Secondary School News
Secondary School News
TERM 4 SECONDARY SCHOOL UPDATE
This term has been jam packed with activities, celebrations and events connecting our community. I can’t believe we are halfway through already but when reflecting on all that our students have achieved in recent weeks I am very proud of all that our students have accomplished.
I would like to firstly thank Emily Wearne for all of her hard work with us at Collingwood College this year. She has been teaching music, coding and humanities across years 7-10 and has led our SRC throughout the year. Emily will be on materiality leave until late next year. We wish her all the best. As we say goodbye to Emily we are pleased to welcome three new staff members to the college.
- Mary Utter - replacing Emily Wearne in Term 4 but joining us in the Arts team in 2023
- Mark Campbell - is replacing Hannah Young during Term 4
- Amy Buckerfield joining us as a new Steiner and Maths teacher. It's wonderful to have them all join us!
Our Year 8, 9 and 10 students have been selecting their 2023 subjects this term and deciding on pathways. Please make sure you speak with your child about their subject choices.
RAISE MENTORING
Last week RAISE mentoring concluded for the year at Collingwood College with select students from years 8 & 9 participating in the program and working with a mentor weekly. It was my pleasure to attend their graduation ceremony and it was touching to listen to the reflections from both mentees and mentors on their participating in the program. RAISE mentoring will continue at the college in 2023.
THE ARTS
The Arts have been prominent throughout the college over the last few weeks with many amazing art productions and exhibitions.
It was inspiring to watch Frankie from Year 9 MC Uncle Jack Charles' funeral at Hamer Hall. She was confident and inspiring in her participation throughout the service. Our First Nations students and Pride students represented the college attending the state funeral.
As Sam mentioned, A Midsummer Nights Dream has begun its performance run this week with performances tonight and tomorrow. It's an amazing first for the college to have students from Grade 5 - Year 10 working together on a feature length production. Congratulations to Sarah Adams, our dedicated performing arts coordinator who has put so much heart into this production. If you haven’t got your tickets yet you can still purchase them here - https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/969999
The first Wurun Art Show is opening tonight showcasing VCE artworks from Studio Arts, Visual Communication and Design and Media subjects along with staff artworks on Level 6. Please make sure you pop in to see some of the outstanding student works.
Love until the End is a production by our Year 10 Drama class. Lazlo and Rosie from Year 10 have written the screenplay with the whole class, performing it over the next couple of weeks. This is an amazing student achievement and great preparation for VCE Theatre Studies and Drama. We are all looking forward to watching the show soon.
Swing into Spring is on Friday 18th of November at 3:30 - 6:30pm. We welcome everyone to attend so we can celebrate our first whole school event together. Tickets can be pre purchased here or on the day. https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/970025
Many thanks to our SRC and our amazing school council parents who have led this event!
ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
This term many of our students have been successful in having public celebrations of their academic achievements.
Caspar in 8C appeared on ABC radio and in the Herald-Sun promoting the book he produced for his Year 8 project. Caspar photographed every station in Metro Melbourne and created his own bound book. Well done on your amazing achievement and hard work! Please see his interview below -
Takeover Melbourne creates a powerful platform for young Melburnians to be heard. Young winners from across Greater Melbourne are selected to work with ABC Producers to turn their story into a piece of media for play on the ABC. Entries open in March each year and winners are announced in November. We are thrilled that two of our students from Year 8 Mackenzie and Zsofia were selected as winners this year and had their stories recorded and published. The Competition has hundreds of applicants but only 10 get chosen to share their story with the ABC studio.
See below to read or listen to their stories.
Rachel Wood Year 7 Coordinator
Takeover Melbourne winner Mackenzie — Collingwood, Victoria
I was born in Echuca on the border of Victoria and New South Wales.
I remember spending days on the banks of the Murray River getting splashed by passing boats and playing with friends.
I lived there until I was five, when my mum and I moved down the road to Kyabram to live with my nanna and poppy.
I had to start at a whole new school and make new friends.
I felt overwhelmed.
Soon after I got settled, we had to move once more. Mum got a house in Bendigo.
I didn't like all the moving around, because I kept on leaving my friends, and now my family.
After five years in Bendigo, we again packed up, ready to move.
This time, to the big city.
My first year in Melbourne I went to three schools.
I moved from Footscray, to Viewbank and finally Collingwood.
Each time we moved, it meant leaving friends and starting at a whole new school.
I think four schools in one year is a record!
I made a lot more friends in Melbourne.
My friend Amy has stuck with me since day one when I first moved.
She's been there for me through all the moving around.
Just before Melbourne went into lockdown, I finished year five at my new school in Collingwood, which went from prep to year 10.
On my first day, the people I sat with became my new friends.
It felt good but nerve wracking, making new friends again.
I was finally with this same class till the end of 2020 when we graduated to go to high school.
Nearly all my friends went to other high schools after year seven, but I stayed. I was happy there.
It's been pretty hard moving around changing schools — but being in Melbourne has given me so many opportunities.
I still go to Echuca every holidays and any other time I can to spend time with my family and friends there.
Even though the big city is where I live, the countryside of Echuca still feels like home.
Takeover Melbourne winner Zsofia — Collingwood, Victoria
I was born into a super sporty family.
My dad, two sisters and brother are all obsessed with footy — and my mum is a handball coach.
But when I was younger, I hated sport. I was quiet, shy and hidden away from the world.
I didn't like to put myself out there or try new things.
But things changed in year three.
I was the only girl in a class with 24 boys.
During PE class, I would always get picked last. When we played soccer, nobody would pass the ball to me.
So, I decided to get good at soccer and beat the boys in a match.
Soon after, I started playing at an all-girls soccer club.
At first, I couldn't even dribble the ball through cones, or kick the ball straight.
But eventually, I started getting the hang of it. I became confident and was even able to kick a goal.
I returned to school and was prepared to show everyone my new skills.
In PE I was picked last on a team again — great.
And I was on a team with all the sporty guys —greaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat.
I felt intimidated, but I didn't let them see it.
During the match, one of the guys passed the ball to me.
I panicked but then, I dribbled the ball and scored a goal!
The team started cheering me on.
The boys yelled out "Zsofia! I didn't know you could do that!"
I felt extremely accomplished.
After that day I felt confident, tried new things and learned to trust myself.
Now, I play futsal, tennis and volleyball.
But I think I'll always go back to soccer — because I wouldn't be who I am today, if I didn't give it a go.
Please listen to their stories below -
COURAGE TO CARE
Courage to Care is delivering their Upstanders Program to our Year 8 - 10 students next week inspiring our students to take inspiration from real-life extraordinary acts of courage. The Upstander Program educates participants on how to counter the dangers of racism, prejudice, discrimination and bullying. It is delivered by our team of skilled and dedicated volunteers and featuring inspiring testimonies from Holocaust survivor speakers, the Upstander Program promotes acceptance of diversity within our community, transform bystander behaviour, and inspire participants to become Upstanders.
END OF YEAR IMPORTANT DATES
We are excited that this year to again have an engaging end of year program for our Year 7 - 9 students during the final week of term. The specifics of this program will be communicated closer to the week. The following are end of year dates for our secondary students -
Year 10 Rose Ceremony and Final Day at Collingwood College - Wednesday November 23rd
Wurun Discovery Day - Friday 25th November
Year 11 2023 Early Commencement Program - Monday November 28th - Friday December 9th
Last Day of Year 10 - Friday December 9th
Year 7 - 9 - Final Day of Classes - Friday 9th December
Year 7 - 9 - Activities Week - Monday 12th - Friday 16th December
Year 7 - 9 - Final Day of School - Friday 16th December
Reminder there is a Student Free Day on Thursday November 24th.
Wishing you a wonderful rest of the term.
Angela Watters
Assistant Principal - Secondary School
Badminton Interschool Sport
On Thursday the 25th of August we travelled to the Darebin community sports centre to participate in the badminton regional tournament. After winning the district tournament by an outstanding 20 games to 4 games. We had continued to train 3 times a fortnight to increase our skill level. At the regional tournament, we put up a good fight but were surprised to find that we were thoroughly outmatched. We managed to win 3 games out of 18 which, although not the desired result, was a good effort against considerable adversaries. The team, although they did not win, had lots of fun and had a great time with their mates.
Big thanks to Steph Perkins for coaching us in the lead-up to and on the day of the tournament.
Osgar Bryant
Year 8 Student
10C Djurite / Mt. Arapiles Camp 10th-14th October
As part of the ‘Surveying and Arapiles’ main lesson we went on the last camp of the year and our final camp with our class. We went bouldering, light hiking, we would stop and draw, and play games, but the star of the show was the rock climbing. It was fantastic, we would do three climbs a day (excluding the day it rained and the day of arrival) and they would increase in difficulty which would just make it more fun to complete.
The thing that challenged me most was definitely the mosquitos, they were everywhere. They bit us constantly at all times of the day and there were so many, they would swarm us and fly at our faces. We would spray ourselves with mosquito repellent and they would still come for us. It was insanity, and most of us ended up with many bites by the time we got home.
I think the feeling of achievement is subjective, when I would reach the top of a climb, I was ecstatic, the view was amazing, and it just felt so good when you touched the carabiner and just soaked in the view. Above all though, the pride I would feel for myself and everyone else was also huge; for myself being able to push through the pain and reach the top felt so good. For everyone else, I felt just pride, seeing us all achieving things and challenging ourselves, it’s an amazing thing to experience.
One of the most memorable experiences on camp, for me, was on the Wednesday. There was a really hard climb, it was 18m and I decided to climb it first because I was feeling so good from the climbs the day before. I only got halfway, it was painful, and I was quite cold which made my hands hurt more. As I abseiled down, I decided that I would do it again after I did the other two climbs, this honestly wasn’t normal for me, I usually get dejected and decide not to do anything, but instead I was so excited to try again. That day I completed the other two climbs and then on my second try of the day, I got to the top of that hard climb, and I felt so good.
This is now one of the best camps I have been on, and I will continue to rock climb because I absolutely love it and I wouldn’t have known that if Alex and Tom hadn’t organised the camp and so I thank them, as well as our amazing helpers Mitch and Rowdy.
Kai Jenkin
Year 10 Student
Fitzroy Youth Homework Club
The Young Assets Foundation's Fitzroy Youth Homework Club provides education support for high school and university students (under 25) from refugee and migrant backgrounds. Fitzroy LibrarySupport includes:
- one on one tutoring
- study resources
- study spaces
- mentoring
- pathways support
More information contact: Youth Assets Foundation 0406 054 820
