YARRA HILLS SECONDARY COLLEGE 28 April 2017 A Fortnightly Bulletin Issue No. 5 PO BOX 42 MOOROOLBARK 3138 Mooroolbark Campus: Tel : 9839 8800 Mt Evelyn Campus : Tel : 9736 3650 Respect ♦ Endeavour ♦ Achievement ♦ Pride KEY DATES APRIL Thursday 27 INFORMATION EVENING at MB 6pm NO REHEARSAL Junior Band ME & MB Friday 28 Yr 9/10 Creative Photography Excursion ME Senior Boys & Girls Basketball MB MAY Monday 1 Yr 7 Immunisations ME & MB College Cross Country ME Yr 11 & 12 Classes cancelled MB Tuesday 2 INFORMATION EVENING at ME 6pm NO REHEARSAL Senior Band MB Yr 12 VCAL Geocaching Excursion MB Intermediate Band Rehearsal 1.15—1.45 MB MB Wed-Fri 3-5 Music Camp—Portsea ME & MB 3 Yr 8 Baseball/Softball ME & MB Thursday 4 NO REHEARSAL Junior Band ME & MB VCE Media Top Screens & Top Designs Excursion MB Friday 5 Yr 9 & 10 Boys & Girls Badminton ME & MB Saturday 6 Yr 11 Rotary Model United Nations Assembly MB Monday 8 Yr 11 & 12 Football/Soccer/Netball MB Intermediate Band Rehearsal 1.15—1.45 ME ME Tuesday 9 Yr 11 VCAL Walkability Activity 11.30—3pm MB Senior Concert Band Rehearsal 3.30—4.30pm MB MB From the College Principal Vale – Megan Squires It is with much sadness that I must inform you that following an extended battle with cancer, staff member Megan Squires passed away earlier this week. Megan has been a valued member of staff at Yarra Hills/Pembroke since 1997, teaching Music across all of our campuses. Megan has been on leave during recent years having treatment, and has had periods of remission and improvement in that time. Unfortunately her condition deteriorated earlier this year and in the past few weeks she has been at home under palliative care with family and close friends. On behalf of the college I have passed on our sincere condolences to Megan ’s family and I understand that this will also affect many members of the wider college staff, families and students. We not only offer our support to Megan’s family, but to all affected as we deal with this together as a community. We have put in place additional support at both campuses for any students or staff who might need it. If your own son/ daughter is in any distress or needs additional support, please contact our Student Wellbeing Leader – Cat Strempel directly. Funeral Service: Heritage Funerals, 733 Boronia Road, Wantirna on Monday May 1 at 1:00pm
Friday 28 Yr 9/10 Creative Photography Excursion ME
Senior Boys & Girls Basketball MB
MAY
Monday 1 Yr 7 Immunisations ME & MB
College Cross Country ME
Yr 11 & 12 Classes cancelled MB
Tuesday 2 INFORMATION EVENING at ME 6pm
NO REHEARSAL Senior Band MB
Yr 12 VCAL Geocaching Excursion MB
Intermediate Band Rehearsal 1.15—1.45 MB MB
Wed-Fri 3-5 Music Camp—Portsea ME & MB
3 Yr 8 Baseball/Softball ME & MB
Thursday 4 NO REHEARSAL Junior Band ME & MB
VCE Media Top Screens & Top Designs Excursion MB
Friday 5 Yr 9 & 10 Boys & Girls Badminton ME & MB
Saturday 6 Yr 11 Rotary Model United Nations Assembly MB
Monday 8 Yr 11 & 12 Football/Soccer/Netball MB
Intermediate Band Rehearsal 1.15—1.45 ME ME
Tuesday 9 Yr 11 VCAL Walkability Activity 11.30—3pm MB
Senior Concert Band Rehearsal 3.30—4.30pm MB MB
From the College Principal Vale – Megan Squires
It is with much sadness that I must inform you that following an extended battle with cancer, staff member Megan Squires passed away earlier this week. Megan has been a valued member of staff at Yarra Hills/Pembroke since 1997, teaching Music across all of our campuses. Megan has been on leave during recent years having treatment, and has had periods of remission and improvement in that time. Unfortunately her condition deteriorated earlier this year and in the past few weeks she has been at home under palliative care with family and close friends.
On behalf of the college I have passed on our sincere condolences to Megan’s family and I understand that this will also affect many members of the wider college staff, families and students.
We not only offer our support to Megan’s family, but to all affected as we deal with this together as a community. We have put in place additional support at both campuses for any students or staff who might need it. If your own son/daughter is in any distress or needs additional support, please contact our Student Wellbeing Leader – Cat Strempel directly.
Funeral Service: Heritage Funerals, 733 Boronia Road, Wantirna on Monday May 1 at 1:00pm
Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund – Applications need to be completed every year
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps ensure that no student misses out on the opportunity to join their classmates for important, educational and fun activities. It is part of making Victoria the Education State and the Government's commitment to breaking the link between a student's background and their achievements.
CSEF will be provided to eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.
If you hold a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the school to use towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.
The annual CSEF amount per student is:
$125 for primary school students
$225 for secondary school students
How to Apply
Contact the school office to obtain a CSEF application form.
Key Dates
All applicants must complete and lodge their submission as soon as possible. This applies to 2016 applicants seeking funding in 2017.
Politicians Visit
On Wednesday April 26, Member for Evelyn Christine Fyffe MP and Member for Ferntree Gully – Shadow Minister for Education Nick Wakeling visited our Mt Evelyn Campus.
During this visit, Campus Principal Robyn Dew and I put forward our own plans for a multi-court Stadium on the Mt Evelyn site. The Ministers were interested in our ideas and we spent some time discussing the viability of a proposal of this nature.
We have also recently met with Tim Heenan from the Shire of Yarra Ranges and local sporting clubs to start the process of gaining support and funding for this development. Although this might take a while, we believe it’s an important step for Yarra Hills and the local community.
Keep your eyes on this space and your fingers crossed!
Darren Trippett College Principal
Classes Cancelled – Year 11 and Year 12 – Monday May 1
In order to allow staff to attend Megan’s funeral, we will unfortunately need to cancel all regular Year 11 and Year 12 classes on Monday. If you require your Year 11/12 son/daughter to attend on this day, private study supervision will be made available in the senior study hall.
***Year 7 – 10 classes will run as normal
From the Mooroolbark Campus Principal I hope that all students and their families had a good term break. It has been a busy start to Term 2 already, with lots of events on in the first 2 weeks.
Out of Uniform/ ‘Crazy Hair’ Day
On Friday 31 March, the Campus held an out of uniform day and encouraged students to wear crazy hair for the day. All students donated a gold coin as part of the World’s Greatest Shave. Money raised will go to blood cancer research. The money raised by our Year 8 students will go towards the tally being raised by Chloe Wilson, one of our Year 8s, for the same cause. Study Transition Day
Our Year 10 students from the Mooroolbark Campus attended a Study Transition Day at the Mt Evelyn Campus on Wednesday 19 April. It was really pleasing to see our students join our Mt Evelyn Year 10 students for a range of activities to assist them with school work, study and beginning the transition into the senior school next year. The activities included: looking after yourself, getting organised, study skills & the ‘Yarra Hills Olympics’. The Year 10 students were really positive about the day and we hope to have further transition activities to help all our Year 10 students prepare for VCE or VCAL in 2018 and beyond.
Year 8 Medieval Day
On Thursday 20 April, our Year 8 students from Mooroolbark Campus joined Year 8s at the Mt Evelyn Campus for an interactive day looking at Medieval history, as part of their Humanities course. This was another great day, not only supporting the transition and interaction between students at both campuses, but it was a really fun and engaging day of history. A very big thank you to Abbey Hurst and Matt Bryce from the Humanities team who organised and ran the day. ‘Grade 5 Explorations’ Visit
On Wednesday 19 and Thursday 20 April, we continued our Primary School ‘Explorations Days’, with Grade 5 students from Gladesville, Kilsyth, Mooroolbark East, Manchester, Ruskin Park and Pembroke joining us over Wednesday & Thursday. They took part in Science and Foods lessons. It was great to have them visit and learn some more about Secondary School. Thank you to Rachel Lynch, our Campus Assistant Principal and the dedicated staff who helped on the days. A very big thankyou to our Year 7 Ambassadors who helped our Grade 5s feel welcome.
Doctors in Schools Program
This week saw the new portable that will house our doctor and support team arrive. It was quite a sight for students and staff as it was lifted and craned into place. This portable has been put in behind the locker bays at the back of the school. This will be fitted out over the coming weeks in readiness for the Doctors in Schools program to begin in 2018. We look forward to the support it will give many of our students and families.
Anzac Day
I was fortunate enough to join our College Captains, Leila Peterson, Robyn Freeman, Taylah Charles and Michael McIlfatrick at the Mooroolbark Lions Anzac Service in Hookey Park, Mooroolbark. Robyn and Taylah read a prayer, Leila read an Anzac reflection and Taylah and Michael laid a wreath on behalf of the Yarra Hills community. It was great to see so many of our students, staff and parents at the special service.
Mt Evelyn Campus
Mondays after school
and
lunchtime in the Library
Bring your books and lunch
START YOUR DAY THE RIGHT WAY
Come on up to the Well Being Centre at Mt Evelyn Campus
& check out what’s cooking
WHEN: Every Thursday Morning 8.00—8.50
Brekky Club is FREE to all Yarra Hills students
(thank you to the generous and valuable support of Bendigo Bank
Mt Evelyn and Bakers Delight Mooroolbark)
Anzac Commemoration Assembly
On Monday 24 April, we had our special assembly to remember the sacrifice made by our service men and women as part of commemoration of Anzac Day. We welcomed 2 special guests from the Croydon RSL, Mr John Woolhouse, who read a beautiful reflection and Mr Nigel Edwards, who played the bugle for the Last Post and The Rouse. Our Senior band played a hymn and our National Anthem. Leila Peterson, our College Captain read an Anzac Reflection. Grace Ferrari, one of our Junior Captains, read an Anzac Poem, and Robyn Freeman read The Ode. I was so proud of the Yarra Hills students who listened and were so attentive throughout.
Following the Anzac Commemoration we formally introduced our Year 7 Ambassadors and our Student Representative Council (SRC) members for 2017.
Our 2017 Year 7 Amabassadors are:
Greg Cowan Mooroolbark Campus Principal
7A Brayden Duckworth
7B Lachlan Barrigan
7D Amelia Tonkin, Amy Garratt, Taneisha Perera, Mary Lian
From the Mt Evelyn Campus Principal Welcome back everyone for Term 2. I hope you all had a restful break, I know I enjoyed the sleep ins! We have certainly hit the ground running with many great activities arranged for year 8 & 10, not to mention all the transition activities. We are very much in the middle of transition where many local families are deciding which school to send their students to. Naturally every school is advertising and hopefully everyone has noticed the real estate boards and banners that are scattered throughout Mt Evelyn and Mooroolbark. I’d like to thank the families who offered to have a real estate board out the front of their house. It all adds to spreading the Yarra Hills word!
Year 10 Transition Study Day
Transitioning from year 10 to year 11 can be tricky in a multi-campus school and as a staff we want to ensure this is a smooth one for all students. Last week we started the process by offering a study day for all year 10 students from both campuses to get together. This was a great opportunity for students to get to know each other a little better as well as learn a few new skills along the way. The day included a session on looking after yourself, study skills, organisational skills and a mini Olympics to get the blood pumping. It was a great day and it was pleasing to see so many year 10’s connecting with each other. Feedback from our year 10’s indicated it was a successful day. We plan to do more of these days throughout the year.
Medieval Day
Thanks to the efforts of Abbey Hurst and Matt Bryce, our year 8 students were treated to a real immersion of what life was like in medieval times. Students from both campuses came together at Mt Evelyn to explore all aspects of medieval life including the armour, costumes, weaponry as well as many other interesting aspects. It was a fantastic day and so interesting. Students got to try on the armour and dress up in costumes.
Exploration Day
As part of our transition, we have invited grade 5 students from four of our local primary schools to participate in ‘Exploration Day’. This day involved students learning about Earth Day and what everyone can do to look after our environ-ment. Students got to experience science and food technology in the process of making a terrarium and an earthy salad. All students loved the sessions and there was such a positive vibe to the day. Thank you Rebecca Dunn for organising such a great day!
ANZAC Day Assembly
Now that we have our wonderful ANZAC garden, it is the perfect place to hold our ANZAC Day assembly. We were fortunate to have Roger Boness and Tom Steele from Mt Evelyn RSL who help us present a fitting tribute to remember our fallen soldiers. Melanie Huisken and Molly Dickson hosted the event so well while Julia Stamp and Riley Munns read For the Fallen and In
Flanders Fields. We finished the assembly with Tom playing The Last Post on the bugle. I am always so proud how respectful our students are in times like these and grateful that events to remember those who gave their lives for our freedom are growing in popularity.
Vale Megan Squires
Whilst Darren has mentioned the very sad news of Megan’s passing, I wanted to mention a little more about what Megan meant to Mt Evelyn Campus. She started her teaching career at Mt Evelyn Campus over 20 years ago and has been such an integral part of the music department. Megan was an amazing teacher who helped every student to love music and always brought out the best in them. Students always enjoyed her teaching and she had a great relationship with everyone. She achieved so much in the music department with her students over the years and many of her past students became life-long friends. She was a well-loved staff member who had the best sense of humour. We feel very lucky that Megan was part of our campus for the last 20 years. We will miss her. Robyn Dew Mt Evelyn Campus Principal
Recent Sporting Success
Recently we have had a number of students participate in their chosen sports at a representative level.
Jasmine Rowe recently participated in the National Athletics Championships, representing Victoria in the women’s U18 100m and 400m hurdles. In the 100m hurdles, she finished third, narrowly missing out on the final with a time of 15.37 seconds. In the 400m hurdle event, she finished fifth.
Dylan Smith recently was recently recognised in the Ringwood Districts Cricket Association (RDCA) Presentation Night. In the U16 Keith Mackay Shield, he was presented as Player of the Carnival.
Congratulations to both students.
VCE Ready Program – Year 11
Throughout Term 1, students in Year 11 took part in the following VCE Ready workshops Homework completion and having a system to record set homework Prioritising time Requirements of the VCE Study Timetables
It is reminded that students should continue to manage their time, and find a good balance between school, part time job, friends and family and social commitments. Completing the VCE is a stressful time, and there are times when students can feel the pressures of VCE. Maintaining this balance, and talking to loved ones, are important factors in dealing with these stresses.
Uniform reminders
As the heat of summer shrinks away into our distant memories, and the cooler weather approaches, students are reminded of the uniform policy of the college. Full school uniform must be worn to, at and from school. For more clarification around uniform, please access the college ’s uniform policy on the college website.
Attendance
Last term, we implemented a process of closer monitoring of school absence. This included issuing letters to students to be taken home when unapproved absence was noted. I would like to thank our school community for completing these forms, as well as ringing the college in times of student absence.
Brenton Millott Head of Senior School
KILSYTH EAST NETBALL CLUB WANTS YOU!!
Decided too late that you wanted to play netball and registration has been cut off?
Never fear, Kilsyth East Netball Club are here and
we want you!
We are looking for more players for our Under 15’s, Under 13’s and Under 11’s teams.
