Junior School

SEAL Information Night

On Tuesday 20th August we held our SEAL Information Night for current and new DSC families. The DSC SEAL Program is offered to high-achieving students in Years 7 - 9. We were thrilled to see a great turnout, and our current and former SEAL students did an outstanding job sharing their experiences and the exceptional opportunities this program offers.

Entrance into the SEAL Program is by application only and students must sit three tests on Thursday 5th September. There are still a few spots remaining for SEAL Testing, which can be booked here:

https://compasstix.com/e/86f3a4v1fs

Junior School APD

A Journey of Discovery and Growth

On Thursday 25th July, our Year 7 and Year 8 students embarked on an exciting journey of self-discovery during our Junior School Alternative Program Day. This special event was designed to help students explore potential career paths and develop essential skills that will serve them well into the future.

Throughout the day, students participated in a series of engaging classes focused on honing their communication and relationship-building abilities. These sessions provided a platform for students to practice and enhance their interpersonal skills, which are crucial in any career path.

A highlight of the day was the opportunity for students to think about their career action plans. Guided by teachers, students mapped out their interests and goals, gaining valuable insights into how they can navigate their educational and professional journeys.

The most anticipated part of the day took place in the Performance Centre, where students attended a special presentation featuring four inspiring guest speakers. Each speaker shared their unique career journey and imparted valuable wisdom.

• Ilana, a talented graphic designer, who always enjoyed art and took up every opportunity in school to nurture her skills. Ilana emphasized the importance of being a life long learner and the choices you make today will craft the person you are tomorrow.

• Kath, a dedicated and tenacious Vet Nurse, spoke about the rewards and challenges of working in animal care. Kath's career path into veterinary care was certainly not a linear. After completing a degree in teaching, majoring in English and Media, and working as a freelancer for tv shows including Gogglebox, Kath's love for her cats lead her to Vet Nursing. 

• Sara, a Community Officer from the Manningham Arts Centre has travelled the world with her degree in Theatre Art, but her interests in community engagement and social causes drew her back to Australia to work on First Nation and refugee cultural experiences. 

• Mitch, an engineer working towards his PhD in bubble acoustics, captivated students with his analogy of growing your interest bubbles, and where they overlap, could be an exciting career choice for you. 

The take-home message from the day was clear: You don't have to have your career all figured out in high school. Instead, focus on building a toolbox of skills and experiences. Discover what you are good at and passionate about and let that guide your future endeavours.

Year 7 Call > Push > Shock 

Our year 7’s have been participating in The Call Push Shock CPR and AED awareness program. This is an Australian-first pilot in Victorian schools to teach Year 7 students the skills needed to save a life and improve cardiac arrest survival rates.

Thousands of Victorians suffer an out of hospital cardiac arrest each year. A cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops. For every minute without intervention, a person’s chance of surviving decreases rapidly. But when a bystander does CPR, a person is twice as likely to survive. If an AED is used, this survival rate dramatically increases. With over 75 per cent of cardiac arrests occurring at home, everyone must know what to do, so that they can help to save a life.

This program is designed to assist students to Recognise when someone is in cardiac arrest and Learn the three simple steps of Call, Push, Shock – call Tripe Zero (000), start CPR, and use an AED. 

Katharine Anderson

Physical Education, Health & Human Development Teacher

Year 7 Reading

Our Year 7s have been exploring the purpose of text and why people draw cartoons to communicate messages, particularly persuasive pieces. Students were asked to create their own cartoon that had a message about the environment. Mr. Kumarasinghe was particularly impressed with the efforts of Ben B. (7D). (shown below). 

Unearthing the Past

Our Year 7 SEAL Humanities class joined an online session with the National Gallery of Victoria to explore the world of archaeology and the insights we can gain from artefacts. 

Archaeologist Johanna Patkov guided students through artefacts from the current Pharaohs exhibition, revealing intriguing details about this ancient time period. Students discovered that the Egyptian calendar year spanned 731 days, Pharaohs sought ways to appease their gods through grand statues and temples, and sometimes conducted animal sacrifices for protection, burying remains at their doorsteps.

History encourages us to ask questions, even when answers seem elusive—a realm of constant discovery. This experience has sparked students' curiosity, driving them to delve deeper into the mysteries of the past.

Janelle Farley

Humanities Teacher