7/8 A

What an unbelievably crazy school year 2021 has been, full of so many ups and downs, it was nothing short of a rollercoaster. The students in Secondary 7/8A have shown incredible resilience and determination throughout this year, always showing a positive attitude towards their learning. Students have learnt many things, none more than flexibility and being able to adapt quickly to new situations.

Being able to spend Term 4 altogether has been extremely special, seeing the students develop meaningful friendships, step out of their comfort zones (Hairspray Spectacular) and striving to achieve their very best is something they should all be so proud of.

Students finally got to experience learning outside the classroom in 2021, having a day at the Preston Market. Students demonstrated all Concord School values and learnt valuable life lessons, none more important than hunting down a good deal. It has been a privilege having these wonderful students as my first class here at Concord School.

We wish everyone a safe and happy summer holiday, enjoy, relax and recharge ready for an exciting 2022 school year.

78B

The students in Secondary 7/8B have made up for lost time in Term 4. They threw themselves into their dances for Hairspray and brought fun and energy to the performance.

We got back into the school routine by sharing our lockdown survival tips, extracurricular interests and playing games. We particularly enjoyed playing Gaga and Red Light Green Light. We had a very successful excursion to Preston Market where we learnt to find the best deals and spend within a budget. We had an excellent market tour guide in the form of one of our students, Thai. He knows the market well as he sometimes works there with his family in the poultry shop. We will miss Thai as he is leaving Concord School and we wish him all the best at his new school next year. 7/8B have been a fantastic class and should be proud of their efforts and enjoy their holidays.

78C

Term 4 has been another busy and exciting time in Secondary 7/8C. Students should be commended for the resilience and flexibility they have shown in what has been another trying and tumultuous year. A highlight of the year has no doubt been our trip to Preston Market to learn more about Australian money. This excursion led to lots of interesting discussions about the value of money and how we can make sure we are paying the right price and thinking critically about our purchasing decisions. This knowledge about money extended to planning for our end of year class party, where students each got the chance to place an order for something from Woolworths.

Students have been equal parts nervous and excited about the Spectacular performance of Hairspray. While students have expressed understandable concerns about performing in front of a large audience, going through with such a daunting activity continues on with our themes throughout the year of being brave, overcoming our fears, and pushing ourselves beyond our comfort zones. As you will all agree, these are important life lessons that will hold everyone in good stead for the future. Have a great holiday period everyone, fingers crossed that 2022 returns to somewhere near normal!

7/8D

Have you ever travelled overseas? In many ways that journey can be likened to our school year. Late 2020, our travel agent and manager (Karlie) prepared our itineraries. Aboard 7/8D she assigned two captains (Reena and Natalie), 11 passengers (many were strangers, but some were friends) and a trusty crew member (Beth). Like all travels, there were smooth patches (camps, excursions, projects) and some turbulent ones (like lockdown). As our journey continued the dynamics shifted. Everyone became familiar with the program (all our fabulous learning) and with each other. It began to feel like one big family. Some passengers left our journey earlier than expected while others adjusted their schedule along the way. Towards the end of the year, we welcomed a new passenger and an additional crew member (Kyla). As our 2021 trip comes to an end, we look back on our many adventures and we reflect on our growth (emotional, physical, and academic).

On behalf of the entire crew, we want to thank you for choosing to travel with Secondary 7/8D. It has been a privilege having you onboard with us. We wish everyone a safe and happy summer as you recharge and prepare for your next journey in 2022!

7/8E

Secondary 7/8E have had a terrific term learning at school and on Webex. It was hard being at home and learning without the support of Karen, Maggie and our friends but it was good that we could stay connected on our computers each morning – although some students struggled to be learning ready at 9.30am. Imagine how hard it was when we came back onsite! Apparently it has been extremely tiring.

Preston Market was our one and only outing for the year – oh! we are going to IMAX in the last week. It was fun being able to buy pizza and hot jam donuts and clothes and lipsticks. Guess who bought which!

Our whole year together has been ‘Spectacular’. We have; danced, acted, sung and danced some more in readiness for our performance of ‘Hairspray’, you will be blown away by our performances. You had a sneak peek when you received your invitations to the show. Many actors came from 7/8E and they had heaps of fun at all rehearsals and photo shoots.

We really put forward some strong arguments in our written persuasive texts. In Math, we worked together on budgeting and planning our class party. We will miss our year 8 friends when they move on next year but know that we will all make new friendships in 2022.

A big thankyou to our Educational Support Trainee, Maggie, we really loved having you work with us and support our learning. Have a fabulous holiday!

7/8F

The students in Secondary7/8 F came back to school with great enthusiasm. As a team, we moved swiftly into our routines and very much appreciated learning face to face, communicating with each other in person and sharing the usual ups and downs of our daily experiences.

Daily exercises came back into our routine after our morning reading sessions, together with a ‘Beep’ test to see if we could exceed our personal fitness goals. We all enjoyed preparing for the Preston Market, challenging ourselves to walk a substantial distance to get the tram, and viewing all the stalls, fresh produce, and comparing prices at the vibrant markets.

The class has been practising well for our upcoming Spectacular Performance, between some end of year academic testing, fun activities, and finally putting up our class Christmas tree.

It has been a privilege teaching the students in year 7/8F this year, and together we wish you a very happy and enjoyable holiday.

7/8G

What a year and what an amazing group of students in Secondary 7/8 G. We have developed a beautiful community over the year and it is amazing to see how far they have all come. They have grown in height but also in their confidence, independence and resilience. It has been very special to be back together this term, participating in Experience Days, swimming and the Secondary Spectacular performance of ‘Hairspray’.

Students have continued to reflect on how they feel through a variety of experiences and created a sensory toolbox to assist them with emotional regulation. We say a huge thank you to all of those that have helped us over the year and hope everyone has a relaxing summer break.

7/8 H

It is hard to believe the year is coming to an end. Secondary7/8H had another wonderful term welcoming our new member Jensen, performing ‘Hairspray’ for our friends and families and participating in different activities on Experience Days. It has been extremely busy this term, but they have shown great confidence and flexibility to adapt and celebrated the joy with their peers. We’ve also worked hard on building our sensory toolbox and learned some strategies that can help us regulate. Looking back, we feel grateful for all the support along the way and it brings tears to my eyes when students make Christmas gifts for the staff and friends. Looking forward to another great year ahead!

Secondary 7/8

Issue 4 · 15 Dec 2021

In this issue