School News
Peer Support
Below is a piece from VCAL student Chloe Wallace.
Once a week my group and I take 7B for a Peer Support session. During this class the Year 7 students are focusing on different topics such as; relationship building, thoughts and outcomes, strengths, goals and strategies. For each of these topics we did different activities that focused on team work.
During the past term that we have been running these classes I have seen the Year 7’s grow and create a bond with their classmates and the other Peer Support leaders. Outside of the class, I have made great friendships with a few of the Year 7 students. I am at a stage of trust with a student where if she is upset or has some exciting news that she comes to tell me, or simply to have a chat.
It is an amazing feeling knowing that these Year 7 students feel comfortable enough with me to tell me their problems and achievements. By taking this class and leading it with Zawadi I have learnt so much about myself and pushed myself further than I thought possible. I have gained experience working with younger students and gained different skills that could help me reach my goals in the future such as; planning, communication and problem solving. I have learnt how to be a leader through working with the students from 7B and their feedback. Running Peer Support has been a highlight of the first term.
Testing Teachers Trailer: A Student’s Perspective
by Winona Duka (Year 11)
Recently, the trailer for the upcoming SBS Documentary featuring Melton Secondary College ‘Testing Teachers’ was released. The trailer represented our students as being at a disadvantage simply for attending our school, and that we are all ‘three years behind our peers’. While this may be true for some people, there are still certainly students such as myself who feel that the education we have received is suitable and refuse to let it get in the way of our future. As a media student, I recognise that the trailer was most likely purposely manipulated to evoke strong emotions to hook audiences in. However, they are perpetuating the stereotype that we will not be able to achieve our goals if they are too ambitious or what society considers ‘successful’ just because we live in ‘disadvantaged area’. At times like this, I am reminded of a quote from the ‘Bee Movie:’ According to all known laws of aviation, there is no way a bee should be able to fly. Its wings are too small to get its fat little body off the ground. The bee, of course, flies anyway, because bees don’t care what humans think is impossible.’ I, like the bees, do not care what society thinks is impossible for me.
The documentary subjects including Mr Kubwange (second from left) and Ms Van Cuylenburg (second from right).
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Student Representative Council Update
by Jilian Ng and Jordan Hammill (Year 11)
Last week, some of the representatives of the Student Representative Council met with Mr. Devine to discuss some of the proposals we had come up with in our Action Teams. We had been developing these proposals over the past few weeks and decided it was time to bring it up with some of the school’s leadership team to get some feedback on how to proceed.
Some of the proposals brought up in the meeting include ideas for an Indigenous Garden in the school, the introduction of new house-based activities during lunchtime, and the redesign of our school website. Each proposal required a document detailing what the proposal would involve, the rationale behind it, as well as the steps to be taken to get there.
Overall, the meeting was a success, and all our proposals were approved to continue. We are excited to meet with our action teams this Thursday so that we can move forward with the next steps of the proposals to begin implementing them in the school.