DATES TO REMEMBER

TERM 2, 2016

News from the Principal, Mr. Lanarus

Westall News

5 August 2016

Westall Secondary College

88 Rosebank Avenue, Clayton South, 3169

Email: info@westallsc.vic.edu.au

Phone: 9546 3233 Fax: 9547 5785

NOW AVAILABLE

Integrity & Service

2016

YEAR LEVEL COORDINATORS

Year 7 Mrs. Travitz Email: rtr@westallsc.vic.edu.au

Year 8 Miss Paget Email: apa@westallsc.vic.edu.au

Year 9 Miss Dewhurst Email: sde@westallsc.vic.edu.au

Year 10 Ms. Kerwick Email: ake@westallsc.vic.edu.au

Year 11 Mr. Lockwood Email: slo@westallsc.vic.edu.au

Year 12 Ms. Nguyen Email: nng@westallsc.vic.edu.au

Aug 8—Yr. 12 VTAC, Monash Uni.

Aug 10—School Council Meeting

Aug 15-19—Science Week

Aug 16—2016 ICAS

Aug 17 & every Wed— Yr. 9 Swimming

Aug 22-26—Book Week

Aug 29-2 Sept—Literacy/Numeracy Week

Sept 1—Kingston Athletics

Sept 7—School Council Meeting

Sept 8—Curriculum Day

Sept 9—Yr. 8 Sport Day

Sept 12-16 Arts /LOTE Week

Sept 14—VET Hospitality Excursion

Sept 15—Parent/Teacher Interviews

REMINDER TO ALL PARENTS/

GUARDIANS TO UPDATE

EMERGENCY CONTACT DETAILS

AND MEDICAL INFORMATION AT

THE FRONT OFFICE, IF CHANGES

HAVE OCCURRED DURING THE

EASTER VACATION

Dear Westall Secondary College Community, Building and planning of new facilities at Westall is now well underway. Our Community Hub is coming up out of the ground and is located behind our Gym between us and Westall Primary School. If you haven’t seen it yet, do yourself a favour and have a look. Along with our new Hub, we recently met with potential architects for the redesign of our whole site including Westall Primary School. The successful architect will be appointed in the coming weeks with a detailed plan of our new facility hopefully completed by Christmas. This is one of the biggest government projects in the State and has the potential to put Westall “on the map” and make us an exemplar for similar projects around the State in the future. The Government have committed significant money to the planning of this project and we hope in the 2016-2017 budget, the money to start building the plan will come through. On Thursday 28th July we had the biggest turn out of families at an event in my time at the College. We ran out of space and chairs which was a good problem to have and shows why new buildings and facilities at our school will be warmly received. The event was our Course Information Night for 2017 where families received information about new subjects being offered and the process around selection. Our I-Create program, which will run for half a day each Wednesday for all year levels, is incredibly exciting for our students. Each I-Create option will be assessed against Personal and Social development, Critical and Creative thinking and Ethical understanding which are known as learning capabilities under the new Victorian Curriculum. Our new I-Create subjects and the purpose behind each one are listed at the end of this article. Whilst there are some quite significant events on the horizon, there also continues to be significant things happening every day at Westall. Some examples of this are: - The growth of our Westall English Language Centre to 4 classes for the remainder of this year accompanied by the appointment of 2 additional staff - Planning for the employment of additional EAL staff in 2017 to support our EAL students - 5 staff working with students needing additional literacy support known as our (TRIP) Targeted Reading Intervention Program - The appointment of a 2nd Assistant Principal to commence in Term 4 this year - The continued growth of our International Student Program which now has close to 90 Students - The official launch of our VCAL led Anti-Graffiti Mural at the rear of our Gym facing the new Hub - The refurbishment of our Senior Centre with brand new and very colourful Ikea furniture (Special mention to Ikea Springvale for donating this furniture) - The introduction of an Eftpos facility in our Canteen - Our annual Athletics day held at Noble Park on the 4th of August - A student free day scheduled for the 8th of September to provide time for staff to plan our exciting new subjects for 2017 (please mark the date in your diaries)

General Office Hours:

Monday to Friday

8.30am to 4.15pm

Our I-Create options for 2017 are: I-CREATE – (Wednesday Program) – for all year levels 7-12 Aviation Purpose – Offer students a pathway into the Aviation industry. This program will involve a partnership with Moorabbin Airport and will cover all aspects of the aviation industry including the pathway to becoming a pilot. # Code Purpose - Code powers our digital world. Every website, smartphone app, computer programme, calculator and even microwave relies on code in order to operate. This makes coders the architects and builders of the digital age. This subject aims to provide the opportunity to learn how to create games using “drag and drop” code blocks or java script. Construction and Technology Purpose - If you want to improve the environment and communal spaces around the school through the successful use of Design and Technology, this is for you. You will investigate best Design Practice through excursions to local destinations where award winning designers have created uniquely designed special spaces. Be inspired by other landscaped areas and then use your drawing skills & Computer Aided Design to produce accurate design proposals to submit to appropriate school committees for approval. You will assist in the selection of tools and materials required for each project and effectively evaluate the success of the learning process and the landscaped areas. There will also be the opportunity to volunteer your time in local schools, parks and gardens and here at Westall. Conversation Club Purpose - Oral communication and listening skills form the basis of improved academic outcomes. This program aims to bring students of all abilities and ages together to learn from each other, and share our language and communication skills. All students of all abilities are welcome at the conversation club – whether just like speaking and communicating, or you want to improve in this area. Through a range of fun and engaging activities students will share and develop · Speaking, listening and general communication skills · Social relationships · Cultural understanding Visual Arts and Media Purpose - A hands on program where students are given the freedom to explore their own creative ideas using both two and three-dimensional media. Students will develop skills in using materials, processes, techniques and technology. Students will gain confidence and independence working individually and collaboratively Kidpreneur Purpose - Provide students with a forum of starting their own business from scratch. Students would have an idea or come up with an idea of what they could produce to sell themselves. This subject provides methods and techniques for developing the ideas into solid business models. Outcome – students will have developed a business model, and in following years, business should demonstrate growth. Martial Arts – (Taekwondo) Purpose - Originating in Korea, Taekwondo has become the most commonly practiced martial art in the world, receiving the honor of being adopted as an Olympic sport in 2000. Taekwondo combines the benefits of learning a martial art with the cardio workout you get from doing a sport or at the gym. It improves physical fitness, flexibility, general well-being and the poise of those who practice it. The benefits of taekwondo reach far beyond the physical; enabling practitioners to improve self-esteem and confidence, and encouraging modesty and generosity through intense training of both the mind and the body. Ninja Training Purpose - Students will learn aspects of Japanese customs, traditions and an introduction to the language. Master the Westall Café Purpose - Understand catering in a café and the business side of running a café/restaurant. Master the art of coffee making and sweet/savoury catering. Students will grow, harvest, prepare and share fresh seasonal food and to help positively influence their food choices in the future. Students will spend some time each week with the up keep of the garden, harvest the seasonal produce as well as the cooking and sharing of food. There will also be a focus on the ethical concerns in the food industry and how the community can positively influence this. 2.

News from the Principal, Mr. Lanarus

Students will be able to: - Grow their produce - Establish and maintain a vegetable garden. - Understand the plant and flower function Outdoor Ed/Adventure Purpose - This program provides students with the skills and knowledge to safely participate in activities in outdoor and local environments and to respect and value diverse environments. Publishing Purpose - To produce a professional publication that demonstrates an effective use of creativity, technology and communication skills. Singing, Dance and Drama Purpose - Students will be able to: · Build self-esteem and challenge their own creativity through drama, singing and dance · explore movements to express feelings, emotions, ideas and observations Sports Purpose A vital aspect of offering the Sports Club is the acquisition of movement skills, concepts and strategies will enable students to confidently, competently and creatively participate in a range of physical activities. This is the foundation for lifelong physical activity participation. Students also acquire an understanding of the science behind how the body moves. In doing so, they develop an appreciation of the significance of physical activity and sport both in Australian society and globally. Movement is a powerful medium for learning, through which students can acquire, practise and refine personal, behavioural, social and cognitive skills. It provides opportunities for students to develop skills, self-efficacy and dispositions to advocate for, and positively influence, their own and others’ health and wellbeing. Healthy, active living includes promoting physical fitness, healthy body weight, psychological wellbeing, cognitive capabilities and learning. A healthy, active population improves productivity and personal satisfaction, promotes pro-social behaviour and reduces the occurrence of chronic disease. Health and Physical Education teaches students how to enhance their health, safety and wellbeing and contribute to building healthy, safe and active communities. STEM Purpose · Students develop an understanding that science is about achieving knowledge through investigating, experiments, discussions and communicating ideas. · Students learn to problem-solving and investigate · Students learn to design, build and test the research question. St John Ambulance Cadets Purpose – Develop team management, literacy and numeracy and communication skills. Learn First Aid and be involved in com-munity and citizenship growth. Study Space Purpose - Study Space and tutoring is an opportunity for senior school students to maximize their learning to manage their study program. It is designed to promote success in VCE. Students are developing key personal learning skills in managing time and resources to complete work set by their subject teachers as well as preparation for SACs and exams. Support is also provided to students by specialized teachers and university tutors available for individual and group tuition as well as access to programs. A 40+ Club is also available for those that are capable and are aspiring to 40+ study scores in one or more Unit ¾ subject. Students are expected to work both autonomously as well as having the opportunity to collaborate and work with small teams of students for peer support. Mr. Tristan Lanarus

Principal

Westall Secondary College

3.

News from the Principal, Mr Lanarus

Visitors from Thailand On Monday the 25th of July, we were delighted to host a delegation of twelve academics from the Bureau of Special Education Office of the Ministry of Education in Thailand. During their short time in Melbourne, our international visitors participated in the Early Intervention and Inclusive Education program at Monash University. At Westall SC, they looked at the ways we cater for students with intellectual, physical and other disabilities and the strategies we use to support every student in every classroom.

Welcome to our new Student Counsellor, Ms Kristianne Lynch A warm welcome to Ms Kristi who commenced her important role as the Wellbeing Coordinator at the college this term. Ms Kristi is available to students and their families on Wednesdays and Thursdays for the moment, however, her availability will increase to full time sometime in term 4.

On June 22nd a vocal soiree was held in C15 at 4.30pm. Almost all of the singing students attended and performed. Each student

proved how much they had learnt and their ability to put this into practice. These performances exceeded all expectations, both

for me and the students. The performance was shown to a small but very appreciative audience of teachers and parents.

Many thanks to Michael Coco for his help throughout the day and evening. Also thanks to Shannon Bone for filming and taking

photos and of course many thanks, to the students for their hard work and dedication.

Ms Casey-Dalgleish

Vocal Teacher

4.

Assistant Principal—Mrs Eva Kesidis

Vocal Soiree Evening

Year 7

Year 7 students have been adding their “Autumn” contribution to their Learning Forest in Balook. Students added a leaf each indicating some of the new things they have learned in the last two terms. This could relate to any of their subjects. Their Autumn contribution clearly shows their growth in learning. In term one students tended to focus on what they were “doing”; their focus is now on learning.

Junior School Report

5.

Message from Director of Learning - Junior School, Ms Cath Temple

Homework reinforces the things students learn at school and provides the opportunity to work through learning tasks and develop

long-term understanding of the topic or activity. All teachers will set homework for students to complete but homework doesn’t

and shouldn’t be limited to this. Reading extensively and reflecting on the day or week’s learning is very important. Practising skills

learnt in the classroom is also essential. So, the answer to the question, “do you have any homework?” should never be NO!

Students should record all their set homework tasks in their diary but they should have a homework plan that they stick to and

when they don’t have “set” homework tasks they can complete the other types of tasks as outlined above. A homework time table

is crucial because this ensures there is a balance of family, leisure and learning time. At the beginning of the year, all students

contributed to a year Level Code of Cooperation. This outlined the things that students felt they would all cooperatively need to

do to ensure everyone could learn. A number of these behaviours outlined in each of the codes are relevant to, not only school

learning, but for homework as well.

Year 8:

Strive to do our very best and never give up

Believe in ourselves and each other and have a positive outlook and energy towards our education and learning

Be organised by having the correct books, writing materials and computer equipment

Ask for help and assistance from your teacher

Year 7:

Believe in ourselves and each other and have a positive outlook and energy towards our education and learning

Motivate and encourage each other to participate and excel in our learning

The following link to the Department of Education’s web site provides some advice for parents to help students with their home-

work.

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/parents/secondary/Pages/newhomework.aspx

Mrs Temple Director of Learning (Junior Sub-School)

Year 7 Boys Futsal The year 7 Boys Futsal team will be competing at the Inter school level next week against McKinnon Secondary College. Futsal is an indoor game but our boys have had to make way for the Basketball team to use the indoor court and unfortunately due to inclement weather, the boys have not been able to train as much as they would have liked. However, this has not dampened their enthusiasm and they are expected to be extremely competitive against the other schools. Best of luck boys. Mr Newton Health and Physical Education Coordinator

Junior School Report cont’d

6.

Chinese News

Girls Rugby 9’s Victoria rugby League has announced for the first time ever, there will be a Girls Rugby 9's full tackling tournament for U 14 & U 16 girls. It will be held at Fregon Reserve on the 22/8/16 and Westall has entered a full team at each level.The girls are training two lunchtime per week in order to prepare adequately for this highly anticipated competition. If the level of enthusiasm is anything to go by, our girls are really in with a red hot chance of being successful on the day. Helping out with training the girls are Adidis, Katoa & Sione from year 9. We wish the girls all the best. Mr Newton Health & Physical Education Coordinator

Year 7 Prepare for School’s Basketball Competition

Year 7 students are currently training very hard in preparation for their basketball competition with other schools. They are very

lucky to have the support of coaches from the New Stars program to assist them in gaining new skills and understanding of the

game of basketball. The very dark clouds and threat of rain did not dampen the enthusiasm of the students as they trained. We

wish them well in the competition.

The Junior Chinese Aim High Class started again for this term, on 20

July (Wednesday). The Aim High class caters for students who are

serious about pursuing their goals in the language study of Chinese.

The Aim High Chinese Class offers a unique and rewarding language

education to students who are above the expected levels and have a

particular passion for the language. A range of group programs has

been designed; some learners focus on writing essays, some

concentrate on role plays, while others work on reading texts. We are

very proud and pleased with the Aim High students in the way they

have risen to the challenge and try their best to achieve more. Also,

we would like to thank Mr Bandara for being generous in sharing the

Homework Club space with us.

Mrs Zeng

Chinese Teacher

Message from Director of Learning - Middle School, Mr Tom Tahos

We have had a very exciting start to term three with many events occurring in the middle years. The following articles highlight some of these events. Remember that your course counselling session is fast approaching so make sure you complete your course selection sheet. We are all responsible when it comes to achieving best results and we can always keep improving how we do things, keep this in mind when you are in class and at home. Have a great term.

Middle School Report

7.

U15’s Boys (13 a side) Rugby Tuesday 26/7/16 was the U15's Boys 13 a side Rugby competition, held at Fregon Reserve in Clayton. It was a freezing cold day that saw the temperature barely crawl into double figures and the wind was blowing an absolute gale at the time. However, this did not dampen the spirits or enthusiasm of our boys in the slightest. We won our first game against Hampton Park 12-8 with our captain, Katoa, scoring the first two tries and then converting (a fantastic effort considering the wind). The third try of the game was scored by Kane of 7A and assisted by Bryan. Unfortunately we lost our other two games which were against Cranbourne East and Keysborough. These two teams have gone on to the State Finals that will take place late in August. I was very impressed with both the sportsmanship and tenacity that our boys displayed on the day. Mr Newton Health & Physical Education Coordinator

J Mr Newton

Meet the Middle School Staff

Hi. I’m Mr Newton and my current role at Westall SC is Coordinator

of Health & Physical Education. I have taught Sport, Health, Physical

Education, English, Humanities, VCE Theatre Studies & VCAL.

I arrived at Westall in 1995, l have helped set up sister schools in

Aitutuki (Ararua College), Greece, Italy and Spain. In 2008 l spent the

Christmas holidays teaching English at Yongin University in South

Korea. In 2012, l spent a year teaching in our LEEP program in Chel-

sea. I also ran Surf & Fitness Camps for our year 9 & 10 students at

Jan Juc Surf Life Saving Club for over 10 years.

I love travelling and have visited many of the countries that the

students at Westall have originally come from. On my travels l have

done static line sky dives, bungee jumps, sling shots, hot air balloon-

ing and scuba diving with sharks.

I also love to read a lot of non–fiction books, especially autobiog-

raphies and crime.

Hi.

My name is Mr Roberts and my role at Westall SC is Sports Coordina-

tor as well as Odyssey Coordinator. I started work at Westall in 2011

and I have taught all year levels from years 7-12 in the subjects of PE,

Health, Mathematics and Outdoor Education. My hobbies and inter-

ests include watching movies, catching up with family and friends,

playing AFL and supporting my favourite team, Collingwood.

Mr Roberts

8.

Middle School Report cont’d...

A time to reflect…

In a recent visit to The Shrine of Remembrance, our year 10 students were able to connect the learning acquired in the History lessons to the information that was presented by the tour guide. Students were given a tour of the Crypt, the Eternal Flame and they participated in a brief service of remembrance in the Sanctuary. The experiences of some of those who were involved in WW2 were also narrated. Artefacts were examined and students used their knowledge and analytical skills to answer questions and identify the purpose and use of each item.

To some The Shrine symbolises peace and gratitude. To others it symbolis-

es war and sacrifice. Though its symbolism is subjective, overall, it is a

place in which we embrace and commemorate the service of our people. It

is a place that we treat with respect the memories of our past.

Franz Delos Santos

THE SHRINE As the light crosses the stone, We will remember those who gave their own. They will not be forgotten as we grow old, Their legacy we will mold. Their service will stand in history, As time passes by we will tell their story. For great sacrifice that war brings, It’s humanity that never wins. Tynan Samason

The Shrine will forever stand to remind us that courage and sacrifice is what

has led to the greatness of Australia. The Shrine is a symbol of our gratitude

to the brave men, women and children.

Muniat Ali

Debating Competition

"Honest disagreement is often a good sign of progress."

Mahatma Ghandi

Debating provides many benefits for students. There is an emphasis on critical thinking, effective communication, independent research and teamwork. When students learn how to debate, they are better able to make informed judgments about issues.

Many of our year 10 students eagerly volunteered and participated in

debating competitions between Ms Chomiak’s and Ms Staikos’ English classes.

The standard of the debates was excellent. Students worked effectively in a

team and demonstrated a mature approach to the task. Debaters received

feedback from their teachers and their peers. Winning teams were selected

and ‘Best Speaker’ for each debate was announced. All the participants

received certificates at a year Level Assembly and were congratulated for their

willingness to participate in this activity.

Ms Chomiak / Ms Staikos

Middle School Report cont’d...

Health & Wellbeing Expo

On Friday 17th June there was lots of excitement due to the Health & Wellbeing Expo. All year 9 and year 10 students had the opportunity to participate in the Expo and meet various specialised support services. These services were;

Victoria Police- Law & Safety

Headspace-Mental health & wellbeing

Kingston Youth Services- Youth & family services

Taskforce- Drug & alcohol education

South Eastern Centre Against Sexual Assault & Family Violence (SECASA)

Southern Ethnic Advisory and Advocacy Council Youth Services (SEAAC) Students walked away from the Expo with lots of information/resource materials and reported back that they had increased knowledge and awareness on local support services and that they felt more confident in how to keep themselves and their friends safe. Ms Formoso Secondary School Nursing Program

Indigenous Monash University Experience

Our indigenous students were invited to attend Monash University and experience

what they had to offer as well as pathways, cadetships and scholarships available

that our Indigenous students can access.

A great day where students met other students and talked to leaders in the

community about further education opportunities.

Year 10 Monash University Experience

All our year 10 students were invited to attend a full day at Monash

University.

A fantastic day in which the Monash University student mentors provided

information about courses and expectations. Students had an opportunity

to explore the University with a mentor and also they had a chance to work

as teams to locate various areas of the University.

A fun and informative way to gain experience and understanding of further study options.

9.

Middle School Report cont’d

STEM

Last week our year 10s participated in The Endeavour Roadshow program run by Melbourne

University. This year the sessions were particularly targeted at students to increase their

understanding of STEM disciplines and to make them aware of careers in the fields of

engineering & IT.

The program was a huge success, our year 10s were highly engaged in the hands on program.

Students designed bridges and assembled electronic cars. Our school made the best bridge

that the Melbourne University team have seen across all the schools in Victoria. Well done. The team were so impressed by the

students at Westall Secondary College that they brought their photographer back with them to take photos for their website.

Ms Kerwick

Year 10 Coordinator

10.

Work Experience 2016

During the first week of term 3 all year 10s took part in work experience. Some students worked at a hospital based environment

doing Hands on Health. Other experiences included childcare centres, accountant firms, pharmacies, mechanics, education,

Bunnings, etc. We are very proud of the feedback that we received from all of the employers. Some students received part time

jobs and others even received school based apprenticeships, which is very exciting. Every student received a taster of what the

working world is really like. Some students enjoyed their experience so much that they even want to pursue a career in that partic-

ular profession while others realised that particular career or pathway may not be for them. Either way, work experience was a

crucial learning experience for all of our year 10s as they transition from the middle end of the school into the senior end of the

school and begin making fundamental choices regarding their future pathway. A very exciting time for all. The following are some

experiences that our year 10s have shared. Enjoy.

Ms Kerwick

"From this experience I've seen a side to teaching that I never

thought about. All the difficulties that teachers go through to

provide for their students learning every day is beyond what I

actually thought. It has made me appreciate more all the

teachers I've had throughout my life. I learnt how to adapt in

different situations and work with different personalities,

because every child learns differently. As I talked with some of

the staff from the school, many of them did tell me being a

teacher is difficult at times; they all said that seeing the children

was rewarding. I think it's the passion that drives teachers each

day."

Angelina Nooroa, 10A

“I worked at a mechanic place in Springvale. We worked for 5

days, 6 hours a day and on some days a little bit more. At our

workplace everyone was nice and kind, they helped us out

when we didn’t know what to do. The purpose of having a

whole week of work experience is to learn new things that we

don’t know and to be out working. At our workplace we had

to take out headlights and engines from the cars. One of the

cars needed everything to be taken out so that it could be

sprayed. My employer offered me a school based

apprenticeship which I hope to start either this year or next”.

Agaba Khalet, 10C

Middle School Report cont’d...

11.

“On the 11th to the 15th of July, our year 10s had their work experience week, and I was lucky to participate in the "Hands on Health" program offered by Dandenong Hospital. I always the dream of becoming a doctor since I was little and was very interested in working in the emergency department. Some very hands on things are what I was looking for. So I took this opportunity and participate in the "Hands on Health" program for work experience. I really wanted to experience what it would be like working in a hospital and to see if I am suitable for this career. I did not want to miss out on the opportunity because I believed that I would be gaining a lot out of this program in Dandenong hospital. During this week of work experience in the "Hands on Health" program, I have learnt many things that I would be able to learn and experience if I did not participate this program. This includes physical hands on work, learning how to use medical equipment, learning about all the different professions, departments and what are required to qualify for each professions. I find this program extremely interesting and useful and I had lots of fun during the week. It made me felt confident with the career path that I wanted to take in the future and it had widened up my choices within this career path. I very appreciate this program for giving me a deeper understanding about my future career pathway. I hope that there will be more programs like this happening in the future”. Linda Pan, 10C

Senior School Report

Message from Director of Learning - Senior School, Ms Hari Nikolaou

For many of the senior students it’s a time with lots of very important activities taking place. Year 11 students will be selecting subjects for 2017 including the I-Create. Year 12 students have even more on their plate. The VTAC process has opened. Open Days are running throughout August and into September, SAC’s feel as though they are on almost every day if not every second day and that big question of what will you be doing next year has somehow crept up on you. Please remember that the school provides numerous supports to all senior students. These include:

Additional support outside of the classroom with individual teachers

The Edrolo online learning package

Homework club

Access to revision lectures for free or at a reduced price during the holidays

A counsellor and school nurse to address specific needs

A Careers Counsellor and MIPS Coordinator to support pathways and transitions Managing Stress and being a Successful Student—a certain amount of stress is an inevitable and useful part of studying. It assists students to work harder, be focused and return to study rather than doing other things. However, if students (or any of us) are too stressed, they cannot study effectively. It is important to distinguish between stress that assists you to study and stress that prevents you from studying effectively. Stress can be represented along a scale between 0 and 10.

Senior School Report cont’d...

12.

There are many signs to help you recognise that you are heading into this danger zone:

the more you try or worry the less you can study effectively

your mind is racing everywhere

you try to relax but all you can think about is study

when you try to study you cannot This problem can be remedied by developing the right balance between study and not studying – up time and down time. Using a study planner and a check list will help keep you on task and focused. A balance between study and not studying Time is most effectively used if there is a rhythm between concentrated study and real relaxation. Relaxing can then be seen as a legitimate support for study.

0

10

Year 11 ABCN Program A group of hand picked female aspiring leaders from year 11 were fortunate enough to partake in a leadership development program run by ABCN. The 'Focus' program was designed to equip our 11 students with the relevant insight to attain the skills required in becoming a successful leader. Our first session was successful - demonstrated by the overwhelming positive response from our leaders. The day entailed a group discussion revolving around the concept of 'leadership'. Furthermore, students engaged in several introductory activities, including recognizing qualities in model leaders and establishing effective time management strategies. Mentors from corporate backgrounds shared their expertise on managing and leading a team. Students met every activity with enthusiasm and walked out with a greater sense of leadership. The program was tailored at young women aiming to unlock their leadership potential, and ABCN welcomed us Westall women with open arms. Overall, a smoother day wouldn't have been possibly achieved without the friendly cooperation from Ms Longano, ABCN staff and our female representatives. We are grateful for ABCN's effort in accommodating (and feeding) us and we'll be anticipating more future collaborations. Lily Ung 11C

Mathematics in Industry and Technology (MIT) Challenge On 22nd of June we as a group of 25 year 11 and 12 students went to Melbourne University to compete in MIT (Mathematics in industry and technology) challenge. It is a competition for teams of four year 11/12 students designed to give students a taste of real world consulting, as well as an interesting problem-solving session for students who did not participate in the MIT challenge. As an introduction of the competition, we met many skilful professors in the university who gave us several wonderful presentations. The speakers talked about their research and the importance of maths and maths modelling in every area of science. For example, in response to the fire danger in Victoria, a group of scientists had produced a mathematical model to predict the behaviour of fire to determine houses in danger and help to better fight it. It’s quite unpredictable where maths can reveal itself. The competition started with an amazing entrance of 200 students from nearly 50 different schools. We got our envelope and rushed to the allocated room. This year challenge was about allocation of budget between eradication of different invasive species. The problem was to allocate money in the most efficient way, to eradicate the most species given limited budget. Even though the competition was stressful, we absolutely had a wonderful time and enjoyed the competition. Although we did not win this time, we have gained a priceless experience. We understood the importance of studying maths and how mathematics can be efficiently applied to solve many real-life problems. Overall, it was a wonderful excursion that opened up our eyes and provided us with a deeper understanding of mathematic studies. “It was a great experience. I faced new challenges. The food was great.” – Sothearath

“The food was nice. We met new people.” – Xiaoping

“The experience was nice and interesting.” – Amanda

“It was very interesting knowing the amount of occupations associated with maths.” – Azizah

“I realised… maths is everywhere. Maths is everything. Maths is life.” – Lily

Senior School Report cont’d...

International Mathematical Olympiad 2016

Congratulations to Ilia Kucherov who won a Bronze medal for Australia this year in Hong Kong. Once again, Ilia has made Westall

Secondary College stand out in our community.

13.

Congratulations Takisha

Takisha of year 11 is one of only ten students in the state to be selected to represent Victoria in the 2016 Australian Junior Volleyball Championships. They are due to be held late September in Queensland. Takisha plays “pass hitter” for local side Eastside Hawks. She was a member of the Victorian side that won the gold medal in last year’s National Championships. She has been a regular

member of our school volleyball teams since 2012. We wish Takisha and the Victorian team every success.

Senior School Report

14.

Skyline Education Foundation 10th Anniversary

Our school has been fortunate to be part of the Skyline Education Foundation

program for many years. The VCE Bursary Program reduces the financial burden of educa-

tion for academically talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds. It provides a range

of benefits and support, including personal and career education workshops. These benefits

and supports enhance young people's personal capacity and their confidence to pursue their

educational and life goals.

Two staff members and our two current bursary holders, Lily (Year 11) and Leelee (Year 12)

attended the recent 10th Anniversary function at The Grand Ballroom, Hotel Windsor. Past

WSC students Priyanka and Aditya, both Skyline graduates, were also present.

We congratulate and thank the Skyline Education Foundation for its ten years of supporting students in state education,

particularly on behalf of the Westall Secondary College students who have benefitted from the program during this time.

Former Senior Student—Damien Prgomet Former student Damien Prgomet (2009-2013) has returned to Westall to assist in coaching our Intermediate students in Basketball. As a student at Westall, Damien was heavily involved in the SRC, helping to raise money for important causes, represented the College in numerous sports and applied himself very well in relation to his studies. Damien is now living out his life long dream of playing Basketball and studying at a University in the United States. He is on a full Athletic Scholarship playing at Southwest Baptist University in Bolivar, Missouri (about 4hrs from St. Louis) for the MIAA (Mid-American Intercollegiate Athletic Association). To ensure a successful life after Basketball, Damien is studying Business Management as part of an undergraduate degree. He has played 24 games throughout the year and averaged 7 mins per game, 3.4 points and 2 rebounds per game. As a part of the busy schedule, Damien usually does weights at 6am before class and gears up for practice from 3pm - 6.30pm (usually about 3-4 hours on the court). Damien is looking forward to returning to school in August and playing in the upcoming season. On a further positive note, Damien's younger brother Gabriel is currently over in America also. Gabriel is trying out for a Soccer Scholarship. We wish him all the best in his sporting endeavours.

Mr Newton Health & Physical Education Coordinator

15.

WELC Excursion

All WELC students and teachers went to Forest Hill shopping center by bus on Tuesday 26th July to see a movie. After the movie we went bowling. The movie was ‘BFG’. It’s about a little girl and the giant’s story. The movie started at 10:00 am and played for about 2 hours. After lunch we went bowling. We played for one hour and most of the students enjoyed it. At 2:15 we left the shopping center and came back to school. I think the excursion was very interesting and I enjoyed bowling the most. It’s good for our health and it’s a good way to relax. Andy Xiang (Group 2)

WELC Report

This is me in the picture. I’m getting ready for

another strike.

Message from the WELC Coordinator—Ms Carmela Santucci

Westall English Language Centre has welcomed a large number of students into its learning community this term. Each class in the Language Centre has students from different parts of the world – Thailand, China, Vietnam, Ukraine, Burma and Iran. It is wonderful to see how well students have settled into their classes and how keen they are to improve their English language skills. As classmates, students work collaboratively using the English they know to the best of their ability. At the beginning of the term, the Language Centre students and staff went bowling. It was a great activity for team building and practising language outside the classroom.

‘Dinosaur expert’ visits WELC

As an introduction to studying the film Jurassic Park, a dinosaur expert visited Group 2 to share his knowledge and passion for the topic. Six year old Xavier Simmonds answered questions from students who were eager to learn about different types of dinosaurs, the dinosaur era and periods, and life as a palaeontologist. He also showed the students a treasure bag of goodies, including a T-rex fossil tooth. “It was interesting and fun because we had many questions answered about dinosaurs. The little professor told us so much.” Aaron, Sherry and Tania—Group 2

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VCAL Students

IKEA DAY The VCAL students have been very privileged to form a special connection with IKEA and through this relationship the students have been able to make a significant change to the student body at Westall SC. Wanting to improve the outcomes of the students, the VCAL students were asked to re-design the senior study centre to make it a more successful space for student education, engagement and allow it to become a reflection of their time at Westall SC. IKEA and their staff of experts showed the students the best way to design a space using different types of furniture, showed them how to budget and allowed the students to take ownership of the shape. The students visited IKEA and investigated all the resources available to them and picked the best options. After this process the students designed example spaces and compo-nents of all groups were used to create the final product. Once the design was complete, IKEA generously donated all the furniture, including tables, kitchenware, sofas/couches and shelving. The students spent the day battling construction and we finished with a new space that has created a more dynamic, colourful, welcoming and productive area for students to use.

Library News

Its already half way through third term and there has been a lot happening in the library to date.

For a while now, we have been hosting the chess tournament with a few breaks in between for other

activities. We are now at the final stages of the competition with the finalists playing next Wednesday

(10th August). It has been great to see the students and staff enthusiastic about playing chess.

Next term we will begin a chess club in the library. Watch out in the bulletin and newsletter for the times

and days. Of course, anyone is welcome to play anytime: Staff AND students!!

A friendly reminder ...

Subject Fees & Charges

Payments can be made by cheque, cash, EFTPOS, Bpay and credit card. Please note, Diners Club and American Express are not

accepted.

The General Office is open between 8.30am and 4.00pm each day to accept your payment.

NB: Due to processing problems, could BP Payments please be avoided on the last working day of the month. Payments by BPay on the last working day of the month, do not appear in our system until the following month.

Thanking you in advance.

As well as the board games, some of the older generation ipads have been re-newed for use in the

library. With the help of the friendly IT department, the following apps have been loaded onto these ipads:

checkers, chess, and a jigsaw puzzle app. If you like games but would prefer to use a screen

version, feel free to ask the staff in the library to loan one of these ipads at lunchtime.

As well as refurbished ipads the staff have been busy creating “Genre Lists” to make selection of books easier for you all. Mrs

Vincent has created some beautiful posters with different genres and the most popular books of that type.

We now have a crime list, romance, and dystopian genre lists with more on the way!!

Finally, the library has a range of resources to use for your studies and also for your leisure.

We are open from 8am-4pm Monday to Friday. Come and say HELLO!!

Ms Stenning

Librarian Teacher/VCAL Teacher

Library News cont’d

Homework Club

18.

Westall Secondary College in conjunction with Monash University Embrace Program are offering support with student learning.

We will be running a ‘Homework Club’ where staff from Westall Secondary College and University Tutors from Monash University

will be available to support students with their study and set homework (their learning).

All tutors are qualified to work with children and have access to current knowledge and understandings from our Universities.

All students are encouraged to attend.

Below are the details

When: Every Monday and Wednesday during the school term

Starting Time: Starts at 3.30pm

Finishing Time: Finishes at 4.45pm

Location: Westall Secondary College –A block Teaching & Learning Centre

Cost: No Cost

If you have any further queries, please contact Mr Bandara on 9546 3233.

Wanted: Homestay Providers

Community News

LOOK GREAT IN 2016!

The College Blazer can be purchased from

the College for only $110.

Students are encouraged to wear their

Blazer to and from School every day.

College Blazer—$110.00—buy direct from the General Office

17.

MORDIALLOC NEIGHBOURHOOD HOUSE

WRITING FOR PLEASURE AND PUBLICATION

Write for your own pleasure without formal assessment in a friendly and supportive environment. Discover what you

want to write and how to write it.

Classes are facilitated by a published writer.

Classes held every MONDAY: 10:00am – 12:00pm

CRAFT, COFFEE AND CHAT

Our ‘Craft, coffee and chat’, group is now up and running.

Bring along your favourite craft projects or enjoy card games / board games, in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

Coffee, tea and biscuits provided.

The group is facilitated and craft ideas can be swapped and shared within the group.

Classes held every MONDAY: 12.30 – 2.30pm

*(except during school holidays & Public holidays)

$2 per week, per person

For more information, or to enrol, please phone:

Mordialloc Neighbourhood House; 9587 4534

Community News cont’d...

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