Year 7/8 News

Message from Assistant Principal- Linda Buckeridge

What a busy term it has been for our Year 7 and 8 cohort!

We have had NAPLAN, Attitudes to School Survey, interschool sports, production rehearsals and so much more! As the Assistant Principal of these two year levels I continue to be proud of the student’s achievements and the effort with which they are going to, to really try their best in all aspects of learning.

YEAR 7

In Ms Roberts’ Year 7 English class, students have been working on a very special letter. Each student has chosen a current issue they want addressed by our Prime Minister. Through many drafts and redrafts, students learnt how to format a letter, how to create an argument, how to use research, statistics and facts to persuade an audience and finally, how to incorporate a counterargument and rebuttal. The end result was 25 sophisticated, convincing letters that have been sent directly to Scott Morrison in Canberra. Topics ranged from refugees and working age, to climate action and school funding. Below you will see an example letter from one of the students.

Senuthi Rodrigo

50 Stately Dr,

Cranbourne East VIC 3977

3rd May 2019

The Hon. Scott Morrison, MP

PO Box 6022

House of Representatives

Parliament House

Canberra ACT 2600

Dear Prime Minister,

I am writing to you to ask for the date of Australia Day to be changed. Every country has its national day to allow people to feel proud that they are part of the country. As a year 7 student at Cranbourne East Secondary College, I believe that the date of Australia day should be changed. On Australia day, we Australians celebrate the nation's diversity and achievements. I believe that this particular date (January 26th) should be changed to a different day. This is because Australia was taken away from Aboriginal people on the 26th of January when Captain Cook began the occupation of what is now New South Wales. We celebrate Australia Day on a day that excludes Aboriginal people, because it doesn’t recognize that there were people in Australia before European colonists arrived. Most Australians don’t care which day Australia Day is celebrated on, but many Aboriginal people have protested this day being celebrated. It's also easy to change the date and give our first Australians the acknowledgment they deserve.

Australia day should be changed because Aboriginal people would feel excluded when Australians celebrate on the day that begun the erasure of many aboriginal cultures and communities. It is disrespectful for us Australians to celebrate this loss.

It is easy to change the date and give our first Australians the acknowledgment they deserve. Australia has become a multicultural country, so why don’t we pick a date where everyone can be proud to be Australia?

On the 26th of January, Aboriginal people had their land stolen, many indigenous Australians were killed, and children were stolen from their families or communities. It’s the date when everything changed for the people who were on this land first. This day might not mean much to Australians but it does mean a lot to aboriginal people so it should be changed immediately.

They were here first, isn’t it time we acknowledged that fully?

Your Sincerely,

Senuthi

YEAR 8

It’s an exciting time in Year 8 at the moment. Student attendance is better in Term 2 than Term 1, with low attendance being explained through parent choice and single day illness. We appreciate that parents are acting on phone calls and various contact to help explain the range of absences. We encourage all students to arrive at school on time and ask parents to please support us by ensuring they leave home on time!!

Rewards day is going to take place on June 26th and student qualification for the day will soon be analysed. Criteria for this will soon be publicised all over the Yr 8 area.

Year 8 camp has been organised and we are waiting on students to get involved and sign up with their expression of interest. It would be greatly disappointing if this was not to run. Please encourage students to sign up and come along on what is going to be a great adventure and few days out of the classroom environment.

There is a lot happening in Year 8 this term in regards to HG competitions, and the stakes are high. Each week students are involved in AFL tipping, Friday fun general knowledge quiz and starting next week ALPHA BUCKS…let the games begin and may the odds be in their favour! Each class is also scheduled to present in front of the cohort at HG assemblies this term and in term 3, about a topic they have decided on as part of Learning 4 Success (L4S). It is fantastic to see the growth students are making in their leadership skills and the wonderful things that are occurring in Year 8.

Year 7 Class Captains

Congratulations to the elected Year 7 Class Captains. The class captain positions were for; Creativity, Organisation, Technology, Sport and Public Speaking. Students were required to present a speech in their L4S lessons last term. We were overwhelmed by the amount of students wanting to take on this opportunity. Well done to all who applied and congratulations to those who were successfully elected.

Students have been meeting in their groups at lunch times with Miss Jovic. Keep up the good work year 7’s.

My Time so far as a public speaking Class Captain

I have loved being a Public Speaking Captain so far. My time as public speaking captain has been a really exhilarating experience, making new friends and working with my other friends is one my favourite things to do and being a class captain means doing all my favourite things and I love it.

Some of the things I have done:

Helped people with their problems (not about the captaincy but I love doing it)
I have been speaking in front of everyone in home group
Taking charge of the assembly at the start of term
And doing a lot of other stuff to help others and do my job right

All I want to say is I’m so grateful of everyone in my home group & all the amazing teachers in CESC for letting me have this amazing opportunity to take charge over my home group. J

From ELLIE 7E

Currently, as A public speaker, we have been given many tasks and fun jobs to do in each class.

For example, we have been able to make a small piece of information about the Christchurch attacks. It was shared throughout one of the School assemblies!

We also have got the opportunity of reading the bulletin every morning. Other activities include reading the circle time question in L4S and speaking about upcoming events in class. All public speakers are very thankful that we were voted public speaking captains in class!

- Sharni Lindsay 7K

I like, like you

Throughout the year all year 7 students will be participating in the ' I like , like you' program. This program will cover respectful and healthy relationships with peers, family , friends, adults and the wider community. All home groups will have the facilitators from Relationships Australia present to them over a series of four weeks. If families would like support from Relationships Australia, they can be contacted on https://www.relationshipsvictoria.com.au