Senior School News

From the Head of Character and Culture

It has been wonderful to welcome students back for Term 3 and hear about the many different ways they spent their winter break. While some families took the opportunity to travel and enjoy a change of scenery, others embraced a quieter holiday period to rest and recharge. Whatever the destination, it has been pleasing to see students return energised and ready for what promises to be a busy and rewarding Term.

As Term 3 gathers momentum, there are already a number of significant events shaping both the remainder of this year and preparations for 2027. This week’s VCE Information Evening marked an important step for our Year 10 students as they begin thinking about future study pathways and subject choices. Over the coming weeks, families are also encouraged to engage with several key opportunities, including the Year 10 2027 Information Evening on Monday 27 July and Parent-Teacher Conferences on Tuesday 4 and Wednesday 5 August. These events provide valuable opportunities for students, parents and teachers to work together in supporting student success.

Looking ahead to 2027, we also encourage current Year 10 and Year 11 students to begin considering opportunities for student leadership. House Captain and Prefect nominations will open later this Term, and we look forward to seeing students step forward to contribute positively to the school community through these important leadership roles.

VCE Information Evening

On Monday evening, we were delighted to host our VCE Information Evening for Year 10 students and their families. The event commenced with a subject expo, where students had the chance to speak directly with teachers about VCE subjects, future pathways and areas of personal interest. These conversations are an invaluable part of the subject selection process, helping students make informed decisions about their senior studies.

A highlight of the evening was hearing from current Year 12 students, who shared their experiences and practical strategies for navigating the challenges and opportunities of VCE. Their advice offered valuable insight for students preparing to embark on their senior secondary journey. Families also learned more about the range of academic and wellbeing support available, including our weekly Motivate Program and other initiatives designed to help students achieve their best throughout their VCE years.

We thank all students, parents and staff who attended and contributed to the success of the evening, and we look forward to supporting our students as they plan for the next stage of their educational journey.

Mr Marcus Smalley

Head of Character and Culture 

Mathematics update

Term 3 has begun with plenty of excitement in the Mathematics Learning Area, with a range of enriching opportunities available to students in the weeks ahead.

Australian Mathematics Competition

Registration is now open for the Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC), with students in Years 7–12 invited to participate.

The AMC is one of Australia's largest and most respected mathematics competitions, providing students with the opportunity to challenge their mathematical thinking and problem-solving skills alongside participants from across Australia and around the world.

Students wishing to enter can complete the AMC Entry Form in Astra News. Registrations close on Wednesday 29 July, and the cost is $9.30 per student.

Programming Club

Year 11 student, Lucy O’Shea, has launched a Programming Club, which meets Thursday lunchtimes and is currently welcoming new members. The club is preparing to enter the Australian Informatics Olympiad (AIIO) competition in September. If your child has an interest in programming and problem-solving and would like to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity, please ask them to email Lucy O’Shea.

Maths Help

A reminder that Maths Help continues every Monday and Wednesday from 3:30 pm to 4:30 pm in Rooms N15 and N17. Attendance is optional, with students welcome to stay for all or part of a session. Maths Help provides an excellent opportunity for students to seek assistance with challenging concepts, revise for assessments, complete homework, or strengthen their understanding with the support of Mathematics staff.

We look forward to seeing many students take advantage of these opportunities throughout the term.

Ms Emily Ryan

Head of Mathematics

Year 8 Japanese Immersion Cooking

どらやき　を　つくりました！

In Japanese immersion we all made Dorayaki, a fluffy Japanese pancake put together with sweet red bean paste, for the first time. It was a great experience to make it with my fellow classmates as we all had so much fun. We first gathered all the ingredients to make the pancake such as: Brown sugar, Flour, an Egg, Water, Mirin, Honey and baking powder. These all were mixed together into a tasty batter that was golden in colour. Theo and I then poured the batter slowly onto the pan making perfect circular pancakes that then puffed up till they were nice and tall. It was very difficult to flip them, and some other groups scrambled their pancakes in an attempt to flip them. Luckily for me, I had Theo in my group who is a master at flipping the pancakes, so we were able to make them perfectly. It was quite challenging but overall, it was a great thing to make. After we made all of our pancakes we sandwiched red bean in the middle and ate them.

Max Manderson (8 Millward)

どらやき を つくりました

Today in Japanese Immersion we made dorayaki, a sweet Japanese fluffy pancake put together with red bean paste. We measured our ingredients and got to work. The ingredients were: 

•  1 large egg 
•  ¼ cup (50 g) sugar 
•  1 tbsp honey
•   80 g plain flour 
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder 
• 2 tbsp water

Instructions:

1. Crack an egg in a bowl
2. Whisk the egg until fluffy
3. Add all ingredients in this order: sugar and flour then all the other ingredients.
4. Cook until golden brown
5. Add red bean paste to the pancake on the bottom and add the other pancake on the top

6. Enjoy!!!

    

Hamish Knott (8 Millward)

Ms Kanae Kerr

Senior School Teacher of Japanese

Year 9 Outdoor Ed – Tree Planting Excursion

Our Year 9 Outdoor Education students visited Honeyeater Bushland Reserve for a tree planting excursion alongside volunteers from the Junortoun Community Action Group.

Working together, students planted 152 native trees and shrubs including iconic Box and Ironbark eucalyptus species. These will help restore local habitat to Bendigo’s unique wildlife.

The session gave students the opportunity to contribute to a project much bigger than themselves and to leave a lasting positive impact on their local environment – one they can return to and watch grow for years to come.

The Junortoun Community Action Group volunteers were incredibly impressed by the students’ enthusiasm, teamwork, strong work ethic and excellent tree planting skills! It was a fantastic session of community connection, environmental stewardship and hands-on learning, and I am very proud of the way Year 9 students represented the school.

Mrs Lucy Wharfe

Senior School Teacher of Physical Education

Millward House Push-Up Challenge

Congratulations to the Millward House students who participated in this year's Push-Up Challenge in support of Lifeline Loddon Mallee.Prefects Ethan Fletcher (12 Millward) and William Slow (12 Millward) led the challenge this year.

Together, participants completed an incredible 72,727 push-ups and raised $3,440. Their efforts will help Lifeline continue providing crisis support, counselling, volunteer training and community programs across the Loddon Mallee region.

A special congratulations to Ethan Schoder, who was recognised as the third highest fundraiser for Lifeline Loddon Mallee.

Thank you to everyone who took part and helped make such a positive impact. Your commitment to supporting positive mental health and making a difference in our community is greatly appreciated.

Mrs Mo Watanabe

Head of House - Millward