From the Principal Team
I am so very grateful to you, our GEC community, for your care and support of each other, our students and our staff. A feature of a strong community is when they reach out to each during times of adversity and our community consistently demonstrates this.
Congratulations to Felix Dressel-de Bruyn
Felix competed in the Swimming Victorian Age Championships held at MSAC over three days. Felix swam many individual heats and relays.
In total about 22 swims. 9 individual swims plus finals for these and some relays.
For every final he qualified for he placed top 3 in the state. He achieved 9 medals in total. He is off to Sydney next week as Felix qualified for the Australian SC championships.
Felix is working towards competing at the World Championship qualifying meet at the beginning of next year. Congratulations to Felix, we are all very proud of you.
Capital Works
It has now been determined that a new facility will be built on a portion of the tennis courts adjacent to the gym. This facility will contain classrooms. The Learning Centre, located nearby, will be renovated and have 5 classrooms. Together these buildings will constitute a Year 9 and 10 Learning Hub.
Later this week the architects will run focus groups with staff and students as they begin to develop the plans.
Maintenance Works
There is a lot of work going on around the college and further works over the break.
The brick work and steel works to the Performing Arts Centre has been repaired and painted, The Learning Centre has been painted and work continues to replace all of the down pipes and surrounds along the rear of the main building.
Furthermore, we are relocating the Junior School Office to be opposite a breakout space, increasing the size of classroom 105 and removing the tiers in two now redundant computer rooms. Painting works to the laundry and old computer pods will occur in the holidays.
In mid November you will see improvements to signage around the college - external and internal.
Finally
I will be attending our inaugural STEM trip to Orlando, U.S.A, with Penny Marks and Ounsane Siriamphone leaving tomorrow. In my absence, Nick Hamer-Smith will be Acting Principal.
Thank you to everyone who attended the Trivia Night - a huge effort to bring this together. Thank you to Susannah Farfour, Paul McNeill, Nicole Sternbergs, Cathy McNaughton, Angie Shugg and Emmanuelle Missios.
If you have any wonderings, concerns or feedback, please do not hesitate to call me at the school to talk or arrange a time to meet.
Wishing our GEC community all the very best for the break. Stay safe and warm.
Sheereen Kindler
Principal
School for Student Leadership
I am pleased to announce that six positions (three boys, three girls) have been secured at the School for Student Leadership for Term 1 2024.
The School for Student Leadership is a Victorian Department of Education initiative offering a unique residential education experience for year nine students.
This opportunity exists in addition to the Year 9 Camp.
The School for Student Leadership offers a fully residential program for one school term with accommodation for up to 45 students in a purpose-built facility. During their nine week stay, students will live and work in a very close environment with their peers. There are challenges and lessons on human relationships that will arise from this lifestyle. Great friendships are made, tolerance is learned and teamwork and leadership is created.
The unique program at the School for Student Leadership focuses on engaging students in activities which allow them to explore and learn about the local environment and cultures; both indigenous and non-indigenous. Gaining a sense of belonging in local places through knowledge and experience is a key learning outcome. Students have spent a significant amount of time learning to survive and thrive in the alpine environment.
Interested Year 8 (2023) students will be asked to complete a written application, participate in a group task and speak with an interview panel early in Term 4.
Aaron Petersen
Assistant Principal