Get Organised

BEING ORGANISED: able to plan things carefully, keep things tidy, and work effectively

The beginning of the school year can be a stressful time for students, parents and teachers alike. New schedules, new classes, new teachers and for some, a new school, can all add up to a lot of anxiety and uncertainty. However, it is important to remember that the start of the school year is a critical time that sets a tone for the rest of the year. A great start is essential for setting up success for the future. 

One of the most important things you can do to ensure a great start is to set up good routines and habits from day zero. This includes waking up at the same time each day, following the recently developed study planner to establish regular study times and most importantly, having a regular bedtime. When a routine is in place, students feel more in control and less stressed which in turn assists with their studies. 

Setting goals is also an important part of the new school year, and something that has also been discussed in our Mentor and StepUp programs. By setting specific goals, you have something to work towards and a sense of purpose that can help motivate you to succeed. 

Looking after your health and wellbeing also plays a big part in success at school. This means eating well, having a balance of “play and study,” staying active and sleeping well. Exercise helps improve your focus. Taking care of your mental health by practicing self-care and seeking help when needed can help you manage stress. 

Finally staying organized is imperative throughout the school year. Keep a hard copy or digital diary of important tasks and be sure to use Compass to keep track of any work that may need submission. Staying organized helps you retain control and reduces stress for all involved.

We hope that all students are listening and responding to the information that is being delivered during our Mentor Groups and StepUp program to assist with study skills and wellbeing. These are all designed to help students stay well, be happy and achieve success.

HOMEWORK CENTRE

Last Wednesday saw the return of Homework Centre at Bluff Road campus. We were thrilled to see so many students there, working with their teachers and support staff in the Library. There was a great buzz in the room, with lots of enthusiasm and plenty of schoolwork being completed under the watchful eye of our great staff. There was even food to feed the brain at the end of the day! Homework Club will run every Wednesday at Bluff Road Library from 3pm to 4.30pm. All are welcome.

STEP UP AND MENTOR GROUPS:

Over the last few weeks, Year 7 Step-up have been studying Organisational Skills, Study Planners, Homework V Reviewing Notes and Growth Mindset. 

Year 8 Mentor Groups have completed work on Goal setting, Organizational Skills, Study Planner, College Values and a Wellbeing session on Anxiety.

Year 9 have completed a Study Planner and worked on Organisational

Skills but also commenced working on Career Planning in preparation for the Morrisby Report. This report is compiled from students completing a survey which assesses their personality, academic ability, outside interests & hobbies and favourite subjects to assist students commence thinking about future opportunities, including VCE subjects, University or Workplace options and careers which best suit their strengths. The survey is run by our fantastic careers team and then parents will be invited to meet with the Morrisby Team to discuss the findings for each individual student. We hope that this will prompt many of our year 9 students to continue or start to consider their future pathways and how academic success leads to future opportunities.

NEW PARENTS NIGHT

We also had a very successful New Parents Information Night on February 16th where parents of students  who  are new to our College from year 7 to 12 had the opportunity to come in and attend information sessions in a “choose your own adventure” style of evening, run by the Principal Team and assisted by many of our Leading Teachers. Parents could choose from six different options:

• Who’s who? - Amy Porter
• Compass at Sandy – Michael McGowan
• Age of Anxiety – Wellbeing Team
• SWPB – Vivienne McElwee
• How we Teach – Jenni Howard
• Inclusion – Suzanne Trease

We hope that all of those parents who attended enjoyed these sessions and look forward to offering more information sessions to all parents as the year progresses.

ART ACADEMY

Our Art Academy also commenced on February 22nd with many of talented artists in years 7 to 9 coming together to further enhance their skills. When Amy Porter and I visited, the students were fully engaged with their charcoal work, used as a dry art medium. We are so fortunate to have so many talented artists, supported by amazing staff in Penny Fernandez and Joanna Pham. We look forward to watching these talented young people blossom even further as the year progresses. 

LEADERSHIP AT JUNIOR CAMPUS

On February 6th, we held our first full campus Assembly in the Hall to share important information with all members of the campus. Students and Staff were entertained with a musical item by Tye and Zane Harper. We also had a guest speaker, alumni and 2022 School Captain Dan Castle, who spoke to our students about his journey through Sandringham College, career aspirations, how to manage your time and leadership. It was great to hear Dan speak and to share his knowledge and understanding of the challenges that lie ahead for students as well as the wonderful opportunities that he experienced as a student at Sandringham College.  

Congratulations to the following students who were awarded Leadership positions for 2023:

CAMPUS CAPTAINS:

PIPPA ASOME AND THOMAS WINTERBURN

VICE CAPTAINS:

RUBY LESIRGE-PHILIPS AND ANISHKA SUBHAWICKRAMA

SPORT :

KUMAIL HASSAN AND RUBY HEMINGWAY

ENVIRONMENTAL:

LEILANI KILMANY AND EMILY MERRICK

PERFORMING ARTS :

JAYE GOWERS AND SIENNA MAGUIRE

MUSIC:

TYE HARPER

DANCE:

ARLIA PEIRCE AND GRACE TAYLOR

VISUAL ARTS:

ETHAN SARGESON AND DOTTIE PATERSON

SRC PRESIDENT:

ANASTASIA SALUNI

YEAR 8 CAPTAINS:

ROELINE HEIKAMP AND JED KERSTENS

Missing from photo: Tye Harper and Anishka Subhawrickama

We will soon be calling for nominations for year 7 captains and year 7 members of the SRC. This information will be available via Compass.

We look forward to sharing a report on the much anticipated Year 7 Camp in our next newsletter.

Vivienne McElwee

Campus Principal