Faculty news
Counselling
Friendships
Friendships are important to our well-being, our sense of belonging at school and can be a source of support through life's challenges and transitions. A child or young person's social experiences can vary at times from experiencing acceptance, getting along well with a group of friends, having a close friend/s to having to navigate conflict, peer pressure or teasing. Learning to make friends, introducing themselves, locating others with a common interest, joining a new group, learning from others, asking questions to develop conversations and conflict resolution skills are some of the many social skills that we can develop through friendships.
For further information and interviews on a range of areas related to friendships including cyber safety, shyness, conflict and many others you can refer to https://oakleighgrammar.vic.schooltv.me under the topic of Friendship and Belonging.
I would also like to take this opportunity to thank all of the staff, students and parents for their warm welcome and helpfulness which have enabled me to settle into my role as Student Counsellor at Oakleigh Grammar. Over the years, I have previously worked with children, young people and families in schools both as a classroom teacher and in Student Wellbeing, in acute hospital child youth mental health (CAMHS and CYMHS) and in private practice. If you would like your child to receive some counselling assistance at school please contact us for a referral form.
Regards,
Sue Bassett
Student Counsellor
Careers
Years 9 - 11 CAREERS IMMERSION EXCURSION!
Do you have a GENUINE CAREER INTEREST in Interior Design, Graphic Design, Colour Consulting, Customer Service, Sales, Marketing, Warehousing and Production, Human Resources, Business or Accounting?????? Want to find out more about these careers from industry professionals on a workplace excursion?
If you answered YES, applications are NOW OPEN to attend an exclusive workplace visit to Nikpol a 100% Australian-owned company established in 1978 by Nick and Poly Nikolakakis. Nikpol has grown from a small two-man operation to become a leading supplier for the new home, renovation and commercial joinery market. Click here to find out more about Nikpol https://www.nikpol.com.au/
This excursion is open to students from Year 9 -11 with a maximum of 10 students that can attend. The excursion will be held on Monday 28 November 2022 from 9 am – 11.30 am and morning tea will also be provided.
Applications close Friday 4 November So, if you would like to join me for this exclusive opportunity, please apply now - email me at MMascaro@oakleighgrammar.vic.edu.au stating the following
- Your Name
- Your Career Interest/s
- Why you should be chosen to participate in this workplace visit to Nikpol
The 10 successful applicants will be notified on 8 November.
Deakin University Pathways Finder
Deakin’s Pathways Finder is an interactive online tool for students highlighting the recommended pathways to every bachelor degree at Deakin University.
Students can search by course or area of study, and they can learn about TAFE pathways to Deakin. Explore Pathways Finder at Deakin
Tax File Number
If you are a Year 9 or 10 student applying for a casual job and/or a Year 12 student enrolling into University next year, you require a Tax File Number (TFN). Students should apply for a TFN online and have their identity verified through an interview at a participating Australia Post office.
To apply and also to find out about participating Post Offices, visit TFN Application
Pathway into Swinburne’s Bachelor of Architecture
Passionate about architectural design? Interested in construction? Box Hill Institute is excited to announce the new pathway into Swinburne’s Bachelor of Architecture.
Students who successfully complete Box Hill’s 2-year Advanced Diploma of Design will gain entry into the Swinburne Architecture degree. It will enable students to attend university without an ATAR, the opportunity to graduate with two qualifications, and the ability to work in an industry with one qualification, while completing the second.
Find out more at Advanced Diploma of Design (Architectural).
Pathways to Education Courses at Monash
If you’re interested in becoming a teacher, but do not meet the entry requirements for the Bachelor of Education (Honours), there are a range of pathway programs to help you achieve your goal below.
Further information can be found here Alternative pathways into the Bachelor of Education (Honours)
Michelle Mascaro
Careers Advisor
LOTE
During Term 3, selected Oakleigh Grammar students had the opportunity to partake in the Greek Public Speaking Festival. This is an annual festival organised by the Modern Greek Teachers’ Association of Victoria and all students who study Greek across Victoria can participate.
The students had to recite a Greek poem or story or present a speech on a specific topic. The festival allows students to improve their oral skills and to have self-confidence in public speaking.
This year more than 100 students participated in this festival from different schools across Victoria.
We are very excited to announce the following winners from Oakleigh Grammar:
Year 5/6 Poetry Category
Eva Bakalis 1st Award
Melina Kompeliti 2nd Award
Year 7/8 Poetry Category
Tziovannis Konstantinidis 3rd Award
Year 9/10 Poetry Category
Theo Beharis 1st Award
Helen Kousourakis 2nd Award
Natassa Starakis 3rd Award
Year 5/6 Demostenes (Oral Presentation) Category
Oliver Cooney 3rd Award
Congratulations to all students for the outstanding results!
Natasha Spanos
VCE Academic Leader LOTE
SRC
On Friday 21 October, ELC to Year 12 students and staff became ‘loud’ by wearing colourful shirts to support Next Sense’s ‘Loud Shirt Day’. This was an initiative to raise money for children with hearing loss. Money raised goes to support children who are deaf or hard of hearing, with resources and intervention to help them meet their goals and achieve their fullest potential. Congratulations to Junior School Leaders for coming up with the idea to support this worthwhile initiative.
On Friday, 28 October, we celebrated World Teacher’s Day. Middle School Leaders and SRC Representatives, on behalf of all students, showed their appreciation to all Oakleigh Grammar staff members by organising a small gift for each one with a special thank note!
Christmas is a time to celebrate with family and friends whilst relaxing and enjoying the time of year. Oakleigh Grammar is holding a Christmas Appeal for the Greek Welfare Centre from Monday, 24 October to Friday, 2 December. Students of Year 8 Orthodox Studies will be collecting non-perishable foods for those in need in our community. Oakleigh Grammar calls upon the community to demonstrate their goodwill and contribute as much as they are able. Students in charge of the project will collect all donations during Home Group. We will appreciate your support.
Natasha Spanos
SRC Coordinator
Language and Literacy
Year 6 - Teen Campaigners Changing the World
After researching real-life teens and historical change makers who are/were contributing to making the world a better place, students learn how to use persuasive language to communicate with influence about real-world issues of their choice. They are assessed on the creation of their own digital campaigns.
Image by Anastasia VRETTAKOS 6A
Year 7 - Crow Country by Kate Constable
Students investigate the way Constable uses textual features to explore concepts around social and cultural histories in Australia. Students are assessed on their analytical essays in response to a given topic on the text. This unit enables students to understand the culture of First Nations Australians and respond to characters, themes, settings and events in the text about First Nations Australian by an Australian author.
Year 8 - Challenging narrow representations of beauty
Students examine representations of aesthetic beauty in the media and recognise that overwhelmingly, representations of beauty are narrow, limited and limiting. They consider the implications of this for mental and physical well-being, particularly amongst vulnerable audience groups. They analyse the strategies employed by media outlets to influence their audiences and reflect on ways audiences can challenge and reject limited definitions of beauty offered by the media, and the benefits of this for their well-being. They are assessed via group presentations.
Year 9 - Looking for Alibrandi - Melina Marchetta
After viewing the film Looking for Alibrandi, students read a range of persuasive texts all of which are about topics related to relationships, belonging, well-being etc. They explore the ways writers use argument and written and visual language in order to try and persuade others to agree with their points of view. They are assessed on their analysis of unseen persuasive texts.
Year 10 – Comparison of Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington & Lion by Garth Davis
Students read the memoir Follow the Rabbit Proof Fence by Doris Pilkington Garimara and compare it to the film Lion directed by Garth Davis. They investigate and compare the presentation of similar ideas, issues and themes, and they learn how to write a comparative analysis essay. This unit enables students to learn about the stolen generation as experienced by First Nation Australians and make comparisons to an Indian orphan adopted by Australian parents and the struggle, he experienced to find his identity.
For any questions or further information on these units please email me: mfitzgerald@oakleighgrammar.vic.edu.au