Assistant Principal Report Junior School 

Year 9 – CAMP

Between Monday the 13th and Friday 17th of May, the Year 9 camp was held. The following are three students accounts of their time at Forest Edge CYC in Neerim South.

Marcus O’Meara-Hayes:

Year 9 Camp was definitely one of the better school camps I have attended. The most notable point of the whole camp, I believe, is the freedom that is felt compared with previous school camps. We were able to choose our own activates, which was a really refreshing way of doing things and mostly guaranteed you were never doing anything that didn't interest you. The freedom at other times in the day was also great. Being able to wander around the campgrounds to chat, play sports or an abundance of other things allowed the camp to feel like a proper camp and not just an extra-long excursion. I would also like to pay my compliments to the staff and teachers present on the camp for running things so smoothly and all the hard work they put in to make camp such a great time.

Maddie Lurie:

Year 9 Camp was very enjoyable. Whether it was the numerous of activities to do, the common free time, and of course mealtime. My favourite activity was the flying fox as it was very thrilling, and fun. My friends and I were able to have multiple turns and we had a blast! I also loved hanging out in the sporting hall with my friends playing all types of games. But overall, my favourite moment was the Boardgame/Movie night, as it was just such a good vibe and I had so much fun. This camp was by far the best, and the experiences taken from it will last forever.

Isobel Anwyl:

Forest Edge CYC is a pretty fun camp, The trees surround the camp, and the air is so fresh. They have so many awesome activities to do like bushwalking, mountain boarding, or even archery. It was all about trying new things and stepping out of your comfort zone, which the vast majority of people on the camp did! The staff there are friendly and welcoming; there was plenty of food for everyone to enjoy. To all Year 8 students, I do recommend going on this camp next year.

Year 8

As we move into the new semester our year 8 students will be changing into new subjects including Systems Technology, Drama, Music and Food. This provides students with the opportunity to challenge themselves out of their comfort zone, and some good life skills along the way. In PE Year 8s have started our units on fitness and movement techniques, another great opportunity to work with external providers BASE Performance. Throughout the Year 8 tutor group program we are focussing on organisation and adapting to our new timetables, addressing one of our Parkdale Principles - Preparation. 

As we move into term 3 the Year 8s will be taking part in their Engagement Program in week 2. This will involve a change to their normal structured timetable and opportunities to work individually, as teams and a class. They will take part in activities such as Bubble Soccer, Amazing Race, creativity challenges, team building and food and culture. 

Year 7

On Wednesday mornings, all Year 7 students participate in ‘Wellbeing Wednesdays’ during tutor group time. During Term 2, our focus has been on developing an understanding of the zones of regulation, and learning and practising a range of regulation strategies, such as grounding, square breathing, and mindfulness exercises. These are designed to support students during periods of stress or anxiety, but just like training for a marathon, should be practised regularly to enable quick and easy use during difficult times. We are so proud of how well the Year 7s have been able to learn these strategies. 

Our big focus for Term 3 is ‘Building Relationships’. As part of this focus, we are very much looking forward to camp in Week 3 of Term 3. We have over 95% of the year level attending the camp, which is outstanding, and we would like to thank parents for their support of this event. A parent letter with information regarding the camp, including dates, departure times, and a packing list, can be found on the Compass newsfeed.