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OFFICE HOURS 8.30AM TO 4.30PM
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BORONIA K12 COLLEGE NEWSLETTER
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ANZAC Day Ceremony
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PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE DAY FOR SCHOOL STAFF
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YEAR 8/9/10/11 MT BULLER SNOW TRIP
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FOSTERING STUDENT SUCCESS THROUGH PARENTAL ENGAGEMENT
Dear Parents and Guardians,
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As we approach the end of another successful semester, I would like to take a moment to emphasise the crucial role you play in your child's academic journey. Your involvement and support are instrumental in ensuring their growth and development. One valuable resource that can facilitate meaningful conversations and set the stage for further progress is the semester report.
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The semester report is not just a document summarising your child's academic performance; it is a tool that can unlock opportunities for open dialogue and goal-setting. By carefully reviewing the report, you gain insights into your child's strengths, areas for improvement, and overall progress. With this information in hand, you are better equipped to engage in conversations that can positively impact their learning outcomes.
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Here are a few reasons why utilising the information in semester reports to have conversations with your children and set learning goals for the following semester is vital:
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1. Celebrating achievements: The report highlights your child's accomplishments, giving you a chance to acknowledge their hard work and dedication. By recognizing their achievements, you boost their confidence and motivate them to continue striving for excellence.
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2. Identifying areas for growth: The report also sheds light on areas where your child may need additional support or improvement. These insights allow you to address specific challenges and seek appropriate resources or assistance. By discussing these areas openly and constructively, you can help your child develop strategies to overcome obstacles.
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3. Encouraging self-reflection: Engaging in conversations based on the report encourages your child to reflect on their own performance. By encouraging self-assessment and self-awareness, you empower them to take ownership of their learning journey. Together, you can explore their strengths and weaknesses, fostering a growth mindset and a sense of accountability.
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4. Setting realistic goals: Based on the report's findings, you can collaborate with your child to set meaningful goals for the upcoming semester. These goals should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). Working together to establish objectives not only encourages academic progress but also helps your child develop valuable organisational and time management skills.
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5. Building a strong support system: By engaging in conversations about the semester report, you demonstrate your active involvement and support. This sense of partnership between parents and educators fosters a robust support system for your child. When students perceive that their parents and teachers are working together, they feel motivated and confident in their ability to succeed.
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Remember, the semester report is just the starting point. The true value lies in the conversations that arise from it. By utilising this tool effectively, you establish a foundation for ongoing communication, collaboration, and growth throughout your child's educational journey.
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We encourage you to take the time to review your child's semester report carefully and engage in a conversation about their progress and establish goals for the future. Our dedicated teachers are also available to offer guidance and answer any questions you may have.
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Have a wonderful Term Two break!
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ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
SECONDARY ~ Term 2 Reflection
As Term 2 draws to a close we are all looking forward to a having break to re-connect with family and friends. We take the opportunity to express thanks to the teaching and education support staff for their commitment to providing the best educational opportunities for our students. A big thank you also to the parents of our school community for continuing to be active partners with us in the development of our young people.
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Once again, in a very busy term, there has been a wide range of engaging learning experiences for all year levels that continue to add to the richness of life at our college. The success of these activities, whether they be sporting, musical, dramatic, camps or excursions, reflects the connection and engagement teachers and students share together.
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Major events this Term include:
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- ANZAC Day Whole School Assembly
- Senior School Careers Expo
- Year 12 Business Management Yakult Excursion
- Senior Sport
- Year 9 Mancave Incursion
- Year 9 Morrisby Careers Profiling
- Victorian High Abilities Program - Virtual Lessons
- Women in Trade Expo
- Intermediate Sport
- Year 7 Sport
- Knox Division Cross Country
- VET Music Performance Showcase
- Year 8 Sport
- Physics RMIT Excursion
- KIOSC for Physics, Biology and Year 7
- Polish and Perform Careers Program for Years 8 -12
- Get Wild Orienteering, Bushwalking, Archery Excursions
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Semester Reports
The school reports that will be released on Thursday 22 June via Compass will reflect the learning behaviours and academic achievements of all our students over the first semester. Please take a moment to share these reports with your sons/daughters and work together to discuss improvement strategies and continued learning growth. Educational research has proven that intelligence is changeable (not predetermined or fixed), and that academic growth can be achieved by everyone through working hard, being resilient and acting on feedback that is provided in the end-of-semester reports. These are the keys to achieving this growth.
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2023 Subject Information
The commencement of Term 3 brings with it the process of subject selections for the following year. The initial focus of 2024 course information will be directed towards our current Year 10 cohort. This is an important process and one that requires careful consideration. To assist students and parents/caregivers in understanding the various options that will be available as they move into Year 11, 2024, we will deliver a VCE-VM overview session for all Year 10 students. This will be followed by a Subject Selection Information Session for parents and carers. Date and time for this event will be communicated early in Term 3.
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Uniform
We always appreciate the support of students and parents/carers in ensuring that the College uniform is worn correctly. As the recent conditions suggest, it is quite cold and students need to be mindful in making sure that their uniform is appropriate for both school and the conditions. Whilst our classrooms are heated, we understand that transition to and from school as well as at recess and lunch breaks can be chilly. We advise that students consider wearing a plain white T-shirt under their school shirt for extra warmth. Students who wear trousers may wish to wear stockings or ‘skins’ under their long pants and students are encouraged to wear the navy school scarf and/or beanie for neck and head warmth.
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Finally, I wish to remind all families that if any student has a genuine uniform emergency and is unable to wear any part of their uniform on any given day, they should provide a signed note from their parent/s or guardian/s explaining the reason. The temporary alternate item should be as similar as possible to the school uniform (e.g. a navy jumper or windcheater). The school has a supply of spare jumpers and jackets for students to borrow if necessary. We welcome the donation of any school uniform items that are in good condition and no longer required by families. These donated second-hand uniforms will be redistributed to families in need and are very much appreciated. Families wishing to seek uniform assistance are asked to contact Ms. Costa (Student Wellbeing Coordinator) or Ms Tanner (Assistant Principal - Wellbeing) regarding any concerns relating to these matters.
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I would like to thank students, staff and parents on your contribution to a wonderful semester of learning. I wish all families and staff a safe and restful break. I look forward to seeing you all safe and sound on Monday 10 July, 2023.
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Secondary Assistant Principal
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ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
PRIMARY
In the Junior School, we have relished the opportunity to see learning in a broader sense than just the old fashioned 3 R’s.
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We have all delved deeply into 3 Units of Inquiry over the Semester. For those who need a refresher, our Program of Inquiry, as part of our commitment to the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Program, runs across a 2-year cycle with students from 3- & 4-year-old Kinder up to our 5/6s exploring a variety of Central Ideas that delve more broadly and deeply into the Transdisciplinary Themes of:
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- Who We Are: An inquiry into the nature of the self; beliefs and values; personal, physical, mental, social, and spiritual health; human relationships including families, friends, communities, and cultures; rights and responsibilities; what it means to be human.
- Where We Are in Place and Time: An inquiry into orientation in place and time; personal histories; homes and journeys; the discoveries, explorations, and migrations of humankind; the relationship between and the interconnectedness of individuals and civilizations, from local and global perspectives.
- How the World Works: An inquiry into the natural world and its laws; the interaction between the natural world (physical and biological) and human societies; how humans use their understanding of scientific principles; the impact of scientific and technological advances on society and on the environment.
- Sharing the Planet: An inquiry into rights and responsibilities in the struggle to share finite resources with other people and other living things; communities and the relationships within and between them; access to equal opportunities; peace and conflict resolution.
- How We Organize Ourselves: An inquiry into the interconnectedness of human-made systems and communities; the structure and function of organizations; societal decision-making; economic activities and their impact on humankind and the environment.
- How We Express Ourselves: An inquiry into the ways in which we discover and express ideas, feelings, nature, culture, beliefs, and values; the ways in which we reflect on, extend, and enjoy our creativity; our appreciation of the aesthetic.
These allow us to learn and teach in an inquiry-based way that explores concepts rather than facts and makes connection within and between subjects. It also allows us to take learning beyond the classroom and take action in multiple ways.
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In 3- & 4-year-old kinder, beginning kinder is a big learning experience all by itself. However, they also managed to work on an understanding of the Central Idea Every day I learn about who I am and what I can do. It was very special to go down and see their showcase – a collage of video snippets the students had recorded sharing what makes them special.
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The Foundation students were able to demonstrate their understanding of the Central Idea Through play we express our feelings and ideas and come to new understandings by walking to the Boronia Arboretum to play with different friends on different equipment. This enabled them to demonstrate their work on both the concept of play and the different elements involved in structured and unstructured play, as well as emotional regulation in a different space. Plus, they had a wonderful time exploring new equipment and balancing elements of being a risk-taker and safety.
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The Year 1/2 students also went to the Arboretum but connected the water trail, pond and the water animals on a scavenger hunt that celebrated their learning around how water is a life sustaining resource for all living things. They also ventured out into our community by going for a neighbourhood walk to find all the signs to begin their work on how signs and symbols can be used to communicate a message. They have been exploring Auslan and can now say the alphabet and express some key emotions through Australian sign language. If you see a student from 1/2, ask them to show you what they have learned!
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Our Year 3/4 students recently celebrate their Community Day. We were fortunate enough to have Project Rockit come in and work with them in their cohort groups. These experts worked with the Year 3 and 4 students on the big idea “Each one of us matters, and we all have the power to make everyone feel like they belong”. This supports the work being done in the classroom to build an inclusive community with strategies and empathy to combat social exclusion and increase awareness of diverse perspectives. The day also has team building, cyber safety and a positive coping session.
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Finally, at the senior end of the Junior School, hard work has been happening to develop their skills on several levels, particularly getting out of their comfort zone when going to Interschool Sports. Students were required to choose and learn either netball, Australian Rules, or soccer. They used their Year level sports time to practice the skills and techniques required to successfully play the game together as a team against different schools with different strengths and challenges. They also had their Community Day, with the experts from Project Rockit to explore the big idea with the Year 6s that “Our individual actions may seem small but together they create the online world we want to see”, while the Year 5s explored the concept of belonging – how each one of us matters and the power we have to make others’ feel like they belong”.
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Our Mothers’ Day breakfast was a hit – thank you to all the mums, grandmothers, aunties, guardians, nans, single parents, and everyone in between who ventured out in the cold for a cuppa and a treat. We hope you enjoyed the opportunity to connect to the classroom with your child, as well as to other parents to celebrate the important role that parents play in our young people’s lives. Thank you for all that you do – what we see and what we don’t. It is all appreciated. We hope you enjoyed being celebrated!
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We are looking forward to Year 3 – 6 Camp in November and the opportunity to continue to celebrate the learning that happens both inside and outside the classroom. Camps provide an opportunity for students to develop skills such as independence, emotional regulation, teamwork skills and much more. These experiences are invaluable and unable to be replicated in the classroom environment. The Year 3/4s and 5/6s will have age-appropriate programs. We look forward to sharing the highlights in the Term 4 Newsletter.
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Thank you to all the staff, students, support workers, parents, and caregivers for their continued support. Together, we can make a difference.
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Primary Assistant Principal
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EARLY LEARNING CENTRE
ELC 4 YEAR OLD'S
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This Term we welcomed Reconciliation Week as an opportunity to explore the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture in a variety of meaningful ways. We shared many indigenous stories and enjoyed learning a new song written by Matthew Doyle, a well known Aboriginal performer. We used art mediums to learn about the colours and meanings represented on the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags.
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On Pyjama Day we raised a total of $58.50 for the Melbourne City Winter Mission Appeal and enjoyed raisin toast and hot freshly popped pop-corn. Thank-you to the families who donated to this appeal.
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We were excited to welcome some very special family members into kinder this term to celebrate Mother’s day. The lead up to our celebration saw us create some wonderful gifts for our loved ones as a way of showing our love and appreciation to them. We participated in the Mother’s day stall run by the parents group and Wellbeing team and we were very eager to show our gift choices to our family members at pick up time! The independence of shopping for Mum at kinder was a great opportunity to select a gift of appreciation that the children felt was appropriate based on what they know and think of their mum.
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We joined the Year 8 students for some PE classes in the gym. Their learning intention was ‘to teach another child a new skill’. We had the opportunity to learn new skills in footy, soccer and rugby. The Year 8’s were very encouraging and taught us lots of new sports moves such as kicking, handballing, throwing the rugby ball and kicking a goal into the soccer net. We enjoyed this experience immensely and have been asking weekly for another sports class with the Year 8’s.
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Our investigation into bees developed, as it was World Bee day on Saturday 20 May. The children had some wonderings about bees which we found most of the answers to in a special book that Vanessa had as well as looking at some clips on the Interactive board. Some of the children mentioned that they loved honey and some told us they didn’t know if they liked it or not. We decided to make Wednesday our bee and honey day. As a group we made the following honey foods: Honey joys, Honey comb, Honey carrots and Honey crumpets. Most of us loved the honey flavoured cooking and now have a new appreciation for bees and how important they are to our environment.
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Michelle Buchanan
Director of the ELC
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WELLBEING & INCLUSION
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The feature of this term has been the focus on Community. Our community of students, community of parents and our community partnerships.
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At Boronia K-12 College we are always trying to offer evidenced-based opportunities for our students. We want to enhance the experience of school and challenge our students to be their best.
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Last year we introduced Man Cave to our Year 9 program because it is an opportunity to allow students to discuss the unique challenges and opportunities of masculinity, Man Cave is a preventative mental health and emotional intelligence charity that empowers boys to become great men.
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The program exists because suicide is the leading cause of death for men aged 15-44. It’s not car crashes, drug overdoses or coward punches. The biggest killer of young men is themselves. Not only that, more than 1 woman dies every week at the hands of a man, and most of the time this is a man they’re close with, someone they trust.
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After working with over 30,000 boys across the country, Man Cave fundamentally believe that these statistics are preventable through early intervention programs that focus on boys’ strengths, rather than their deficits.
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We invited Man Cave to work with our Year 9 boys this term. The boys completed Level One training which looked at the “boy as the centre of their universe”. Next Term the boys will complete Level 2 training and then they will finish level 3 training in Term One 2024. Level 3 will see the boy transition to “now being a part of the universe”.
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We invited the Year 10 boys to complete their training with Man Cave this term. In theory the Year 10 boys are now “being a part of the universe”. We hope the program has developed humans with more empathy, kindness and generosity who respect the rights of all people in our society. But most importantly that they respect themselves, challenge themselves so that they can be their best version of themselves.
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While our Year 9 male students were participating in the Man Cave, we set up a ‘re-energise day’ for our female students. The group set off to help out in the Junior School where they helped to facilitate the Kimochis Program (Social Emotional Learning) with our Foundation students. The year 9’s helped the Foundation students to colour, play and had some lovely little conversations.
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The Year 9’s offered their help in the Early Learning Centre with our Kinder kids where a lot of play, reading and outdoor fun was had! They joined the kinder kids for lunch and enjoyed hearing their stories. Our Year 9’s were great helpers, jumped out of their comfort zone and had a great time working with younger students which we are fortunate to be able to facilitate. Our year 9’s had two study periods for Maths and English to encourage them to complete any work outstanding while also accessing support from Mr Hand and Mr Lee. They finished off their day in the art room where they could paint and unwind from a fun day. We can’t wait to keep building our community and getting our students participating in more cross age activities.
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Attendance and Engagement Focus
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There has been a real focus on attendance from the Education Department this year and how it links to student outcomes. All schools have identified that students have struggled to re-engage. Some students have developed poor habits and low educational stamina with regular unexplained absences and in some cases school avoidance. Boronia K-12 College in partnership with Knox School Focused Youth Services secured a Grant to implement the following intervention planned to support not only the student’s engagement but to also support all the systems around them, through building the capacity of both the school staff and parents. We developed a 3 phase approach:
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- One of the actions of this Plan is the selection of a Student Action Team. In Term 3 and 4 of 2022 a Workshop ran for a 10- week period with a group of Year 9 students facilitated by Kate Wilde. The program framed the students as ‘the experts’ on this issue. The group conducted research with the wider student body around the stated engagement and attendance and then developed outcomes and strategies that could be implemented within the school. The students hosted a Wellbeing Day and conducted workshops targeting some of the barriers outlined in the research survey. A new group of 10-15 students in Year 9 will be chosen in Term 3 to continue the work around understanding student school avoidance.
- Glenn Melvin a practising psychologist and Associate Professor at Deakin University and President of the International Network for school attendance has a real passion for developing new ways to foster school attendance and support students who experience difficulty attending school. Glenn has been working with the school leadership team to review our documents so that our processes and procedures become more responsive and effective when a student’s attendance begins to decline.
Glenn presented a Webinar on “Anxiety and Reluctance to attend School. In this talk he discussed the signs of anxiety in a young person, the links between anxiety and attendance and what parents can do when they encounter anxiety and attendance. It gave parents/carers practical ways they can manage this very challenging time. The key messages he sent were:
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- Anxiety is a completely normal human emotion. However, it becomes an issue when it impacts on daily functioning.
- To Overcome ANXIETY is to FACE ANXIETY
- As parents we can under-estimate a child’s ability to cope. It is important to INVESTIGATE (reasons for not wanting to go to school), PREPARE (get uniform out, pack bags night before) and RESPOND
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o Validating their emotions and naming their feelings
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o Give reassurance and problem solving
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o Give clear instructions versus questions (“Get your shoes on” rather than “Can you get your shoes on?”)
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Boronia Heights Primary School Taster Day
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To build our connections with our key feeder schools and showcase our facilities, we invited the Grade 6 students from Boronia Heights Primary School to participate in a morning of exploration. Along with these students we invited our current Grade 6 Leadership team and current Year 7 students to participate in a morning of exploring all the College has to offer. The students participated in a number of specialist area activities such as Digital Media, Music, Food Studies, Timber and Science. The morning was a great success!
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We have been lucky to have Angela and Michelle from Knox City Council Youth Services, facilitate the Friendship Saver program with a group of our Year 5/6 female students for the last 6 weeks of Term 2. The focus of the program is to enhance their friendships, develop their resilience, improve social skills, learn how to resolve conflict and build connections with one another.
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The group has shown great insight into themselves as well as others which has led to great conversations, discussions and participation in each week that the program has run. The program will conclude at the end of Term 2 where the students will have a celebration and receive a certificate of participation.
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We hope to run the program again in the future!
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Term 2 Cohort Community Days
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The Wellbeing Team in collaboration with the sub-schools have delivered cohort days to the Year 11, Grade 5/6 and Grade 3/4 students. These days are an opportunity to deliver aspects of the Respectful Relationship curriculum. Respectful relationships sits within two complementary areas of the Victorian F-10 curriculum; The Personal and Social Capability and the Health and Physical Education curriculum.
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The Personal and Social Capability involves learning to recognise and regulate emotions, develop empathy for others and understand relationships, establish and build a framework for positive relationships, work effectively in teams and develop leadership skills. Looking at the Health curriculum it enables students to recognise personal qualities, understand identity and strategies for respectful relationships.
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The Year 11 students were involved in a series of workshops that covered everything from understanding the role of “Privilege” in sexual relationships, the concept of assertiveness and practicing assertive talk to speak up for oneself, identifying strategies to prevent or reduce harm associated with risk taking behaviour and Career Action planning. The last session was just a good fun afternoon at Jump Deck. We were so impressed with the way the students embraced their day. They actively participated in all of the activities, showing respect and interest.
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The Grade 5/6 and Grade 3/4 days were run in a very similar manner. They had guest speakers Project Rockit who presented ideas such as “Identity”, “Embracing Change” and the importance of self. The school-based workshops further explored e-safety and the importance of positive coping. Again, we very really impressed with the way the students involved themselves in the activities and drew on their existing social and emotional language to express themselves.
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Dr Varun and Nurse Beck from Knox Headspace Youth Clinic have been busy this term supporting a number of students and their families with a range of presenting issues. They will be back next term for students to drop in or make an appointment to have a consultation or health check.
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Check out the flyers to learn more about the program!
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The Wellbeing Team wishes all families a safe and healthy holiday. We also want to remind families to visit the “Wellbeing Hub” on our website to access any support information you may require over the holiday break.
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Assistant Principal Wellbeing and Inclusion
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MIDDLE SCHOOL
A summary of our middle school's highlights this term includes:
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- Our students continuing to develop their academic rigour and produce excellent results in their learning: it has been very pleasing to see many of our students continue to build positive habits to allow them to make the most of every learning opportunity each day. As a result, students are achieving their personal best. I look forward to celebrating our highest achieving students across each classroom during our whole school assembly for our CARL Awards
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Special Events and Activities: It’s great to see our Year 9s enjoying their regular B-Active excursions whilst all of our Middle School Year Levels have been able to participate in sports days and KIOSC excursions. Our Year 8s undertook the ‘Prepare’ program by The Beacon Foundation which offered them the skills needed to thrive in school, the workplace and life. Our Year 9 boys took part in the ‘Man Cave’ program which involved them learning about men’s mental health and gaining a range of tools to help look after themselves and each other, while the Year 9 girls gained an opportunity to assist in the Kinder which they enjoyed and expressed a desire to do this again.
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- The Year 9s have been doing a lot of planning in preparation for the City Experience early in Term 3. There will be a Year 7 Showcase to highlight the fantastic achievements of our Year 7 cohort so far this year and as always, a range of other activities and programs to inspire and support our students to learn.
- A reminder to students and parents to ensure that their school uniform is in order, as it will be a cold Term 3 ahead. Hoodies and tracksuits are not appropriate pieces of uniform and are not permitted at school. The only exception for this is for those wearing plain navy tracksuits as part of their PE uniform on the appropriate day. There are sufficient options available in the form of school rugby tops, jackets, and grey pants to help keep warm during winter. Parents: please don’t hesitate to get in contact with me if you have any queries about uniform.
- I’d also like to again congratulate Jaxson B, Tyler S, Ashley D and Keelie R from Year 9 on behalf of our school community who will be attending the School for Student Leadership in Term 4 at the Gnurad Gundidj Campus. Each of these students undertook a written application and meeting and were deemed worthy candidates who will no doubt gain a valuable experience from this – well done guys!
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As always, thank you to our teachers, staff, and parents for their unwavering support and best wishes to all for a safe and rejuvenating break!
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Director of Middle School
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Middle School Sports and Events
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SENIOR SCHOOL
End of Semester 1
It hardly seems possible that we have reached the half-way point of the year already, and it serves to remind us all just how quickly the years come and go. For our Senior School students, the second half of the year will be over even more so given that for them it is a shorter one, with Year 12 students finishing up around mid-November, and Year 10 and 11 students in early December.
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Our Year 10 boys were provided with the opportunity to participate in the third and final day of the Man Cave Program, having completed the first two days last year as Year 9 students. Man Cave is a preventative mental health and emotional intelligence program that provides boys with the critical emotional and social skills they need to lead flourishing lives for themselves, their relationships and their communities. For those boys who participated in this final session, the day was a powerful and at times emotional culmination of the program.
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A small number of our Year 10 students have participated in the Farm School Program this semester, heading off to Woori Yallock every Tuesday. As part of this program, students participated in a wide range of practical activities at the Farm School, as well as undertaking a number of off-site activities and excursions, culminating this week in a chilly and foggy day hike from Keppel Lookout to Steavenson’s Falls in Marysville. The Farm School uses agriculture, outdoor and environmental education as tools to engage students, build confidence and improve personal attributes such as social and team building skills.
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Semester One also saw students from across Years 10 to 12 given the opportunity to attend some major events occurring in Melbourne, including the Australian International Air Show and the Australian Formula One Grand Prix. The focus of both of these excursions was to expose students to career opportunities in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics)-related careers and industries, and it was great to see many students enthusiastically embracing the opportunity to be part of these days.
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Our Year 11 and 12 students also attended the Careers Expo held at Caulfield Racecourse in Term Two, which provided students with resources and information about future tertiary courses, career options, employment opportunities, study strategies, the gap year and much more.
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This Semester also saw a number of themed Free Dress Days for our Senior School students aimed at raising awareness of community issues and providing funds for causes associated with these issues.
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I would like to take this opportunity to thank all Senior School students (and staff) for their efforts both in and out of class over the course of First Semester, but also remind students that the second half of the year will also come and go even more quickly. It is important that all Senior School students access their Semester One Report and use the feedback provided in this report, as well as discussions with their class teachers, to bring about any improvements and adjustments they need to make in terms of their work completion, level of performance, work ethic, attitude, behaviour and attendance, so as to give themselves the opportunity to achieve their best outcome at end of the year.
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Director of Senior School
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CAREERS
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This term saw a range of Careers events take place including visits from The Beacon Foundation and local employers, excursions to Women in Trade and The Careers Expo and Morrisby Profiling in Year 9. The Beacon Foundation Events are an excellent opportunity for our students which aim to bridge the gap between education and employment by providing students with valuable insights into the world of work. Selected Year 8, 10, 11 and 12 students participated in the workshop and networking lunch, with visits from local community members.
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Morrisby Profiles is an online career assessment tool that assists students in identifying their strengths, interests, and aptitudes. The school facilitated the administration of Morrisby Profiles to students, providing them with personalized career guidance based on their assessment results. Key aspects of the Morrisby Profiles initiative include:
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a. Assessment: Students completed a series of online assessments that evaluated their abilities, interests, and preferences. The results were used to generate comprehensive reports outlining potential career matches, suitable industries, and further education pathways.
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b. Individual Counselling: Trained career counsellors reviewed the assessment results with students individually, providing them with a deeper understanding of their strengths and career options. The counsellors also addressed students' concerns and answered their queries to assist them in making informed decisions.
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c. Parental Involvement: The school encourages parents to discuss results with their Year 9 student and use this as an opportunity to engage your young person in a discussion about future career options.
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Careers, Pathways and VET
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SECONDARY ART
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Art Creations
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Students have been working hard in the Art Room this term and have produced some amazing pieces.
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Art Award
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Congratulations to our very talented Year 12 student Sarah C who won 1st Prize in the Senior Division & Hangers Award at The Hut Gallery in FTG-Young at Art
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In semester one, my fellow Year 7 students were tasked with five major assignments set to be completed by the end of the semester. Personally, I have enjoyed art for years - and while it isn’t a potential career path for me, I whole heartedly believe that art has consistent benefits to whoever partakes in the process. I have thoroughly relished in the subject, trying my hardest to savour every piece while keeping my subjective style in the work. The third piece out of the five was a paper collage, where we could try and incorporate the basic principles of colour theory into it, that is when our teacher Ms Peppard suggested that I subsume my portraits into the piece, which I gratefully agreed to. Using the mix of ripped paper and regular art I was able to convey a message through the work about the high expectations thrown onto people working in a crucial or influential environment where an individual could possibly feel trapped and made to hide their own interests to appease others.
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Emily H 10B - Untitled (oil on canvas)
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Jacob C 10A - Untitled (pencil, oil, acrylic and found diamante on canvas)
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Jackson D 7C - Sculpture (recycled plastic, tape and acrylic paint)
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"Peripheral Vision of a Bird"
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A pencil sketch with watercolour paint on sketch paper, inspired by the birds my Dad had when I was younger. This work hopes to bring feelings of tranquillity and nostalgia by recalling childhood memories of bird songs in the morning and the swooping of magpies in Spring.
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Year 10 Art Excursion
Ian Potter Centre
Reflections from our visit to the Ian Potter Centre at the NGV.
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- Enjoying hot chocolate at the gallery with dozens of tiny birds around us
- A lovely experience to see all the artwork, inspiring to see the young artists work
- Most notable piece of art for me was an oil painting on wooden boards with birds clawing at a human body, it was a stunning piece of work
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SECONDARY MUSIC
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RECENT PERFORMANCES
We are thrilled to highlight the exceptional musical talents of our Secondary music students and their recent performances this semester for the school community. Student performers showcased their dedication, hard work, and commitment to music performing for audiences in a variety of settings. We commend all music students on their outstanding performances and developing musicianship.
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Open Night for Secondary - Unit 1 Student Performances:
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Our Unit 1 students took to the stage during the Open Night, giving their first-ever performances. It was an evening filled with budding musicians showcasing their beginner skills in a group performance for a community audience.
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School Assemblies - VET Music 1 and 3 Group Performances:
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Our VET Music 1 and 3 students collaborated in groups and treated their peers to captivating performances during school assemblies with pieces such as ‘Counting Stars’, ‘I Created a Monster’ and most recently ‘I Will Survive’.
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ANZAC Day Performance - 'I Was Only 19' by Sarah Colling:
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Year 12 musician, Sarah C, delivered a moving rendition of 'I Was Only 19' during the ANZAC Day commemorative event supported by Miss Cumming on guitar. Her performance was a beautiful and respectful tribute.
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Lunchtime Performances at A Day in May:
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Our VET Music 1 and 3 students, along with instrumental music students, delighted the school community with a lunchtime performance during the "A Day in May" event. Along with some musical jamming feat. instrumental staff Marty, Rod, and Miss Cumming along with Year 11 musician Oliver James on bass, the performances of ‘Road Tripping’ and ‘Stacy’s Mom’ from the students brought joy and entertainment to all who listened.
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VET Music Unit 1 Solo Showcase
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The VET Music Unit 1 Solo Showcase was a platform for our Unit 1 musicians to shine individually as per their VET course requirements. They demonstrated remarkable skill and artistry, leaving the audience captivated and inspired. Thank you to our Unit 3 students who performed a cameo of their current VET Music set at the end of the evening.
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INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC LESSONS
The instrumental lesson program continues with students honing their skills on guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, piano and vocals.
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Rod has been thrilled to teach drums to our Secondary students on a Thursday this semester. Students have been developing performances of backbeats and fills – excitedly they have been playing along to popular grooves. Our drum ensemble is returning with group sessions once a week.
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Marty has been enjoying seeing students achieve great technical piano and keyboard as well as guitar and bass guitar on Tuesday and Thursday each week. An upcoming performance of Fur Elise from one of our Year 8’s has been a highlight this semester alongside many great piano and keyboard pieces. Slapping and popping on bass, along with new guitar riffs and chords has been a highlight to hear from students this semester.
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Miss Cumming has been working on Tuesday and Friday with singing students to stretch their range and vocal technique to new heights. Students excitedly have been working on pieces from an array of artists such as Adele, Mitski, Phoebe Bridges, Hozier, Queen, Bruno Mars and Michael Jackson.
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Every lunchtime on Tuesday and Thursday the Music room is open for lunchtime music sessions. Secondary students are welcome to work on individual music ideas, play in bands, jam, and learn alongside their peers.
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INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC CONCERT
In Term 3 we will be having our Instrumental Music Concert for 2023 on the dates below. In Semester 2 students will form groups based on skill level and like-interests to work in their lesson with peers to create a band performance for an audience. All students enrolled are encouraged to perform, where confidence is still developing, we will be recording performance work in lessons for our school community and parents/guardians to enjoy.
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- Monday 11 – 14 September – Concert Rehearsals – Scheduled in Lesson Times
- Thursday 14 September – Concert Evening – 6:30pm PAC Theatre
STUDENT GIGS IN THE COMMUNITY
Well done to Oliver J of Year 11 on bass guitar and Liam K of Year 12 on drum kit for their recent work jamming alongside amazing musicians in their local community groups.
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MUSIC GIGS IN THE COMMUNITY
The Oak Tree Tavern invites 14 to Under 18s to perform with others at their fortnightly performance evenings on Wednesdays (8pm-9:30pm). Parent/guardian is to be present for attending students. The establishment is aiming to give the performers opportunities to experience what performing alongside sessional musicians is like at venues in the community. Further information can be gained by contacting The Oak Tree Tavern.
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Instrumental Music Coordinator
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Aussie Veterans Market and Parade
Below Article supplied by Kristy from Aussie Veterans Op Shop
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A huge thank you to our Volunteers and local community for coming along to support the Aussie Veterans Op Shop on Sat 29th April for our event, bringing vintage fashion to the East - in The Boronia Mall.
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We watched a number of our beautiful volunteers strut their stuff showing off vintage fashion of old, donated by Eileen Ervine of Wantirna.
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Needless to say, it was a hugely successful event bringing many onlookers young and old to The Boronia Mall and surrounding areas, supporting local businesses. With many bottoms on seats and scattered throughout the centre, it was lovely to see The Mall jumping with activity with smiling faces and cameras clicking in the audience.
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We are proud to announce that with everybody’s support, we were able to raise the following fundraising totals for the Veteran Advocacy Services, Welfare and Support;
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- $3000 was raised through our vintage market stalls and increased store sales on the day for The Veterans Advocacy Centre located in Boronia.
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Our community bake sale was a huge success, thanks to many volunteers including Boronia K12 school council president Susie Colling donating some beautiful baked goods. Raising an impressive $400 for The Biggest Morning Tea - Supporting Cancer research and awareness.
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A big shout out to Year 12 student Sarah C for her participation on and off the catwalk and her beautiful vocal rendition of “I WAS ONLY 19”. The community really enjoyed your performance.
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Our large OPSHOP and second-hand furniture store located in The Boronia Mall will continue to raise monies each day for our Veterans and many businesses in The Mall would also appreciate your continued support.
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If you would like to give your time as a volunteer, please contact Kristy or Fiona on 9761 0468 or drop into our store to find out more information.
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We look forward to holding another similar event next year and please follow our Aussie Veterans OPSHOP social page on Facebook to keep you informed of our events, weekly sales and community news.
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LIBRARY NEWS
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2023 FOUNDATION -YEAR 12 STUDENT BORROWING
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The encouragement of reading for fun and reading for learning is promoted and assisted with the library’s wide range of resources. The library aims to support the school’s policies by providing the necessary resources for the key learning areas of the Curriculum Framework. We hope that students will continue to enjoy using the College Library throughout their educational journey at Boronia K-12 College.
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STUDENT BORROWING GUIDELINES:
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Students from Foundation to Year 6 use our Library as part of a scheduled class one period per week. During these sessions, students are given the opportunity to borrow library books to take home to their families.
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Students from Year 7 to Year 12 use our Library for borrowing purposes as directed by their subject teachers, as well as before and after school, or during their lunch break.
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Students from Year 7 to Year 10 also have an opportunity to visit the College Library during the first or second half of a scheduled English class once a week, these short sessions encourage and allow students to discover and borrow reading material that they will enjoy reading during their independent reading programs.
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- All Foundation to Year 6 students require a library bag to help protect their library books if they wish to take their borrowed library books home to read.
- Library bags may be provided from home in a colour or style of your choosing.
- Foundation to Year 6 students without a library bag will not be permitted to borrow library books to take home.
- Students from Year 7 to Year 12 do not require a library bag.
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NUMBER OF BOOKS STUDENTS CAN BORROW:
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Year 1 & Year 2: up to 2 books
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Year 3 - Year 6: up to 4 books
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Year 7 - Year 12: up to 4 books
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All students can borrow library books for up to 14 days. Students who require more time to finish reading books can renew books any time within the 14-day loan period.
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Students who have overdue library books will not be able to borrow until all overdue books have been cleared either by returning or renewing their books.
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If you are aware that a library book is lost or damaged, please let Mrs Young know, as this will assist in avoiding students having unresolved overdue loans.
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Please encourage your students to look after their library books and return or re-borrow their books on time as this will avoid disappointment.
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