Secondary News

Assistant Principal Report

UNIFORM

The new uniform continues to be a big hit and we are seeing more and more students in the new items.  They look fantastic and are great ambassadors for our college as they travel to and from school and travel in our local community.  A reminder that the new uniform is available from the college uniform shop open every Thursday morning in the staff room.  Parents can also go the PSW uniform shop in Hampton Park. 

We have been informed by PSW that due to the heavily discounted prices for our old uniform that there is very little stock available.  Parents have snapped up the bargains. This means that the move to the new uniform may need to happen sooner.  The new uniform is compulsory for everyone by 2020 – or until stocks of the old uniform last and this will not be long. Please note the old uniform is not available at the college only at the PSW store.

I encourage parents to consider their options as we move forward.

A reminder that the old and new uniform cannot be mixed.

The college blazer is available for purchase at the school at the front office for $120 – any day of the week.

Any questions please don’t hesitate to ask.

PUPIL FREE DAY

A reminder to parents that the pupil free day is on August the 28th .

Ms RosannaSpina

High Achievers Assembly 

Carwatha College P-12 Honours Program acknowledges students who have averaged outstanding or excellent in the majority of the subjects they study. Students who meet this criteria are awarded a certificate for excellence of academic achievement. This week, a high achievers assembly was held and the certificates were given out to the dedicated and hardworking students from each year level who met the criteria. A fantastic achievement - well done and congratulations to all these amazing students!

Sports Awards

Students high achievements in Sport were recognised at this weeks High Achievers Assembly.

Medals were awarded to the individual student for each year level from the college athletics carnival and cross-country competitions. 

College House results were also announced and the plaques were presented to house captains. Both college athletics carnival and swimming carnival were won by Fraser house.                   

A special Principal’s presentation was also made, congratulating the girls intermediate volleyball team on their efforts in reaching the state finals.

Year 9 Introduction to Watercolour

Students have been learning how to use watercolour paints. They have learnt how and when to use layering, glazing, wet on wet, wet on dry etc. They have experimented with different amounts of water, mixing colours, using different brushes and applying paint on different surfaces. For their final piece, students were asked to draw and then apply watercolour paints to an image of their choice. They were encouraged to choose an image that meant something to them, conveying a message or feeling.

Christine McAleer

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State School Spectacular 2018

Our 16 Massed dancers participating in the State School Spectacular for 2018 had fun rehearsing this week with Deon the ‘dance director’ and Hara the assistant ‘dance director’.

Tickets on sale now from ticketek.

SRC Report

The SRC has held three casual dress days this year with the themes of "retro", "sport", and "bundle up"; all of which were very successful thanks to the tremendous support from our school community. In term 1, the SRC raised around $500 which we donated to State Schools Relief, an organisation that helps parents and students pay for school supplies which they otherwise cannot afford. This is a very important organisation to our school community, which is why the SRC always donates to this charity at least once each year.

The rest of the money that the SRC has raised since last year comes to a total of just over $3000. After consulting with the student community, the SRC have come to the decision of putting this money towards an outdoor seating and shading area for secondary students. However, we are still in the process of deciding on a location for this new area, so we are welcoming any suggestions from the rest of the student body as that is ultimately what matters the most to us.

The SRC team has also decided to organise a College Multicultural Day on Tuesday, 11th of September, in order to celebrate all the diverse backgrounds of our students, as we have approximately 60 nationalities represented at our school. On the day, we will have an extended P-12 assembly where we will be showcasing the different cultures represented at our school through a variety of cultural performances. These performances include the singing of songs, playing musical instruments, dancing, reciting poems and singing national anthems. Students and teachers are also encouraged to dress up in their cultural clothes and be proud of their cultural background to help us represent multiculturalism at our school. We would also like to welcome all parents to join us in this very special celebration.

Benjamin Bright

College Council, SRC

Year 7 Report

The year 7s have started term 3 really well, the classes are more settled, the uniform is very good and the students appear to be more settled.

Can I remind parents / guardians and students that the Year 7's are meant to be wearing the blazer to and from school. They should be in full school uniform and if wearing the white shirt, they should have the tie on.

A number of the students have lost their locker key and have needed it to be cut off, can parents please check if this is the case and if needed replace their locks.

I would like to congratulate the year 7 students on their academic progress and results. They achieved some very good results on their reports and the some of these student were recognised at the honours assembly just recently. Congratulations to all! 

If any parents/ guardians have any concerns about their child's progress and would like to have a chat, I can be contacted by email antony.scott.s@edumail.vic.gov.au or on the school number. I would be happy to talk to you and continue to build these positive relationships. 

Thanks

Year 8 Report

Welcome back to what is shaping up to be an exciting and interesting term 3!

It has been a wonderful start to the second semester for our Year 8 students.  I had the pleasure of reading all the Year 8 reports and I’m proud of every single one of our students.  Each student was able to reach their own personal best, whether it was academically, putting in a great effort or being organised.  Over the next few weeks,  all year 8 students  will be setting a personal goal which they hope to reach eve by the end of the year.  Please talk to your child about this goal and encourage them to strive their best to achieve it.

As we have now entered Semester 2, the children have had a semester to transition into Year 8. We continue to encourage the children to be self motivated, organised and responsible with their time management at school and at home. The school diary is the key to your child’s organisation. This is where all homework, due dates and important reminders and events are to be recorded.

On Friday 29th June our Year 8 students participated in the Collective Identity module as part of the High Resolves Global Citizenship Program. The module explored the central idea that we all belong to one single, yet diverse human race. Students took part in a simulation, played games, and shared their own ideas and experiences.

The first activity had the students move around the room to explore different elements of their own identity and compare them to their peers. Students were then immersed in the fictional world of the ‘Star Games’, where their life opportunities were determined by how well they did in a series of challenges and the star sign they were assigned. After competing in the challenges, the students reflected on how stereotypes and ‘us versus them’ thinking plays out in the real world.

The students then took part in two other small group activities that explored the best ways to counter divisive messaging. At the end of the module, each student was asked to complete their own ‘I resolve to’ card, making a specific commitment to take a global citizenship type action in the following days or weeks.

High Resolves is a not-for-profit, non-religious, non-partisan, educational program that motivates high school students to be purposeful global citizens and to develop the mindsets and skills they need to lead their communities, and the world, to a brighter future. More details can be found at www.highresolves.org.

Georgia Rentzis

Year 8 Coordinator

Year 9 Report

On 26th July, the year 9 students travelled to the Salvation Army in Dandenong to meet the workers there engaging in an important cause – in particular, to find out about the leadership role they take in serving the local to global communities in important ways. After briefly hearing about some of the contextual issues surrounding their work, students and staff participated in some educational activities about social justice and then played several team building games. A lunch was provided and students then had the chance to submit some designs that would be used in a service project in the coming weeks, where students would create a community space at the Salvation Army’s Doveton site.

Here are some comments from our students concerning the day:

“Today I learnt a lot about teamwork and how you have to work together to achieve things. I also learnt a lot more about what the Salvation Army does and how they help people.”

“The activities I enjoyed today were the outdoor activities, which tested my communication and teamwork capabilities. Especially the marshmallow game, which also needed quick problem-solving skills.”

“I learnt that communication is very important if you want to get things done.”

“These games made us have unity, to know how to support each other in a team. Thank you for today.”

“We played lots of games and learned more about friendship, working together and commitment.”

“The highlight of today was knowing that we are going to be helping people.”

“Today was fun. I honestly thought it was going to be boring but it wasn’t…I had a good day. I definitely would do this again. I also liked designing my own mural.”

Mr Ruben Kwong

Year 10 Report

Year 10 students have been busy this term participating in course selections for 2019, attending study skills sessions and enjoying learning how to drive safely and responsibly.  Here are reports from three of leaders, Angela Fourie, Naduwa Baika and Zeik Zeik:

2019 Course Expo and Subject Selections

During the past couple of weeks, Year 10s have been looking through TAFE and university books that offer the courses we would like to take after school. We also had the opportunity to attend a Course Expo with our parents on the 25th of July, where we were provided with essential information about the V3 program and the subjects available for us to choose for next year.

With the help of the Pam and Kylie, as well as our teachers, we have been able to select our subjects for Year 11.  Through the process we were able to explore options related to our future career preferences, as well as research the prerequisites needed for us gain entry into the course we'd like to achieve. A lot of preparation and thought has gone into this, especially by our teachers, who have done a lot to help us get to where we want to be.  For that, on behalf of all Year 10s, I'd like to thank everyone who has been there to help us along the way.

Angela Fourie

Mentoring Sessions by Elevate Education

Year 10 students were lucky enough to be visited by a mentoring organisation called ‘Elevate Education’ on the 18th of July. This visit was extremely helpful for us as students. In the sessions, they taught us about how important it is to be organised, our time management skills and how to work smarter not harder. Elevate also spoke to us about our study habits and how we can achieve higher marks by changing up our routine.

It was really informative and easy to understand. This seminar was a great use of our time and I would highly recommend it for other students because it is a useful life skill to be organised and know how to manage your time properly.

Naduwa Baika

Off-Road Driving Sessions with Road Smart

We went out on the Road Smart excursion to learn about safe driving. We were put into groups of three and were assigned an instructor. For some of us, it was the first time behind the wheel. We were nervous about it but as soon as the car started to move we were fully confident and excited about driving. We learnt the basics of driving and we had to practice the same thing over and over again because it was important to learn those skills.

We drove around the course couple of times with the instructor helping us but after that we were confident to drive around without the instructions. It was a great day out and everyone seemed to enjoy it. We can't wait to get our learners and start driving around on the road.

Zeik Zeik

Students are to be commended for making a smooth start to Semester 2, and maintaining the dedication to their studies they demonstrated throughout Semester 1.  I would also like to draw attention to the following students who, through their diligence and outstanding attitudes towards their studies, all received awards at the college’s High Achiever Assembly:

• Michael Alexiadis
• Elliot Chhin
• Jame Ho
• Rawa Khan
• Bethany Le
• Christopher Prentice
• Benny Rotich
• Marcella Trinh
• Belinda Zaccaria
• Zeik Zeik

Congratulations to all these students.

Finally, I would like to remind students and parents that it is a school requirement for all students to maintain an attendance record of at least 90%.  If your child has been absent but has a medical certificate to account for this time, please ensure that it is forwarded to me as soon as possible.  All students who have not met our attendance requirement will be required to make up missed class time on our student-free day, on the 28th of August.

Mr Chris Willis

Year 11 Report

We have reached that point in the year where we are realising that we are about to embark on our final year of the V3 program. The 7th August marked the day of the VCE course expo where we explored a new step into our education. Upon arriving at the expo, students were informed of the subjects available to them in 2019 and representatives from universities provided educational guidance for students. These resources served as a benefit for when students had their course counselling.

Over the past couple of weeks, course counselling has taken place where students decided on their courses for next year.  It has been a stressful time but the insight that came with the expo aided us with the process. Students have talked thoroughly and meticulously with both their course counsellor and parents to make the best and right decisions.

Carwatha College P-12 acknowledged its best students for their strong academic efforts in semester 1. On 25th July, an assembly was dedicated to these students who were recognised as the high achievers of the school.  There were many students in this category, making our school very proud. On completion of the assembly, a morning tea was held which welcomed the high achievers and their relatives. It was great to see the school acknowledge and celebrate our achievements.  

On a non-academic note, the year 11 students have been preparing for their Presentation Ball which will take place on 6th September. We have already had our first dance rehearsal which was exhausting as well as exhilarating. We are feeling more exuberant as the day of ball approaches.  All family and friends of the participating students are welcomed and encouraged to come to the event.

Jacky Fulcher  - Year 11 Student Leader

Year 12 Report

Important reminders for year 12s:

ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENT:

• The requirement for Semester 2, same as Semester 1, is 90%.
• Semester 2 started on 25th June. You need to filter your attendance to check your percentage for Semester 2.

• Failure to meet the attendance requirement puts you at risk of failing the unit. You all know the deal by now.
• There is a student-free day coming up – Tuesday 28th August. If you are not up to 90%, you will be required to attend that day.
• If you are below 75% by that date, you will not be able to redeem your absences.

1. VTAC REGISTRATION for VCE STUDENTS:

ALL STUDENTS need to see Kylie regarding VTAC applications. Please join one of her sessions next week.

1. IF YOU ARE REPEATING A SUBJECT:

You need to consider if this is worth it at this stage. Are you doing better, compared to last year? Are you on track to reach your goal? If not, you need to see me ASAP. If you continue with the subject and choose not to attend the exam, this will affect the whole group. It is not fair for you to do this. Instead, see me, we can discuss and withdraw you if necessary.

1. CONSIDERING A NON-SCORED OPTION?

I am in the process of catching up with people now if this is an option. A non-scored pathway should be considered very carefully. If you have decided now that you do not need an ATAR as university is not in your immediate future plans, then a non-scored option might be suitable. The only aspect of VCE this will change is that you will not be required to sit end-of-year exams.

Please come and see me if this is something you have heard about and would like to talk about. Consider it carefully; once we go forward with a decision, it cannot be changed.

1. VCAL STUDENTS:

I will visit your class soon to discuss the process for finishing your Senior VCAL certificate. It I s possible to complete your course by the end of Term 3 BUT you will need approval from a range of people, demonstrating that you have met the outcomes in each subject and the attendance requirement. I have a sheet that you will need to complete before you officially exit.

1. A HUGE CONGRATULATIONS to our group of high-achieving students for Semester 1:

• Emilia Alvarez Chavez
• Winona Bonne
• Mikayla Brown
• Sabrina Chew
• Ema Knezevic
• Alyssa Lontoc
• Mona Mouhebati Amirabadi
• Tara Nautu
• Jennifer Nguyen
• Ngoc-Thao Nguyen
• Anoushka Sharma
• Madeleine Sidiroglou
• Shania Von
• Phoebe Whitaker
• Angel Wright

You all certainly deserve the recognition for your efforts so far. Not long to go now so keep it up.

Ms Hudson