Wantirna College Newsletter

Learning & Teaching

Polished Man Campaign 

RRRR - Friday 8 November

Everyone should have the chance to live a happy, healthy and safe life. But the reality right now is very different. Sadly, 1 in 7 Australians have experienced childhood abuse, and in Australia, one woman is killed every four days.

 

The Polished Man Campaign encourages everyone to take a stand and actively commit to helping end violence against women and children by painting one nail blue for the month of October. That one painted nail can start a conversation, which raises awareness and funds to ensure no woman or child has to live with violence. 

 

Polished Man Website: Read more at https://polishedman.com/about/faqs

 

Bec Howell, Leader of Respectful Relationships, has been planning some excellent activities throughout the day to raise awareness and funds to support the Polished Man cause. We must work together to reduce violence towards women and children. 

 

On Friday 8 November, we will have a Do-Now student activity in Period 1 to  make student aware of the issues the Polished Man is campaigning for and ensure they know where and how to access support if needed. There will be a lunchtime Staff vs Student Kickball game, blue nail polish painting, and conversations with students about the issue of family violence. Staff will be treated to a Morning Tea with Blue Donuts and blue nail polish painting (staff donations encouraged).

 

Links to Support Services

School Supports: Visit the Student Wellbeing Team or message them through Teams @studentwellbeing.  See Level Leaders or a Trusted Teacher. ​

 

1800 Respect: ​Provides family violence and sexual assault counselling and is available via telephone or online chat, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.​

 

White Ribbon Support Services:

https://whiteribbon.org.au/helplines/

 

Kids Help Line: 1800 55 1800

 

Men's Line Australia: 1300 789 978

 

VCAA Assessors 2024 

We were excited to have 13 of our teachers be accepted as VCE Examination Assessors for 2024. This is a positive for our school. Assessing has many benefits that go far beyond marking of VCE exams. We wish the following teachers Good Luck with their marking:

  1. Douglas Wu - History
  2. Elise Roper - Biology
  3. Kat Fonda- Psychology
  4. Paul McGlynn - Specialist Maths
  5. Luke Mason - Business Management
  6. Danielle Brotto - Accounting
  7. Lucy Mc Clennen - Health and Human Development
  8. Stuart Horner - Health and Human Development
  9. Beryl Birrell - Theatre Studies
  10. Hannah Blackmore - Food Studies
  11.  Danny Van Bergen - Music Performance 
  12. Ben Karwan - English Language
  13. Sherry White - Geography 
  14. Mel Zulfic - Software Develop

It is an honour to be accepted by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority and a significant undertaking for those involved. Every teacher who has been an assessor in the past says it is the best professional development you can undertake and that it significantly improves their teaching knowledge and practice. Students in future VCE classes and other classes benefit from these improvements. 

 

VIT Full Registration 

When teachers graduate from Teacher College and join the teaching profession, they apply to the Victorian Institute of Teachers to become a Provisionally Registered Graduate Teacher so that they can commence their career. To become Fully registered, they need to undertake what's called a Learning Inquiry Project under the guidance of an experienced mentor teacher. 

 

We are very pleased to have 11 very capable, passionate and dedicated Graduate Teachers at the College this year. We are also fortunate to have great mentor teachers to help them navigate through their first year/s of teaching and to support them through the VIT process. When the Inquiry Project has finished, Graduate Teachers present their inquiry, data and professional learnings to a VIT Panel that includes their peers and a representative of the Principal team. 

 

I am pleased to announce that Molly Smith and Charlie Wakeham have so far completed their VIT process and are now fully registered teachers. Many thanks to Danielle Brotto and Rebecca Howell for their mentorship throughout this process. 

 

Natalie Manser 

Assistant Principal

mar@wantirnacollege.vic.gov.au