Principal's Update

Term 3

Welcome back to Term 3. It’s now approaching the coldest part of the year, with winter very much starting to show itself. This is also the busiest term, with many different events.

We begin the term with a week of Year 10 Work Experience. This is a great opportunity for students to go out and experience the workplace and gain an idea of what life is like in that environment. Although many students have part-time jobs, many do not, and this is an opportunity to have that experience. Work experience bridges the gap between theory and practice. It helps students build a professional network, develop transferable skills like teamwork and communication and explore potential career paths before fully committing, especially if they get an opportunity to do work in their chosen career. It is also a good way to try a job that they are not too sure about.

Our Year 9 students are also enjoying their city experience, which is important in helping them navigate key areas of the Melbourne CBD. It is part of building their independence and completing group tasks that require communication, problem-solving, and civic responsibility. The classes go out at separate times and can often find students from other schools completing similar tasks.

Next week we will have our sister school from Japan, Anjo-Higashi Senior High School, come and visit us for the week. Their visit is every two years and is always an important part of our college calendar. This should be an exciting time for staff, students and our host families. Next year we will return the occasion by visiting Anjo-Higashi Senior High School. See below regarding expressions of interest for our 2027 Japan Tours.

We also have our college production mid-term. This year the production is called Pussycats: A Musical Parody. Tickets went on sale last Wednesday and they are selling fast. A newsfeed on Compass last Wednesday provides all the details on how to book a ticket or two.

We also have our Year 10 Campus to Queensland, a number of snow camps, and primary camps later in the term.

In amongst all that, we have classes with teaching and learning going on. It is a busy time with CATs and SACs, and preparations for Parent-Teacher Interviews.

The importance of learning 

As we get to the mid-point of the year and a solid term ahead, schoolwork and a focus on doing well are important. The world has recently been captivated by the World Cup, and arguably the best team came out and won the final earlier today. I reflected on this on the way to work and compared the events of the tournament with how a successful team in any sport can mirror what a student needs to do to be successful. In school, we highlight the importance of teamwork, resilience, and perspective. We talk about our values and the importance of following through with commitment. Likewise, athletes train, collaborate, and adapt to win matches. They have goals and targets that they need to meet to make the team successful. Successful students apply these exact traits to excel academically.

Even though we all watched teams play the same game, they all approached it differently, and the players who were successful had different attitudes throughout the tournament. Some of the key parallels between a World Cup athlete and a good student that I felt were relevant include:

• Resilience and Mental Toughness: Elite players quickly learn how to handle setbacks like missed shots, poor referee calls, or tournament losses. Similarly, good students bounce back from poor exam grades by analysing their mistakes and adjusting their study habits.

• Teamwork and Collaboration: Matches are won by groups that communicate and play selflessly. Students mirror this when collaborating on complex group projects, where listening to others and dividing tasks ensures the best possible outcome

• Preparation and Practice: Teams spend years training and reviewing analytics to prepare for a single match. Academically, successful students consistently put in daily practice and review—rather than cramming—to retain complex information

• Cultural Humility and Broad Horizons: The tournament brings together people from diverse backgrounds, teaching fans and players alike to listen, appreciate different viewpoints, and celebrate diversity. This translates in the classroom to being an open-minded learner who is receptive to new ideas.

• Goal setting: Players focus on both short-term targets (like winning a half) and long-term targets (like the championship). Good students break down daunting assignments into manageable milestones.

   

Congratulations to the winning team and I would like this spirit of these parallels continue with our students to do their best in the studies.

Regards, 

Mr Matejin 

Japan Study Tours 2027 – Expressions of Interest Now Open!

Expressions of interest are now open for current Year 9 and 10 Bayside P-12 College students interested in participating in our Japan Study Tours 2027, running from 12-25 September 2027.

The 2027 program features two unique tour experiences designed to cater for different student interests:

• Tour 1 - Anjo Japan Tour: Students will visit our sister school, Anjo Higashi High School. During this time, students will attend classes alongside Japanese peers, take part in local excursions, and gain an authentic understanding of daily life through a homestay experience 
• Tour 2 - STEM Japan Tour: Students will engage in hands-on STEM experiences across Nagoya and Osaka, including visits to the Toyota Factory, Kaiyukan Aquarium, Osaka Science Museum, and the Hanshin Earthquake Museum

During the second week of the program, both tour groups will come together to explore some of Japan's most iconic destinations and attractions, including Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Kawaguchiko, Tokyo, Universal Studios Japan, TeamLab Planets and Mt Fuji

The estimated cost of each tour is $5,000 - $5,500 per student

Families interested in learning more are invited to complete the Expression of Interest form via the link below by 30 July 2026. An information session will be held at 4pm on Thursday August 6th at Paisley Campus

https://forms.gle/xwPCZP71XPD6faKX8

Please note that submission of an Expression of Interest does not guarantee participation in the tour. Places are subject to availability and College approval processes.