Welcome to the final school term of 2023.

Recent World Events

Despite the positive start to the term many in our school community are affected by the devastating events in the Middle East.

All of us are upset and disturbed by the awful events depicted in media footage and images. This time is particularly distressing for staff, students, families and carers who have family and friends in Israel and Gaza.

We are also aware that students of diverse backgrounds, including Jewish and Muslim students, may be significantly affected by public events, mainstream media coverage and social media at this time.

Please be assured that all staff are aware of the extreme emotional toll on many in our community at this time. But please also feel free to get in contact with any of the staff at our school if you would like to ensure we are aware of what your child is going through at this time.

Our staff will continue doing all they can to support all our students, and support is also available for our staff.

It is possible that extremely distressing scenes from the conflict may be posted online in coming days. Please ensure your children are aware of where they can find support in the event they come across such images. At our school, this includes their year level coordinators and our wellbeing team.

You may find some aspects of this resource helpful:

Helping my children after trauma: A guide for parents.

Support is also available through external services including:

headspace: 1800 650 890
Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800
Lifeline: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636.

I also want to assure you that the department is monitoring the situation from a school security perspective, and we have been advised there is no further action we need to take at this stage.

Year 12

This week we farewell our Year 12 students with their last day assembly and we wish them all the best in their future endeavours. Our Year 12 students faced the impact of disrupted learning over the last few years and should be very proud of how far they have come and how resilient they have been.

Our VCAL students have completed their course and 13 years of schooling and our VCE students are entering a vitally important stage of their secondary schooling with upcoming VCAA exams. The exams commence on Tuesday 24th of October, with the English Exam at 9:00am. Students should check the starting time of each examination and arrive at least 30 minutes earlier. A full copy of the 2023 VCE Examination Timetable is available at the VCAA (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority) website.

VCE students should take advantage of the VCE guides produced by a range of organisations. One such guide is The Herald Sun ‘Exam study tips and tricks’. Dr Michael Carr Gregg, well known expert in adolescent mental health has a range of information on his website around VCE study habits. Here are his Eleven Top hints for Effective Study:

Establish a routine - set aside a particular time each day for study and revision and stick to it.
Create a study environment.
Set a timetable - with a timetable you can plan to cover all your subjects in an organised way allotting the appropriate time for each without becoming overwhelmed.
Look after yourself - Drink and eat right. Get enough sleep each night –   Regular physical exercise makes you feel great, boosts your energy and helps you relax. So try to keep up regular sporting activities or at least fit in some regular exercise. Reward yourself for studying. Watch your favourite television program, spend time with your friends, walk to the park, play sport.
Have variety in your study program - study different subjects each day.
Do different types of work and revision in each study session.
Avoid interrupting your concentration. Have all the appropriate materials with you before you start a session of study to minimise distractions.
Test yourself on what you have studied - ask your parents or family members to quiz you on what you have learnt.
Use draft questions from books, past assessments or major exam papers.
Don't panic at exam time.
Ask your teachers for guidance.

Another useful article written by Dr Michael Carr Gregg called ‘9 ways to manage Year 12 stress’ can be found here.

Voice Referendum Result

As you know, over the weekend the Commonwealth government held a referendum on whether to alter the Australian Constitution to recognise the First Peoples of Australia by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. Enough votes have been counted for us to know that the referendum did not pass.

This referendum is the first that Australia has had in over two decades and it highlights the importance of referendums to our democratic system of government. We know that in a democracy, it’s important that people can express their opinions on key issues, especially those of great national importance.

Should you require further information on available resources please contact the College.

Programs delivered so far this term

During Week 1 and 2 we ran several workshops for our students, including Year 7 and 8 Cyber Safety, Year 8 Stand Up Program and Year 10 Girls Flourish. Our SRC students have also had a training day and our Year 7s were introduced to their 2024 Year 8 Enrichment Program. Students submitted their preferences for the Enrichment Program and enrolments will be confirmed with families later this term.

Art Show Opening Tuesday 17th of October

The Art show will officially open at 6pm on Tuesday 17th of October in our Library. Last year’s event was a great success and we know we will have another great week showcasing our student’s talents. Our next Newsletter will feature this event. We have invited Balin Menzies’ family to attend for the official unveiling of the Memorial seat in his honour on this Tuesday evening.

Presentation Ball Friday 20th of October

Our Presntation Ball for our Year 11 students will be held at the Luxor Function Centre this Friday. Thank you to our Community for sharing this special evening with this outstanding group of students.

Semester Two Exams

In this final term of the year, our students in Years 9 to 11 will sit school-based Semester Exams. Please refer to the schedule below for study dates and exam dates.

Week 6-

Monday 6th November- Year 9, 10 and 11 Exam Study Day from home

Tuesday 7th - Melbourne Cup Day

Wednesday 8th -Friday 10th- Year 10 and 11 Exam Revision in classes

Week 7-

Monday 13th November- Year 10 and 11 Exam Revision in classes

Monday 13th to Friday 17th November- Year 9 Exam Revision in classes

Tuesday 14th November- Last day of classes Year 10 and 11

Wednesday 15th- Friday 17th - Year 10 and 11 Exams

Week 8-

Monday 20th and Tuesday 21st November- Year 10 and 11 Exam Catchups

Monday 20th to Friday 24th November- Year 9 Exams

Feedback on Assessment Tasks

As we head towards Semester Two Reports, students in Years 7 to 11 and parents are encouraged to regularly check in on Learning Tasks on Compass to monitor work completion, meeting deadlines and reviewing teacher feedback.

To view the Learning Tasks, select the Learning Tasks tab on your child’s Profile page:

Please see ‘Assessment’ tasks, which contain feedback and results. Once the Learning task is open, you will see 2 tabs- Task Details and Feedback. Click on both to see what the task was and the feedback from teachers on achievement and improvement.

Rose Thomson

Acting Principal