JUNIOR School

Dear Parents/Carers and Students 

Welcome back to Term 3 to all Junior School students and families. This term is a significant one in the school calendar as students reflect on Semester 1 to set goals for continued growth in their learning in the second half of the year. It is great to see the vast majority of students and parents/carers accessing Semester 1 reports via Compass. The feedback provided by teachers provides a great starting point for ongoing improvement. 

Our Year 7 students started the term with workshops led by Reach focused on connection and respect. The sessions encouraged students to share their experiences of starting high school so far in order to build empathy and connection within the cohort. Thank you to Ms Phoebe Macreadie, Ms Catherine Kyriakos and Mr Joel McMahon for organising this opportunity for our students. 

This week, our Year 8 students begin to plan their transition to Middle School in 2025. While the years in the Junior School give our students breadth across all Learning Areas, students begin to personalise their programs in Year 9 and beyond, providing an opportunity to tailor a course to their interests, strengths and aspirations. The Middle School Handbook is now accessible via Compass (see the Favourites through the star icon). This is a comprehensive document designed to equip students with the knowledge to make informed choices throughout the subject selection process. 

It is great to see so many Junior School students continue to be awarded with house points for their efforts within and beyond the classroom. In Semester 1, Year 7 and 8 students amassed a whopping 23,745 house points with 615 students being recognised across the two terms. Keep up the great work! 

Finally, congratulations to Year 8 student Adele Curtis who was a member of the victorious School Sports Victoria 15&U female team that secured gold in Sydney in June at the National SSA 15&U Volleyball championships. Adele has had a remarkable 12 months, playing a key role in the gold medal-winning Victorian indoor state U14G team at the National Championships in September last year. She also medalled earlier this year in March at the National Youth Beach Volleyball championships in Coolangatta with her U15G Victorian team, narrowly missed gold in a tight final, but proudly securing silver. Congratulations Adele on your amazing achievements! 

Uniform Expectations 

I would like to remind all students of our uniform expectations. Wearing the correct uniform not only represents our school with pride but also ensures a cohesive and respectful learning environment. 

All students are expected to comply with the Schools Uniform Policy, which can be found on the school website. This includes wearing the winter school uniform as it is intended to be worn with the white shirt to be worn and collars to be visible. No pyjama pants under the skirt, no jewelry, no excessive make-up and/or accessories are to be worn to school. Students who have a legitimate reason for being out of uniform must provide a parent/carer note to explain the reason to the coordinators in the morning before classes commence to collect a Uniform Pass. 

If you have any questions about the uniform policy, please speak with a member of the Junior School Coordinators. 

Thank you to the Junior School Team and all teachers for their tireless efforts supporting students throughout the first two terms of 2024. 

Mr  John Simon

Campus Principal