Around The College 

Performing Arts Award Season 

I would like to acknowledge and congratulate our performing arts staff and students on some recent awards. 

Brentwood Secondary College is a proud member of the Lyrebird Awards and Music Theatre Guild of Victoria. 

On Sunday 4th December, the Youth Lyrebird Awards were held at the Karralyka Centre in Ringwood. Our school were awarded for the following awards: 

Best Set – Youth Play – Life as an Idea – Year 12 Theatre Studies Class 

Best Set – Youth Musical – Strictly Ballroom – Joel Batalha and Brenton Van Vliet 

Highly Commended Performance in Youth Musical – Ngaio Sadler – Strictly Ballroom 

Best Comedic Performance – Youth Play – Matthew Grande – Life as an Idea 

Best Choreographer – Youth Musical – Michael Mitchell – Strictly Ballroom 

On Saturday 10th of December, the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria awards were held at Robert Blackwood Hall at Monash University Clayton. Ruben Jaworski was awarded Best Supporting Actor in a Junior Musical – Strictly Ballroom. 

I would like to congratulate all student nominees and winners for their outstanding contributions to our performing arts program for our productions. We are very proud of everyone involved.  

Joel Batalha

Director of Performing Arts  

Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Mitchell River Hike

Monday 5th December to Wednesday 7th December

On Monday 5th December, 70 Year 9 students together with 6 staff members, set out to Mitchell River National Park, to complete the Qualifying journey for the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award. Due to many circumstances, the normal four- day hike was shortened to three days, which resulted in a more physically and mentally challenging trip. Despite being presented with some additional challenging conditions, all hiking groups excelled, forging ahead in rain, up and down mountain sides and arriving into camp quite late into the night. It was truly an experience of building resilience and comradery. It was a delight listening to the student debrief at the end of our trip with reflections including ‘the best experience of my life’, ‘ I have learnt that I can achieve anything’, ‘I have built friendships for life’, ‘ I now believe in myself’ and more – this is the pinnacle of the Duke of Edinburgh experience. 

I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Brentwood staff who supported our journey – Ms Lisa Bradley, Ms Susan Bach, Ms Lucy Kenny and Mr Simon Steele. In addition, our amazing student leaders – Jack Meyers (Year 11), Mike and Zara Merakis (Year 10), we couldn’t have done the trip without your strong leadership.  Finally, a huge thank you to Ms Sarah Swilks who co-teaches the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh program with me. 

Enjoy the photos. 

Tracey Cain

Award Unit Leader

Duke of Edinburgh

Year 9 Tasmania Camp

Year 10 Formal

Last Thursday the Year 10 Class of 2022 celebrated in style at Merrimu Receptions for their Year 10 Formal.

Everyone looked incredible and had an awesome time.  A special thanks to the MCs for the night, students Theodora Koutsikos and Kaitlyn Grunow.  Also, thank you to the Year 10 Formal committee members who did so much behind the scenes to make the event as successful as it was.

Thank you to all the students in attendance who were respectful and really well behaved, we hope you enjoyed your first formal.

A great school event is impossible without the support of teaching staff, thank you to all who assisted and supervised throughout the night. We really appreciate you taking the time to do this.

Nicole Green

10-12 House Leader

Year 11 Formal   

Friday the 2nd of December was a lovely warm night in Melbourne for the Year 11 Formal. The venue at Southern Golf Club was prestigious and allowed for some stunning photos to be taken from the balcony, while students and staff were served canapes. Students arrived in stretched Limousines and Hummers, exiting in their finest formal wear.

The photo booth was a big hit and the roaming photographer took some wonderful photos. In between the 2 courses (dinner and dessert) there was a dance set and awards. The 2023 school captains introduced themselves and gave a speech. Congratulations to Owini, Jacinta, Natasha and Spencer. We look forward to your leadership next year.

After dessert, we all hit the dance floor for our last dance session before the night ended. This was a great social event that was much needed by everyone who attended. 

Thanks to the formal committee for helping organize the event. 

A fantastic time was had by all on the night. 

Ms. Bach/Ms. Jolly

Year 11 House Leaders

Art Exhibition

Last Wednesday the 7th of December was our opening night for the whole school Art exhibition. An amazing display of work from students in years 7 through to our VCE Arts/tech students. The night was run by our Senior Art executives and will remain installed in our J Block Gallery through to mid term 1 2023.

Daniel Mackay

Head of Arts

IT end of year

A big thank you to our school technicians who have been busily unboxing and preparing a large batch of laptops for our Year 7s next year. Our main shipment arrived on Friday last week and the team were able to get them all ready for collection on Orientation Day which was an amazing effort!

Evan Miller

Associate Principal

Grade 6 Orientation Day

On Tuesday the 13th of November Brentwood was lucky to have their Year 7 class of 2023 visit as it was orientation day. The day started with students getting to know each other and starting to create friendship connections with other students, some classes were also lucky enough to have met a teacher that will be taking their class next year in 2023.

All students were treated to a tour of the school so they could start to understand specific locations at Brentwood for when they start in Late January. Students were also able to get a basic understanding of areas in the school on where they might have class next year. At recess, students were treated to zooper dooper's organised by Mr Barry, and a special thank you to the teachers who came out and helped hand out the zooper dooper's in the cold yesterday.

After Recess for Period 3 and Period, 4 students continued to create connections in their class playing games and working in groups. At lunchtime they were treated to a nice sausage sizzle organised by Mr Barry, thank you to the volunteers that helped run the sausage sizzle, the Well-Being Team, Peer Support Leaders, and some current Year 8 Students. After lunch students headed back to their classrooms for a farewell where they went through key dates, meeting locations on day 1, and locker information.  At 2:30pm all 12 classes of Year 6 Orientation students went to the hall for a pickup.

A special thank you to Mr Barry for organising the food for the students and Mr Exton for organising the entire day including activities.

Andy Chesterfield

Year 9 Student

Salvos Christmas Appeal – THANK YOU

No wonder why the world has rated us as the ‘friendliest people on this planet’! Thank you to the Brentwood community members that donated generously to the Salvos Christmas Appeal this year. Your donations will bring smile on someone’s face this Christmas.