Curriculum News

Science

Last semester, two of our year 9 students Oanh Nguyen and Luke Galpin, worked diligently through an online science course called Frontiers of Physics. The course was run by the John Monash Science school. The students completed 2 hours a week in an online classroom including extra homework, furthering their understanding in Physics. Well done Oanh and Luke.

At the beginning of the term, the 8ACE Digital Technology class and some year 10 science students were given an opportunity to visit Quantum, a science education facility located in Macleod. Students participated in a workshop providing them with hands on STEM experience using Arduino circuit boards and programming. The skills developed from opportunities like this, enable students to think critically, assemble new hardware and develop programming skills, all with an aim to solve real world problems.

Last week, we were lucky enough to have the Casey Tech School visit Lyndhurst. The Casey Tech school is a new facility that is being built at the Berwick Chisholm Campus, servicing all schools in the Casey area. Schools will be able to take groups of students to the Casey Tech school to enhance their understanding and engagement around STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). During their visit, students participated in activities using CAD (computer aided drawing), 3D printers and some amazing Virtual Reality equipment. The students had a great time and really appreciated the opportunity.

ACE

Last week, our year 7 ACE students began their Community visits for the semester. The students visited Courtenay Gardens Primary School Grade One classes. Our students were helping the primary children with their reading, numeracy and comprehension skills and really embraced the role of being role models to the younger students. We will be visiting Courtenay Gardens on a fortnightly basis for the remainder of the term and look forward to our next visit.

VCAL

This term both year 11 and 12 VCAL groups have been learning about youth homelessness and adversity. To support their studies, students have been given a number of opportunities to learn outside of the classroom. They visited the Salvation Army in Melbourne, learning about the large homeless issue we have in Australia. Our biggest problem at the moment is the lack of affordable housing. Students visited some of the alley ways and places homeless Australians regularly visit and participated in a workshop, giving them a much better understanding of how homelessness does not discriminate and can affect anyone. The students were very grateful of the amazing job the Salvation Army does for the disadvantaged and people in need.

The year 12 student's got an opportunity to visit Fareshare.

Fareshare is a food charity that rescues surplus food and cooks free, nutritious meals for Victorians doing it tough. Students visited an industrial kitchen, preparing meals for the homeless and disadvantaged. Our students worked diligently and we are very proud of their efforts. The year 11 students will get their turn over the next few weeks.