Korumburra Secondary College Phone 56551566 Principal: Abigail Graham Private Bag 2 Fax 56552673 Assistant Principal: John Wilson KORUMBURRA 3950 email: Korumburra.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au Website: www.korumburrasc.vic.edu.au

12th June 2015

9

Year 9 Advance CFA with the Korumburra Fire Station personnel and trucks

Abigail Graham Principal

Dear Parents & Guardians

Well we are close to the end of term, teachers are busy with final assessments and the writing of

semester reports. Next week we begin the Semester 2 timetable. I will be taking leave for the final week

of term to travel to Shanghai and Tokyo. I hope to visit our sister school while in China and make some

preparations for our students visiting there later in Term 3. John Wilson will be taking on the role as

Acting Principal during my absence.

Music Showcase

Last week I attended the music showcase with many parents and enjoyed individual solo’s from our

students as well as our Junior, Senior and Intermediate bands. It is great to be able to see the

improvement in our students skills and also see students playing and learning alongside their teachers. It

certainly demonstrates “life-long learning”. Thankyou to Amy Lowe, who led the organisation of this

performance, our SGSMP music teachers for their dedication to their students and all the students who

stretched themselves in their performances.

Beijing Summer Camp – International Travel

I would like to take this opportunity to wish the students who are travelling to Beijing in the first two

weeks of next term a “Bon Voyage”. Staff member Susan Lloyd will be travelling with the students and

there has been a significant amount of preparation involved. We are looking forward to seeing the posts

from students while they are away.

The students are

While John Wilson will complete the final Principal’s report for the term I would like to wish all students

and parents a restful winter holiday break.

Abigail Graham

Principal

Year 8: Erin McLean

Eric Zubcic

Year 9: Grace McLean

Year 10: Deanna Chiavaroli Alana Hanegraaf Emily O’Brien

Year 11: Ruby Somerville

Nicole Hanks

Skye Twite

Molly Patten

John Wilson Assistant Principal

The past two weeks of school life have been dominated by formal mid-year exams for our Year 10,

11 and 12 students. Our Year 10 students completed exams in Maths and English, and possibly for

any Year 11 subjects they are studying. For many of our Year 10s, this was their first experience

sitting formal exams and the experience will be of great benefit to them in coming years. For our

Year 11 and 12 students these exams form a large part of their VCE assessment and I’m sure that

the results that all students receive will reflect the hard work and effort they have been putting in.

Exam periods in schools can be a stressful and confusing time, but all students should be

commended on their organisation and the way they went about completing their exams.

Mid-year reports will be finalised at school over the coming weeks. The reporting process is an

important part of every students’ schooling and parents and students carefully considering a

student’s report together can have great benefits on future learning. Please consider areas in which

your child has performed well in 1st Semester and plan to continue this in 2nd Semester. Also use

the reports to identify areas of potential improvement in 2nd Semester and plan for this as well. As

always, if you have any questions or would like further details about your child’s progress, please

don’t have any hesitation in contacting the school.

For the remaining two weeks of Term 2, all students will be starting their Semester 2 subjects. For

Year 11 and 12 students this will mean starting Units 3 and 4 in each of their subjects while for

other year levels, this will mean starting a new set of elective subjects. With two weeks of these

classes until the mid-year holidays, all students have a great opportunity to settle into their new

classes, understand the content they will be studying and how it will be assessed before returning

to really settle into the classes in Term 3.

With two weeks of school to go I hope all students are focussed on finishing off Term 2 well and

then two weeks of well-earned rest.

Linda Jennings Middle School Coordinator

END OF SEMESTER ONE

It is hard to believe that we are already at the close of Semester One for 2015. This is a great time for reflection as students move into the second half of their current Year level.

One of the great things about working with youth is being a part of their personal development as learners as well as the amazing people they will become. Reflecting on strengths and weaknesses is a necessary part of being the best we can be, and students should take this opportunity to set some goals regarding how they would like to finish off this year. This could include reflecting on how they finished Semester One in regards to standard of work, level of effort, focus, time management skills, social relationships, contributions to the school community and how they maximised opportunities both within and beyond the classroom. We look forward to supporting all students giving everything a go and always trying their best.

Please don’t hesitate to contact your child’s Year Level Coordinator with any information that may assist us in supporting your child. The Middle School Team looks forward to working with all students and their families.

Year 7: Brock Churchill Year 8: Matt Smith Year 9: Cass Burdett

Middle School Coord: Linda Jennings Middle School Office Support: Tina Van’t hof

Jo Parsons Senior School Coordinator

The last fortnight has seen a focus on assessment for most of our senior students. Year 10’s experienced their first taste of exam pressure and our Year 11’s had exams in all subjects. Feedback from supervisors suggest that most students worked hard to illustrate their knowledge from the start of the exam until the conclusion. Students should reflect on their learning throughout the Semester: what worked well? What areas do they need to improve on? What will success look like to me at the end of the year? All students studying a Unit 3&4 subject sat the GAT on Wednesday. This 3 hour assessment for many students is the first time they sit a formal exam where the assessors are not their teachers.

Monday 15th June marks the start of Semester 2. All students should be aware of their new subjects and the timetable is available to students via compass. Most students who wish to make changes to their program have already done so, however there is still time to make more. Students should finalise their Semester 2 program by the end of this Term.

VCAL2 last week started working with some of the residents from Carinya Lodge. The students are focusing on the world of work. They are having a look back in time at what the residents working life was like and are contrasting this with what their working life may be. It is always a pleasure to take our students out in the community. The student’s patience, focus and politeness when speaking to these residents is special to see. We would also like to thank Carinya Lodge for providing the opportunity for our student to work with their residents. A touching moment at the end of our hour with the residents was when one of the elderly gentleman thanked the students for coming in, and stated that prior to our arrival he had been feeling very down, however he was now feeling much happier.

Jo Parsons Senior School Coordinator

Throughout this year Karen Sorrell, the Senior School

Assistant has been busy chasing up students who are absent

from school. If you have received a letter or phone call, your

child has already missed more than 5 days. Many students

find the pace of Senior School difficult, there are many

concepts to learn and a significant amount of formal

assessment. It is difficult to achieve your personal best if you

do not consistently attend classes. If there are reasons why

attendance is difficult, please contact your child’s Year Level

Coordinator so that they can assist you and organize for class

work to be sent home. The Education Department also

produces a great resource “it’s not all right to be away”.

During the second week of Term 3 our Year 10 students will undertake work experience for the first time. This is a great chance to try before you buy. Congratulations to the 21 students who have all of their paper work complete and are ready to go – to the rest of the cohort you really need to get on to this now! Do not leave it until the last minute.

Susan Lloyd

Teaching & Learning—Partnerships Coordinator

O ver the long weekend, two of our college students; Morgan Anthony and Chloe Clarke,

supported the Karmai Alliance schools in the Chinese stall at the Loch Food and Wine Festival.

These two students offered amazing support working alongside Teacher Chen and Teacher Li in

the face activity and the chopsticks challenge. It was a great opportunity to join in with our local

Primary Schools and support a community event, whilst also sharing a little Chinese culture with

other community members. Thankyou ladies and we look forward to our next opportunity to

experience a little Chinese in our local community.

B eing that at the time of year many students were receiving immunization at KSC, it seemed

appropriate the Unit 3 Biology class visited that Genetics Technology Access Centre at Melbourne

University High to develop their understanding of the human immune response to pathogens and

diseases. After a short lecture on the human immune response, students were asked to participate in a

role play to explain the complicated process of forming antibodies. Enthusiasm must have been

infectious as most students volunteered to play B or T cells, or an antibody. Most of the day was then

spent carrying out real life antibody testing to determine if calves had responded to vaccinations in

order to prevent diseases causing mastitis in milking cows. Valuable experience into techniques

regularly used in veterinary clinics was gained. Students classified bacteria through a series of tests and

used a range of equipment usually used at University level. Lunch was held across the road at

Melbourne University. Not only did students learn about how immunity is developed, they were a little

more appreciative of all those needles they have had as part of their own immunisations.

Year 12

B

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Year 7 Sport Ed

Semester 2 brings more activity for our Year 7 students. Starting this Monday (15th June), ALL Year 7 students will participate in Sport Education for 2 periods/week in addition to normal PE classes. These classes are held each week on Monday, periods 5 & 6, for the whole of Semester 2. Students participate in a range of sports both traditional and non-traditional, with the aim of improving their playing, umpiring and teamwork skills. Year 7 students are required to bring their PE uniform for all Sport Ed classes. Throughout the Semester, some of the activities will take place outside of school. Parents will receive notification via Compass and are asked to promptly provide online permission as required. Any queries, please contact Ms Kylie Buckland, HPE Coordinator

On June 1st, 60 students travelled to Mirboo North on a very chilly day to compete in the Interschool Cross Country. It was very wet for a few days before so the track along the old rail trail was even tougher. We were greeted with hail on arrival, so the start of the day looked like the thermals and umbrella’s were going to get a work out. Fortunately the sun came out shortly after the hail and stayed until we were about to leave. Congratulations to all students who competed on the day. We filled every team and this resulted in KSC coming 2nd in the Grand Aggregate, a very close 2nd in the Grand Handicap and bringing home the Senior Girls Cup and the Girls Handicap. I personally just wanted to say what a pleasure it was to take such a great bunch of students out on a sports day. I was impressed with the effort in the racing and on a Cross Country day there is a lot of waiting and not much to see. All students did the right thing from the beginning of the day to the end. Thank you to the parents who came over to watch and cheer on their children and their team mates. Well done to the 35 students qualifying for the next round at Lardner Park on Thursday the 18th of June.

Our senior girls who won the Senior Girls Cup at the Cross Country

Monday, 15th June Katrina Evans

Tuesday, 16th June Anne Smith

Wednesday, 17th June Wendy Tilling

Thursday, 18th June Shona Lynch

Friday, 19th June Laura Rowe

Monday, 22nd June Help Needed

Tuesday, 23rd June Maria Condoluci

Wednesday, 24th June Julie Hussey

Thursday, 25th June Help Needed

Friday, 26th June Kelly Walker

WEP Student Exchange

Learn and Discover the World!

WEP Australia is a not-for-profit student exchange organisation registered with the Education Departments in NSW, QLD and VIC. Applications for short

and long-term programs commencing from

November 2015 onward are open now. Students can choose from over 25

countries to live with a

volunteer WEP host family and attend an overseas high school for a summer, semester or year.

To request program information for your family,

visit www.wep.org.au, email info@wep.org.au

or call 1300 884 733.

Monday 15th June

Star Semester Two timetable

Monday 22nd—Wednesday 24th June

Year 12—3 day Camp

Thursday 25th June

Casual Clothes Day—Gold coin donation

Friday 26th June

Last day of Term 2

Monday 13th July

First day Term 3

Visit the Library for new & recommended books

FREE LIVE ONLINE INFORMATION SESSION FOR

Korumburra Secondary College

STUDENTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS AVAILABLE IN 2015

Student Exchange Australia New Zealand is a not-for-profit organisation that is registered with all state and territory Departments of Education around Australia and with the Ministry of Education in NZ. We are the first and only secondary exchange organisation in Australia and New Zealand to be certified to ISO 9001 (Quality Management System) and we ensure the highest standards of care and support to our participants. We would like to invite your students and families to our next FREE Live Online Session on Thursday, 25th June 2015 - 5.30pm.

The LIVE Online session gives students and families the opportunity to learn more about becoming an exchange student and the various scholarship options that are available. Students can find out more about our exchange programs to over 25 countries, listen to former exchange students share their experience and learn about our scholarships and discounts on offer in 2015.

We offer scholarships and discounts worth over $100,000 to students each year. These include 5 x Language, 2 x International Affairs, 2 x Indigenous and 3 x Digital Video Scholarships.

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WEP Student Exchange – Learn and Discover the World!

WEP Australia is a not-for-profit student exchange organisation registered with the Education

Departments in NSW, QLD and VIC. Applications for short and long-term programs commencing from

November 2015 onward are open now. Students can choose from over 25 countries to live with a

volunteer WEP host family and attend an overseas high school for a summer, semester or year. To

request program information for your family, visit www.wep.org.au, email info@wep.org.au or call

1300 884 733.