From the Principal

Celebrating School & House Spirit

Term 2 has been a busy one with lots of school events and opportunities for students to connect with their peers and staff. These are important ways we develop our school pride and community and highlight the amazing talents of our students. 

This year’s Athletics Sports Carnival was a remarkable showcase of student enthusiasm, talent and camaraderie. The Athletics Track in Ringwood was abuzz with energy as students from all year levels participated in a wide array of events, from sprints and relays to high jumps and shot put. The level of participation was truly inspiring, with students not only competing but also cheering on their peers with unbridled enthusiasm. The results indicated strong student participation, with more student engaged in events and scoring points for their House totals. 

The event highlighted the incredible spirit of our students, who displayed determination and sportsmanship throughout the day. House teams were in full swing, decked out in vibrant colours and demonstrating immense pride. The House banners and coordinated outfits added to the festive atmosphere, creating a sense of unity and excitement that was palpable. The Push-Up Station was a big hit with students and staff completing almost 25,000 push-ups, sit-ups, squats, lunges and star jumps, which added to the House points total. Students in Banksia 7 & 8 were major contributors to their House total - Well done! Congratulations to Callistemon for their victory in the House competition, winning by a whopping 250 points.

As we celebrate the success of the Athletics Sports Carnival, we also look forward to the upcoming Choral Competition and Push-Up Challenge. These events promise to further strengthen the bonds between students and staff, fostering a sense of community and school pride. The Choral Competition is a much-anticipated event that showcases the vocal talents of our students. It provides a platform for creative expression and teamwork, as house groups come together to deliver harmonious and captivating performances. This competition is not only about winning but about building connections through music and collaboration. I look forward to seeing the performances on Thursday 27th June in the Theatre. 

Similarly, the Push-Up Challenge is set to test the physical endurance and collective spirit of our school community. This challenge is an excellent opportunity for students and staff to engage in a friendly competition that promotes fitness, resilience, and mutual support. It's events like these that highlight the importance of health and well-being, while also bringing everyone closer together. The Push starts on Wednesday 5th June. We have set a Community target of $10,000, with the funds going towards headspace- Dandenong; who provide Mental Health Services to young people (aged 12-25) in Dandenong. How do you get involved? Either sign up to complete Push-ups or make a donation to your Team, or both. 

Involvement in these activities is crucial as they promote a strong sense of belonging and connection among peers. They remind us that school spirit is not just about competition, but about coming together to celebrate each other’s strengths and achievements. We eagerly await these upcoming events and encourage everyone to participate, support, and enjoy the vibrant community we continue to build. Here’s to more spirited competitions and shared experiences that make our school a wonderful place to learn and grow!

Another opportunity to build a sense of belonging was the arrival of the Year 12 Jumpers. The students were very excited to receive these and try them on, before capturing the moment on camera. The design was created by Emra, Zainab Z, Zainab H, Domica, and has proved to be a very popular design. 

Thank you to the families who attended the recent VCE Information session for Year 10 student and their parents. The session was a great opportunity to inform parents and students about the VCE certificate and the options available to students as they complete the final years of their schooling. While they are important and sometimes challenging decisions to make, Year 10 students are currently undertaking learning sessions and reflections on their strengths and interests to determine where their pathway will lead them. Parents play an important part in supporting their child through this process they and parents will be involved in the selection of subjects for their child on Tuesday 23rd July. Year 11 student will be undertaking Progress Checks with their AHL to discuss how they are tracking with their Year 11 course, as well as select their Year 12 course for 2025. Again, we encourage parents to be involved in these discussions to support their child. 

Myself and Ms Bowles had the pleasure of joining Mr Mullen’s Year 9 Food Studies class this week to judge their amazing signature pizzas. We were impressed by the thorough planning and preparation that had gone into the task and the variety of tastes and presentation of pizzas we experienced was simply spectacular. I was asked to announce a winner, however I couldn’t split one over the rest. Well done to the students for their enthusiasm towards the task and well done to Mr Mullen for facilitating for such a rich learning experience for the students. 

Finally, good luck to our students as they commence preparations for their upcoming exams, with Year 10 & 11 students completing exams in Week 8 & 9, before Unit 3/4 students complete the GAT on Tuesday 18th June. I encourage all students to check in with their teachers about how best to prepare for the assessments, and to utilise their study time to maximise the outcomes with the assessments. 

Mark Dewar

Acting Principal