Middle School

YEAR 9

Teresa Hayes -Year 9 Leader 

Angus Thornton – Year 9 Coordinator

Chaney Ke – Year 9 Coordinator

It is the end of another busy term. 

In Term 3 students completed course counselling; all students choosing either a VCE subject or a VET course to complete as part of their Year 10 studies. 

During this term there has been the school production, a 4 Cs performance, RUOK day and the Year 9 Celebration assembly. 

Term 3 Celebration Assembly

On Wednesday 16th September we had our Year 9 Celebration assembly. 

We celebrated students who had 100% attendance- a great effort! Students who have not been late in Term 3 and students who have not been late this year – incredible! The student who achieved the highest SWPBS points in Term 3 and the students who achieved the highest GPA were also celebrated. 

Those students who participated in interschool sport were recognized and students who received an Academic Excellence award or an Academic Endeavour award in their subject were also celebrated. 

We also had two students who participated in the Young Leaders to China program- a wonderful effort from our Year 9 students! 

Attendance and Lates

Attendance and reducing the number of lates remains a focus and it is extremely pleasing to see the high attendance across the cohort –Year 9 students continue have the second highest attendance across all year levels in September! While there is some room for improvement from some students, compared to this time last year, Year 9 students have reduced their lates by over 6000! An outstanding effort! 

Just some friendly reminders

Your Middle School Administration Assistant for Year 9 is:  Lauren Carr

• Late arrivals:

Notes brought to school by students citing reasons such as “busy traffic,” “slept in,” “attended a medical appointment,” or “family matter” will NO longer be accepted. 

These reasons do not meet middle year expectations and will result in a lunch detention, unless a parent/guardian adds a note on Compass or calls or emails the school to provide a valid explanation.

• Please note that you can text the below numbers to your year level administration assistant if you cannot write a note on COMPASS or in your child’s diary. 

This can be for one of the following reasons: 

Parent Choice, Medical/Illness, Medical Appointment, Family Holiday, School Refusal. 

One of the above reasons MUST be placed within the text message, with the reason/s they are not in school and your child’s FULL name.

Year 9: Lauren – 0403 340 143

• Medical appointments and illness: 

If your child is absent for medical reasons, a medical certificate must be provided to verify the absence. 

Without this documentation, the absence cannot be approved. 

This also applies to late arrivals because of a medical appointment, for which a certificate of attendance must be provided. 

It is incredibly important that attendance is a priority for all students and that they maintain an attendance record of fewer than 20 days absent across the entire

school year, as consistent attendance directly affects learning, assessment, and academic success.

Please note that this attendance count also includes late arrivals. Frequent lateness, even by a few minutes, contributes to overall attendance and may negatively

impact your child’s academic progress and performance.

If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at: 

Year 9: Lauren.carr@education.vic.gov.au or Text message: 0403 340 143

Victorian Young Leaders to China (VYLC) Program

Six of our Year 9 students (Iniyan, Amy, Rachel, Harnoor, Ivana and Pearleen) recently participated in the Victorian Young Leaders to China (VYLC) Program, a unique virtual exchange experience that connected students from across Victoria with their peers in China.

Over the two-week program, students engaged in immersive Mandarin language lessons delivered online, providing valuable opportunities to strengthen their listening, speaking, reading, and intercultural communication skills. Through regular Zoom sessions, our students interacted with Chinese teachers and students, practising their Mandarin in authentic conversations and learning about each other's school life, interests, and cultures.

A highlight of the program was the Chinatown Amazing Race, where students worked in teams to complete a range of language and cultural challenges while competing against students from other Victorian schools. The event encouraged participants to apply their Mandarin skills in real-world contexts while developing teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Year 9 Mandarin Program

This term, our Year 9 Mandarin students participated in a range of exciting cultural experiences that brought their language learning to life.

Students studying Year 9 Mandarin for the full year attended the Box Hill Chinese Experience Excursion, where they took part in a variety of hands-on cultural workshops. At the Dunhuang Arts Academy, students learned Chinese drumming, created their own lacquer fans, and explored the traditional art of rubbings. They also enjoyed a delicious hotpot lunch and spent time exploring Box Hill Central, one of Melbourne's most vibrant Chinese cultural precincts. The excursion provided students with authentic opportunities to engage with Chinese language and culture beyond the classroom.

Our semester-based Mandarin students enjoyed a special dumpling-making lesson, where they learned about the cultural significance of dumplings and practised traditional folding techniques. Students worked together to prepare and cook both pork and halal chicken dumplings, before enjoying the results of their efforts. The lesson was a fun and memorable way to experience Chinese culture through food while developing practical skills and teamwork.

These experiences have helped students deepen their understanding of Chinese language and culture while creating lasting memories with their classmates. We look forward to providing more enriching opportunities for our Mandarin students in the future. 

MOCK Interviews

Thank you to all of our Year 9 students who completed the required work and put in the effort to attend their Mock Interview. We had a fantastic turnout, with many students making a real effort to dress professionally and show that they were interview ready. 

Almost all students arrived on time and came prepared with the required paperwork printed and ready to go.

Our CESC Year 9 students were polite, respectful and engaged with our volunteer interviewers. The feedback I received from our volunteers about many of our students was incredibly positive and impressive. It was wonderful to hear about the talents, skills and work ethic that so many of our young people are demonstrating.

The effort you put into preparing for your interviews, your presentation and the respectful manners you showed on the day were fantastic to see. These are important skills that will continue to benefit you throughout your education, future employment and beyond.

You should be proud of the effort you put in. Well done, Year 9!

Construction Essentials – Vocational Explorer (Chadstone campus)

Overview Spend time inside our trade workshops building real projects from timber, plaster, painting and brick. 

You’ll rotate through several trades to discover which construction pathway sparks your interest. 

Potential pathways:

• Certificate II in Construction Pathways

• Cert II pre-apprenticeship in Building and Construction

• Cert II Plumbing pre-apprenticeship

• Other pre-apprenticeships

• 8-Week Construction Essentials VET Taster (Year 10 Program)

INSPIRE

INSPIRE students Completed 3 micro courses this term including First Aid, White Card and Food Handlers. We are super proud of the hard work put in by students this term.

2026 RSPCA Support Dog Incursion

The session explores the human–animal bond and the important role pets can play in the lives of individuals and families. Students will learn that difficult circumstances can also affect pets, and that supporting the wellbeing of animals can be an important part of supporting victim-survivors.

Through age-appropriate discussion and activities, students will have opportunities to:

• develop empathy and perspective-taking by considering how experiences can affect both people and animals
• explore what respectful, safe and caring relationships look like
• consider how our actions and choices can affect the wellbeing of others
• develop an understanding of help-seeking and support services available to people and animals
• build awareness of how we can respond with compassion rather than judgement
• practise appropriate and respectful interactions with animals
• develop self-regulation skills, including recognising emotions, managing responses and interacting calmly and safely.

YEAR 10

Pathways, Performance & Preparation for Term 4

As we move into Term 3, Year 10 students have commenced new subjects and learning pathways that will help them consolidate the key skills needed for success in their final year of compulsory schooling. With exams occurring in Week 7 of Term 4, this term represents a critical opportunity for students to strengthen their understanding, seek feedback and build the habits that will set them up for a strong finish to the year. 

Academic Focus: GPA and Growth

All students are reminded to use their GPA scores as a clear indicator of academic progress. Students should strive to maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher, as this reflects consistent achievement across their subjects. 

• GPA below 3.0? This is a signal to seek feedback from classroom teachers to identify areas for growth and develop a plan for improvement.
• Feedback is powerful: Research from Character Lab shows that detailed, actionable feedback-where students revise their own work-builds independence and reinforces a growth mindset. 
• Grit matters: Success in Year 10 isn’t just about talent-it’s about persistence, effort and the willingness to learn from setbacks. Students who demonstrate grit and a growth mindset are better equipped to handle challenges and improve over time. 

Students are encouraged to continue seeking feedback from staff throughout Term 3 and Term 4 so they can refine their skills and approach exams with confidence.

Course Counselling and Pathways

Course counselling has been completed for all Year 10 students. All students have selected and locked in their pathways for Years 11 and 12:

• VCE Vocational Major (VCE VM)
• VCE General

These pathways reflect each student’s interests, strengths and future career or tertiary goals. 

• Students should now focus on locking in key skills during Term 3 and early Term 4 so they can “step up” after Week 7 with a successful mindset and the capabilities needed for senior study.
• If students have questions about their pathway, subject choices or future options, they are encouraged to speak with their Year 10 Coordinator or the Careers team.[ 

Work Experience – Term 4, Week 4

A reminder that students from 10I to 10P will participate in Work Experience during Week 4 of Term 4. 

• Students should aim to align their work experience placement with their future career interests or pathway.
• The Careers team is available to support students in finding suitable placements and answering any questions.
• Work experience is a valuable opportunity to develop workplace skills, explore career options and build confidence in real-world settings. 

Attendance: A Key to Success

Regular attendance is essential for academic success, wellbeing and readiness for senior pathways. The Department of Education (Victoria) emphasises that schools must provide active support for full student attendance and retention through to Year 12. 

• Students are reminded to miss as minimal time as possible in Term 4, especially with exams in Week 7.
• DET Attendance Support: Schools use a staged approach to attendance support, including early intervention, targeted responses and, where needed, specialist support through Student Support Services or external agencies.  
• If attendance becomes a concern, students and families can access support through the school’s wellbeing team, regional DET office or The Orange Door for broader family  

We Are Here to Support You

Year 10 is a pivotal year for building the skills, habits and mindset needed for success in senior secondary schooling and beyond. Our team is committed to supporting every student to achieve their personal best.

For any questions or support, please contact:

• Kevin McCall – Year 10 Leader
• Belinda Whelan – Year 10 Coordinator
• Sienna Armstrong – Year 10 Coordinator

Let’s make Term 3 count-seek feedback, stay focused and keep growing.