Year 8 & 9
Assistant Principal's Report
It is hard to believe that there are only seven weeks left of school for the year.
All students should be finalising their end of semester activities and assessments in their classrooms before moving into our examination week. Following this there will be both celebration and transition time, before students move up a year level and complete two weeks of their 2025 curriculum. This is an exciting time where they will be meeting their new teachers and experiencing new subjects. Please ensure your child attends the whole Step Up program.
There have been a lot of successful events for the school over the last few weeks including our whole school carnival which I’m sure will be spoken if in other areas of this newsletter. It was great to see so many young people with their families on the afternoon, which was unfortunately cut short by a rather dramatic downpour. Our Student Services team did a great job setting up and running a Mental Health / Mindfulness zone. Many people visited over the day and participated in activities such as rock painting, sensory stations consisting of bubbles, play dough, clay and sand. There was well-being literature and visual displays, all designed to highlight Mental Health month.
I have spoken previously about how coming to school regularly can be a challenge for some young people. Not always because they don’t want to, but sometimes because of physical challenges such as transport. This week a not-for-profit organisation called Navigator stepped in to assist some young people who were not able to attend school because they couldn’t get here. Navigator supplied these students with brand new bikes, helmets and bike locks. We’d like to sincerely thank the organisation for supporting our young people.
Megan Taylor - Assistant Principal Years 8 - 9
Year Level Leader's Report Year 8
We are thrilled to take a moment to celebrate the Year 8's incredible achievements this term! Their hard work, dedication, and enthusiasm have not gone unnoticed. Let's look back on some of the fantastic activities they have participated in!
🎉 50-Year Anniversary Carnival
This term, we also celebrated a major milestone: our school's 50-year anniversary! The carnival was a fantastic event filled with fun activities, performances, and a chance to connect with our school community. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this celebration unforgettable. "Here’s to" celebrating many more years of success and togetherness!
💜 Wear It Purple Day
A big shout-out to all who participated in Wear It Purple Day! Your support for LGBTQ+ youth and your commitment to inclusivity made a powerful statement. Together, we can foster a safe and welcoming environment for everyone. Keep championing kindness and acceptance!
💚 R U OK? Day
R U OK? Day was a meaningful opportunity to check in with each other. It’s vital that we continue to look out for one another and prioritize mental health.
⚔️ Iron Armour Program: Building Resilience
Many of you have also been involved in the Iron Armour Program. This initiative is designed to help you build resilience and develop essential life skills. Whether it was through workshops or engaging discussions, your commitment to personal growth has been inspiring. Remember, the skills you’ve gained will serve you well throughout your life!
Blue Edge Program:
We’d also like to highlight the impact of the Blue Edge Program. Your participation in this initiative has not only enriched your understanding of your role within your school but has also empowered you to take positive action in your community. It’s heartening to see how you’re continuing to engage for positive change—keep it up!
🍕 Tutor Challenges: A Pizza Lunch Celebration!
First and foremost, congratulations to everyone who participated in our recent Tutor Challenges! Your teamwork and spirit were outstanding, and we’re excited to reward your efforts with a pizza lunch. This fun event not only fostered camaraderie but also showcased your ability to tackle challenges together. Thank you for bringing your best selves to the competitions!
Students of the Week:
A huge congratulations to the following students who have been our Term 4 Students of the Week:
Maley Jok
– For consistently modelling the College Values and striving to achieve his potential.
Klohk’nyaw Moo
– For his effort and support in running the Community Carnival
Gaurika Gupta
– For striving to achieve her best and representing her community with pride.
Looking Ahead
As we move forward, let’s carry this momentum into the final weeks of term. With exams approaching, many of our students realise it’s crunch time! We and Student Services will be offering some sessions around dealing with stress, which will allow all of our students to achieve to their potential in their upcoming exams.
We encourage each of you to keep engaging with these programs and continue supporting one another. Remember, every small step contributes to your growth and success.
Once again, congratulations on your amazing achievements. Being your Year Level Leaders is genuinely a privilege, and we thank you.
Allan Nilsen - Year 8 Year Level Leader & Ewan Slater - Year 8 Year Level Leader
andreas.nilsen@education.vic.gov.au ewan.slater@education.vic.gov.au
Year Level Leader's Report Year 9
Time sure flies when you are having fun! The end of 2024 will be on us before we know it.
Year 9's have begun their final term of Middle School in exceptional fashion and the weeks are passing by at warp speed. Week one we hosted the Smith Family as they facilitated mock job interviews. Year 9's met with industry professionals and volunteers in a mock interview. This was a fantastic opportunity for the year 9s as they prepare to enter the workforce.
We finished off our first week of term with our Term 3 celebration assembly. Within this assembly we celebrated our successes and triumphs. One award presented was our Term Values Champion. Values Champion is the student who has received the most student of the week nominations across the term. Term 3’s Values Champion went to Isabelle Tippett of 9S. Isabelle received, on average, two nominations per week throughout Term 3. Well done again Isabelle! Keep up the great work.
Our biggest announcement came with the revealing of our Term 3 Tutor Challenge Champions. End of Term 3 saw several of our tutor groups vying for points in the last weeks of term.
Week three saw our final of the student-led assemblies. 9H hosted the cohort in an assembly filled with competition and an epic display of guitar skills from their own Dylan Martins.
We have continued to celebrate our students of the week in assemblies. This term’s student of the week is as follows:
Week 1 – Tereza Thaw of 9F for Teresa Thaw 9F for investing in her learning.
Week 2 - Alberae Ismael of 9E for being ready to learn and respectful and consistently being nominated for their ethic.
Week 3 – Ben Rolinksi of 9S for always being engaged and constantly pushing themself and driving their learning.
Week 4 – Hanan Ahmed of 9A for consistently working hard in all subjects, focusing on their learning and always being on time.
Well done to all our students of the week and those who are nominated each and every week. It is great to see so many year 9s engaging in their learning and preparing for exams.
Our final tutor challenge is heating up with a three-way battle between 9B, 9C and 9J. 9B and 9J are vying to hold the final cup high with 9C eager to be our first and only back-to-back champions. While 9B, 9C and 9J are well in front with 23 and 21 points, it is still anyone’s game. Current points are as follows:
Exams are fast approaching, final CATs are being sat, marks tallied and it is only 4 weeks until the Year 9's transition into Senior Schol and start becoming leaders within our community. Leading into exams we will be offering both subject revision and stress management sessions. A timetable will be communicated with students next week.
Year 9's have come so far this year and have fast become leaders and valuable members of our school. It has been an honour to be a small part of their learning journey this year. I wish them the very best in Year 10 and in their future endeavours.
Amelia Coster - Acting Year 9 Year Level Leader