183 - 191 Caroline Springs BoulevardCaroline Springs VIC 3023Subscribe:Subscribe: http://aiacsc.schoolzineplus.com/subscribe

Email:Email: hm@aia.vic.edu.auPhone:Phone: 03 8372 5446

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17 March 201717 March 2017

HEAD OF ACADEMY

AFFIRMATION OF DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES &PRACTICES

The Australian International Academy of Education declaresand affirms that school programs and teaching practicesembrace the following important principles:

Mr S. Salman AMAcademy Director General – Email: aia@aia.vic.edu.au

HEAD OF CAMPUSAssalamu Alaikum Wr. Wb.

Dear Parents / Guardians,

The Year 1 – 5 Swimming program for boys concluded lastmonth. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Ms Mayand all other staff for making the two weeks educational andalso fun for our boys. Please note that the Year 1-5 girls will bedoing the same program later in the year.

The Year 5 camp took place during the week of 27 Feb until3 March. I have been informed by staff that our students werevery good in terms of participation, conduct and manners. Iwould like to thank our students, parents, Ms Nour and MsTania for supervising our students at the camp.

Parent, Teacher and Student Conference:

Wednesday 29 March 2017. From 8.45 am until 12.30 pm andfrom 2.00 pm until 5.00 pm.

There are minor adjustments to the way the day will beorganised due to an increase in student numbers and ourcampus being a primary and secondary campus.

If a teacher is busy with a parent, then those who are waitingshould seek to see another teacher. Please be patient becauseyou may have to wait to see some teachers. Further informationon how to go about making bookings is provided by Ms Samia.Please see her article.

In my last newsletter article the following article was providedto inform you regarding important directives from the Victoriangovernment. If you did not get a chance to read it please takethe time to read it. It is important to understand that mostdirectives, if not all, were always part of our policy but some

• The promotion of peace, harmony and understandingthrough intercultural interactions.

• All Australians have equal rights before the law. Wereject any form(s) of discrimination based on race,religion or sex.

• The rule of law and the respect of the rights ofothers.

• The values of fairness, openness, sharing and givinga hand, looking after neighbours, tolerance,understanding and acceptance.

• People are free to choose and practice their religions.But we reject those who preach violence and hatredin the name of any religion.

• The right of individuals to enjoy the freedom ofspeech, expression and association. But we rejectverbal and written abuses and transgressions againstothers under the cover of freedom of speech andexpression.

• The Australian system of democratically electedgovernments and councils is the best that serve theinterest of all Australians.

• Parents of children in Prep to Year 6 can makeappointments to see their child’s English andMathematics teacher. All other subject teachers canbe seen without an appointment.

• Year 7 – 10 parents can see any of their child’steachers during any time.

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important terminology and procedures have been adjusted tofully address our obligations.

Child Safe Policy

Following on from my presentation during the parentinformation session held on Thursday 16 February. TheVictorian Government set up an inquiry into Handling of ChildAbuse by Religious and other Non-Government Organisations.The Inquiry's Betrayal of Trust report made a number ofrecommendations aimed at protecting children from all formsof abuse and neglect. One recommendation was that thegovernment implement minimum standards for maintaining'child-safe environments' for all organisations with direct andregular contact with children.

These standards are required to be implemented and enforcedin all Victorian schools. The Ministerial Order provided whatthe Child Safe Standards mean in a school environment, anddemonstrates the Government’s “zero tolerance” for childabuse in Victorian schools.

AIA responded promptly by reviewing its policies to comply withthe ministerial order. Following is a summary of the policy.

Privacy and social networking websites:

Social networking websites like Facebook, Twitter and othersare great ways to share your thoughts and keep in touch withfriends and family, but it's important to consider who else mightbe able to see what you post and what impact you haveon the persons which their photo was published. Sometimesparents take photos during school functions and these photosmay have your child along with his or her friends. We requestthat unless there is permission given by a parent then otherchildren’s images must not be published online or at any otherplace by any one of our parents and students.

Term Dates for Students 2017:

TERM 1: 2 February – 31 MarchTERM 2: 18 April – 23 JuneTERM 3: 17 July – 22 SeptemberTERM 4: 9 October – 8 December

Wassalam Alaikum Wr. Wb.K. ErdalHead of Campus

• Australian International Academy (AIA) will complywith Ministerial Order 870 and commits to childsafety. AIA child safe policy applies to all schoolenvironments, which includes physical and onlineenvironments.

• AIA has zero tolerance of child abuse, and allallegations and safety concerns will be treated veryseriously and consistently with our policies andprocedures.

• AIA want children to be safe, happy and empowered.We support and respect all children, as well as ourstaff and volunteers.

• AIA will ensure that a culture of child safety isembedded and the commitment to zero tolerance ofchild abuse will be led by the Academy Board,Academy Director and Campus Heads, and beshared throughout the school community.

• AIA has legal obligations to adhere to all legislativerequirements, especially:

• The Children, Youth and Families Act 2005 (Vic) -Mandatory reporting Obligations, and

• the three new criminal offences that have beenintroduced under the Crimes Act 1958 (Vic)

• AIA is committed to preventing child abuse andidentifying risks early, and removing and reducingthese risks.

• We value and empower students to participate indecisions which affect their lives.

• We foster a culture of openness that supports allpersons to safely disclose risks of harm to children;

• We take a preventative, proactive and participatoryapproach to child safety.

• AIA will employ only the most suitable people to workwith children and have high quality staff and volunteersupervision and professional development.

• AIA will ensure children know who to talk with if theyare worried or are feeling unsafe, and that they arecomfortable and encouraged to raise such issues.

• AIA will report suspected abuse, neglect ormistreatment promptly to the appropriate authorities,as prescribed by the Mandatory Reporting Policy.

• AIA will share information appropriately and lawfullywith other organisations where the safety andwellbeing of children is at risk.

• We value the input of and communicate regularly withfamilies and carers.

• AIA staff and volunteers will be aware of key policiesinvolving child safety in particular, the child-safepolicy, Staff code of conduct, Mandatory Reporting,Anti Bullying and Incident Reporting policies.

• AIA will address all 7 child safe standards providedby The Ministerial Order 870, and have zero tolerancefor child abuse in our campuses.

• AIA is committed to regularly training and educatingits staff and volunteers on child abuse risks.

• AIA support and respect all children, as well as itsstaff and volunteers. We are committed to thecultural safety of Aboriginal children, the culturalsafety of children from a culturally and/or linguisticallydiverse backgrounds, and to providing a safeenvironment for children with a disability.

• AIA has other policies, procedures and training inplace that support our Campus Heads, AssistantHeads, coordinators, staff and volunteers to achievethese commitments.

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CSC CONTACT PERSONS:

Ms D. Hamaway - Main OfficeMs A. Kahteran - Main OfficeMr K. Erdal - Head of CampusMs A. Florio - Assistant Head of CampusMr K. Soueid - Year 6 – 10 Student ManagementMs T. Lavcanski - Year 2B – 5 Student ManagementMs C. Zuniga - Year Prep – 2A Student ManagementMs D. Souki - Student Wellbeing Officer & First Aid

http://www.aiahome.net/cs/

Campus staff could be contacted via email: csc@aia.vic.edu.auor phone 83725446

IMPORTANT DATES

2 February, 2017: Preps first day3 February, 2017: Year 1 – 10 first day at the newcampus16 February: Parent Information Function (6 – 7.30 pm)13-24 February: Year 1-5 Boys Swimming Program27 Feb – 1 March: Girls Year 5 Camp1 – 3 March: Boys Year 5 Camp29 March: Parent - Teacher - Student Conference31 March: Last day of Term 1 (Students dismissed atnormal time)18 (Tuesday) April: First day of Term 220 April: School Photographs9-11 May: NAPLAN tests for year levels 3, 5, 7 and 915 May-23 June: 2018 scholarship applications openingand closing dates26 May – 2 June: Year 10 Examinations29 May: Ramadan timetable commences5 June: Report Writing Day (No students at school)23 June: Report distribution 2.30pm until dismissal andlast day of Term 2.26 June (tbc): Eid-al-Fitr (Campus closed 26-27 Junetbc)17 July: First day of Term 323-25 August: Year 7 Camp (Girls at Adanac Rec, Boysat Lady Northcote)5 – 8 September: Year 9 Camp (Boys at Forest Edge,Girls at the Summit)1 September: Eid-Ul-Adha (tbc)20 September: Parent-Teacher-Student Conference22 September: Last day of Term 39 October: First day of Term 49 - 20 October: Year 1-5 Girls Swimming Program6 November: Curriculum Day (No students at school)29 November: Report Writing Day (No Students atschool)1 December: Prep (2018 students) Orientation Day - No2017 Preps at school7 December: Student Awards Presentation (9.00 - 11am)8 December: Last day of Term 4 & Report distribution(2.30 pm – until dismissal)21 December 2017 - 7 January 2018: Campus is closed8 January 2018: Campus office is open

STUDENT SUPERVISION OUTSIDE OFCLASSROOM HOURS

8.15 – 8.30 am: Recommended time of arrival forstudents.8.30 am: Morning assembly and classes start.

Students are supervised by yard duty teachers during recess,lunchtime, before school from 8.15 am until assembly. Studentsmust be collected within 15 minutes after the dismissal time.

STAFF LIST

Mr K. Erdal - Head of CampusMs A. Florio - Assistant Head of CampusMs S. Olayvar - Year Prep A Form and Class TeacherMs. M. Carroll - Year Prep B Form and Class TeacherMs C. Karakilic - Year 1A Form and Class TeacherMs O. Sultan - Year 1B Form and Class TeacherMs T. Lavcanski - Year 2A Form and Class TeacherMs C. Zuniga - Year 2B Form and Class TeacherMs S. Zammit - Year 3 Form and Class TeacherMs F. Harba - Year 4 Form and Class TeacherMs Z. Souki - Year 5 Form and Class TeacherMr M. Riskas - Year 6 Form and Class TeacherMs R. Saleh - Year 7 Form Teacher, Mathematics &Science TeacherMs L. Chodhary - Year 8 Form Teacher, English &HumanitiesMs S. Eldib - Year 9&10 Form Teacher, English,Humanities & MathematicsMs C. May - PE & SportsMs H. Ahmed - Arabic, Religious Education and ScienceTeacherMs N. Awari - Arabic & RE TeacherMr M. Jarrad - Arabic & IT TeacherMr K. Soueid - Campus Imam, Religious Education andArabic TeacherMs V. Duvcevski - Visual and Performing ArtsMr O. Ozdamar - Humanities & PE TeacherMs A. Saeed - Science & MathematicsMs S. Sultan - LibrarianMr L. Iliff - ICT Support & AdministratorMs D. Souki - First Aid & Student Wellbeing OfficerMs D. Hamaway - Office Manager & First AidMs N. Lopez - Teacher Aide & Library AssistantMr A. Khalil - Science Technician & Teacher AideMs F. Kalayci - Teacher AideMs N. Mohamud - Teacher AideMs A. Kahteran - Office Assistant

Session Keeper: Online Parent TeacherConference Booking System

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Term 1 this year sees to a change in how our campuscoordinates the booking of appointments for Parent TeacherConferences. In the past, parents were required to completeforms with their desired times and await confirmation fromteachers. This term, however, we have implemented an onlinebooking system called Session Keeper which allows parents

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to book and manage conference times efficiently in real time,thus eliminating the need to deal directly with teachers.

Session Keeper can be accessed on our school website byentering the ‘Parents’ section and selecting ‘Parent TeacherConference’, or via the following link:

http://cs.aiahome.net/parents/parent-teacher-conference.html

Alternatively, you may access it directly using the link below:

https://aiacsc.sessionkeeper.com.au/

Once you select the ‘Book Your Appointment Now’ link, alist of classroom teachers from Prep to Year 6 will appearincluding those teachers that teach English and Mathematics tothese year levels. After selecting your desired time, you will beprompted to create an account. Only once you have createdan account will you be able to make further bookings withother teachers and manage your existing bookings. Staff will benotified automatically via email once an appointment has beenbooked or cancelled by a parent.

To ensure that all parents have an opportunity to meet with theirchild’s teacher, it is important that you select only one fifteenminute interview time slot for each child. While we stronglyencourage all parents to attend the Parent Teacher Conference,in the event that you are no longer able to attend a session thatyou have booked, please ensure that the booking is cancelledso it becomes available to other parents.

Bookings are of course managed on a ‘first-in, first-served’basis so the school encourages you to book early to secure atime that conveniences you.

Should you have further queries about Session Keeper or Term1 Parent Teacher Conference, please do not hesitate to contactoffice staff.

Samia Eldib

Understanding BullyingAIA CSC has a strong commitment to raising awareness andpreventing bullying and harassment within the school. It hasaligned its aim with the national definition of bullying forAustralian schools that outlines bullying as:

An ongoing misuse of power in relationships through repeatedverbal, physical and/or social behaviour that causes physicaland/or psychological harm. It can involve an individual or agroup misusing their power over one or more persons. Bullyingcan happen in person or online, and it can be obvious (overt) orhidden (covert).

There are three types of bullying behaviours:

These behaviours can be presented either alone or togetherto varying degrees. If you believe that your child might beexposed to any of these bullying behaviours then it is importantto report these incidents to the school where we can addressthe concerns in line with the school’s bullying and harassmentpolicy.

It is important to note that single incidents and conflict or fightsbetween equals, whether in person or online, are not defined asbullying. Behaviours that do not constitute bullying include:

Whilst by definition these behaviours are not bullying,nonetheless, they will still be addressed and resolvedaccordingly.

Throughout the year the school will provide information andhave events that will ensure all members of the schoolcommunity align their ideas about bullying. Information providedhere is very general. The ‘Bullying, No Way’ website is afantastic resource to access to gain a better understanding ofbullying and the ways to respond and prevent it. We encourageparents to have open and frank discussions with their childrenregarding bullying and the roles and responsibilities they havein ensuring that all students come to school feeling safe andvalued.

Ms Dounia – Student Wellbeing Coordinator

PrepsOur Preps have started beautifully this year and continue toshow progress this term. This term, we explored thetransdisciplinary theme ‘Who We Are?’ which is about personalhistories. In this unit, students demonstrated an understandingof their family, how they gather information and preserve familytraditions. We compared and contrasted family traditions andrecognised that every family is special and unique.

In literacy, we commenced our sight words’ practice and homereading. Students practised their sight words at home with theirparents and later reinforced in class. These assist them in theirwriting and reading. The added support from home really doesmake a significant difference to your child's ability to learn andconsolidate them. Moreover, we are also learning letter namesand sounds, recount writing about our weekend, pointing to thewords (one-to-one correspondence) as we read, and askingquestions as one of our reading comprehension strategies.

In numeracy, we are developing our number skills such ascounting, grouping objects according to a given quantity,subitising and ordering numbers (the number that comes before

• Verbal bullying which includes name calling orinsulting someone about physical characteristicssuch as their weight or height, or other attributesincluding race and culture

• Physical bullying which includes hitting or otherwisehurting someone, shoving or intimidating anotherperson, or damaging or stealing their belongings

• Social bullying which includes consistently excludinganother person or sharing information or images thatwill have a harmful effect on the other person

• mutual arguments and disagreements (where there isno power imbalance)

• not liking someone or a single act of social rejection

• one-off acts of meanness or spite

• isolated incidents of aggression, intimidation orviolence

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and after). We are also exploring 2D shapes and identifying theirnumber of sides and edges.

In class, our Preps have been exposed to workingindependently and as a team. This allows them to interactpositively with others and learn how to work on their own aswell. We encourage our Preppies to always try their best and atthe same time to have fun in all our learning experiences.

Mel Carroll and Sarah Olayvar – Prep A & B Teachers

A Great Start With Year 3Assalamu Alaikum Wr. Wb.

It has been an exciting beginning to 2017 and the students inYear 3 have settled in well. They have adapted to their newschool environment with ease and are focused in their learning.I’d like to thank all parents for the support and understandingyou have provided throughout the school’s transition.

Workbook presentation and effort has been a big focus in theclassroom and we encourage students to take responsibilityfor their learning and develop independence as they mature.This includes the organisation of equipment and maintaining theschool’s uniform expectations. As a class we are developingroutines and expectations which focus on every studentachieving their best.

We are coming to the conclusion of our first Unit of Inquiry “TheHuman Body” and students have been highly engaged. Theyhave asked numerous questions and were surprised to find outabout some of the human body systems. Students have beenlearning how to maintain a healthy lifestyle and some of theimpacts it can have on the human body. They looked at theorgans associated with the digestive system and explored thefunction of the circulatory, respiratory, muscular and skeletalsystems.

In Writing, students have been building their persuasivelanguage techniques to include in the writing of expositorytexts. They began the unit participating in class debates and arenow becoming much more aware of the language and featuresthat can be used to persuade an audience.

In Numeracy, students have continued to develop anunderstanding of number and are beginning to learn abouttime. Students are required to complete their Math’s Onlinehomework tasks that are set on a weekly basis as these tasksdirectly relate to the learning within the classroom.

Thank you to all of the students in Year 3 for a successfulbeginning to the year which I am sure they will continue touphold!

Ms Stephanie Zammit – Year 3 Classroom Teacher

Year 5 Inquiry into ConsumerResponsibility

During Term 1, the Year 5 students inquired into the relationshipbetween environments and their role as a consumer and citizen.As a result of the student’s inquiry, they developed a senseof responsibility as consumer and the importance of financialdecisions for self (health), community and the environment.For example, the students investigated how the Health StarRating on packaging provides consumers with quick nutritionalinformation that they can easily compare with the nutritionalprofile of similar packaged foods; to make informed, healthierchoices when shopping at the supermarket.

The students were curious to explore the processes ofconsumption, production and distribution in meeting theirneeds and wants, and the role of consumers and workers.They considered factors affecting their spending and why it isimportant to be an informed consumer. For example, studentsexplored the effects of Fair Trade on farmers and how it isimproving the farmer’s quality of life due to a fair income whenselling their product.

During English sessions, students practised debating and usingevidence to form and express opinions on economic issuesthat have an impact on themselves, society, and communitiesaround the world. For example, they debated:

Our Year 5 students are developing into responsible andconfident individuals to be active and informed citizens andultimately enhancing the responsibility of tomorrow’sconsumers.

Ms Zawat Souki – Year 5 Teacher

Year 5 Boys Camp – AlambeeOn Wednesday the 1st of March 2017 our Year 5 boysembarked on their journey to Alambee camp with students fromour Coburg campus. We spent 3 wonderful days in Gippslandwhere the boys took part in many amazing team-buildingactivities.

• Should palm oil be labelled on packaging?

• Should caged eggs be banned?

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Upon our arrival we had lunch with the Year 5 girls from ourcampus and the Coburg campus. After the girls departed theboys were given time to settle in. Our first day consisted ofsome fun activities; our group worked in teams on the verticalchallenge, where they were harnessed up and had to climb awall. They all showed great bravery, and each of them managedto get all the way to the top. The boys encouraged each otherwith positive words, and worked well in a team. They alsoencouraged me when I got halfway and was about to give up.With their encouragement I made it to the top too! Our firstnight was a wonderful experience for everyone. After dinner weenjoyed a beautiful bushwalk, the students were in awe of thesunset above the mountains.

Our second day was a very busy one. We worked throughmany activities. The students really enjoyed the big swing, thelow ropes, archery and swimming in the pool. That evening afterprayer we sat outside around the campfire while Mr Nasrallahtold us a story about Profit Ayub and patience. It was a lovelyexperience for everyone.

On our final day our boys showed how brave they were andhad a go on the flying fox. Over the course of the camp, allof our boys displayed such beautiful behaviour, good mannersand respect for staff and each other. It was wonderful to bea part of their bond-building, and it was evident through allthey experienced that this gave them a new outlook on what itmeans to be a good person.

At the beginning of our camp the boys were given a containerto collect beads in. Beads were given as a reward for displayingcourage, taking risks, helping others, and using manners.Congratulations to Abdul Aziz Mohammed for collecting themost beads, and Shady Diab for coming in second place. Welldone, boys!

A very successful camp for all, Masha’Allah.

Ms. Tania Lavcanski – PYP Student ManagementCoordinator

Year 5 Girls Camp – AlambeeThis term I was asked to join the Year 5 girls in their firstexperience as campers. It was not an easy decision to be madeas I do not teach Year 5 this year. However, outdoor educationis one of my favourite teaching approaches. This camp wasfull of excitement, challenges, and adventures. The aspect thatmade it special is that it happened in the first term of the schoolyear. Girls were exploring each other’s personalities, strengths,and needs.

The first activity was the vertical challenge. We were requiredto challenge our fear of height and balance ourselves to reachthe top point. I was glad that all Year 5 girls did great, notonly by achieving their personal goals, but by supporting each

other. The second activity was low ropes. I like this activity somuch because it builds up trust and shapes friendship relationsbetween girls. In this activity two spotters should make sure ofthe safety of their third group member while she is moving byusing ropes. Lots of girls mentioned that they were very happythat their team took care of them and supported them.

The next day, we did many activities. The remarkable one,though, was the giant swing. In this challenge girls showedcourage, sustenance, teamwork, and empathy. They releasedthemselves when they achieved their personal goals andenjoyed the high swing.

It is worth mentioning that the site is located in one of the mostbeautiful areas of Gippsland. The name of the camp means inthe aboriginal language a place to relax. It is true that whenwe immerse ourselves in this natural beauty we are purifyingour mind and soul by getting closer to the creator, not onlyin our thoughts but even in our prayer and dua. We wereprivileged to have one of the Imams with us who talked aboutprophet Mohammed ‘s (S) learning profile as an open-minded,balanced, principled and more.

Finally, I believe that the girls came back with many storiesto remember and with very strong friendships to shape theirlearning environment in Year 5 with positive learning attitudes.Thank you, organisers, for your hard work. Thank you,teachers, for your effort and time. Thank you, parents, for yoursupport. Thank you, girls, for your excellent conduct.

Ms. Nour Awari – Arabic Teacher

Year 6 – Busy Minds and BodiesThis term, the Year 6 students have participated in the ActiveSporting Schools program with coaches Rylie and Ash. Theyhave been running basketball sessions every Friday and havehelped us gain lots of different skills in basketball. The year 6class has had lots of fun playing basketball because we havebeen able to use our communication skills and learn aboutdifferent skills such as dribbling, passing and shooting. At theend, we have been able to play a number of different gamesincluding shooting competitions and matches. We have hadlots of fun throughout the term and would like to thank Mr.Michael and Ms. May for organising the program.

Yunus Saimen - Year 6 student

In addition, Year 6 students have been busy working on theirpersuasive writing. They have been researching evidence tosupport their arguments and have used this to express theirviews on a range of topics. These topics include schooluniform, transport, taxes and different products and services.In particular, they have discussed current issues surroundingtransport app, Uber, and have compared product brands suchas Samsung and Apple.

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Thank you to all students and parents for their effort andsupport to ensure a successful start to the school year. Pleasecontinue to regularly check homework tasks and sign studentdiaries.

Mr. Michael Riskas – Year 6 Classroom Teacher

Year 8 Excursion to Islamic Museum ofAustralia

Assalamu Alaikum Wr. Wb.

On the 14th of March, our Year 8 students were taken ona full day excursion to the Islamic Museum of Australia. Thisprovided students with an opportunity to apply and build ontheir Humanities, Islamic and Arabic knowledge through thepresentation, quiz and the viewing of the galleries. Studentsalso had the opportunity to show off their art skills in aworkshop in which they had drawn the traditional Turkish 12point star present across mosques all around the world.

This had been a great way for students to take part in aninterdisciplinary excursion and also to gain an understandingof the roles of successful and renowned Muslims in modernAustralian society.

We look forward to taking the students on more educationaland exciting excursions which add to their schoolingexperience.

Year 9 English – Experimenting withdescriptive language

For several weeks this term, students in Year 9 Englishexamined the features of narratives, culminating in theproduction of their own short story in Week 6. In producing theirshort story, students considered those features that serve toengage the reader, namely the presence of conflict, descriptivelanguage, a discernible theme, a convincing protagonist andinteresting plot structure. Some of these aspects, likedescriptive language, were considered in the context ofstudents’ novel Of Mice and Men by American author JohnSteinbeck. Thus, in order to ‘write like Steinbeck’, studentswere taken out to the basketball court on a warm, sun-filledmorning and asked to describe what they saw. In other words,they had to bring the setting to life, creating a vivid image forthe reader using pen, paper and their knowledge of descriptive

language techniques like personification, metaphor and simile.Students remarked that they enjoyed the activity which waspleasing to hear. The outcome of the morning can be observedbelow.

Ms Samia – Year 9 English Teacher

‘The trees surround the basketball court. She is silent as thecongestion clogs her sense of peace. She is at war with age;her cracks define her. After years of loneliness, she has grownalmost foreign to the sound of laughter and screams. Thesilence haunts her like footsteps at night. The magpies are herday friends; they sing to her but she herself cannot sing. Whenthe clock hits 10:50 am, all hell breaks loose. The laughter,giggles and chatter between the children is music to her ears.But when a child grazes themselves on her, she is physicallyemotionless, but feels guilty.’ Isra Elsheikh

‘The basketball court stands in the middle of the school. It looksempty yet it is filled with neglect, pain and loneliness. There itis waiting patiently for the laughter and joy of the children tounleash when the bell rings for recess and lunch. Children runlike a stampede of deer that awaken the basketball court andbring it back to life. The ants run to the border of the court thatthey use as a hide-away from the children. He is awoken andalive.’ Suweda Shuriye

Year 9/10 science DNA extractionDuring Term 1, Year 9 and 10 Science students are studyinggenetics, which is the study of genes, the DNA(Deoxyribonucleic acid) that makes these genes, and thedifferent traits that people have due to those genes.

Students are required to study the chemical and structuralproperties of DNA; therefore, various instructional methodswere used to teach the students, including making models ofDNA using jelly beans, using interactivities and simulations andfinally extracting DNA and looking at it under the microscope.

During the extraction students were able to break the cells frompeas and isolate the DNA from the cell nucleus. The studentsreally enjoyed the practical activity and all the students wereable to successfully extract the DNA from the peas provided,then took a sample, stained it and could see the DNA strandsunder the microscope.

The main aims of the experiment were:

1. All living things have DNA- it is the blue print fromwhich all living things are built.

2. All cells within an organism have the same amount ofDNA, wound up into chromosomes and found in thecell’s nucleus.

3. Practice laboratory skills to carry out an investigation.

4. Science is accessible and useful; we are usingeveryday products to extract real DNA from real cells.

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Dandenong Ranges Kokoda MemorialWalk Excursion

The Year 9 and 10 History class went to the DandenongRanges on Wednesday 15 March as part of the Unit on WorldWar II. Leading up to the excursion students did an in-depthstudy of the Kokoda campaign and its importance in thedefence of the Australian mainland. To give the students a reallife experience of the campaign an excursion was organised forthem to do the Kokoda Memorial Walk, or ‘1000 Steps’, in theDandenong Ranges.

The excursion provided an excellent opportunity for thestudents to gain an insight into the conditions and physicalchallenges faced by the brave men and women who served inthe Kokoda campaign during World War Two. At the conclusionof the walk students had an opportunity to have lunch andreflect on the challenges they faced. I would like to thank MsSamia for her assistance in organising the excursion and herhelp on the day and the students who made the experienceworthwhile.

Digital TechnologiesThe focus in Digital Technologies this semester is on producingand implementing solutions. As a new national curriculumelective subject, Digital Technologies requires students tobecome familiar with the system development life cycle:Analysis, Design, Development and Evaluation

At the Years 3 and 4 levels, the national curriculum requiresstudents to “Implement simple digital solutions as visualprograms with algorithms involving branching (decisions) anduser input (ACTDIP011)”. At the Years 5 and 6 levels, thenational curriculum requires students to “Implement digitalsolutions as simple visual programs involving branching,iteration (repetition), and user input (ACTDIP020)”. At the Years7 and 8 levels, the national curriculum requires students to“implement and modify programs with user interfaces involvingbranching, iteration and functions in a general purposeprogramming language (ACTDIP030)”. At the year 9 and 10levels, they are expected to “Implement modular programs,applying selected algorithms and data structures includingusing an object-oriented programming language (ACTDIP041)”.

To achieve the above outcomes, students will be using anobject-based, event-driven, general purpose programminglanguage. Object Pascal, using Lazarus as the IntegratedDevelopment Environment was chosen for a number ofreasons. It is a freeware, so students do not have to purchaseit, as opposed to other development environments, e.g. Delphi.Secondly, it is platform independent, which means they caninstall it at home on Windows-based or Apple computers.Thirdly, it is fairly easy to write, compile and run programs with.

Whilst students are not required to install the program at home,it may be advantageous to do so and reflect on the programsthey write at schools.

I am pleased to see many talented potential futureprogrammers.

Mohamed Jarrad – Information Technology Teacher

Boys SwimmingThis term, students in Year 1-5 participated in the boysswimming program. The program aimed to help promoteswimming as a life-long activity for health and safety byproviding instruction in a professional, efficient and friendlyenvironment. Students were put through challenging skilldevelopment and worked on different stroke technique suchas backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle and survival backstroke.Students were taught different water safety techniques such ashow to enter the pool safely, how we act around water andhad to demonstrate how to save a person if they are drowning.All students who attended swimming did a fantastic job andshould be proud of themselves. Overall, I am very happy tosee how students showed great respect to their swimmingteachers. All students behaved and enjoyed learning new skills.

Ms May – Physical Education Teacher

Clean Up Australia DayWhen the rubbish is gone, nature can carry on

Clean Up Australia Day inspires students to learn about theirenvironment and contribute to their local community.

AIAEnviro Team

On the 28th of February AIAEnviro Team from Years 6 and7 and staff participated in Clean Up Australia Day. They wentaround the school and walked along the lake close to CarolineSprings Boulevard picking up litter. The purpose of this activitywas to raise awareness for the environment.

Grades Prep through to 5 were also very interested incontributing to a healthier environment and participated on theday. They did a great job around school grounds leaving theschool spotless.

Thank you to all teachers and students involved in this event.A special thank you to Mr. Michael, Ms Rania, Ms Fatima, MsNelly and Mr. Ahmed.

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AFL Umpiring AcademyAustralian International Academy CSC had the opportunity tohave a guest speaker come to the school to speak to studentsabout an exciting new extra-curricular activity that studentscan partake in. Rowan Sawers is a former Australian Rulesfootball umpire who has umpired 410 VFL/AFL games and is acurrent AFL umpires’ coach. He spoke to the students aboutan exciting new academy for umpiring that is starting in theCaroline Springs district. Students were given some informationabout the program and details about what is required fromthem. The program seeks to develop field, boundary and goalumpiring skills with the aim of creating future AFL umpires instudents.

For further information, please see attached documents orcontact Ms May or Mr Michael.

Ms May – Physical Education Teacher

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