Year 8

The Year 8s have had a very positive start to term 1, 2021. The students have enjoyed multiple activities such as KIOSC for science and mathematics as well as Challenge Week. In the classroom, students are getting used to the new timetable. It has been a huge change for the students, but they have met these challenges with resilience and positivity.

Challenge Week

Week 8 of Term 1 was Challenge Week for our Year 8 students. The philosophy of the week was for students to step outside their comfort zone and challenge themselves in a variety of ways… and they did a great job at this. Students were able to push themselves physically canoeing/kayaking and bike riding, they implemented their teamwork and problem-solving skills in the escape room, geocaching, the design challenge and building a raft, they confronted their fear of heights at Trees Adventure in Belgrave and tested their balance and coordination when Stand Up Paddle Boarding.

It was great to see the growth and development in the students across the week. This will provide them with a strong basis to work from for the rest of the year and will encourage the students to continue to build their resilience by challenging themselves on a regular basis.

We would also like to take the opportunity to thank all the staff that assisted in organising, leading, running and supervising the program.

BIKE RIDING

CANOEING/KAYAKING AND GEOCACHING

TREES ADVENTURE

STAND UP PADDLE BOARDING AND BEACH ACTIVITIES

ESCAPE ROOM AND RAFT BUILDING

Middle Years Term 2

We have a range of exciting activities planned for Term 2 for all students. One of the highlights will be Year 7 Camp!

The Compass event has been published with more details on where and when, including what to pack and the activities in store to challenge students and build their communication and social skills. The Peer Support Leaders are attending the camp with the whole cohort, supporting year 7 students to take risks, extend on existing friendships and build confidence to develop new ones.

Please note consent and payment are due Friday 24th April so we can finalise numbers and organise groupings for the camp. Please contact the main office with questions about payment and email either myself, Kathleen Timms, at tim@wantirnacollege.vic.edu.au or the Year 7 YLLs (Jacqui Franks and Jess Ivankovic) with questions about the camp itself.

We are really looking forward to going on camp with the Year 7 cohort and hope all students are able to attend such a valuable experience.

Year 9 students will complete Morrisby Testing on Wednesday 28th April during Periods 2 and 3. Please make sure you have given consent for this via Compass. The testing is a valuable tool for students to understand their strengths and interest areas as they prepare for Pathway Selection and the workplace. Students will engage in a variety of activities in Explore throughout Term 2 to investigate the requirements of different careers and industries.

Another exciting opportunity for Year 9s next term (and 10s) is their first Amplify Choice for the year. Students submitted preferences for the program they most wanted to participate in and we are happy to say that almost all of the programs on offer are now up and running. These will be facilitated by staff and focus on developing creativity, communication, problem solving and resilience. We look forward to hearing about their experiences.

Year 8 Medieval History Day

On Friday 30th April, all Year 8 students will participate in a Medieval History Day. The purpose of this day is to complete their Humanities comparative study on Medieval Europe and Medieval Japan. Students will be part of a day long program run by the company Medieval Education who create programs based on the principle that all students learn faster through hands-on multi-sensory environments.

As part of the day, students will participate in a Weapons and Armour session, a Crime and Punishment session, a Tournament session and an Education and Games session. Each of these will consist of a diverse range of audio-visual, tactile, interactive and role-play-based activities. As part of the day, students will be put into a group of around 35 students and will rotate through the program, where each session will be the length of a 75-minute period. It is anticipated that students will finish the day with a better understanding of the reality of being alive during this time in both societies, and how everyday people would have gone about their days.

The cost for participation in the program is $20 and parents are asked to consent and pay over Compass prior to Wednesday 21st April. Please check Compass for more specific event details and information. If you have questions, please contact either your child’s Humanities teacher or Joanna Karanikolopoulos on 9801 9700.

Year 9 Morrisby Testing – Wednesday 28th April

On Wednesday 28th April, all Year 9s will be completing a Morrisby profiling session in their classes during periods 2 and 3. The Morrisby profile is a series of short assessments and questionnaires that measures your strengths in various areas, as well as assessing your interests, talents, motivations, personality and work preferences. Following the profile completion, all students will be provided with a detailed Morrisby report, in both printed and digital format. During the last two weeks of Term 2, all students will also participate in a 30-minute one-on-one interview with a professional careers practitioner, to discuss the results and findings of their profile. More information will be provided on this later.

In order to participate in this program, we require consent from parents which needs to be submitted by Thursday 22nd April. This form is currently available on Compass, so it would be much appreciated if parents could get this completed as soon as possible.

Students will be provided with more information and preparation for the Morrisby profiling during Explore. If you require any more information, please don’t hesitate to contact Mrs Jessie Dennison at den@wantirnacollege.vic.edu.au

Uniform Reminder

As we move into the colder weather, students should be reminded to wear layers of clothing keep warm. Please remember that non-school items such a beanies and hoodies are not acceptable attire. For more information about uniform, please ensure you refer to the uniform. If students do not have correct items of uniform they should follow the correct procedure and collect a note from a parent/guardian and pick up a uniform pass before school.

Mr Darren Hoogkamer

Leader of the Middle Years Sub School

Literacy and Numeracy Support