Message from the principal
JOANNE CAMOZZATO
Semester One Wrap Up!
I want to congratulate all our Year 7 students for completing their first semester of high school. This is quite an achievement and many of them have navigated the transition from primary school extremely well. Some lockers still need a little work but it is pleasing to see that students are beginning to develop their organisation and metacognition skills. Metacognition skills involve - self correcting; strategies and skills in problem solving and 'thinking about thinking'. These skills take a long time to master and can seem to be missing during adolescence.
Our Year 8 students have successfully chosen their first electives. The teachers offered 10 electives which the students voted on and then from the top selection of six most popular one students then ranked their preferences. This is an important learning experience as choosing electives and then later on VCE/VET subjects requires students to choose and sometimes compromise as we know that you cannot get everything you want in life. Where possible as part of all elective and future subject choices we try to give students their most preferred choices. A pathways/careers program will begin to be introduced to our students over the next year so they can begin to make informed choices based on their areas of interests not just being in class with their closest friends. The Year 8 electives that will be running in semester 2 are:
- Behind the Scenes of a Successful Athlete
- Flash, Snap! Filter, Upload!
- Spanish Life and Culture
- Make and Create in the Digital Space
- 3,2,1 .....Cook!
- Adventure Awaits
I would also like to thank the staff for their on-going hard work and commitment to the teaching and learning at the College. We have some staff at the beginning of their careers and they have continued to work with our more experienced teachers in ensuring the students are receiving guaranteed and viable curriculum. The many activities and experiences that students are involved in are only possible because of the teachers who give extra. This is giving up lunch breaks to train sports teams; run leadership meetings, organise excursions, breakfast club, incursions and food trucks!
I wish all students a safe and restful holiday break. We will see you back soon for another action packed semester!
Staffing Update
We say goodbye to Viqui Gras, our Spanish Teacher who has taken a position at the Language Unit in the Victorian Curriculum Assessment Authority. We congratulate her on this position as she will be involved in reviewing the VCE Spanish Language units. Our other current Spanish Teacher, Lauren Gould will take on all the Spanish classes for the reminder of the year. We welcome Tanele Spiteri who is joining us from Mernda Central College as an English/Media/Humanities teacher. She will take over from Lana Ziday who has done an excellent job taking over from Jas Almatrah. Lana will stay on with us replacing Melissa Broders, our Art teacher, who is on leave for the first two weeks of Semester 2. We are also very excited to announce that we have provisionally appointed a Senior Administration Coordinator to support both Sophie our Business Manager and other ES staff and an Assistant Principal - Middle School who will work with the Leadership team to expand our Middle School Program to be ready for Year 9 in 2020. I will introduce them early next term.
Uniform
Thank you again to all the families who have continued to support the College's Uniform Policy during these colder days. As part of the winter uniform, students are to wear their blazer to and from school. The uniform is designed to keep students warm. If students wear the shirt, school jumper and blazer they would be protected from the cold. Leggings under the sports shorts are not part of the school uniform. There is a tracksuit that can be purchased. In response to students keen to wear beanies and scarves - the College has asked students for their input and we have ordered the most voted for beanie and scarf. They will be available early Term 3 for sale at the College. These are not compulsory items BUT if students choose to wear a beanie it must be the College beanie.
Joanne Camozzato
College Principal