank you to the staff who assisted in putting workshops together and running the day. We hope the students finished the day with a range of strategies to implement into their daily lives.

Virtual School Victoria (VSV) Webinar

Is your child enrolling in a VCE or VM subject in 2024? 

VSV are hosting an information session for prospective students on Tuesday 12th September at 7:00pm. The aim of the webinar is to give you a greater understanding of what it means to undertake the study of a Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) or Vocational Major (VM) subject through VSV. It will also include a Q&A session where you and your parent/carer will be able to ask any questions you may have regarding our school.

We will discuss:

•           The skills and qualities required by students to succeed at VSV

•           The support your home school can provide with your schooling

•           How your VSV subject teacher will support your virtual learning

This is an online only event and will be recorded for students and parents/carers who can’t attend.

Please contact the Middle School Office for the link to attend this webinar.

Meet the Teachers

As the weather starts to improve and we reflect on our year so far, we asked our Middle School teachers – ‘'Spring brings new beginnings. What new things would you like to try this year?

’Mr Goulimis - I would like to try a new food or learn a new skill like cooking a new dish.

Miss Tomkins - I got roller skates last Christmas and I've only tried them once. Maybe next holidays!

Miss Bao - As it's getting warmer now, the new things I'd like to try is learning how to swim!

Ms Collins - I am learning to speak Spanish so my message to everyone is '¡Disfruta de tus vacaciones' (enjoy your holiday break!)

Year 10 Maths Games Day

In the recent Annual Maths Games Day hosted by Trinity Grammar School on August 30th, 2023, our talented Year 10 students from Westall Secondary College achieved remarkable success. Out of 58 competing teams, one of our teams secured an impressive 11th place, reflecting their dedication and mathematical ability. During the event, our students not only excelled but also had a blast solving complex math problems and participating in engaging math games. Beyond the accolades, such experiences nurture a passion for math, enhance problem-solving skills, and prepare students for future challenges. We are incredibly proud of our students and encourage them to continue exploring the world of mathematics with enthusiasm and curiosity. Congratulations to our talented team!

Ms Jessie Li

Mathematics Teacher

Year 9 Global Literacy – Term 3

During Term 3, the Year 9 students completed a unit of work called ‘Justice and the Law’ in Global Literacy.  Students learnt about the features of the legal system such as the court hierarchy, the difference between criminal and civil law and the role of different people in the court (e.g. prosecutor, defence counsel, jury and the judge).  

The Common Assessment Task (CAT) for the term was a mock trial.  Each Global Literacy class ran a mock trial where students were assigned roles, given a script and some props and costumes.  Students spent a few lessons preparing for the mock trial by rehearsing their lines and completing research.  The mock trial was an immersive and practical way to learn about the legal system and to see how a trial operates.  The jury listened to the testimony from the witnesses and then deliberated on the guilt of the accused.

Observations from some of the students:

“I enjoyed it a lot and it was fun.  I enjoyed cooperating with my classmates and learnt about the court system.” Alex L.A. 9A

Image 1 – Don Joaquin Espino (9A) as a witness (Sergeant Jay Dibble).  He is holding a piece of evidence.

Mr Brendan Smith

English Teacher 

Year 9 English – Term 3

During Term 3, the Year 9 students studied the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ by William Shakespeare.  

The students looked at Elizabethan England and the language used by Shakespeare.  The classes read the play and students took on roles and read aloud to their classmates with expression and tone. 

The students were privileged to see a short performance of the play by the Flying Bookworm Theatre Company on Thursday 17th August.  They performed key scenes from the play and explained some of the important plot developments, themes and characterisation.

A big thank-you to Mr. Tarwala for organising this activity.  

“It was a fun and exciting play.  The actors were excellent and they made everyone laugh. They taught us about the language and William Shakespeare.”  Ishi G. 9A 

“The performance was very good as it helped my understanding of the play.”  Emily 9C

Mr Brendan Smith

English Teacher

Women in STEM Excursion

On Wednesday 6th of September, Ecolinc hosted a women in STEM conference for 8 Year 9/10 female students at the Science Gallery. The students got to participant in the dark matter gallery as well as the future food workshop. We had to think about how to incorporate insects in food and made waffles with cricket powder. The students “speed dated” who they wanted to meet out of 25 STEM professional who are women! 

Ms Loan Luong

STEM Teacher

Year 9/10 Maths and Numeracy Extension class

In the Year 9/10 Maths and Numeracy Extension class incursion the students had the delightful opportunity to explore the topic of topology. Students were tasked with solving a simple problem that quickly developed into a complicated geometric dilemma. From basic circuitry simulation to the torus and Möbius loop, the class was left with a stronger inkling of what topology is and how it can shape our world, and maybe the universe…

Ms Loan Luong Nguyen

STEM teacher