Junior School Report

Year 7 Orientation Camp

Last week our Year 7 students attended a three-day Orientation Camp at Camp Rumbug in Foster North. The purpose of this camp was to provide students with the opportunity to develop resilience, work on their problem-solving and social skills, and gain a sense of independence as they begin their journey at secondary school.

Throughout the program, students participated in a range of outdoor activities including the giant swing, flying fox, canoeing, team building, orienteering and a very messy mud run.

A big thank you to the following staff who attended the camp and supported our students as they faced and conquered their fears:

Mr Sam Eddy, Mrs Ruth Smith, Mr Patrick Dempsey and Mr Donovan Lawrence.

Ms Emily Phibbs

Head of Junior School

Please read two reflections below from Nathan Hamilton and Lucas McNeil, two of our Year 7 students.

Wow, you wouldn’t believe how good camp was! It was so fun because we got to do heaps of activities such as the flying fox, giant swing and WAY more… So many new experiences. I made so many friends and faced a few of my fears too. Such as how I used to be TERRIFIED of heights, but I decided to take a challenge and go to the top of the giant swing which is 20 meters high! I did it once and it was so fun! Phew I’m glad I didn’t miss out on that. So, I did it again and you know what? Now I’m not scared of heights at all! Camp Rumbug was easily one of the best camps I’ve been on. I would like to say a big thank you to Mr Eddy and the other staff for all their hard work during the camp.

Nathan Hamilton

Last Wednesday, Year 7 embarked on our Camp Rumbug experience. It was a long bus trip, but it was worth it once we got there. There were so many fun activities! Like the flying fox or the giant swing. I made so many new friends there. It was a great time getting to know everyone over team bonding activities like raft building and canoeing. Everyone got a little dirty from all the really fun water activities, but we still had a blast! My favourite part would definitely be the flying fox, mostly because it was a mix between fun and scary, and because you could play games mid-air with your friends next to you. I hope we can go again next year!

Lucas McNeill

We also asked a few students to share some of their highlights from their time at Camp Rumbug:

“My highlight was the flying fox. At first, I was scared but it ended up being really fun.”
Jackson Voysey
“The giant swing was my favourite activity because it was so suspenseful.”
Jeremy Matthews
“I loved the raft building because I was the only one that got on, and lasted the longest.”
Tina Whitworth-Dodson
“The mud run was super fun even though we got super dirty. We even saw a snake.”
Ava Byrne

Looking Forward

The Junior School team continues to encourage all students to practise good learning habits as we head towards the final weeks of Term 1.

All students will now begin to have assessment tasks due and therefore it is very important that students stay on track with their learning. This includes: staying organised by using the College planner, embracing a growth mindset, and utilising the support services which are available such as homework club and the teaching staff.

Junior School Team

Mr Sam Eddy - Year 7 Coordinator

Ms Sylvia Wood - Year 8 Coordinator

Ms Su-Nhi Kim - Year 9 Coordinator

Ms Emily Phibbs - Head of Junior School

Year 7 Unboxy Challenge

A number of Year 7 students attended the Knox Innovation Opportunity and Sustainability Centre (KIOSC) at Swinburne University in Wantirna South to participate in the Unboxy Challenge. Students were given the task of developing a community-based space within the redevelopment of Knox City Shopping Centre. They had to design and create the space as an architectural model and then present their space in a pitch-style environment as to why their design was ideal for the new shopping centre.

One of our groups, the simply named “Group One”, won the overall prize for most creative design for their idea and presentation. Well done to all Year 7 students who participated; it was great to see your skills and team work develop over the three days.

Ms Ellen Sawyer

High Achievers Program Coordinator