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College Principal’s Report

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As we conclude another eventful term at our College, I am delighted to share with you the highlights and achievements that have marked our journey together.

Unveiling Our New Performing Arts Centre: One of the most exciting developments this term has been the inauguration of our state-of-the-art Performing Arts Centre, ‘officially’ opened by the Hon. Ben Carroll MP, and the Hon. Lily D’Ambrosio MP on Wednesday 6 June. This facility promises to be a hub of creativity and expression for our students, providing them with the resources and space to explore and showcase their talents in music, drama, and dance. Our fantastic Year 7 Band performed at the event and stole the show. We have recently been treated to an amazing night of performance from our Senior Dance students and as I write this report I am awaiting another great night of performance from our Music students. Congratulations to students and staff involved. I am proud that our school has such magnificent programs and we now have the facility to showcase them: Bring on the Production 2024! 

Introduction of Mid-Year Exams for Year 10 and Year 11: This term, we introduced mid-year exams for our Year 10 and Year 11 students as part of our commitment to preparing them for future academic challenges. I am pleased to note that our students approached these exams with resilience and diligence, reflecting their growing maturity and readiness for higher levels of academic rigor. The feedback from students and teachers has been positive and we believe that this experience will equip them with valuable skills and insights as they progress in their educational journeys.

Semester Reports and Celebrating Student Achievements: Throughout this term, our students have demonstrated remarkable dedication and achievement in their academic pursuits. I am proud to report that many of our students have excelled in their classes, showing significant progress and embracing the challenges of their respective subjects. Their commitment to learning and academic excellence is commendable and I hope that when families receive Semester Reports via Compass, you are able to reflect on these and celebrate positive growth in learning. Where students may not have performed at the level hoped, reflect on what they have achieved: There will always be areas and recommendations for improvement, but identifying strengths and positives at this point in the year is really important.

For our Year 12 students, this term has been a big one. Many students this week are sitting their Year 12 English trial exam and I commend all students on their approach so far. We encourage our Year 12 cohort to use this time wisely, ensuring they return refreshed and motivated to achieve their personal best in their studies and beyond – we are really moving into the final stage and setting up for a successful and focused Term 3 can have a big impact on students’ overall success.

Importance of Student Health and Wellbeing: Lastly, as we look forward to the break ahead, I would like to emphasize the importance of prioritising student health and wellbeing for all of our students. Our school is committed to fostering a supportive and nurturing environment where every student feels valued and supported. Please encourage your children to take time for relaxation and rejuvenation during the break, ensuring they return to school ready to engage fully in their studies and extracurricular activities. If you are worried about your child and have feedback or questions for the school, do not hesitate to make contact with us so that we can work in partnership to make Term 3 a positive one.

Wishing all students and enjoyable holiday break. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for another successful term ahead.

Senior Years Campus – Principal’s Message

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Year 10 & Year 11 Exams

The main event occurring at the Senior Campus over the last couple of weeks was the Year 11 and Year 10 exams. This is the first year that we have run mid-year exams for all subjects in Year 10 and 11 and they went very well. Attendance was over 90% and students treated the exams very seriously with most using their time to study even when they didn’t have an exam. Exam results will appear on their Semester 1 reports and feedback from the exams will be a focus in class this week.

Senior Sports

On Friday 17 May, students from across the College competed against other schools from the district. Already winning their events against the other students in Mill Park, our students came in confident and excited to compete. The day was fantastic with all of our students displaying the key values of the College and bringing performances they should all be proud of! We even managed to win 18 events with endless seconds and thirds as well!!

Congratulations to our winners; Fateh, Ali, Hunter, Teo, Christopher, Nehan, Ashmitha, Matilda-Rose, Teagan, Zach, Pranav, Bridget and Cleo and congratulations to all our participants!

GAT

All students studying a Year 12 subject this year sat the GAT last Tuesday 18 June. This was a good experience for students to write for an extended period of time.

Year 12 students will also get another similar experience this Wednesday when they sit a Practice exam for English.

As the end of year exams are creeping ever so closely, the more experience the students can get in exam type conditions, the better prepared they will be.

Official PAC opening

After many attempts to get the all of the necessary people together for the official Performing Arts Centre opening, it finally occurred last Wednesday. In attendance was the Hon. Ben Carrol MP and Hon. Lily D’ Ambrosio MP both visited to ‘officially’ open our Performing Arts Centre. The Year 7 band played and even went back on for an encore performance.

Reconciliation Week

A number of activities was organised for Reconciliation Week this year. A highlight for some students was painting boomerangs which they got to take home at the end of the day. Thanks to Steph Chee-Noguera our Mental Health Practitioner for organising events during the week.

Production

Practice for the production continues and it is great to see a dedicated group of staff and students coming in every Thursday afterschool to perfect their skills. I look forward to watching the production early next term. 

English Language Centre

On Thursday 10 May,  Ms Gillard and Ms Pour took the English Language Centre students to the Preston Market. The students had a wonderful day exploring the market and enjoying the sights and sounds. They visited the multicultural food stores and discovered many fruits and vegetables. The attraction was talking with food vendors and trying out new foods. Students practiced their English skills. The Asian Grocery Shop was a highlight with students explaining the uses for green mangoes and special spices. They also found chicken feet and other specialities.

It was a wonderful excursion and many thanks to the ELC students for their enthusiasm.

Middle Years Campus – Principal’s Message

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Term 2 has continued to be a busy and productive one at the Middle Years Campus.

Our students continue to be engaged in a variety of programs including a new program at the school called the Big Sister Experience. We have aimed to respond to our ATOSS data and further forums we ran with our Middle Year’s girls, by ensuring there are additional programs in place for our young woman. The BSE will come into the school once a term, for a full day, to work with young women on issues that impact them, and this will be further reinforced in our girl’s group which is run regularly by our School Nurse and Wellbeing Team. Our students responded well to the Big Sister experience and provided positive feedback about the impact of this program

We were able to secure some funded training from the Department of Education for our Engagement Teams in Protective Intervention. This allowed our staff to learn more about working with students who struggle with self-regulation across the school day and gain additional tools to further support these young people, while ensuring the school environment remains calm and orderly.

We have also been working with our students to support them to complete this year’s ATOSS survey. All students have been able to attend a presentation explaining what the survey is and what it measures, while reinforcing that their voice is so important in the formulation of the future direction of the school. Thank you to Simon Mcrae for his work on this at Middle Years Campus.

This week we had our SEAL Accreditation meeting and I’m pleased to report that our panel were very pleased with the existing work and future thinking of the school in relation to this important flagship program. Congratulations to Ganwa Katrib and Mairead Scanlon on their excellent work in leading this program and preparing for this review.

We continue to aim to provide free after school programs for our young people including, Homework Club, Basketball Club, Soccer Club and Dance Troupe. I thank all the staff involved in giving up their time to offer these programs to our students. I had the pleasure of visiting the Basketball Club last week and saw forty young people having a wonderful time working with their coaches, being active, laughing and just enjoying this opportunity for engagement and connection.

Last week we had the Minister for Education visit the school for the opening of our Performing Arts Centre. I especially want to acknowledge Liam Gooding, Will Gijsbers and the Year 7 band for what was simply an outstanding performance!!

Our staff are busily working on finalising their Semester Two student reports and I encourage all our families to sit down with their child, once these are published and look through their report celebrating achievements and discussing recommended areas of improvement.

I’m proud of all our Middle School students and staff for their work and wish all of them and our families a safe and relaxing break.

STEM

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Human Powered Vehicle (HPV) Team

The team’s next event is Round 3 and is on Saturday 27 July. It will run from 9am-4pm. It is at Sandown Racecourse. Spectators are welcome to come along and support the team. We are improving with every race so it’s exciting to see where we will finish this time!

Science Week 2024

This runs from the 12- 18 August across Australia.

The theme this year is Species Survival – More than just sustainability. The theme aims to highlight the importance of science and innovation in ensuring the survival and thriving of different species in an ever-changing world.

We will be running activities across both Campuses during Week 5 of Term 3 to celebrate Science Week.

So come along and join in some fun activities. More information to follow early next Term.

It has been an exceptionally busy term for our Middle Years students, who have worked to complete all their assessment tasks before the end of term. There have also been lots of fun excursions and learning opportunities that they have participated in!

Darebin Creek Preservation Excursion

Over the last term, 22 students from Years 7 to 9 have worked with the Friends of Darebin Creek to learn more about Darebin Creek and the nature surrounding our school in Mill Park. Initially, students worked to design informational posters that will be placed along the walking path in the Northern Grassy Eucalypt Woodland. On 4 June, students conducted a site assessment of the woodland area. Then, on 18 June, students conducted a planting of the area. The group plans to continue their work in bringing indigenous flora to the area.

Year 8 Bushfood Excursions

Our Year 8 Food Technology students travelled to Whittlesea Tech to participate in the Bushfoods program. In this program, students created their own chocolate bars using Indigenous ingredients, such as lemon myrtle, pepper berry and strawberry gum. In groups, students designed a logo and packaging for their chocolate. They presented their creations to each other, and have a fun time trying lots of different chocolates!

Whittlesea Tech Ambassadors Program

Our strong partnership with Whittlesea Tech has continued this term. Our Whittlesea Tech ambassadors have been working hard to design and create mechanical butterflies. Our students have demonstrated creativity and resilience, and collaborated with students from different schools in the area.

School Holiday Programs

There are lots of STEM activities happening all across Melbourne these school holidays. Check out the links before for ideas for you and your student!

Scienceworks: https://museumsvictoria.com.au/scienceworks/whats-on/school-holidays/

IMAX: https://imaxmelbourne.com.au/now_showing

Melbourne Museum: https://museumsvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/whats-on

BBC Earth Experience: https://www.mcec.com.au/whats-on/2023/09/bbc-earth-experience

Bricks 4 Kidz: https://www.bricks4kidz.com.au/melbourne-whittlesea/program-events/activities/

Code Camp: https://my.codecamp.com.au/camp/list?location=5567

Visual and Performing Arts

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VCE & VET Dance Performance Night

On Wednesday 19 June, the VCE, VET, and Year 10 Dance students dazzled audiences with their solo and group performances at the VCE/VET Dance Night. This memorable event marked the inaugural performance at our new Mill Park Performing Arts Centre, showcasing the incredible talent and dedication of our dancers across all streams. The evening was a resounding success, enjoyed by over 200 attendees who were treated to an array of captivating dance routines.
We extend our congratulations to our VET Dance teacher Ms. Zoe Arsana and VCE Dance teacher Ms. Shaylee Ashby and Ms Tiana Warner- Carlisle for the exceptional organisation of the dance performances and to all the dancers for their hard work and commitment.
Following the success of Dance Night, on Tuesday 25 June, our Music students took the stage for Music Night. The event featured outstanding solo and group performances, highlighting the musical prowess of our students. Held at the same venue, the Mill Park Performing Arts Centre, the evening was another testament to the artistic talent flourishing within our school community. Once again, over 200 guests were treated to an evening of musical excellence and creativity.
We commend all the Music students for their impressive performances and extend our congratulations and special recognition to Extra-curricular Performing Arts Coordinator Ms Wendy Nagel, Music teachers Mr Liam Gooding, Mr Will Gjjsbers, Ms Sophia Blackburn, Mr Serge De Leucio, Alex Pijpers for their invaluable guidance and support.
Thank you to parents and staff for their support and for nurturing and guiding our dancers and musicians.

Library

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Did you know… our local library is Yarra Plenty regional library service. There are ten locations across the Whittlesea and Banyule councils, some locations include Mill Park, Eltham, Mernda and Lalor.

Students can access online resources provided by Yarra Plenty, by registering online. Students do not have to live in the local area to access the online resources, anyone can join!

Yarra Plenty Regional Library – Your Local Library (yprl.vic.gov.au)

Available resources

Yarra Plenty has a range of ebooks, audiobooks, online databases, online magazines and newspapers and interactive resources for students to access online. Here are a few recommendations for students:

The Age – Library Edition is an archive of true to print digital copies of The Age newspapers from 2006. Students can search the archive for articles to help with their unit on issues in the media and analysing arguments.

Learn new crafts at your pace – in easy-to-follow video classes on everything from photography and painting to cake decorating and quilting!

Browse Kanopy’s diverse collection of films, documentaries, TV shows, educational content and lectures. An incredible resource for students, teachers and film-lovers to watch thought provoking and engaging content across a range of subjects and genres.

Wellbeing

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                                                       Groups and Clubs at the College

Wellbeing Wednesdays – Creative club

Information and/or timetable to be released next term.

Breakfast Club

Breakfast club is available across the college, before school from 8am – 8.45am, as per below:

Middle Years campus: Monday and Wednesday morning in Literacy room

Senior campus: daily in the wellbeing space except for every Tuesday yellow week

Lunchtime Girls Group

Curriculum Programs

DRUMBEAT Program

DRUMBEAT is a targeted program for up to 10 selected students at MYC, will continue to run during Term 3. DRUMBEAT explores connections between making music together as a group and the development of healthy relationships. The program builds resilience by increasing self-esteem, social connection, social skills, and emotional control. This program is run by an accredited Relationships Australia Victoria (RAV) DRUMBEAT practitioner, with each focusing on a different relationship theme, such as identity and social responsibility, dealing with emotions, peer pressure, harmony, communication, and teamwork. Please contact Peta (peta.bleazby@education.vic.gov.au) for more information and/or register your interest.

Special events and celebrations

The Push Up Challenge (PUC) – June 5 to 28

The PUC is one of Australia’s largest mental and fitness events to promote awareness and foster mental health. It is a fun and interactive way to engage with friends, family, workplace, and community in mental health through physical activity, education, and connection.

From June 5 to 28, the event was to challenge yourself to 3,249 push-ups (or alternative exercises such as sit-ups, squats), which represents that number of people who died by suicide in Australia in 2022. Daily mental health facts were posted on Compass to promote mental health awareness.

Here is a link to register your interest for 2025 – https://www.thepushupchallenge.com.au/register-interest

NAIDOC celebrations are during the 1st week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday). It is a week to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. This year’s theme is “Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud” – watch this short video on it. This year’s theme celebrates the unyielding spirit of our communities and invites all to stand in solidarity, amplifying the voices that have long been silenced.

Did you know?

Pop artist, Isaiah Firebrace, is a proud Yorta Yorta and Gunditjmara man who grew up on the banks of the Murray River.  His life changed completely after winning The X Factor in 2016 on his 17th birthday. He now has a multiplatinum single, he has represented Australia at Eurovision and he is a regular across Australian television. He also published a picture book called “Come Together” for children aged 5+, which was inspired by his petition to the Australian Government calling for Aboriginal history to be taught in every classroom.

Patty Mills is a proud Kokatha, Naghiralgal and Dauareb-Meriam man who grew up in Canberra. He is the only Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander person to win a National Basketball Association (NBA) championship, and he was the youngest man to represent Australia in basketball. This year, he will play in the Olympic Games for the fourth time. Patty was destined to be a great basketballer and started playing at age four when his parents started an Indigenous basketball team. Patty has a range of accolades to his name, including the 2017 NAIDOC Person of the Year award. Patty has used his international profile to advocate for and promote awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, history, peoples and communities. He also founded Indigenous Basketball Australia (IBA), a program designed to inspire future Indigenous basketball players from across the country to excel at basketball and in their communities.

There are many inspiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander leaders who have advocated and fought for change. Are there others that you know of or could learn about?

Student and Parent Information

What’s On in the Community?

Physical Education/Health

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Term 2 is coming to an end and what a great opportunity to congratulate our new Year 9 Sports Captains Cleopatra and Kawsikan!

These two students have shown through their applications, interviews and ability to follow the school values during class time, that they are the perfect candidates to help implement student voice into our amazing sports program. They will be supporting Mr. Wilson with a variety of different activities starting in Term 3 which will targeted at further developing interest in sports amongst all students, regardless of their abilities. Well done!!

Term 3 Sports teams will include Basketball and Table Tennis with the dates as follows;

16/07 – Senior Sports

19/08 – Year 9 Basketball

27/08 – Year 7 Basketball and 7-10 Table Tennis

03/09 – Year 8 Basketball

Community Noticeboard

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