Middle School & Year 7 Camp

Year 8 Challenge Week

Challenge week is fast approaching in Week 6 for our Year 8 students. This program is an alternative to running a camp has become an annual highlight of Year 8.

Monday – Becoming Me program 

• All students will participate in the Becoming Me program at school. 

   

 Tuesday – Friday (class groups) 

• Classes will rotate through the following excursions/activities each day: 

• Canoeing and Geocaching 

• Laser Tag and 1000 Steps 

• Bike Ride and Escape Rooms 

• Melbourne Cable Park and Aqua Park 

   

Students will have a booklet to complete throughout each week, to reflect on the activities, and set goals for how they are going to continue building their resilience later in the week and beyond. 

Each of these activities have been selected to challenge students physically, mentally and socially, while also building connections with their peers and teachers.

Consent and payment must be provided via the Compass Event by 11:59pm Sunday 22 February.  

If your child is not attending Challenge Week and instead participating in the school‑based program, please decline the event to assist with planning. If any anything is likely to affect a student’s attendance at any point during the week, please contact Ms. Juanita Blair at BLJ@wantirnacollege.vic.edu.au - we ask that you make a note of this important information.

Supporting Your Year 8 Student During Challenge Week

Challenge Week offers our Year 8 students the opportunity to step outside their comfort zones, socially and personally. Whether it’s working with new peers or trying activities that feel unfamiliar, the week is designed to encourage growth, confidence and resilience.

For some students, being separated from their usual friendship group can feel challenging. Early adolescence is a time when friendships are especially important, and navigating new social dynamics can be uncomfortable. At the same time, these experiences help young people build social confidence and develop new connections. 

To support families in this area, we are sharing a ParentTV video by Claire Orange, How to Help Children Make Friends, which provides practical and reassuring guidance for encouraging social confidence.

Challenge Week can also test persistence when activities feel difficult or not quite what was expected. Learning to approach challenges with flexibility and a growth mindset helps young people develop determination and resilience over time. We are also sharing a ParentTV video by Dr Justin Coulson, Do You Have a Fixed Mindset or a Growth Mindset?, which explores how parents can support this mindset at home.

Both videos are excellent resources for families and offer practical strategies you may find helpful. We encourage you to take a few minutes to watch if this feels relevant for your child.

Year 7 Camp

Last Wednesday morning, our entire Year 7 cohort lugged heavy bags, a few nerves and a whole lot of excitement into the Top Courtyard to meet with their homegroups ahead of our Year 7 Transition Camp at Campaspe Downs in Kyneton. 

This camp is a crucial event for our newest cohort to begin gelling with each other, and to help show them that they are resilient, strong young people capable of overcoming the challenges they will inevitably face. 

Our three-day camp spanned a wide range of activities such as rock climbing, canoeing, archery and a flying fox. Students also put their engineering skills to the test with raft-building, though for a few, questionable designs led to an unexpected (yet very refreshing) swim in the lake. 

Here are some of the recollections of our Year 7s after an amazing few days.

My highlight of Year 7 Camp was probably seeing everyone everyday and making friends. 

~ Charlotte T

One of my favourite camp memories is when I had a go at abseiling. I was scared to do it at first, but I was glad after I did it. ~ anon

My highlight was finding out my cabin and doing the leap of faith. ~ Aurora M

I really enjoyed the flying fox and the food. It was fun to sit with friends, make new friends and meet new people. ~Ruby S.

Beyond the adrenaline, the key theme of the camp was connection. Students worked together to solve team challenges, cheered each other on through tricky obstacles, and discovered new friendships over shared meals and (many, sometimes noisy) late-night chats in the cabins. 

Our Year 10 Peer Support Leaders also played a key role in helping students bond, running trivia nights, assisting with running activities, and offering encouragement throughout the camp. It was not only an opportunity for our Year 7s to develop friendships but also a chance for the older students to test and refine their leadership skills in a real-world setting. 

While the bus ride home was much quieter than the bus ride there, we can be certain that our Year 7s returned with more confidence at school and stronger connections to one another. 

Middle Years Team

David Black 

Assistant Principal

Andrew Biggs 

Leader of Middle School

(Transitions & Learning Improvement)

Juanita Blair 

Leader of Middle School

(Student Engagement & Wellbeing)

Rebecca Howell

Learning Specialist 

(Wellbeing & Engagement)

Abbey McMahon & Charlie Wakeham

Year 8 Year Level Leaders

Amber Thomson & Della Zhang

Year 7 Year Level Leaders

Tajinder Wulff

Mental Health Practitioner