Nossal News

School Captains News

The school captains would like to extend a warm welcome back to what promises to be an action-packed Term 3. This term is set to be full of energy, engagement, and opportunity, with a plethora of events and activities thoughtfully squeezed into a wonderful nine weeks. 

 

To start, we would like to relay our profound thanks and heartfelt congratulations to the incredibly talented cast, hardworking crew, and dedicated staff behind Nossal High School’s breathtaking adaptation of Disney’s Frozen! The show played to a sold-out audience on all three nights and truly dazzled those in attendance.

 

    From the stunning costumes and detailed set design to the captivating performances and seamless technical production, the effort and commitment of over 100 students was on full display. It was a celebration not only of talent, but of collaboration, creativity, and school spirit. The show was a brilliant testament to what our performing arts department can achieve. We now eagerly await what lies ahead for Nossal’s future productions, knowing that the bar has been set remarkably high.

 

We kicked off the term with our annual NAIDOC Week Assembly, celebrating 50 years of this important cultural tradition in Australia. The acronym NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. It has its roots in the 1938 Day of Mourning, where they gathered to fight against the discrimination and prejudice they were facing. Today, this commemoration serves to honour and uplift Indigenous voices, culture and resilience. 

 

The assembly was filled with a plethora of presentations and performances from passionate Nossal students. An Vo lead a memorable and insightful Acknowledgement of Country, something we at Nossal take pride in and include in our major school events. She also included the poem, 'Beautiful Yuroke Red River Gum'. 

 

We, the School Captains, made a joint speech about the history and significance of the NAIDOC Week. Our English Captains, Simran Brar and Husaina Shakir, presented an evocative reading of the poem ‘Yamaji Culture’ from ‘False Claims of Colonial Thieves’ by Charmaine Papertalk Green and John Kinsella, an Indigenous text studied in our the VCE English classes. They also supplemented this reading with a brief analysis of the poem. Thiseni Senanayake delivered an insightful presentation on the Yoorook Justice Commission. Abhi Karthik and Tushan Chalil performed an energetic performance of the famous song, 'Treaty' by Yothu Yindi. Nossal is proud of the connection we maintain with Aboriginal culture through this assembly, as well as through our work in the classroom.

 

Book Week is fast approaching in week 6 with a vibrant range of events and activities to look forward to! Thanks to the incredible dedication and organisation of Ms. Lal, students will have a multitude of opportunities to cultivate their love for reading, celebrate literature and contribute to their house’s success by earning house points. Book Week is a significant celebration as the library is the heart of our school and books are the gateway to knowledge, something that Nossal High School values. 

 

Some of the highlights include:

  • Book cover drawing and creative writing competitions
    • Our Year 9s will have the chance to compete by authoring a piece of writing inspired by a topic given in class
    • All students will have the opportunity to submit a poem of any length, a 5 worder, 50 worder or short story (750+ words) inspired by the topic “Book an Adventure”
  • Lectures and workshops by celebrated authors Alice Pung and Danielle Binks
    • Alice is an Australian writer, editor and lawyer and has authored many books, including her award-winning book ‘Laurinda’ 
    • Danielle Binks is an award-winning, Melbourne-based writer who also teaches Fiction and Young Adult Writing in the Associate Degree of Professional Writing and Editing at RMIT University 
  • Various musical performances 
    • Bollywood will be performing Wednesday recess
    • Musical performance will be held Friday recess
  • Interhouse spelling bee and quiz
    • Spelling quiz will be held Thursday lunch
    • Interhouse quiz will be held during Friday lunch
  • Lucky Draw Hamper and Candy Guess Game 

In addition, Book Week will also include:

  • Curriculum day on Monday 25 August 
    • Students will be able to enjoy a well-deserved break before commencing second half of term
  • Out of Uniform day on Tuesday 26 August
    • Students may come dressed as a book character or in multicultural dress for a gold coin
    • Funds will go towards the Cancer Council and the Heart Foundation
    • Judging will be held in the gym during lunch 

And a truly special addition to Book Week, we will be holding a welcome assembly for the students of Chosei High School, our sister school in Japan. Arriving on Saturday 23 August, Nossal students will be hosting our Japanese counterparts for a week as they experience life at Nossal. The welcome assembly will be a chance for us to officially greet them and share our school spirit. This is a valuable opportunity to build international friendships and celebrate cultural exchange that we are all very excited for!

 

Planned for the end of this term is Kindness Week, a heartfelt initiative where the school captains will be selling flowers to spread some end-of-term kindness between people in our school. It’s a simple yet meaningful gesture designed to brighten someone’s day, foster positive connections, and end the term on a warm note. Beyond the school gates, our team has also reached out to local aged care homes and other community facilities, hoping to extend this spirit of compassion and connection. These partnerships aim to ensure that kindness does not stop at the borders of our school but ripples outwards to touch more lives. 

 

Overall, Kindness Week will help round off a busy and productive term in a wholesome and uplifting manner, reminding us of the power of small acts to make a big difference.

 

Finally, as our Year 12 journey slowly draws to a close, we are now looking ahead to the future leaders of our school: the 2026 School Captains. The application process is already underway, and it has been inspiring to see the enthusiasm and drive of the Year 11 cohort. We are genuinely excited to work alongside all members of the Class of 2026, helping them develop, refine, and highlight their leadership potential as they step into becoming the leaders of our school. 

 

Your 2025 School Captains