What’s Happening at Middle School – Highton
Week 8
- Mon, 13 June – Queens Birthday Holiday
- Tues, 14 June – Victorian College Championships – Junior Girls Final
- Fri, 17 June – Conclusion of Term 2 – 3.30 Dismissal
Term 3 Week 1
- Tues, 12 July – Term 3 Commencement
- Thurs, 14 July – Year 10 2023 Information Evening
Year 9 Editorial Excursion to the Lume
Last Friday our Year 9 Editorial students were fortunate to travel to Melbourne and immerse in a range of engaging experiences to generate story ideas for their final writing pieces.
We travelled via train to Docklands to see the Lume exhibition of Van Gogh’s artwork, where students were mesmerised by the multi-sensory exhibit with the interplay of words, sounds, light, and image. This fully immersive sensory encounter included aromas and a choreographed soundtrack to this 360-degree experience where every surface became an animated canvas: floors, walls, and visitors alike. We were transported into familiar landscapes as they became moving images that towered four stories tall. Each student left the exhibition hastily journaling inspiration for new character and setting ideas.
We journeyed on to a French café Roulle Galette in Flinders Lane to further our sensory experiences with staff who greeted us in French and served traditional French cuisine. Students tasted a range of dishes and flavours outside their usual comfort zone. Sharing stories and building connections over a meal drew the students together as a closer-knit group.
Our next stop was Hosier Lane, often referred to as ‘Graffiti Laneway’, where we explored the sights and sounds. Each student selected an image that could inspire a story, imagining the artist’s message and story behind the work.
Our final destination was ‘The Story of the Moving Image’ at the Australian Centre for Moving Image (ACMI) in Federation Square. The displays journeyed through the past, present and future of the moving image through interactive experiences, digital innovation, and captivating stories. Five sections within the exhibit framed the major moments in moving image history, including the origins and future of cinema, production design and the creative process, Australian culture and stories, the rise of video games, and how screens inform, influence, and empower us. Students were able to engage in video games, take photos and gather images with a free Lens tool that collected their favourite objects, artworks, and creations in the exhibition.
We returned weary, but full of excitement and ideas, ready to launch into our final writing piece. We look forward to sharing a range of writing samples with families in the last edition of The Vine for Term 2.
Sausage Sizzle Success
Earlier in the term the Project Care Students ran a vote in their homerooms to choose the charity they wanted to support. The UNICEF Ukraine Appeal was selected and this week we ran a sausage sizzle to raise money.
Tuesday’s sausage sizzle was very successful with somewhere in the region of 400 sausages sold. Overall, a fabulous $825 was raised for the charity and will be used to support children and young people in the Ukraine.
I want to say a big thanks to Bakers Delight in Waurn Ponds for donating bread to the appeal. I would also like to thank the six Year 8 students who gave up their own lunch time to help me run the event.
I look forward to more successful ventures for Project Care in Semester 2.
Mentors
The year 5s have been building relationships with their Year 9 mentors this semester, through games, devotions and around and about campus. The move into Year 5 at the Highton campus can be daunting for our youngest year level and the big year 9s can initially appear to be, well – very big! But the Year 9 and 5 mentor program allows for our youngest members of the school to be welcomed, accepted and encouraged by their elders. By the end of Term 1, many Year 5s were chatting with Year 9s at recess and lunch, playing games and enjoying the kindness of our special Year 9 mentors whose role is to make the school a welcoming place.
This semester has seen lots of games and fun times between them, a giant Easter egg hunt and even an end of Semester party. The mentors generously give up their time to plan and execute activities and this well established program is one of the myriad ways that aims to create a well-connected, loving and Christ-like College community.
Mark 9: 36 – 37
He took a little child whom he placed among them. Taking the child in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
Cohesive Curriculum: Year 7 Music
Every student in Year 7 studies Music for one semester. The subject is designed for students of all levels and ranges of musical experience. Over the course of the first two units of study (Audio Book and Music Culture) students are learning about how music works. They develop skills and knowledge to enable them to create their own musical performance by the end of the semester.
- The Audio Book project combines the use of music technology and literacy. Students learn how music can be structured through layering sound, using melody, rhythm, speed and volume to enhance the drama of a story
- In the Music Culture project, students explore their own family background through music. They refine their knowledge of how music works by analysing their own choice of traditional folk music. Their analysis also helps them to understand the character and purpose of their chosen music culture.
- For the Stomp unit, students, spend just a few weeks creating their own percussion performance, using everyday objects.
Because the curriculum is cohesive and is gradually building knowledge and skills, students are able to use this knowledge to create a performance piece in a fairly brief time. They know how to create character through layering sound and manipulating other musical elements such as dynamics (volume), rhythm, texture (layers), tempo (speed), tone colour (sound quality) and structure. The performance below was created in 1 ½ sessions. This focused preparation was made possible through the students’ previous experiences within the subject. Their skills give them greater creative freedom.
Division Tee Ball Championship
The CCG 5/6 Tee Ball team represented the Deakin District in the North Geelong Division Tee Ball championships at Stead Park on Wednesday 8thJune. We were victorious winning all three matches to progress on to the Western Metropolitan Regional Premiership on August 1st. There will be a lot of tough competition at the next stage, but the boys have focus and determination to bring their best.
Geelong Mums
Share More. Waste Less. Every Child Thrives.
Students in the Transformation Program have set out to support the amazing organisation Geelong Mums. Xavier Kay and Sam Haywood were passionate about helping Geelong Mums support every Victorian child up to the age of six receive the basic necessities they need to thrive.
The students organised a fundraiser at school and managed to raise a whopping $780! This was a great example of service learning; identifying an issue in the community and then enacting an impact to make change.
As a group, we all headed to Geelong Mums today to volunteer in their workspace. The group help sort, fold, clean and package products that would be distributed to families in the Geelong area. This was a valuable experience for our students
Geelong Mums is a wonderful organisaiton that helps to alleviate economic pressures and create the opportunity for every child to feel secure, safe and to thrive. What a wonderful opportunity for our students to connect into the community and make a difference in the lives of others.
Global Academic Challenge
The Global Academic Challenge is an academic competition for high achieving students offered through the Australian Council of Educational Research (ACER). All challenge results were compared and reported against national and international standards.
A select number of students were identified as being able to engage with an academic challenge designed to assess achievement beyond year level curriculum, and requiring the demonstration of higher levels of curriculum based skills and thinking. These students were identified by their college and national assessment data and ratified by faculty directors and teaching staff.
Congratulations to all GAC participants. We are very proud of the manner in which they participated and for the fine results they achieved. Across the students who entered the competition 12 were awarded Distinctions; 5 High Distinctions and 1 High Distinction with Honours awarded to Jack Hawkes of Year 6 Middle School – Highton in Science (Results in the top 2% ).
Wonder White Soft Plastic Recycling Initiative
We Want Your Bread Bags and Tags!
Did you know that in Australia, only 18% of plastic packaging is recycled? That’s outrageous!
The Christian College Climate Committee want to improve this statistic – starting right here at Middle School, Highton. They discovered a program that Wonder White Bread is running, to enable schools to make a difference.
It is easy: recycle bread bags and tags!
Any brand bag that has had bread in it. Any bread tag.
Save them from landfill and bring them to the collection box at Middle School. Reward points will be earned to redeem new sports equipment.
The Committee has decided that our neighbours at Mota Lae Primary School in Viqueque, Timor Leste, need this equipment more than us, so any equipment we are earn will be donated to them.
Wonder White use the collected plastic bread bags to create wonderful new items, such as school play equipment, park benches, outdoor furniture.
What you need to do!
Collect bread bags AND TAGS from home and bring them into the drop off boxes at the STUDENT OFFICE.
Collection has started – this initiative ONLY RUNS until the 17 June.
Road Closure Along Thornhill Road
The City of Greater Geelong has notified Christian College Geelong that Thornhill Road will be closed Wednesday 15th June to Wednesday 22nd June for road surfacing works along Thornhill Rd (Brassey Ave to south entrance to Pepperdine Way) Highton from 7.00am to 5.00pm.
This closure will impact both Middle School and Senior School traffic.
Residents, buses (some delays may occur) and emergency vehicles will be able to travel along Thornhill Road, with all other travellers asked to use an alternate route.
For further details please see the attached letter from City of Greater Geelong.
CCG Senior School: Passion, Purpose and Pathways
At Christian College’s Senior Campus in Waurn Ponds, our commitment is to help students explore their passions, discover their purpose and find their pathways.
During the first week of Term 3, all parents of Year 9 students at Highton and Bellarine Campuses are invited to the Senior School Information Evening on Thursday July 14.
This year, for the first time, we are also inviting parents, families and others from outside of the CCG community who may be interested in choosing Senior School – Waurn Ponds in 2023 and beyond for their students to complete their secondary schooling.
This is a wonderful opportunity to:
- Learn more about the transition program designed to help students settle into life and learning on the Senior Campus
- Meet and hear from key support staff including Heads of House, Chaplains and Careers Counsellors
- Learn about the Year 10 academic program and progression towards VCE and Vocational Pathways
- Discover the many benefits of the Senior School House system including House carnivals, House Music, Wearable Art and lunchtime House competitions
We would strongly encourage all members of the Christian College Community to spread the word about this event, and those planned for our other campuses, among friends, neighbours, colleagues – anyone who may be considering schooling options for their children.
Please see next week’s Vine and watch our social media platforms for more details about the Senior School information evening and the events scheduled at other campuses during Term 3.
Canteen Arrangements Next Week
The Canteen will be open on Friday June 17 (the last day of Term 2) as usual at recess and lunchtime.
Thank you to all volunteers who have helped this term. Your assistance is valued by all Canteen staff and students!
Thank you also to Ashley Walters and his team for rebuilding the original online canteen system to work in our unusual school structure, which required it to function across three separate campuses.
If you still require assistance to set up or use the online ordering system or have any queries about it, please email Nick at ithelpdesk@ccg.vic.edu.au and he will assist.
Have a safe and happy holiday break!
National Collection of Data on Students With Disabilities
Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). With data collected on the first Friday in August (this year, on the 5th), the NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD Guidelines (2021).
Please see the attached NCCD Fact Sheet for more information.
Golf Tournament
The Foundation Golf Tournament is set for Thursday, 27 October 2022. Join us at 13th Beach Golf Links from 8:00am for a shotgun start. Tickets are $190 each ($150 for members) or $750 for a group of four. RSVPs close on Thursday, 6 October 2022 at 5:00pm.
Funds raised from this event will be allocated to our Foundation Scholarship Fund, supporting current students who are in need of financial assistance.
Book online at: The Foundation Golf Tournament
A MYTERN Thought for This Week
Life will throw you curve balls. That's part of the journey - especially since COVID.
So, if you experience moments of feeling out of control, don't judge yourself. It doesn't mean that you are failing.
Grab that wheel and pull over if you have to.
And know that you're doing an awesome job. 👍👏
Discover more about MYTERN here