Year 9 News

Hey everyone, it has been another busy term with lots of things going on including excursions, incursions, sports days and is capping off with CAT week and our Year 9’s completing all their major assessment pieces for the term.

We are still seeing a lot of KPA’s being given out to students who are showing positive learning behaviours which support their learning in class. This positive acknowledgement of our students’ efforts towards their learning is also reflected by the large number of students who are receiving high LBU scores and a lot of students who have shown growth in LBU scores throughout the year.

LBU Reward Lunch

We acknowledged the effort that our students have put in since their last LBU’s by giving students who achieved an LBU of above 3.5 a certificate at assembly. We had many students across the year level get above a 3.5, or get very close to, which is awesome to see. As well as being acknowledged at assembly and receiving a certificate to put in their professional portfolio, students who achieved a score above 3.5 were rewarded with a hot chip lunch, which was very well received on the cold and rainy day. Below are some of the photos from our previous reward lunch, the 'Create Your Own Sundae Bar'.

Food Technology

As a part of the Yr9 Welcome To Your Restaurant class, students were tasked with planning and then making a platter that could then be presented in class. Students had to cost recipes to create a dish that served 20 people with a budget of $10. They also had to take into consideration the nutritional benefits of each dish as well as work as a class to ensure there were a variety of different platters to cater the event. Students learned about managing budgets as well as using their creativity to develop an interesting and enjoyable menu for everyone to enjoy. At the end of the cooking session, students presented their dish and received feedback from their peers about their work. All the dishes were well received and enjoyed.

Melbourne Camp

The Year 9 camp to Melbourne will be running from the 14th - 18th of August. Places filled up very quickly and I am excited about attending this camp next term. Although the camp is filled, there is a waiting list and if you would still like to express your interest in the camp then you may contact the front office. I am currently exploring the possibility of extending our numbers. This will be highly dependent on the capability of our accommodation to accommodate an increase in numbers, so please add your name to the waiting list if you are interested in attending.

Man Cave

On Thursday 11 May, Year 9 boys attended a Man Cave workshop at the Churchill Cricket Club. The boys learned how to express their emotions and listen deeply to their mates, through circle time and check-in activities.

The boys created their own unique version of healthy masculinity by understanding how gender norms have shaped their perspectives to this point, before being given the choice to grow beyond that. There was an exploration of personal identity, their unique strengths, how to care for themselves, and what their values are, all adding up to them understanding how they can reach their full potential.

Key things learned were:

Boys learned how gender stereotypes impact their attitudes and behaviour.
Boys learned to constructively express their thoughts and feelings.
Boys connected to their values and strengths.
The boys left with the tools and resources needed to support their personal well-being.
The boys were able to define a values-based vision for the man they want to become.

“The Man Cave was an amazing experience for young men to learn about their emotions and how to express them. The two Man Cave advocates there were really nice and welcoming, making everyone feel like they belong there and have fun. Overall, this excursion was extremely fun and engaging, I would go again if I had the chance.” - Vjay Thomas

“I think the Man Cave experience was a great approach to teenagers about men's mental health. Also, how and why boys of all ages bottle up their issues and how we can help boys get through their difficulties that they are going through.” - Jadon Daly

“The guys doing it were amazing, they gave me the courage to talk about my personal life. I really hope that we do a second session because it was really fun to have a day out of school to have fun and then get all serious about our mental health, it was great how they took a fun game and made it about our mental health.” - Dom Hart

Thank you to all involved for a remarkable day.

John de Souza

Farm Excursion

On Monday the 22nd of May, Year 9 Geography students visited Chris, Stuart and Belinda Griffin at their dairy farm at Westbury, along with Veronica and Jessica from GippsDairy, and Molly, Lilly and Melissa from CQUniversity Australia as part of the university's RACE Gippsland project. This project aims to increase students' knowledge of agriculture and the diverse range of careers in the industry.

Students learnt about the climate, soil and vegetation type, animal welfare and how the dairy works. They discussed the level of productivity at the farm, and how/why this has increased over time from human intervention to produce more food. Students saw and heard about a range of technologies implemented on the farm, and other new technologies that could be in the future.

“I had the opportunity to visit a farm and learn more about the food production and land. This experience was interesting. The people there were really nice and kind. It was fun and I'm glad I was able to go.” - Ruby Craig

Thank you to all involved for a terrific day. - John de Souza

Art

Say it! Creating an impact with Art - Scream Issue Comics

Students have been commenting on major issues in Australia through appropriation in the form of a comic. Using ‘The Scream’ painting by Edvard Munch, students have reacted to their chosen issue. Students have used a range of medias to complete their comics: from colour pencils to watercolour paints and pastels.

Concerns or queries

If you have any concerns, or queries about any of the items mentioned above, Year 9 student matters, or just general inquiries, please do not hesitate to give the Year 9 team a call at (03) 5132 3700 or email Matthew.Suter@education.vic.gov.au

Matt Suter

Year 9 Team Leader