Newsletter- Term 4 Week 9 2023

Student successes and championing of worthy causes

This time of year is so special for many in our school community as it is a time when we stop and recognise the wonderful growth and achievements of our students. It is always a time of year that I look forward to and one that makes me feel so proud of our community.

Last week I was fortunate to be part of the Geelong Tertiary Futures Program (GTFP) presentation where our Year 9 students were applauded for their outstanding work in the GTFP program this year. So much so, that The Gordon noted that students from Newcomb SC attained the highest completion rate of the certificates comparative to all state schools in Geelong - this completion rate was also hailed as the highest in the history of the entire GTFP program. The program provides students with a taster in future employment opportunities and prepares them for this future with completion of Tertiary level certificates. Congratulations to all staff and students involved, we are so proud of you!

Equally, last Thursday we held a couple of awareness programs led by, and for students. The ‘Be Bold, Be Heard’ students have done an amazing job this year raising awareness for Sexual Assault Prevention (SAP). The day featured guest awareness presentations for all students, fundraising and much more and it was all in aid of supporting our community with this great cause. It is an important issue in society and one that the students involved delivered in a mature and responsible way, congratulations.

Another amazing student-led program that took place at the college was the ‘Sleep-out.' The funds raised from the 'Sleep-out' went towards the Salvation Army in support of the homeless. The program was part of the VCEVM Literacy and Personal Development Skills program. Students had to plan and organise a community-based project. The Sleep-out took place at Newcomb SC on Thursday last week. It was fair to say that there were a few bleary-eyed staff and students in attendance at the school on Friday. This was yet another worthy cause and I commend the staff and students who planned and took part in the experience.

Promotions Program

Over the course of this week, our Year 11 students have participated in their Year 12 subjects for 2024. This program is what we call the Promotions Program and allows students to gain an understanding of what to expect in their elected courses 2024. The program enables students to meet their teacher and peers for the class, learn about the details and requirements of the course and get a head start on some of the curriculum before this year ends. We know students really appreciate this program opportunity as it sets them up well for a successful start to the 2024 academic year and ultimately success in the study itself.

The same could be said for students in Years 7-10, who in Week Ten (commencing December 4), are promoted to become students of Years 8 -11. Over the course of Week Ten those students will participate in their 2024 subjects and studies. History says that this is a valuable opportunity for the college as any identified issues with student courses, room clashes, teacher allotments, resourcing or otherwise can be raised and attended to prior to the end of 2023. Ultimately, what this allows is for any challenges to be overcome together now and thus we can all start 2024 off smoothly.

Students will be able to see their timetable on Compass by the end of this week. We encourage students to review this closely to ensure that there are no identified issues and thus prepare accordingly (wearing PE uniform for days of PE classes, bringing appropriate resources for food classes, technology etc.)

Celebration Assemblies

On Thursday December 7 the annual Celebration Assemblies will take place in the college Auditorium. These awards are wonderful recognition for students who have excelled in their studies or college programs in 2023. The ceremonies involve many of our community partners who kindly contribute towards the students’ awards. We thank them very much for their ongoing support of our students. Letters will be sent home to students who are receiving awards, and we hope to see you and other members of your student’s family there for the respective Junior or Senior School ceremonies.

Have a great week!

Regards,

Mr McLeod

Principal

Mobile Phones at School

We are seeing an increase in students having their mobile phones on them during the school day. This is evident in the rise in:

• lost and damaged phones.
• phone notifications on Compass
• phones being used to pay in the canteen.
• families arriving at school to support their student or being notified of events before school has had the opportunity to contact home e.g. when a child is unwell.

Unfortunately, all of these incidents mean students are breaching the Ministerial policy* relating to students using mobile phones during school hours.

"Students who choose to bring mobile phones to school must have them switched off and securely stored during school hours."

• If your child brings a phone to school, please discuss with them our expectation that it is switched off and locked away in either their locker (which should have a functional lock) or one of our phone lockers for the school day. Both of these options are considered secure storage.
• If your child has been using their phone to pay for their order in the Canteen, please organise a card or cash option. If your child finds themselves at school with no lunch and their phone as the only payment option, please ask them to see a member of the Principal Team or Student Support Team.
• If we need to contact families during the day, we will call you. If your child is unwell, this will occur quickly. Contact with families may be delayed following an incident to allow for information gathering or for teaching staff to teach classes and call when their face-to-face requirements have lessened.
• If your child needs to contact you, they will be able to call from either the front office or student support.

We thank you for your support in making sure we remain compliant with the Mobile Phone Ministerial Order.


Ms Montano
Assistant Principal

Note * formally issued by the Minister for Education under section 5.2.1(2)(b) of the Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic)

Immunisation catch-ups.

Dear Parent/Guardians,

Secondary school immunisations are provided to students to reduce their risk of contracting preventable diseases and some cancers. Health advice regarding immunisations recommends students receive the following:

Year 7

• Diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis (whooping cough) vaccine (one dose)
• Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine (one dose).

Year 10

• Meningococcal A, C, W, Y vaccine (one dose).

There are a few students in years 7 to 12 who may have missed these important vaccines. This puts students at an increased risk of illness.

If your child missed out on their school-based vaccinations, please speak to your GP or local council immunisation service Barwon Health (03) 4215 6962 about how they can catch up.

To check if your child is due for any vaccines, refer to their immunisation history statement on the Australian Immunisation Register, using your MyGov account. If your child is aged over 14, they may need to access their immunisation history statement themselves, through their own MyGov account or the Medicare mobile app.

New HPV vaccination resources to assist young people with disability.

Young people with disability should have the same access to preventive healthcare and immunisations as everyone else. Vaccinations can be stressful, and there are sometimes unique barriers for people with disability.

Cancer Council Victoria, in consultation with Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and Scope Australia, has developed the following resources for parents and carers to improve the vaccination experience for young people with disability:

• Help your child with disability get the HPV vaccine (fact sheet).
• Supporting your child with a disability with vaccination (videos).
• Preparing for school vaccinations (social story).

Our KESO Meagan Howell has passed on all these wonderful events and workshops for our Koorie families over the following weeks and into the Summer holidays.

I hope some of you will be able to take advantage of these opportunities.

Take care and have fun!

From your Yarning Circle team: Ms Honeywell, Ms Davis and Ms Patterson.

Year 9 Coasting Drones

Across Term 4 our Year 9 GROW students have embarked on a learning journey all about drones, and how they are being used to help humanity.

We focused on their use as saving devices for Life Saving Australia, dropping flotation devices for people stuck out at sea.

Along with our wonderful partners at the Geelong Tech School, students were able to see the drones at work at an incursion and excursion (complete with races, obstacle courses, and fun pictures). They were tasked with creating a payload of cardboard to practice dropping them onto a target.

At our second excursions, students (and teachers) learned about Augmented Reality, and how it can be used to offer vital information on our beaches. Using some very cool technology, we created infographics of our favourite beaches to show key information and hazards to beach-goers.

It was amazing to see our students so engaged in the capabilities of technology and using their imagination and creativity to come up with life-saving solutions.

Ms Ramsay

Year 9/10 Ceramics: Glass Class

The life of a potter is filled with excitement, anticipation and sometimes a bit of heartache.

It certainly was hard to hold our collective breath for a week, but in the end, it was well worth it.

We opened the kiln last Thursday to find that our firing had worked which resulted in a kiln load of luscious, glossy earthenware pottery. Woohoo!

The students and I were all 'over the moon'!

I hope you enjoy looking at some examples of our very talented students.

Mrs Honeywell

Well done to the girls involved in the Be Bold Be Heard for the SAP awareness day last Thursday.

The girls researched and planned a considerate presentation and were able to overcome some technical difficulties throughout the day, which is a testament to their maturity and leadership skills.

Throughout the casual dress, bake sale and raffle ticket sales, the BBBH group were able to raise over $500 for their chosen local charity, Sexual Assault & Family Violence Centre (SAFVS) Geelong. Thank you to everyone who supported the fundraising and for your donations to this worthy cause.

With the conclusion of this awareness day, the BBBH girls hope to implement a positive change within the school in regard to consent, appropriate behaviour, breaking gender stereotypes and the importance of knowing your rights around sexual assault and violence.

Unfortunately, for our Year 10 students: Dhyana Brahmbhatt, Lillie Butcher, Ruby-Rose Braddock, Nency Patel, Chloe Rowley & Jayda Warren, it is their last year with the Be Bold Be Heard program, after two years of involvement. Thank you for all of your contributions to the school.

Fortunately, our current Year 9 students: Katelin Cobb, Em Carter & Omra Akkas will be continuing their services to BBBH in 2024. They are also looking for new members to join – if there are any current Year 8 or current Year 9 female students wanting to join and make a positive change to your school, please let the current BBBH students or Mrs. Stoneley know.

We know access to high-speed broadband is a necessity in the 21^st Century. Yet sadly many families and school students are still unable to access the internet at home and that this can place students at a significant disadvantage.

The Albanese Government is providing up to 30,000 families with free broadband for one year, as part of their plan for a better National Broadband Network (NBN). Already, 1,000 families now have home internet thanks to the School Student Broadband Initiative.

This helps ensure that students can reach their full potential, by helping them to stay connected at home so they don’t fall behind.

To check your eligibility please refer to the contact details below:

Our 2023 stocktake is about to begin on Friday 1st December. Please return all school library books to the library before this date, thank you. You are welcome to continue enjoying reading the library books right to the end of term at school of course! Library clubs will continue to the end of term as usual too. Thank you.

Miss Marshall