Middle School in Term 1

by Ms Eleanor Smith, Head of Middle School

Term 1 has been a fantastic start to the year, filled with engaging activities, valuable learning experiences, and opportunities for students to build strong connections within our school community. We are proud of the enthusiasm and dedication our students have shown throughout the term!

Our Year 10s participated in Tomorrow Day Workshops, engaging in two valuable sessions: Tomorrow Man & Tomorrow Woman and Skill Booster workshops delivered by Ms Deanna Chesterton (Year 10 Coordinator) and Mr Tim Dobson (Year 9 Coordinator).

Tomorrow Man & Tomorrow Woman Workshops

These sessions encouraged students to reflect on identity, self-expression, and gender norms:

Tomorrow Man focused on breaking down rigid gender norms, challenging toxic masculinity, and fostering emotional resilience and meaningful connections.
Tomorrow Woman explored self-discovery, overcoming self-judgment, and developing confidence in communication and emotional expression.

Skill Booster Sessions

The first round of Skill Booster sessions emphasised the importance of focus and minimising distractions:

Sleep & Focus: Students learnt about the necessity of 8 to10 hours of sleep per night and how tiredness negatively affects concentration. They were encouraged to activate ‘bedtime mode’ or ‘night shift mode’ on their phones to improve sleep habits. A sleep diary resource was made available for them to use too.
Minimising Distractions: Students identified common distractions (e.g., phone notifications, Teams alerts) and adjusted their settings to reduce interruptions. Strategies for managing mental overload were also provided.

We encourage you to continue these conversations at home and support your child in implementing these strategies.

Year 10 Momentum Program & Duke of Edinburgh excursions

Students participated in a full-day excursion as part of the Momentum Program and Duke of Edinburgh Award. Most students took part in escape room challenges and visited ACMI, where they viewed the 2015 film adaption of Macbeth. This is a text immersion activity to build students’ understanding of the text as they begin to study it.

Our Duke of Ed students went to Lysterfield Lake and participated in their first navigation session. This is preparation for their overnight hiking camps this year.

Home Group themes

Year 9 ‘Myself’: Students focused on self-awareness and goal-setting. They set SMART goals for the term and participated in various ‘getting to know you’ activities to strengthen their sense of belonging at school.
Year 10 ‘Belonging’: Students engaged in activities designed to foster a sense of community and connection within the school.

Year 9 Camp

We are excited to have our Year 9 camps running again this year! Our Year 9 students will attend based on the semester they complete Geography. This camp integrates both the Math and Geography curriculum, as students will be conducting research on the city of Melbourne.

9A to 9F will take place in the city on 29-30 May. The event is now available on Compass, so please ensure all necessary arrangements are made.
9G to 9Z will have this camp 13-14 October later in the year.

Year 9 PE incursions

This term, our Year 9 students have been studying body systems and key areas of fitness in health classes. In PE practical classes, they have been completing fitness testing, circuit training and participated in boxing incursions facilitated by Proactivity.

These incursions aligned with the key areas of fitness unit and provided students an opportunity to try a sport relating to aerobic power. This is in preparation for students' upcoming Common Assessment Task (CAT) where they will be planning and completing their own training programs.

Uniform Reminder

As we approach the holidays, please ensure that any necessary uniform purchases are arranged before Term 2.

Bob Stewart Uniform Shop: https://www.bobstewart.com.au/school/box-hill-high-school

Thank you for your ongoing support throughout Term 1. We look forward to another exciting term ahead!