From the PrincipalsDesk

Term Three has been an incredibly busy and rewarding time at Northern Bay College, filled with opportunities for student achievement and community connection. We began with another successful round of Student-Led Conferences (SLCs) and the successes continued through the term with some outstanding triumphs on the sporting field, each event contributing to the vibrant and inclusive culture we foster. 

The visits from the Premier and local MP highlighted our students' growth, while events like Koorie Aspirations Day and the unveiling of Bunjil at SVOEC deepened our connection to Indigenous culture. 

IMPACT Camps, scholarship presentations, and R U OK? Day all provided moments for reflection, recognition, and student well-being, reinforcing our commitment to growth, persistence, and collaboration. 

We hope you enjoy reading through our end of term 3 newsletter and have relaxing holiday break.

Scott Diamond

College Principal

Bunjil Unveiling

This term, our school camp SVOEC, hosted the launch of the new Bunjil and Yarning Circle, which was made possible through a generous CUST grant. The event, attended by NBC and Nelson Park First Nation students, local First Nation Elders and KESOs, school staff and Region DE staff, was truly a successful day. Year 12 student Lauren Kelly spoke from the heart on behalf of NBC First Nation students and really did a great job. Everyone in attendance were very impressed and proud.

Growth

IMPACT Year 10 Arts Camp

Year 10 IMPACT students recently attended the exciting IMPACT Camp in Melbourne, where they immersed themselves in the vibrant world of the arts. The students explored graffiti lanes, participated in a Hip Hop writing workshop, visit to ARTVO Banksy Exhibition (where students spray painted their own Banksy inspired t-shirt) and even recorded a segment of The Project—where Amanda Baulch had a cheeky special guest role!

Students attended a Podcasting workshop, a History of Music tour, and various activities at ACMI and the NGV with a highlight of the camp being the musical Six. Throughout the three days, the students demonstrated wonderful behaviour, making the most of every opportunity to explore and engage with the arts in Melbourne. 

A message received after the camp by a parent is testimony to the importance of these experiences:

 "Thank you so much for having the faith, courage and mindset to take these kids and open their minds to inspire and encourage them to see beyond their everyday lives."

A fantastic experience for all - with a huge thanks to Amanda and Jessie for their attendance and organisation.

Western Chances Scholarships

Twenty-seven students from across our college were recently awarded Western Chances scholarships, recognizing their hard work and dedication. The official launch for the program arriving in Geelong was hosted at NBC, where five local schools were represented, with NBC being the most prominent in terms of recipients.

During the event, Marie Marouf of Year 12 delivered an inspiring speech, eloquently expressing what the scholarship means to her. Her words captured the hope, support, and opportunity that Western Chances provides for students to pursue their dreams.

Western Chances, founded in 2003, has a strong history of helping young people in Melbourne’s western suburbs by offering scholarships and ongoing support to students facing financial barriers. We are incredibly proud of our recipients and grateful to Ken Massari for his leadership in this important work.

Collaboration

City of Great Geelong Mayor Visit

The Year 5 and 6 students recently had the privilege of welcoming the City of Geelong Mayor, Trent Sullivan, for a special incursion as part of their HASS unit. Mayor Sullivan shared valuable insights about local government, civic responsibilities, and the importance of community engagement. The students were captivated by his discussion on how decisions are made at the council level and how they impact the community. This experience provided them with a deeper understanding of their roles as future citizens and community leaders. A big thank you to Juanita Mountjoy for organizing this wonderful opportunity for our students!

Learning Walks

Last week, staff from all campuses came together for a Maths Learning Walk at Peacock campus, where they observed the LES teaching model in action in Year 3/4 and Year 5/6 classes. The Learning Walk process, designed for continuous improvement, provided a judgment-free environment focused on observation and reflection. The visit was marked by a strong "one college" spirit, emphasizing the importance of collegiality, where practice, resources, learning, and wisdom are shared assets across the college. A heartfelt thank you to the dedicated staff who taught during the visits—we saw some truly great practice that exemplified our shared commitment to excellence.

African Parents Morning Tea

On Thursday we held an African parents’ morning tea which was a wonderful opportunity to build connections and discuss areas for improvement in our school’s communication. We also explored new initiatives expected to come into DE schools and heard valuable ideas on how we can better support this parent group in their settlement to Geelong. The atmosphere was so positive and enjoyable, fostering a sense of community and collaboration. We look forward to creating more opportunities for these discussions in the future to continue these important conversations. A big thank you to Belthrand and his team for their excellent organization of this meaningful event!

Parliamentary Recognition

We are thrilled to see our local member, Ella George, share a video from Parliament, where she spoke so positively about her recent visit to Northern Bay College alongside Premier Jacinta Allan. Her comments highlighted the incredible students and the vibrant environment that make our school community special. It’s wonderful to receive such recognition, affirming the hard work and dedication of our students, staff, and the wider NBC community. This acknowledgment reflects the positive impact Northern Bay College continues to have, and we are grateful for the support from leaders like Ella George and Premier Allan.

R U OK Day 

The concept of R U Ok Day - creating connections and conversation to help people through difficult times - fits in so perfectly with the culture within our staff rooms and across our students body. Highlighting the importance of these connections during yesterday's festivities really helped to put pep in so many steps and we are thankful to all who helped promote a message that is pertinent every day.

CCV & NBC Homework Club

The My Education Awards held on Wednesday recognises the outstanding contributions made by Learning Support Programs across the State. This year, the CCV and NBC Homework Club held at Goldsworthy campus was shortlisted as LSP of the Year (Regional/Rural) from a robust field of 47 nominees. 

Proudly, our collaborative program was Runner Up in their field. This after school program led by Nestor and supported by a host of internal and external staff and volunteers continues to be a pivotal aspect of life at our school.

We thank Nestor, Belthrand, Sophie, Zuzana, Magda and their team for their continued efforts in supporting our students each week in their academic careers. Parents and carers have also welcomed family engagement efforts, attending information sessions on relevant topics such as mental health, and learning how to use Xuno effectively. 

We look forward to elevating our homework club to further engage with and support our CALD community.

Persistence

Recognition of 10 Years Service

This term saw NBC recognise the outstanding service of our staff who have given 10 and more years of dedicated service to our college and wider school community. Certificates have gone out to 126 amazing staff at Campus presentations! Congratulations to all! 

Geelong Kokoda Youth Program

Year 11 student Tom Bugg is preparing for a life-changing experience as part of the Geelong Kokoda Youth Program. Over the past six months, Tom has committed to training twice a week, both mentally and physically gearing up for the challenge. The program supports young people through personal development, fitness, and mentorship. This journey will culminate in Tom walking the 96km Kokoda Track in Papua New Guinea over this school holiday break. We are incredibly proud of Tom’s determination and wish him well. We look forward to hearing all about his incredible adventure upon his return!

Kindness 

Honouring David Neilson

For those in the NBC community that had the pleasure of working with David Neilson, who sadly passed away early this year, we are currently creating a student award to recognise the impact that David had on our students and college. While still in development, the award will aim to go to students that embody all the values that David held dear through his time with the college. Stay tuned for more information! 

David put a lot of love and effort into everything he worked on, including this Newsletter. We hope to continue the amazing legacy he left for us at the College. 

Buddy Benches

Recently, our friends at Kardinia Rotary and the Men's Shed developed and installed Buddy Benches across the Hendy, Tallis, Wexford and Peacock Campuses. 

What is a Buddy Bench? 

It's a bench placed in a school playground serving a special purpose. If a child feels lonely or left out or needs someone to play with, they can sit on the buddy bench. This signals to other children that they want a friend or some company. Such benches are situated in open and well-travelled areas of the school so that any child using the bench will be noticed quickly. It's a bench placed in a school playground serving a special purpose. If a child feels lonely or left out or needs someone to play with, they can sit on the buddy bench. This signals to other children that they want a friend or some company. Such benches are situated in open and well-travelled areas of the school so that any child using the bench will be noticed quickly. 

Buddy Bench origin story

There are several origin stories for the buddy bench or friendship bench. One begins with a 7 year old boy named Christian Bucks when he was in second grade, Christian's family considered a move from the United States to Germany. While looking at schools in Germany, Christian stumbled upon something interesting — a special bench in the playground where kids could sit if they were looking for a friend.

Christian loved the idea so much that, even though his family didn't move, he brought the concept back to his school in York, Pennsylvania. He thought a buddy bench would be perfect for his school playground. The school administration agreed, and a friendship bench soon appeared on the playground, gaining national media attention in the process.

Christian wasn't alone in promoting buddy benches in schools. Founded by Florida elementary student Victoria Portela and her mother, the My Buddy Bench Project has also spread the word about the benefits of a friendship bench in schools.

The impact of these initiatives was immediate and profound. The buddy benches helped children at Christian and Victoria's schools, and the concept quickly caught on and spread to other schools across the country and around the world. The friendship bench has become a symbol of friendship and kindness in playgrounds everywhere.

A massive THANK YOU to the Kardinia Rotary Club and the Men's Shed for making this wonderful initiative possible for our school community.