Calendar - Williamstown High School€¦ · 12 March Unit 3 OED Camp & Yr9 Advance Camp 1 April...

ISSUE 1 - 2019

Calendar 1 March Clean up Australia Day 22 March National Ride 2 School Day

5 March Whole School Athletics Carnival 22 March Interim Reports Available Online

12 March Unit 3 OED Camp & Yr9 Advance Camp 1 April Principal’s Writing Competition Opens

15 March National Day of Action Against Bullying 3 April Yr7 - Yr9 Parent Teacher Interviews

18 March Yr8 Outdoor Adventure Camp Begins 4 April Yr10 - Yr12 Parent Teacher Interviews

College Principal: Gino Catalano Bayview Campus Principal: Tamy Stubley Pasco Campus Principal: Ross Adamson

Bayview Assistant Principal: Sue Prosenica Pasco Assistant Principal: Adam Potter Bayview Street, Williamstown, 3016 Pasco Street, Williamstown, 3016

T: (03) 9399 9228 F: (03) 93999217 T: (03) 9397 1899 F: (03) 9397 6899

School Captains: Abby Zappa and Julian Smith-Gard Vice Captains: Ella Watt and Calum Gray

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Williamstown High School W-Files - Issue 1 2019

Table of Contents Calendar 1

Principal Report 3 Appendix A: School Council Elections 7 Bayview Campus Principal Report 10 Pasco Campus Principal Report 11

Student Engagement and Wellbeing 12 Bayview Campus 12 Pasco Campus 13

Student Leadership Report 15 Bayview Campus 15 Pasco Campus 17

Curriculum Report 18 Bayview Campus 18 Pasco Campus 18

Immersion Report 19

Literacy Report 20

Maths Report 20 Bayview Campus 20 Pasco Campus 21

Music Report 21

Art Report 22

Technology Report 23

Sport Report 24

School Production 25 The Last Pint 26

Girls’ Program Report 27

VCAL Report 28

Parents and Friends Association 29

Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund 30 CSEF Application Form 31

Williamstown North Primary School Fete 33

Foster Carers Needed 34

Volunteering 34

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Principal Report Welcome to the 2019 school year. In particular I would like to express a very warm welcome to our Year 7 students and all new students and families from across Years 8 to 12 who have joined our school community this year. It has been a smooth start to the year with students at both campuses settling in well. It was pleasing to hear from a number of Year 7 parents at the family BBQ last week about the smooth and positive transition for their children. In fact, it was reassuring to hear of happy, excited and connected young people who look forward to coming to school each day. I addressed all students on day one of our new school year. This took place at the campus assemblies and I welcomed the opportunity not only to celebrate the successes and achievements of 2018 but also to encourage all students to make the most of the opportunities presented to them this year. There were a number of developments and upgrades to both facilities over the summer, some of which included: new tables and chairs, painting and carpet replacement in a number of classrooms and updating technologies and airconditioners across both campuses. Below is a comment by a student to their parent after their first day of the new school year: “There’s been so much work done over the holidays! New desks - all the too low ones are gone - new aircon, and

the canteen had a chalkboard sign saying let’s make 2019 a great year!” Perhaps the highlight of my year to date occurred last week during our recent swimming sports carnival. As I walked around, I stopped near a group of young Bayview students who had ventured to the edge of the pool to cheer on one of their classmates, offering words of support for their friend. In the pool was a swimmer who was clearly not going to win the race, rather he was working hard to complete the event. I found myself pleased at both his perseverance and the words of encouragement and support from his peers. The young person not only completed the race but he also received a large round of genuine applause from the crowd cheering on. I certainly left with a great sense of pride. Last week I hosted a lunch for our Bayview and Pasco school captains and relished the opportunity to share in their personal journeys, discuss their leadership project ambitions for this year and take on board some of their requests for project funding, uniform and our homegroup curriculum.

2018 VCE and VCAL Results Our 2018 results were very pleasing with 24 students achieving ATARs over 90 and 98 forty plus study scores. We also had students who achieved a perfect study score of 50 in the subjects of Media and Mathematical Methods. In fact, 37% of our 2018 Year 12 cohort achieved an ATAR over 80 and over 99% of the cohort successfully obtained their senior certificate. Our Dux, Richard Ho, achieved an ATAR of 99.35. Our Year 12 cohort also achieved the greatest median study score of 32, placing us amongst the elite of government schools in terms of VCE outcomes. Our Year 12 VCAL students were also very successful, with the senior certificate achieved. Such certificates allow our VCAL students to pursue immediate employment opportunities as well as further study options such as advanced VET certificates. We are pleased to hear our Year 12 students talking so fondly about their time at Williamstown High School and to see the success that has come their way. We wish the Class of 2018 the best of luck with their future endeavours and we look forward to hearing of their achievements in years to come.

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Congratulations Isabella Murphy (12E) has been selected to play for Australia in the U19 Lacrosse team at the World Championships in Canada in July / August 2019. Tiara Minns (12B) has been selected to play for Melbourne Rebels Rugby Union team with their first game against the Queensland Reds on the 23 February. Tiara also plays netball for the City West Falcons in the VNL and is currently trialling for the Victorian Netball Team. Aretha Stewart Brown has been invited to present her work at the Year 12 Top Arts (see https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/top-arts-2019/) and Julian Smith-Gard has been invited to perform at the Top Music (Composition). This is a fabulous outcome for two very talented students and well-deserved recognition for the support they received. 2019 Staff Professional Learning and Curriculum Days’ Focus Now launching into the second year of our four-year strategic plan, our 2019 Annual Implementation Plan, which is available on the school website, has a major focus on staff professional learning to continue to build authentic student agency inside the classroom. Supporting this work will be the development and implementation of Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) which will formalise collaboration and bring about improved learning experiences for our young people. High impact evidence based teaching strategies and tools, such as self-reported grades and developmental rubrics, will feature heavily in our professional learning, with peer observations providing unique and shared learning growth for staff and students. School Council Elections Please find in this edition information about the upcoming school council elections. Our School Council is very active and plays a key role in policy development and setting the direction of the school and I would encourage any interested parents or guardians to consider nominating for our school council. Please note, all school councillors are required to have current Working with Children Check or acquire one once elected (this is free for volunteer categories). Please feel free to contact me regarding any questions you may have in relation to the election process. Leadership positions for 2019

Name Leadership Role Campus P=Pasco BV=Bayview

Gavin Clifford Curriculum Middle Years BV

Stephanie Villemin Curriculum Later Years P

Liam Keating Student Engagement & Wellbeing BV

Sarina Meusburger Student Engagement & Wellbeing P

Susan Walker Teaching & Learning BV

Daniel Pearce Teaching & Learning P

Simon Thorley Strategic Learning Leader P/BV

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https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/top-arts-2019/



Anna Bovdis Pathways & Transitions P/BV

Dat Che Mathematics P/BV

Emma Cornell Literacy P/BV

Learning Specialist positions for 2019

Name Learning Specialist Focus Campus P=Pasco BV=Bayview

Paulo Da Silva Student Agency/Teaching & Learning BV

Cassandra Comyns Student Agency/Teaching & Learning BV

Brianna Murray Student Agency/Teaching & Learning P

Nathan Nichols Student Agency/Teaching & Learning P

2019 Student Management Leaders

Name Year Level Campus

Warren Patterson 7 BV

Steffi Grenda 7 BV

Matthew Grose 8 BV

Karen Mahoney 8 BV

Tyson Hartwig 9 BV

Michael Mann 9 BV

Grace Robertson, 10 P

Mathew Hrasko 10 P

Freya Alexander 11 P

Ian Hume 11 P

David Urwin 12 P

Melissa English 12 P

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2018 Student Wellbeing Coordinators

Name Campus

Ann Hyland BV

Ann Goller P

New Staff I am looking forward to working with the following new and returning staff as they join our team in 2019.

Name Campus Area/Subjects

Annaliese Attenborough BV English

David Child P Maths/Physics

Cassandra Comyns BV Maths/Science

Paulo Da Silva BV Science/ICT

Sarina Meusburger P Science/Biology/ Psychology

David Urwin P English

Lee Van Gils BV Product Design-Wood / PE

Martyn van Reyk P Maths/Physics

Jonathon Watson P Legal Studies

Matilde Wiese BV French/English

Zoe Mitchell BV/P Instrumental Music

Muktha Venkataraman BV Integration

Matt Grossman BV Humanities/HAPE

Di Donoghue BV Human Resources

Eleanna Elliot P Art

Corrine Hall BV Maths/Science

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Appendix A: School Council Elections

Information for Parents - School Council Elections 2019

What is a school council and what does it do? All government schools in Victoria have a school council. They are legally formed bodies that are given powers to set the key directions of a school within centrally provided guidelines. In doing this, a school council is able to directly influence the quality of education that the school provides for its students.

Who is on the school council? For most schools there are three possible categories of membership:

❖ A mandated elected Parent category. More than one third of the total members must be from thiscategory. Department of Education and Training (DET) employees can be Parent members at their child’sschool as long as they are not employed at the school.

❖ A mandated elected DET employee category. Members of this category may make up no more than one third of the total membership of school council. The principal of the school is automatically one of these members.

❖ A mandated elected Student category. This was introduced in May 2018 for all secondary schools.❖ An optional Community member category. These members are appointed by a decision of the council

because of their special skills, interests or experiences. DET employees are not eligible to be Community members.

Generally, the term of office for all members is two years. Half the members must retire each year, creating vacancies for the annual school council elections.

Why is Parent membership so important? Parents on school councils provide important viewpoints and have valuable skills that can help shape the direction of the school. Those parents who become active on a school council find their involvement satisfying in itself and may also find that their children feel a greater sense of belonging.

Why is student membership so important? Students have a unique perspective on learning, teaching and schooling and having student members on school council allows students to have a say in the future direction of their school and ensures student input into decision making. Mandating student representation on secondary school councils will assist in the development of students’ skills, including leadership skills and communication skills.

How can you become involved? The most obvious way is to vote in the elections, which are held in Term 1 each year. However, ballots are only held if more people nominate as candidates than there are positions vacant. In view of this, you might seriously consider:

· standing for election as a member of the school council· encouraging another person to stand for election.

Do I need special experience to be on school council? No, what you do need is an interest in your child’s school and the desire to work in partnership with others to help shape the school’s future.

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What do you need to do to stand for election? The principal will issue a notice and call for nominations following the commencement of Term 1 each year. All school council elections must be completed by the end of March. If you decide to stand for election, you can arrange for someone to nominate you as a candidate or you can nominate yourself in the Parent category. DET employees whose child is enrolled in a school in which they are not employed are eligible to nominate as parents for the school council where their child is enrolled.

Once the nomination form is completed, return it to the principal within the time stated on the notice of election. You will receive a Nomination Form Receipt in the mail following the submission of your completed nomination. Generally, if there are more nominations received than there are vacancies on council, a ballot will be conducted during the two weeks after the call for nominations has closed.

Remember · Ask at the school for help if you would like to stand for election and are not sure what to do.· Consider standing for election to council this year.· Be sure to vote in the elections.· Contact the principal for further information.

Williamstown High School Council Election Process and Timetable 2019.

The election process has to be completed before Saturday, 31 March, 2019.

a. Notice of Election and call for nominations: Thursday, 21 February, 2019b. Closing date for nominations: Thursday, 28 February, 2019c. The date by which the list of candidates and nominators will be displayed: Friday, 1 March, 2019d. The date by which the ballot papers will be prepared and distributed: On or before Thursday, 7 March, 2019e. Close of ballot: Thursday, 14 March, 2019f. Vote count: Friday, 15 March, 2019g. Declaration of ballot: Tuesday, 19 March, 2019h. First Council meeting to elect office bearers with the principal presiding: Tuesday, 26 March, 2019

The following School Council member’s tenure conclude at this election:

Parent Members: Bonnie Gelman, Rose Whitehurst Student Member: Grace Dinham DET Employees: Daniel Pearce, Michael Mann

NOTICE OF WILLIAMSTOWN HIGH SCHOOL COUNCIL ELECTIONS

An election is to be conducted for members of the School Council of Williamstown High School. Nomination forms may be obtained from the office on either campus and must be lodged by 4.00pm on Thursday, 28 February, 2019 The ballot will close at 4.00pm on Thursday, 14 March, 2019.

Following the closing of nominations a list of the nominations received will be posted on both campuses. The terms of office, membership categories and number of positions in each membership category open for election are as follows:

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Membership Category

Term of Office Number of Positions

Parent Member From the day after the date of the declaration of the poll in 2019 to and inclusive of the date of the declaration of the poll in 2021.

2

Student Member From the day after the date of the declaration of the poll in 2019 to and inclusive of the date of the declaration of the poll in 2021.

1

DET Employee Member

From the day after the date of the declaration of the poll in 2019 to and inclusive of the date of the declaration of the poll in 2021.

2 + 1 (Vacant with a tenure for one year)

If the number of nominations is less than the number of vacancies, a notice to that effect and calling for further nominations will be posted in a prominent position in the school.

Gino Catalano | Principal

Student Accident Insurance Arrangements:

Main Points• The DET does not provide personal accident insurance for students.• Parents and guardians are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students,

including any transport costs.• These costs may be recoverable where an injury is caused by the negligence (carelessness) of the

Department, a school council or their employees or volunteers.• Student accident insurance policies are available from some commercial insurers. These cover a range of

medical expenses not covered by Medicare or private health insurance.

Actions Required• Parents/guardians are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students,

including any transport costs; and • reasonably low cost accident insurance policies are available from commercial insurers.

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Bayview Campus Principal Report

The 2019 school year is well underway with all students back into the swing of school life and looking forward to the year ahead. I am pleased to say that our Year 7 students have settled into secondary school with relative ease thanks to the support of their teachers, student leaders and their families. The past month has been extremely busy for students, staff and families alike. Our Year 8 and 9 parent Information evenings were deliberately scheduled as one of our first events on the calendar because we know the critical importance in establishing foundations for successful home school partnerships.

We had a fabulous number of our Year 7 families who attended our Year 7 Welcome BBQ on Thursday 14 February. It was lovely to have so many of our families come along, spend time at the campus in a relaxed atmosphere, catching up with our teachers, touching base with other families and students. I would like to thank and acknowledge the wonderful transition team and our student leaders for making this night such a successful occasion. Our Year 7 students are currently in the middle of their Year 7 camp at Kangaroobie down on the Great Ocean Road. During this camp our students will focus on building positive relationship with their peers and teachers, trust and effective communication, teamwork and collaboration, challenge and growth mind set, building confidence and self-esteem and of course have lots of FUN! For many students, camp is always the highlight of their first year at high school.

It was arguably perfect timing for our swimming carnival on Friday 15 February at Oak Park. The sun was shining and whether students were exerting their energy in the races held in the 50-metre pool or having fun with their friends on the waterslide and in the novelty events, the atmosphere and energy our students generated was nothing short of sensational. In addition to the outstanding attitude and swimming ability shown, our students' genuine willingness to support one another to reach their goals was pleasing and developed such a sense of pride around the facility.

Staff and students at the campus are excited by the opportunities to continue building upon the adventures of the year to date. Waves of Willi radio station training is underway, many of the lunchtime clubs have been launched and our student leaders are planning many more events just like the Valentine’s Day surprises we just experienced. There is really something for everyone, so we encourage all students to get involved and build connections and relationships at Willihigh.

Thank you for your support so far and we look forward to continuing the journey throughout 2019.

Tamy Stubley | Campus Principal Bayview Campus

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Pasco Campus Principal Report Our Year 12 students have started the year with a firm commitment to their studies, our Year 11 students are quickly adjusting to the increased demands of the VCE, and our Year 10 students have settled-in very well to their new environment and their new teachers. With 750 students on the campus, there is a real of sense of purpose and a focus on learning in, and out, of classrooms. Our new staff have commented on how friendly and positive the culture is on the campus.

In week 2, we had the Year 12 Study Camp for three days at the Lady Northcote Recreation site in Glenmore. The students worked with their teachers to fine-tune their study skills, think about why they want to complete the VCE, understand how the ATAR is calculated, and have some fun together. The major benefit of this camp is to develop a bond and common sense of purpose amongst all the students, and for everyone to realise that students and teachers are working together to get everyone through the VCE successfully. And, it works. The Student Management Leaders for Year 12, Ms Melissa English and Mr David Urwin, were pleased by the overwhelmingly enthusiastic and positive response from their students.

In the last few of weeks we have had a number of Year 12 students from 2018 drop-in and share their delight at commencing university in 2019. It is always pleasing to hear that our students do get into the courses they want and have lots of choices for their careers and future pathways.

The Year 12 results for 2018 were very good, and we are all very proud and happy to share their delight. In summary, based on their First Round offers through VTAC, in 2019 we have students enrolled in RMIT (48), Victoria University (23), Monash University (13), the University of Melbourne (24), Latrobe University (16), Swinburne (17), Deakin University (10), and the Australian Catholic University (11). They are doing a range of degrees, with health/nursing being the most popular type of course, followed by business, and then health/nursing courses.

Hold Fast Ross Adamson | Pasco Campus Principal

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Student Engagement and Wellbeing

Bayview Campus Welcome back to Bayview Street for the 2019 school year. It has been a busy start to the year with plenty happening at the campus.

I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce the 2019 Student Engagement and Wellbeing Team. Each of the team members brings a wealth of ideas and experiences that can be and will be used to enhance the already positive culture of our school. The team consists of Mr Patterson and Ms Grenda (Year 7 SMLs), Mr Mann and Ms Mahoney (Year 8 SMLs), and Mr Hartwig and Mr Mann (Year 9 SMLs), Ms Leggett (Student Leadership), Ms Hyland (Wellbeing), Ms Prosenica (Assistant Principal) and Liam Keating (Student Engagement and Wellbeing Leader). Whilst our Homegroup teachers will remain as your first port of call when you have concerns (or positive feedback!), your SEW team is also readily available to assist the needs of our students and families.

Firstly, we would like to welcome our Year 7 students to the beginning of their secondary school journey. The staff, and the SEW team, are looking forward to the academic and personal growth that will see our ‘kids’ grow into mature, respected and successful citizens of the broader community.

The Year 7 students have started the year by hitting the ground running. The students have had to learn how to read a timetable, find classrooms, learn staff and peer names, work out how to use a locker and have participated in their first swimming carnival. We now move on to what is the undoubted highlight of Term 1 whereby the students will continue a long and proud tradition of camping at the famed Kangaroobie farm.

The SEW team would like to extend a huge thanks to all of the parents and guardians who have been able to attend our parent information nights (with the Year 9s on an exceptionally loud and rainy night) as well as the Year 7 BBQ. It was great to see so many people engaged with what we are aiming to do for our students and families at WHS.

Overall, a brilliant and positive start to what is shaping up as being a great year! We wish all of our staff, students and families the very best for the 2019 school year.

Liam Keating| Student Engagement and Wellbeing Leader Bayview

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Pasco Campus

The Pasco campus has been a hive of activity, with students signing up to lunch time clubs and activities, as well as settling into their subjects and studies.

The year has begun well for the Year 10 students who have been finding their way around the Pasco campus, meeting their teachers and getting to know key staff and student leaders. Planning has begun for the Year 10 Gold Coast camp in August, with many students expressing interest in attending. It is also pleasing to see a variety of Year 10 students showing interest in participating in a diverse range of leadership roles amongst our school community, including in assisting with the weekly Breakfast Club and becoming Homegroup Representatives. This Wednesday evening, with our Year 10 BBQ and information evening, we look forward to meeting our Year 10 families and further strengthen our partnerships together.

Year 11 students will have the opportunity to learn effective study habits and techniques this Thursday with a visit from Elevate Educate. Developing good habits early on allows for more effective management of workload, and reduction of stress. It was great to see so many parents and guardians attend our recent Year 11 Parent information evening where they had the opportunity to learn more about VCE and VCAL as well as Career and Wellbeing support.

The Year 12 students had an action packed start to the year with a session from motivational speaker, Eric Bailey, to place students in a positive growth mindset for the year, allowing them to realise they can achieve anything they put their mind to with hard work and persistence. The students also enjoyed the Year 12 camp.

“On the 6th of February, the Year 12’s set off to Lady Northcote YMCA in Glenmore to have their final camp. They spent the three days attending seminars to get educated about the big upcoming year and participating in interesting outdoor activities; such as the giant swing, raft building, and a high ropes course. The first night was spent by homegroups taking part in a competition to come up with the best chant they possibly could, the results of which were met with overwhelmingly harsh criticism from the four teacher-judges, especially from Mr. Fear. This was followed by a memorable pyjama disco. The highlight of the camp had to be the talent show on the second night. It was comprised of singing, colour guarding, the hokey pokey, Mr. Wraight singing and the night slowly turning into a karaoke. This camp gave us all a great opportunity to bond before Year 12, and we’d like to thank all the teachers that made such a fantastic camp possible.” Stephanie Smith-Gard and Nicholas Franklin

Overall it has been a fantastic start to the year and we look forward to a positive journey together in 2019.

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Year 12 Camp Pictures

Sarina Meusburger| Student Engagement and Wellbeing Leader Pasco

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Student Leadership Report

Bayview Campus Term one has seen the year start with a bang for the student leaders at Bayview! Week three saw us have three big events in two days, and I could not be more proud of the way this group of students have stepped up and lead by example when it was needed most. On Thursday, 14 February we launched our activities for the year with Valentine’s Day events at morning tea and lunch. We started the day with a perfectly curated (by the student leaders) playlist of love-themed bell music with such hits as Whitney’s ‘My heart will go on,” and “Somebody to love,” by Queen. Students were also allowed to wear pink and red funky socks to celebrate the day as well! Morning tea saw love hearts being painted on the hands of students, in the atrium, to promote self love, pride in yourself and to remind everyone to embrace the awesome person they already are! Lunch time was busy yet again for our leaders with a “Selfie Booth,” in the drama rooms. There were three stations, where groups of students (and even some teachers!) came in and handed their phone over to one of the student leaders who then took the photo of the group of friends. We also had props and some giant love hearts to really take the selfies to the next level. While it was mainly the female student leaders inside the drama room, the boys were busy outside on crowd control and promotion amongst the playground to ensure we had groups coming through for the entire lunch break. What an awesome day! Thursday evening saw 11 of the Year 9 leaders stay behind after school to help prepare for the Year 7 BBQ. They were all naturals at cooking sausages and onions, cutting rolls, and helping to prepare the salads for the 600 or so people who attended (No excuses at home anymore!). Nothing was too much to ask and they all got in and got the job done, and were a great face for the school that evening. Friday was another jam-packed day with swimming sports. On Wednesday, the House Captains led their first ever House meetings speaking to a crowd of roughly 150 students each, relaying important information about the upcoming carnival and even practising their mexican wave skills at one House meeting! Friday saw lots of students proudly wear their colours and getting involved in events and in particular the novelty events. This year, a volleyball net was set up in the paddling pool at Oak Park Swimming Complex and a House vs. House water volleyball competition was had. Our House leaders worked with some leaders from Pasco to run the event which had great participation from every year level. A particular shout out to all the Year 7s who were so keen to play, the House competition was scrapped and an all-in social match was played instead. We have a busy year ahead of us, but if week three is anything to go by it’s going to be amazing!

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Ann-Louise Leggett |Student Leadership Coordinator Bayview

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Pasco Campus In week two, the leadership team spent the night at Anglesea Lifesaving Club for leadership camp. We had team bonding sessions run between meetings, such as yoga sessions and challenges at the beach. Everyone had a fun time and we’re looking forward to the year ahead! The camp consisted of planning for the year ahead and finalising events coming up soon such as The World’s Greatest Shave, Athletics day and Women’s Week. From a day to a week! This year Williamstown High School is taking a week, from the 3rd-8th of March, to celebrate women who have fought for social, political, and cultural justice. During the week, there will be numerous events hosted to create school-wide awareness on current issues involving inequalities between men, women and others. All you need to bring is an open mind! During this week, on the 5th of March, Athletics day will be taking place. Head down to the Newport Athletics track to participate in whole school athletics activities! Even if you're not a sporty person, there are still novelty events you can participate in. All events earn house points. Even just for participation. Make sure you dress up in your house colours and enjoy one of the largest events of the year! Williamstown High School is also taking part in the World's Greatest Shave for the Leukaemia Foundation. If you’re looking to get a snazzy haircut while supporting such an amazing cause, get involved! Or please, consider sponsoring our students to give families facing blood cancer the emotional and practical support they need. Sign up sheets will be provided shortly. To register or to sponsor please visit the link below. http://my.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/williamstownhighschool

Cindy Zhou |Student Leadership Coordinator Pasco

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http://my.leukaemiafoundation.org.au/williamstownhighschool


Curriculum Report

Bayview Campus The 2019 Bayview Campus Curriculum program has now begun in earnest, and this also gives us the chance to confirm our curriculum and course content for the year. The Williamstown High School 2019 “Overview of Student Learning 7-9” is a document that captures the entire Bayview Campus learning program, detailing every unit taught in every subject from Years 7-9. Refinement of this document is currently taking place and will be available from the school website soon. The Bayview Campus Curriculum team has been discussing some important issues of late, including how we can provide more elective choices to students across the campus in a given semester. We also continue to reflect on how we can effectively satisfy the needs of our community with our newly implemented Reporting system. We now have feedback from parents/guardians, students and staff, and this will aid us greatly in making further refinements. The Bayview Curriculum team is looking forward to the opportunities that lie ahead this year, so that we can continue to enhance our learning and teaching program. Gavin Clifford | Curriculum Leader Bayview

Pasco Campus It has been a flying start to events at the Pasco Campus in 2019! Year Level Information Evenings brought parents and students into the school for a meet and greet with key personnel, as well as provided an opportunity to find out specific information relating to their year level as well as ask questions. In week 2, we had a Year 12 camp where I had the unenviable job of taking students away from their adventure activities in order to deliver some important study skills information, such as goal-setting, planning and preparedness tips. Year 12 students were responsive and participative during the session, demonstrating that they were keen to start the year off on the right foot. At the end of the session, students were also provided with an opportunity to write their ‘end-of-year selves’ a letter, outlining what they hoped to achieve over the year, their concerns for the year, as well as how they were planning on overcoming such concerns. I’m sure it will be an interesting and poignant read at the end of the year! In semester 2 of 2018, a system of continuous reporting commenced at WHS. This new system allowed parents to receive timely results and feedback on students’ major assessment tasks, providing an earlier opportunity to

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make improvements. Over the break we sought parent feedback on the new reporting model, and we are currently collecting student feedback. All feedback will be collated and analysed to determine any common issues shared by families, for the purpose of improving the reporting system moving forward. Further communication

outlining any refinements to the continuous reporting model will be communicated to families later this term.

Stephanie Villemin | Curriculum Leader Pasco

Immersion Report The first term of the Year 9 Immersion Program for 2019 has begun with a positive start. On our City Excursion Students experienced an enlightening session at The Big Issue Classroom and also battled it out, group against group, in the notoriously challenging Amazing Race in the Melbourne CBD. Students also built their confidence in surveying members of the public to learn their views on important issues. This term students are researching issues that include Homelessness, Animal Welfare, Factory Farming, Pollution, Asylum Seekers and more. The “Make A Difference” projects that students are designing in their groups are original and innovative, and should produce some interesting results.. The Immersion Community Service program has also begun, and students are taking themselves off to interesting placements at primary schools, hospitals, nursing homes, op shops and more. We are very much looking forward to the students achieving success in their projects this term. Gavin Clifford & Steffi Grenda | Year 9 Immersion Program Leaders

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Literacy Report This year I am thrilled to be working in my new role as the whole school Literacy Leader at WHS. I will be working to maximise student outcomes through literacy improvement, as well as promote all things literacy within our school. I am currently working with the English team at the Bayview campus, where we are extending students’ reading skills through reading workshops, vocabulary teaching and the implementation of the Reader’s Notebook. In my first contribution to the W-Files, I’d like to share some exciting opportunities that are currently available to students. There are two amazing writing competitions in the Hobsons Bay area at the moment which students are invited to enter. The Williamstown Literary Festival has opened the ‘Young Adas Short Story Prize’, available to students aged 14-18. The competition closes on the 25 March, and students can win $250! Hobsons Bay Libraries is also running the ‘Write by the Bay’ competition, which is open to all school students and closes on the 28 April. This competition allows students to write a short story, poem or song lyrics, with the winning prize being $100. All details on how to enter can be found through either the Williamstown Literary Festival website, or the Hobsons Bay Libraries website. The annual WHS Principal’s Writing Competition will also be launching this term, which was a raging success in 2018. This year students will be offered new categories to enter, with many prizes to be won. Stay tuned for more details! Finally, in light of the upcoming International Women’s Day on Friday, 8 March, I’d like to quote Australian author Maxine Beneba Clarke who speaks so articulately about the importance of every individual feeling as though they have a voice, and have an important story to be told: “Diverse voices matter in Australia- now, more than ever. Story is how we mark-make, how we history-stake: how we say this is how it happened, this is what we saw, this is who we were .” Emma Cornell | Literacy Leading Teacher

Maths Report

Bayview Campus Bayview students have been off to a flying start in Maths so far in 2019! Our Year 7 students are currently investigating an outrageous claim that, “On average, people give Hot-Wings chips a rating of 2 out of 5 stars!” These students are on a mission to prove or disprove this statement by surveying people in the community about their opinions on Hot-Wings as part of their statistics unit. Parents of Year 7 students, be sure to contribute to your child’s data collection or buy some Hot-Wings chips tonight to develop your own opinions. Year 8 and 9 students have been busy working on directed numbers and algebra, but their own investigations will be coming soon! Bonnie Wong | Maths Leader Bayview

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Pasco Campus Pasco Street Campus has welcomed a new crop of Year 10 students who appear eager for challenge. Maths A students have been working on linear algebra, a topic covered in Math S later in the course. This year we have introduced a new problem solving task on linear modelling, Barbie Bungie, which imbues the majesty of Hookes Law, with the fun of playing with Barbie dolls. If you have not spoken with your son or daughter about Barbie Bungie, it is time to ask them about this one. Many a student reported it to be their favourite maths lesson of all time! A year of rigorous problem solving awaits.

Brett Russell | Maths Leader Pasco

Music Report I often hear parents asking, "What career path can my child take if they study VCE Music? Is it going to make them any money?!" In my experience, students are more likely to succeed and remain engaged with whatever they choose if they have a keen interest in it. Indeed, there are many careers and pathways that students who go on to pursue further study in the field of music can take. 2018's cohort of WHS music students studied Music Performance (group and solo) and Music Styles and Composition. Our Year 12s have been offered places in Music Performance at the Victorian College of the Arts, Music Industry at RMIT, Sound Production at Victoria University, Music Composition at Box Hill Institute, and Arts at the The University of Melbourne. Last year we had a number of students who were passionate and driven to undertake Music Styles and Composition via distance education. Congratulations to all those students, and to Julian Smith-Gard, who undertook Units 3 and 4 whilst in year 11. Julian has been selected from students across Victoria to perform at Top Class Sound as part of the VCE Season of Excellence. This is the second year in a row that WHS music students have been selected to perform at Top Class. The concert will feature students who received a high A+ result for exceptional work. Jamila Brogan | Director of Music Pasco

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Art Report Both our visual arts and performing arts subjects have started 2019 in full gear. Grease rehearsals commenced on Tuesday 5 February. Over 90 cast and crew are excited to be involved in this year's school production. Rehearsals are a big commitment running over both Terms 1 and 2. Each week the entire cast will participate in a 3 hour vocal and dance rehearsal every Tuesday with vocal coach, Kathy Hinch, and choreographer, Zoe Mitchel. The lead actors will rehearse for 2 hours every Thursday. In addition all cast will be rehearsing during weekends and school holidays in Term 2. We are looking forward to showcasing student talent in July. We hope you support the musical. In other great news, Aretha Brown, a WHS graduate from 2018, has been accepted into the Top Arts exhibition, showing at the National Gallery of Victoria, Federation Square from 22 March – 14 July 2019. To see her work, and for more information about the exhibition, see the Top Arts 2019 website: https://www.ngv.vic.gov.au/exhibition/top-arts-2019/.’

‘Aretha Brown, Time is on our side, you Mob ’

Grease Rehearsals

Liza Bermingham | Arts Leader Pasco

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Technology Report STEAM creative problem solving and project based learning is essential in education. It stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics all of which are interlinked in the area of design and innovation. Technology subjects at Williamstown High School allow design thinking in a range of specialist areas. We devise our curriculum to allow our students to be creative problem

solvers and innovators in a range of areas they enjoy whether it is Food, Textiles, Horticulture, Digital, Wood or Systems. We welcome two new teachers to our team: Mr Paulo Da Silva (Learning specialist in STEM with a key focus on Science, Robotics and Digital Technologies) and Mr Lee Van Giles (Design Technology Wood, PE and in his spare time, an inventor). We also welcome our new Year 7s that have already demonstrated great peer learning when developing their ideas. With the support of the Learning Specialists like Paulo, teachers will continue to use High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS) within the classrooms. One

focus of this within Technology is multiple exposures. Teachers provide students with multiple opportunities to encounter, engage with the overall Design Process while elaborating on new knowledge and skills within the very different specialist areas. Research demonstrates that deep learning develops over time via multiple, spaced interactions with new knowledge and concepts. For example, our Year 9s this term have been learning how to describe an idea for manufacture using drawings by hand as well as using Computer Aided Design and Computer Aided Manufacture. At Bayview our school management have invested in upgrades to our ICT facilities and Computer Aided Manufacture through a Laser Cutter/Engraver this year. This week Dr Tim Kitchen from Adobe was welcomed to the school by Ms Freya Alexander to work with our senior students. Professional development was made available to all teachers on injecting creativity into the classroom at all year levels. In government schools, students have access to a large range of programs that they can access for free while they are students. https://www.edustar.vic.edu.au/

Download the software here.

https://helpxadobe.com The adobe support site for students using their programs.

https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au Tutorials, courses and general tips.

This year we are working with the Creative Technologies Hub being developed in Seawork’s in Williamstown. The facility itself will be open to the public of Hobsons Bay in August; however, our creative woodcraft students in Term 2 will have an opportunity to engage with engineering students from Swinburne University in a pilot project. https://libraries.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/visit-us/creative-technologies-hub Isabella O’Malley | Technology Leader Bayview

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https://www.edustar.vic.edu.au/

https://helpxadobe.com/

https://fuse.education.vic.gov.au/

https://libraries.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/visit-us/creative-technologies-hub


Sport Report AND IT’S A TIE...ANOTHER RIPPING DAY AT SCHOOL SWIMMING The annual WHS school swimming carnival was held Friday 15 February, with students and staff alike enjoying the newly updated facilities at Oak Park Aquatics Centre. Participation was high with perfect conditions luring many students to get involved. This year we had a tie between Gellibrand (Blue) and Greenwich (Green) on 442 points, with Hobsons (Red) coming in 3rd and Phillip (Gold) coming 4th. We had some stand out performances in the pool by Heath Corry (Year 7, 50m Backstroke) and Sebastian Acaster (Year 10, 50m Freestyle & 50m Butterfly) breaking long standing school records. Congratulations boys, and thank you to all staff for their support in making the day such a success.

Nick Axaris & Lauren Gaylard | Sport Leaders

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School Production

Williamstown High School brings to the Centenary Theatre's stage Rydell High’s senior class of 1959: duck-tailed, hot-rodding “Burger Palace Boys” and their gum-snapping, hip-shaking “Pink Ladies” in bobby sox and pedal pushers, evoking the look and sound of the 1950’s in this rollicking musical. Head “greaser” Danny Zuko and new girl Sandy Dumbrowski try to relive the high romance of their “Summer Nights” as the rest of the gang sings and dances its way through such songs as “Greased Lightnin’”, “You’re The One That I Want”, ‘We Go Together” and “Hopelessly Devoted to You” recalling the music that became the soundtrack of a generation. Book, Music and Lyrics By JIM JACOBS and WARREN CASEY. BY ARRANGEMENT WITH ORiGiN™ THEATRICAL.

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The Last Pint Welcome to an evening of song and drama. Our story of fact and fiction explores the epic history of our beloved Williams Town. Set in 1899 at the Stag’s Head Hotel, come and witness the tales that laid the foundations to our present. The audience will soon come to appreciate that over 100 days at sea anything could happen. Dean Commons & Lachlan Wyatt | Directors of School Production

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Girls’ Program Report It is very exciting to announce that Erin Lucas and Grace Skeggs are the Girls’ Program captains for 2019. The girls are looking forward to the year ahead and are already planning exciting activities and opportunities to fundraise. Our first Young Women of Willi meeting was attended by over 30 students who enjoyed sharing food, friendship and ideas and contributing to the planning of our week-long celebrations for International Women’s Day in March. We are working closely with the Student leadership team and so far, have already been part of the Valentine’s Day fun with the photo booth. On Friday 22 February, 10 students and Ms. Gaylor, will attend the ‘Your Voice’ conference run by the Fitzroy High School Feminist Collective. We are off to an exciting start and looking forward to a great year ahead.

Anne Gaylor | Girls’ Program Coordinator

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VCAL Report A GREAT START FOR VCAL STUDENTS Willi High students and teachers are in the first weeks of the VCAL program. The students and teachers are already looking for new ways to improve the reputation and effectiveness of the program - starting off with a classroom redesign. The Intermediate (Year 11) VCAL students have been allocated their own classroom (Q1) where all VCAL classes will take place. Since they will be in the same classroom all year, the school will be funding this new look for Q1. The redesign will be personalised, specifically to fit the learning style and the needs of the VCAL class. Ideas have already been brainstormed. Some of the most popular ideas include newer, more comfortable, and more flexible furniture, new artwork and graphics for the walls so that the room can have more personality, better technology, and kitchen appliances. To help the VCAL students get an idea of what makes a classroom effective, the students went on an excursion to Studio Five at Melbourne University so they could meet with Professor Wesley Imms. Professor Imms is an expert in classroom design. After the students toured the classrooms for inspiration, he gave the students advice on how they could improve Q1. The school has not yet settled on the budget for this project but the classroom will definitely start changing for the better over the next few months. As a part of the VCAL program, students pick up a VET subject. Some of the subjects that students have chosen include construction, plumbing, beauty, animal studies, sound production, and electrical studies. As a part of their VET studies, they get hands on learning experience in the workplace every single week with something called a ‘work placement’. VCAL students are starting their work placements this Wednesday and will be attending them weekly until they graduate in 2020. The aim of the placement is to give the students real experience and improve their likelihood of getting a job in their desired industry as soon as they graduate. Thanks to their work placements, students will also learn the value of workplace skills such as communication, cold calling/applying for jobs, team work, punctuality, honesty, and problem solving. Annabel Luketic

Photos of students visiting Studio Five at the University of Melbourne. Melissa Bell| VCAL Coordinator

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Parents and Friends Association Next meeting: Tuesday 19 March, in the Year 12 Study Centre at the Pasco Campus at 7.30pm. All welcome. As a parent, it can be difficult to feel engaged with your child’s high school – you are no longer popping into classrooms, or catching up with other parents in the school yard. The PFA meetings at Williamstown High can be a great chance to talk to other parents who have had kids starting high school, and you can get some good advice on any issues that might crop up. We regularly invite guest speakers from within the school community to our meetings, from the College and Bayview Campus Principals, to teachers from the music department, the accelerated sports program and the wellbeing team – to name a few. It is a great opportunity to learn more about different aspects of Willi High, to meet these leaders and teachers, and to ask about things that are of concern to you as parents or confusing to your children. Joining the PFA also offers the opportunity to be part of a group of parents who want to offer something back to the school. We meet a couple of times a term, however you can ‘dip in and out’ according to your other commitments and perhaps the relevance to you and your child of the guest speakers. One of our members regularly reports back on issues that have been raised at School Council that may be relevant to us as parents. The PFA is not primarily a fundraising group, although we do run a raffle, and some other activities to try to fund the “extras” that enrich the education of our students. Look out for more details of the programs and extra equipment that the PFA support, in the next issue of the W-files. Cath Palin | Parents and Friends Association

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Camps, Sports & Excursions Fund

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CSEF Application Form This can also be downloaded from our website: http://www.willihigh.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/csefapplicationform-2.pdf

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http://www.willihigh.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/csefapplicationform-2.pdf


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Williamstown North Primary School Fete

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Foster Carers Needed

Can you offer a home for a vulnerable child? Anyone can become a carer. They are couples, singles, from different cultural backgrounds, with or without their own children. They are people who have the desire to give a child a safe and welcoming place to stay. Next information session will be held in Yarraville on Tuesday 16th April at 6:30pm For further information please call Deb Lord-Webster on 9396 7400 or email [email protected] You will make all the difference!!!

Volunteering Are you interested in Volunteering at The Williamstown Hospital Opportunity Shop?

· Have you got a spare 4 hours a week or fortnight to help your local community?

· Are you interested in helping Western Health raise money for Williamstown Hospital in our retail store on Ferguson Street?

· Would you like to be part of a well-recognised, award winning volunteer Western Health program and join the diverse, committed volunteer retail team?

If so, please contact Fiona Halse Coordinator of Volunteers (Williamstown) on 0401 684 977 Please note- we also have storeperson roles.

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Calendar - Williamstown High School€¦ · 12 March Unit 3 OED Camp & Yr9 Advance Camp 1 April...

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