Year 9 News

As we move into the final weeks of the school year, we have several key dates and important events coming up. The Year 9 students will soon start discussing pathway opportunities for Year 10, to support their learning goals and career ambitions. This is a great chance to start talking at home about what your student wants their future to look like. We understand that young people don’t always know what they want their future careers to look like but parent involvement in careers conversations is considered one of the most important contributors to motivation, retention and career outcomes. 

Your Year 9 Team 

Ross Johnson: Year 9 Team Leader

Denise Cairnduff: Disability Inclusion Specialist

Shawn Jordan: Art Teacher

Tyron Forscutt: Health & Physical Education Teacher

Shannon Heiberg: Math & Science Teacher 

Nia Whitney: Humanities Teacher

Emma Hudson: Advocate & Drama Teacher

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS)

We will continue to acknowledge and reward students for their positive behaviours and will no doubt flood your phones with Kurnai Positive Acknowledgements (KPAs). On that note, it has been fantastic to see students settle back into the Kurnai Learning Community and being acknowledged with KPAs for their positive behaviours in the classroom. 

KPA Data Term 4 Weeks 1-2

9A - 284

9B - 175

9C - 194

9D - 159

Top 10 KPA receivers for Term 3 Week 1-8

Attendance

This year our aim is to improve student attendance rates to an above 95% average. If you student is absent, please contact Kurnai’s absence hotline on 5132 3711, or contact Ross Johnson directly via Compass. 

Attendance Average per Form Group

9A - 84%

9B - 72%

9C - 73%

9D – 79%

Learning Behaviour Updates

LBU’s will be released in week 5 of this term. I encourage you to sit down with your child and review their progress and continue to set goals to help them achieve their own academic success. 

Year 10 VCE Subject Selection & Year 10 Pathways Program

On Wednesday 25th October staff from the university campus will be attending the junior campuses to discuss the possibility of students undertaking a VCE subject as part of their year 10 studies.  Students will hear about VCE expectations as well as benefits of undertaking a VCE subject in Year 10. Please see below the advantages for undertaking a VCE subject: Students will be able to experience the senior campus firsthand, which will make the transition from Year 10 to Year 11 much easier. Students will be exposed and prepared for VCE subject requirements the following year. Students will have an opportunity to study a Year 12 subject while in Year 11 which will allow for more flexibility in their final year of schooling. After the presentation, students will receive an application form with the subjects available to choose from in which they will be asked to put in order of preference. The form will need to be signed o by parents/guardians as well as teacher approval and submitted no later than the 10th of November.  Preference will be given to first applications handed in.   

Staff will be also discussing the Year 10 Pathway’s Program with students. The Year 10 Pathways is a program ran out of Kurnai Senior Campus at Churchill. Students will undertake a full classroom timetable with elements of applied learning with a career focus. Students will have the opportunity to work within the community, at local primary schools. Students must submit a formal application and will be required to interview with university staff, Ross Johnson and their parent/ guardian to be considered for the program.

Around the classrooms

HPV:

On Friday 6th October the Kurnai Racing Team took their racing trikes to Casey Fields for one last practice session before the 24-Hour Energy Breakthrough Event at Maryborough. 

Throughout the day we tested our modifications that we have made to the vehicles in particular our new vents and defoggers to increase airflow. Over the day we were split into 4 teams and managed to ride a combined 522km (This is the same as riding from Morwell to the South Australia border). 

Media Studies:

In Media Studies, students have been consoling their knowledge of symbolic and technical media codes by creating Media Artworks, such as advertisements and music videos. This required students to develop, film, edit and distribute their artworks. Attached are some examples of print media advertising students have created. 

Hands on Learning

Over the Semester we have been building a Gaga Pit. Building the Gaga Pit has allowed us to put all aspects of our Hands on Learning into practice from measuring and cutting to landscaping. Hopefully, the weather starts to clear up and we get to see students playing games of Gaga in the near future. 

Important Events

Wednesday Week 4 – Year 10 Pathways & Year 10 VCE presentations 

Week 5 – LBU reports published 

Week 7 – Outdoor Ed Camp – Permissions are now due. Contact Patrick McGrath for any issues or concerns.

Week 8/9 – HPV Energy Breakthrough - Permissions are now due. Contact Ross Johnson for any issues or concerns.

Contact Details 

I (Ross Johnson) have now returned from Parental leave. I would like to personally thank Erin for the contribution she has made to supporting the Year 9 students and the local learning community. 

If you have any concerns regarding your Year 9 student, please don’t hesitate to email me Ross.Johnson@kurnaicollege.vic.edu.au  or via phone on 5165 0600.

Ross Johnson

Year 9 Team Leader