Student Voice
End of Term 2: Student Voice
College Captains
We have once again reached the end of term 2!
Time just keeps flying when you’re having fun!
Quite a lot has gone on this term with events and milestones, so here’s the highlights!
Our year 8-11’s went through their semester 1 examinations with preparation and commitment, we commend all efforts made by the cohorts during this period. Our Year 12’s and Year 11’s studying a unit 3&4 subject had to sit the General Achievement Test (GAT) on the 18th of June. It was a long day but we got there in the end, so a pat on the back to everyone!
This term, the ‘What’s Up SOC” Podcast fully launched, with a full 11 episodes released! A job well done by Stacey and Ella and a huge shout out to our Media Crew, Mr Philip Clark, Mr Bowman, Athanasius T and Antosha B for their ongoing efforts to keep this podcast running strong! As mentioned in every episode, if there is something you would like to see, please contact our What’s Up SOC hosts, Stacey Maskas (smasw@schools.vic.edu.au) and Ella Hayes (eshay4@schools.vic.edu.au) via teams or email.
During this term, we have been visiting our year 7 cohorts during their scheduled classes to provide support and to connect more with our junior year level because we remember what it was like being in year 7 and looking up to our senior leaders for guidance,
Thank you to the year 7 teachers and students for making these visits joyful and leaving a smile on our faces! In other news, on the 6th of June, our year 12 VCE VM cohort hosted a dunk tank to raise funds for motor neuron disease. We got in on the action and we were dunked into freezing cold water! The feeling of adrenaline rushing when you are dunked! Well done to the year 12 VCE VM team for organising this event for our college community.
On the 28th of June, the Performing Arts team hosted their performing arts carnival. A great way to wrap up the term! Well done to everyone for showcasing their incredible talents!
For the year 12 cohort, we are half-way through our VCE studies! Now it is starting to get real, putting our full efforts into our assessments and working hard. To celebrate our half-way milestone, our senior school team organised a barbecue to recognise these efforts. Thank you to Ms Monga and Ms Ferguson for their ongoing contributions to our year level!
As we approach the term break, make sure to take some rest and spend some time with family and friends and set aside time to complete any homework tasks before returning back for term 3. We wish everyone a restful break and see you all first day back!
Greg Acciarito & Genna Windsor
College Captains
Connections and Welling:
Throughout this term, the Connections and Wellbeing portfolio has continued to run successful charity events. Including those aimed at helping raise funds for various LGBTQIA+ organisations. The recent bake sale on IDAHOBIT day helped fundraising for Minus18, a not-for-profit organisation aimed at improving the lives of LGBTQIA+ youth here in Australia. It was a beautiful day filled with love and kindness, as we appreciated and celebrated those around us that are part of the queer community. We were glad to see the spread of warmth among the school community.
Looking ahead, our focus is to help organise a fantastic Wellfest Week that will be run in Term 3. The intention of this is to boost the morale of students and to enhance the emotional well-being of both our students and those among us. We’re excited to get things started with the whole S.R.C. Committee to plan activities that would boost students’ morale and spirits, to ensure a happy and healthy school environment.
We look forward to seeing your smiles!
Abigail Avienna
Your 2024 Connections & Wellbeing Portfolio Leading Representative
Student Representative Council
Student Experience
This Term, the Student Experience Portfolio has continued moving towards achieving our annual goals of increasing student engagement in school and decision-making process.
We have continued work on the yearbook, collating photos from events such as cross country, IDAHOBIT and the teach dunk contest to pack into the yearbook.
We are soon to release a student census in the form of a Microsoft forms that shall be given out to all students. The census will cover the topic of student engagement, perception, trust and understanding of the SRC’s role in the wider school community.
We will also be looking to collect data via interviewing students in club activities as a means of creating focus groups. Once data is collected, we are looking to release white paper on our findings to the general student population.
The four should be distributed through mentor groups in the coming weeks and is expected to be completed by a vast majority of students.
We hope to finish Term 2 on a strong note.
Jack Wright
Your 2024 Student Experience Portfolio Leading Representative
Student Representative Council
Campaigns
Last Term on Thursday the 21st of March, the Campaigns Portfolio hosted a bake sale and out of uniform day to celebrate Harmony Week. Students and staff came in wearing orange or cultural dress and it was great to see so many people get involved! Additionally, the College community contributed a wide variety of baked goods for the bake sale which was held at recess and lunch. Throughout the week there were other festive activities such as Greek dancing and handmade decorations. All the proceeds went towards the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. This Term we hosted the Biggest Morning Tea, with hot chocolate and biscuits being served during recess and lunch in the canteen area! All the proceeds went to the Cancer Council who help research and support families affected by cancer. Thank you all for your support this semester, we hope you all had a great Term and did well with your exams!
Stef Milanovic
Your 2024 Campaigns Portfolio Leading Representative
Student Representative Council
Breakfast Club
Over the course of Term 2, our dedicated school leaders have continued to run the Breakfast club program with it thriving with large number of students, teachers and staff attending Breakfast Club to enjoy a nice nutritious breakfast just before the school day starts. It was rewarding to see our efforts in planning and organising paid off and positively impacted our school community. Our current menu consists of, cheese/and ham toasties and quesadillas, toast, tea, cereal, and milk. Over the course of the year, our Breakfast Club portfolio wishes to add more items to the menu to ensure that we have a large spread of foods that would satisfy the tastes of all our students. Our next Celebratory Breakfast Club will be held on the 27th of June and the menu will consist of the normal menu plus, hashbrowns, milkshakes, bacon, eggs, pastries, juice and more. Overall, the Breakfast Club program is doing very well, and we hope to see even more people come to our Breakfast Clubs. We acknowledge all the students that come help us in their time to make the Breakfast Club continue to thrive, and it is deeply appreciated. If you have any questions or queries, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with Yohan Soju (yche1q@schools.vic.edu.au).
Yohan Soju
Your 2024 Breakfast Club Portfolio Leading Representative
Student Representative Council
Communications
This Term and semester have been very successful for the Communications portfolio. We have been working on promoting engagement awareness in the school community for the fundraisers and causes that have been run this Term, such as the Biggest Morning Tea, IDAHOBIT Day, and Fight MND. Our portfolio will commence the weekly announcements again in the next few weeks, and this will be a more efficient way to get college news around the school community for everyone to hear. These announcements will include any sporting events, fundraisers, important dates and anything else of importance within SRC. Keep an eye out for notice and news boards we will we adding to over the next Term to see what we have in store. Never hesitate to reach out to the communications portfolio for any questions about upcoming initiatives.
If you've been tuning in to the weekly podcast 'What's Up SOC', you'll hear all about the plans for the upcoming week, so make sure to watch and listen to it.
Ezra Bernshaw
Your 2024 Communications Portfolio Leading Representative
Student Representative Council
Curriculum
Term 2 was an overall success for the curriculum portfolio. In week 7 the portfolio constructed and handed out study care packages to all the Year 8s. The care packages included study times, exam schedules, stress relieve tips, and smarties. Overall, students loved the gift and it’s definitely something we intend to do again, possibly experimenting with different year levels and packages.
We especially want to brainstorm ideas for the end of Year 12 exams, as the cohort has been working hard year-round to study and prepare. We hope that these care packages helped the Year 8s with their exams and all future tests and assignments. Next Term, we are all looking forward to Wellfest Week and everything we will do then.
Until then we are all excited for the school holidays and a nice relax. We hope you all enjoy the break!
JJ Syer
Your 2024 Curriculum Portfolio Leading Representative
Student Representative Council
Presidents
As we finish another Term, our portfolios reflect on their new initiatives, activities, and ideas that have been introduced throughout the year! As a council, we have been meeting regularly, forming our plans, and encouraging our Leading Representatives to branch out from what they know and collaborate to try something new. With exams approaching, our S.R.C team has been working hard to balance their schoolwork and leadership duties. However, our cohort stands strong and continues to supply the community with exciting events and surprises.
Breakfast Club has continued running every Thursday morning in the canteen, organised by our Breakfast Club Portfolio. During this term, they have started looking at possible menu changes, rotating rosters, and how to minimize stock waste. Planning for Celebratory Breakfast Club will begin soon, where we will have special menu items including, bacon, eggs, pancakes, and milkshakes. We hope to see you all there! It’s an exciting opportunity where students and teachers alike are encouraged to share a meal. Promoting these updates is done by our Communications Portfolio, who’s aim for the Term is to keep students updated on date about things to look out for.
They will be working closely with the newly introduced South Oakleigh Podcast to help get the word out and keep students informed. Thank you to everyone who has been a part of this initiative!
Our Campaigns and Connections & Wellbeing portfolios have both been looking at executing fundraising events throughout Term 2. The Campaigns Portfolio had their annual Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea, where hot chocolate, sweets, and merchandise was sold throughout the day. The money goes toward Cancer Council, who invest the money into supporting people affected by cancer, and research that can help fight disease.
For everyone who bought food, or just came along, we thank you for an excellently run day! As for the Connections & Wellbeing Portfolio, during Term 2, they executed IDAHOBIT (International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia) Day, where we sold socks, merchandise, and food. We also collaborated with Art Club for some lovely decorations.
Thank you to everyone who helped out by making some decorations! All the money donated went towards Minus18 Foundation, who work toward creating safe spaces and awareness for members of the LGBTQ+ community. Again, thank you to anyone who bought any merchandise or participated in the event!
The Student Experience Portfolio has actively been working on the 2024 South Oakleigh College yearbook, which will be presented and gifted to the graduating class at the end of the year. The book will be filled with memorable moments, experiences, and statements from various classmates and leaders. They will also investigate focus groups and surveys to improve with student feedback.
Lastly, our Curriculum Portfolio have been focusing on study tips, tricks, and ideas to better the wellbeing of students during the exam period. All Year 8 students received an exam care package in preparation for exams, which included relevant tips, and a little sweet treat for hard workers. We hope you all enjoyed your packages!
This Term has been one filled with events, celebration and fun. We want to say a big thank you to everyone who helped, it couldn’t have been done without you. We hope Term 3, which includes out annual Wellfest Week, will be just as fun. Keep an eye out for all notice boards, TV’s or announcements to hear what we’ve got planned next - We’re sure you’ll love it!
Mackenzie Dickson and Ana Donnellon
Your 2024 S.R.C Presidents
Student Representative Council
Year 10 Melbourne Zoo Trip
On the 16th of May, the Year 10 Psychology students visited the Melbourne Zoo in hope of discovering psychological traits and behaviours of different animals.
Students had the chance to conduct an experiment led by the zoo keepers at the Melbourne zoo. The objective was to observe the behavioural patterns of orangutans at the zoo and compare the results with wild orangutans. It was interesting to see how the behaviours of captive and wild orangutans differed and students were amazed when observing the orangutans’ daily life and activity.
In addition, students got the freedom to roam around and explore the entire zoo to collect data of psychological traits and behaviours of other animals as well. Comparing the results of different animals and discovering the differences in the concepts of health, nutrition, environment, behaviour, and mental state deepened students’ understanding of these concepts.
Having the zoo keepers and zoo staff lead the research experiment helped students learn how to correctly conduct an experiment and informed us of the ethical concepts and guidelines when experimenting on animals or even humans. Their knowledge and enthusiasm aided students in learning new aspects of animal psychology and the considerations that need to take place when experimenting on animals.
Students were all in agreement that the excursion was greatly educational and a lot of fun and hope to see it happen again in future years.
Kinako & Yohan
Year 10PSY/HHD