It has been a positive start to Term 3 for our Middle school. Students were quick to reconnect with their friends, and most have settled smoothly into the routines and expectations of school life. This begins with ensuring that they are in the correct uniform, including wearing a tie and blazer with the school uniform and white socks with the PE uniform for sport, PE or SM.
On the first day of term, I addressed the students with an Olympics theme linking the Olympic motto of "Citius, Altius, Fortius" – "Faster, Higher, Stronger." This motto perfectly captures the spirit we aim to cultivate at our school. We encourage students to strive for their personal best (faster), reach for new heights in their learning and personal development (higher), and build resilience and strength in their character (stronger). By embodying these principles, students can achieve excellence not just in academics, but in all areas of their lives.
As we progress through Term 3, students should be well-prepared for each subject and lesson. This means having fully charged laptops, the correct textbooks, exercise books and other subject-specific resources ready for class.
A big thank you to everyone who attended the Parent/Teacher interviews. These meetings are vital as they bring together the two most important influences in a child's life to openly discuss school and home life, ultimately creating a more respectful and healthier environment for the child's growth.
In the first couple of weeks, students have also been involved in several exciting activities, including Music Camp, an Olympics-themed free dress day, and the Colour Run. I had the pleasure of joining the Year 8 students and staff at Kinglake later in the week to see how they were all doing. School camps offer a wonderful opportunity for students to interact positively outside the classroom. Fun activities, team sports and teamwork challenges help develop new relationships and deepen existing bonds of friendship. School camps are a crucial component of the curriculum and should not be seen as optional.
Respect
At our school, we maintain a zero-tolerance policy for any form of unkind, anti-social or unacceptable behaviour. We are committed to promoting and encouraging our students to demonstrate respect and inclusivity in all their interactions. It is our belief that every student deserves to feel safe, valued, and respected.
It is disheartening to hear reports of distasteful comments being made by students towards their peers. Such behaviour indicates a lack of awareness, empathy and knowledge, which are crucial attributes for harmonious living in our diverse society. There is no place for this type of conduct in our school or in society at large.
I urge parents, caregivers and staff to engage in meaningful conversations with our children about the importance of respect and empathy. It is essential that we all emphasise that there is no room for unkind behaviour within our school. We must work together to foster an environment where every individual feels respected and included.
As adults, we have a responsibility to model the behaviour we expect from the younger generation. By demonstrating respect and empathy in our interactions, we can guide our children to become compassionate and considerate individuals.
Calendar Dates
Parent/Teacher (online) interviews on Monday, 12 August, from 3:30pm to 8:30pm.
Year 7 2025 Parent Information Evening on Wednesday, 14 August, from 6:30pm to 7:30pm in The Collect.
MS Book Week Parade on Tuesday, 20 August, at 9:10am in The Collect.
Year 5&6 Parent Information Night (online) presented by Sexual Health Victoria.
MTB Fundraiser Day on Saturday, 31 August.
We look forward to your continued support and involvement in our school community.
Ralph Arceo
Head of Middle School
Year 8 Camp at Kinglake
Our Year 8 students have had a wonderful time at camp this week. They all having a go at the activities and filling themselves up on camp food in the evenings!
Newhaven College prides itself on providing some of the best camps available in Victoria. Camps are such a vital part of building friendships, resilience and learning new skills.
Year 6 students perform in locally produced film
Last week our Year 6 students were given the opportunity to play extras in a short film production.
The film Millie is a short film which has been written by a Family Lawyer, Darren Mort. He wrote a short book about the impact of family separation and specifically the impact on children. His previous book was made in a film called Tommy (the film is not intended for children as it contains mature themes). It was released internationally a few years ago. It was a stellar success, winning over 12 Film Awards at the Venice Film Festival – and subsequently has been utilised in the American Family Courts as a way of showing parents the irreparable damage they cause when fighting over their children.
Millie, is the second film to be made on the subject of the impacts of family separation. The film explores the emotional harm that this process has upon the child.
The part we were involved in was when Millie is playing a game of soccer for her school (Newhaven College) – she is well liked by her teammates, saves a goal and everyone is happy with her. Moments later, she is distracted by her parents arguing on the sidelines – and she lets in a goal. She is deflated and her teammates are unhappy with her.
Year 6 Students played the 2 soccer teams, with several students being more involved with the soccer ball – such as Tijian, Aiden, Levi, Addison, Zara H among others.
We had to run through scenarios several times, practice our moves and then they called ACTION!....and we were filmed. They had to film shots towards goal, then the same action but from behind the goal, then the same again but from the side and then close ups of feet, soccer balls and even Millie in goal.
The cameras had to be re-sited several times and this took a while – whilst we were waiting, we chatted with the crew, played a real game of soccer and got to meet the young actor, Annabelle, who plays Millie. She was an amazing young person – acting in her first film.
The filming also took place across the Island over the week – including at the beach, Phillip Island Winery and at a house in Silverleaves.
The film is scheduled to be released early next year and we were promised a special Premiere screening at Bernenneit in Cowes.
Simon Furniss
Year 6 Teacher
Year 7 Desal Visit
Year 7HAS students visited the Wonthaggi Desalination Plant to experience a scientific overview of water treatment and take part in some experiential lab work. They were also fortunate enough to experience a guided tour inside the plant with an engineer to learn how filtration works and the assets/processes behind drinking water filtration.
