Middle School Term 1 Reflecting on Success and Looking Ahead
As we near the end of Term 1, it's important to take a moment to reflect. It has been a busy and successful start for our Middle School, and I'm proud of the progress and achievements we've witnessed among our students.
First and foremost, I want to commend the students for their engagement, efforts, behaviour, and cooperation throughout the term. Your dedication to upholding our school values and your inclusivity and support towards your fellow peers have not gone unnoticed. It's heartening to see how students across all year levels have stepped up, putting in the work and displaying admirable maturity both inside and outside the classroom.
A highlight of this term was the positive experiences shared by both our Year 5 and Year 7 cohorts during their respective camps. With a significant number of new students joining us this year, these camps provided invaluable opportunities for students to forge new friendships and strengthen existing connections. This, undoubtedly, has contributed to a sense of belonging and settlement among our students, fostering a supportive and inclusive environment within our school community.
Meanwhile, our Year 6 students have settled into their routines, demonstrating resilience and adaptability in their second year in Middle School. Their dedication to their studies and their commitment to personal growth are pleasing to see.
I also extend my appreciation to our Year 8 students, who, in their capacity as leaders, have set commendable standards for the younger students. Your leadership and positive attitude have helped to shape the ethos of our Middle School, and I encourage you to continue leading by example as we progress through the academic year.
Looking ahead, I urge all students to maintain the standards set this term and to strive for continuous improvement in all aspects of school life. Together, we have established our expectations and while we celebrate our successes, there is always room for improvement.
From my perspective, I encourage some students to take on more responsibility for their organisation, ensuring they arrive at each lesson prepared with all necessary resources. Tidying up lockers regularly can also contribute to a more organised and stress-free learning environment. Most importantly, remember to show everyone respect!
As we come to the close of another term, I want to take a moment to express my gratitude to the staff for their support and hard work.
This term has been filled with successes, challenges, and countless moments of growth, and it is thanks to your commitment and passion that we have achieved so much together. Your tireless efforts, both in and out of the classroom, have played a crucial role in creating a positive environment for our students to thrive in.
Wishing you all a well-deserved rest and a happy Easter during the upcoming break.
Student Representative Council
Congratulations to the following students who have been voted by their peers:
Year 5 – Molly Baud & Harper Perry
Year 6 – Aiden Smith & Archie Smyth
Year 7 – Tamsyn Walsh & Hugo Wright
Year 8 – Yasmin Gloria & Harvey Leary
As an SRC member, the students have a chance to make a positive difference, contributing to student initiatives, advocating for students, and empowering their voices!
Middle School Charity Update: Thank You for Supporting Pink Day!
Thank you for your support and generosity during our recent charity event, Pink Day. It was truly fantastic to see most of our students making a concerted effort to come to school dressed in pink.
With approximately 280 students in Middle School, your collective efforts made a significant impact. Together, we raised $318.20 for the Cancer Council.
As we look ahead to our next gold coin donation day, I'm excited to announce our ambitious target of $400. I have full confidence that with your continued enthusiasm and support, we can achieve this goal.
I also want to encourage our Year 8 students to fully embrace the theme of the day by dressing up in accordance with the chosen theme, rather than simply adding a 'touch' to their PE uniform. Your participation and enthusiasm are crucial in fostering a spirit of unity and compassion within our school community.
Remember, every dollar counts towards supporting the Cancer Council and their vital work in fighting cancer.
Thank you once again for your ongoing support, and let's continue to make a positive impact together.
Farewell and Thank You, Mrs. Ruth Whitton
As we prepare to bid farewell to Mrs. Ruth Whitton at the end of this term, I want to take a moment to express our gratitude for her invaluable contributions over the past three years.
Ruth has been a valued member of our Middle School family, showing immense compassion and care towards her students and demonstrating collegiality amongst her peers.
We wish Ruth all the best as she embarks on the next chapter of her journey. Thank you, Ruth, for your dedication and positive impact on our community.
Congratulations Addison O’Connor
On Saturday, 23 March Addison and her teammates played in two grand finals and I'm very happy to report that Addison and her teammates won both games and were premiers at Casey Basketball in the U/12 A-Grade and U/14 B-Grade sections.
Ralph Arceo
Head of Middle School
Year 5-12 House Athletics
Our recent House Athletics Carnival was a great success! Thanks to all students for their participation, sportsmanship, and House spirit.
Year 5 Camp at Sovereign Hill
The year 5 students enjoyed their Sovereign Hill camp.
List of 10 best things to do on a Year 5 camp at Sovereign Hill
- Buy lollies at the confectionary.
- Eat as many of these lollies as you can in as short a time as possible.
- Help someone else eat their lollies.
- Pan for gold and store your gold in a small glass bottle.
- Have someone else pan for gold and store it in your small glass bottle.
- Venture into the underground mines.
- Stay up late and watch the sound and light show while trying not to fall asleep
- Dress up as a soldier from the Eureka Rebellion and have your photo taken holding a GUN!!!
- Go to the gold pour where they melt real gold and make a gold bar - and wish that you could take it home!!!!
- Have a personalized horseshoe made for you by the blacksmith.
Thanks to all of the amazing year 5s. Many people commented on the wonderful behaviour of our Newhaven Students. Thanks to Ms. Adnam, Mrs Driscoll, Mr. Pederson. Mrs Whitton, Lucas Chihotski and Shaz, most of whom behaved well- although Mr Pederson was a little out-of- control with the noisy music on his speaker.
Ruth Whitton
Year 5 Teacher
Health & Science Prac Extravaganza
On Friday 8 March the Year 8 HAS team ran a series of Science pracs on the JS Basketball courts and surrounds in what was a Prac Extravaganza! Four teachers ran a total of five different experiments for all of our Year 8 students where they explored alternative energy sources – wind, solar, tidal, biofuel and biogas. There were balloons, cow manure, mashed banana, buckets of water, small flames, solar panels and hair dryers all being used to investigate the hows and whys of creating and harnessing energy.
Year 7 Camp- Lyrebird Park
Earlier in the term, the Year 7 students had their first camp all together. We were lucky enough to be hosted at Lyrebird Park, up around Gembrook. They have 40 acres of pure natural beauty, with tall trees, rolling hills and overall, just a beautiful environment.
Year seven camp is always a highlight of the year. Having many different experiences helps us to learn and grow and camp always improves our independence. Particularly at the beginning of year seven, when there are lots of fresh faces to greet and unfamiliar people to interact with.
Many people made new friends on this camp, and the year seven cohort feels more comfortable together and has developed a brighter sense of community. Something that contributed to this was on Wednesday night, when we had the annual Newhaven College Talent Show. There were many fantastic acts but the one that came out on top was the creative dance from a certain group of talented girls that left the crowd speechless.
We had many challenging and engaging activities that everyone loved participating in. Some of the favourites were the slingshot, archery, rock climbing and the flying fox of course. These activities helped the year 7s improve our teamwork and leadership skills and built a sense of community and trust between the students.
Promax, short for Project Maximise, was a unique and fun experience for all, as some leaders were selected, we all grouped together and this adventure took us all around the property, looking for clues and riddles for the rest of our teams to solve!
After our activities were all finished, in our downtime, we were lucky enough to have 3 fun pastimes available, we had the basketball courts, the trampolines and the games room. We also had plenty of open planes to kick the footy and some of us even played volleyball!
We cannot wait for the year sixes to experience this camp next year. Thank you to Lyrebird Park and the teachers who came along for making it a very memorable camp.
Georgina and Lucy
Year 7
