Dear Parents, Guardians, and Students,
I hope you are all well and staying safe during lockdown 6.0. Throughout lockdown, our teaching and wellbeing staff have been proactive by contacting students, providing resources, maintaining class routines, and conducting daily check-ins to ensure emerging needs are met; as well as following up queries and concerns from parents.
This lockdown, I believe, has been our most difficult one to manage as I think it feels as if it is just going to keep going. Students, parents and staff are all feeling a sense of weariness, frustration, and resignation and this is perfectly reasonable.
We acknowledge these feelings, but please keep in mind this will not be forever. Wellbeing is affected by accumulated stress and for some, the lockdowns will feel like another burden to carry. Gratitude, mindfulness, exercise in the fresh air all help our wellbeing, but assistance from professionals is also sometimes necessary.
Please do not hesitate to contact your GP for a Mental Health Plan if you are struggling, or call Lifeline (24/7) 13 11 14, Headspace 1800 650 890 and Kids Helpline (24/7) 1800 551 800.
We, as teachers and support staff, will continue to take into account the effects of COVID19 and the lockdown on our students, staff and families. We will help the students catch up, we will stay connected, we will be here, and things will get better. Predictability and mindfulness in these changeable circumstances can provide us all with a greater sense of support and determination to deal with the challenges we face.
Knowing what is about to happen, following routines and known processes, means we have less to think about and improves stability. It allows us to focus on the positives that are found in each day and to find those things for which we are grateful.
Gratitude and mindfulness both help with our mental health. We are all personally growing through these approaches which helps to build our resilience. Our teachers know their students, know their expectations and dreams and push their student learner to exceed those expectations and grow while being mindful of the stresses they are under.
Course Counselling:
Students, parents and teachers have begun our course counselling processes. While this process was not carried out the way we planned with both parents and students being present at school we have tried to ensure that every student has been counselled into a course that best meets their needs.
The 2022 Curriculum Guides showcase the rich and varied pathways and programs that are on offer at our college. These study programs aim to optimise pathway options, that engage our students, maximise learning outcomes and stimulate learning.
In many cases, the pathways will change over the years, but for now, we want all of our students to have the greatest choices available and ultimately, to be able to make a successful transition into further education, training and employment. We are well positioned to support our students in their educational journey.
Parent Opinion Survey:
The use of opinion data is very important to driving a school to improve. All parents have been sent a survey link via Compass. Please take the time to complete this survey, your voice is valued, the survey is anonymous and as a principal I welcome the opportunity to receive feedback from parents and guardians.
So far only 15% of surveys have been completed, it would be great to receive feedback from more families. The survey takes about 20 minutes to complete. If you need assistance, please contact the school.
Once again, please look after yourself and your families. If you need any assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact a staff member, we are here for you and understand that every family is doing it hard.
Stay Safe
Pat Mulcahy
Social Networking – Keeping Our Children Safe
Social networking is using the internet to connect with other people. These online sites are a big part of young people’s social lives, and many need our awareness, advise and supervision as they learn to navigate and ‘socialise’ through these forums.
What are some ways to assist children and young people in social networking?
Please remember that to assist your child to be safe on social networking sites you can:
· First and foremost, instil in them the values that help them know right from wrong. The behaviours we expect from children in the school playground mirror the behaviours we should expect children to demonstrate while ‘playing’ online. In the real world and the virtual world, we should expect our children to show respect, compassion, empathy and good manners
· Build trust by having regular, respectful conversations with your child that show you understand and care about their presence on social networks. Aim for open communication which encourages your child to talk to you about their online behaviour and experiences. You want your child to feel they are able to come to you if they make a mistake or an issue arises
· Together with your child, go through the guidelines about safe and responsible use of social networking sites. You may wish to set out specific and agreed expectations.
· Ensure your child complies with the terms and conditions, in particular the age restrictions for different social networks (generally 13+)
· Talk to your child about how the privacy and security settings work for each site
· Ensure that they know where to go if they have an online issue
· Set up an account yourself and be your child’s friend
· Know your child’s password.
Protecting privacy on social networking sites
Your child can stay safe and protect their reputation by taking some privacy precautions:
· It is not a good idea for your child to share their school, phone number or date of birth on their profile. It can be a good idea to have a profile picture that uses an image (avatar)
· Remind your child to regularly check and update the privacy settings on social networking sites so that only direct friends can see their posts, photos, videos and status updates. Also check whether posts to your child’s main social networking site are automatically shared on other sites – and disable this feature
· Images of your child might be tagged and shared by other people. In this case, that person’s privacy settings apply to the image. Talk about this with your child so you both know what the risks are and can have strategies for managing them – for example, many sites let you ‘untag’ yourself
· Keep passwords and log-in details private and secret.
Posting inappropriate content and comments
Here are some ways you can help your child avoid posting anything inappropriate:
· Make sure your child knows that anything they post online – photo, video, status updates – might become a permanent part of their online reputation. Years from now, someone might be able to see an embarrassing old photo of them.
· Ask your child to think about whether there would be anyone who might be offended by a post or use it to humiliate or bully someone. As a general guideline, if your child wouldn’t do or say something in front of a parent/teacher, they should not post it on social networks. This also goes for images, videos and information about friends
· Your child should be aware of the consequences of posting provocative or embarrassing photos of themselves or others online
· Encourage your child to check the tone of their posts before sending them to make sure they are clear and respectful.
Staying safe on social networking sites
A few simple steps can help your child stay safe when using social networking sites:
· Encourage your child to accept friend requests only if they know the person and only if they are sure of the other person’s identity
· Encourage your child to always report abuse – on most sites, this is as easy as clicking a ‘Report abuse’ button – and to tell a trusted adult about it straight away.
Avoiding Cyberbullying: what you need to know
Cyberbullying is when a person uses digital technology to deliberately and repeatedly harass, humiliate, embarrass, torment, threaten, pick on or intimidate another person. Cyberbullying happens in lots of different ways – by mobile phone, messages, group chats, email, in online games, and through social networking sites.
Examples of cyberbullying include deliberately:
· posting or sending messages that threaten people or put people down
· leaving people out of online games or social forums
· spreading nasty rumours online about people
· setting up unkind or unpleasant fake social media accounts using real photos and contact details
· trolling or stalking people online
· sharing or forwarding people’s personal information
· posting insulting or embarrassing photos or videos of people
· harassing other people in virtual environments or online games.
Cyberbullying can happen at any time of the day or night, anywhere there is internet or mobile access.
Helping your child avoid cyberbullying
Here are some things you can do to help make cyberbullying less likely to happen to your child:
Agree on rules Agreeing on clear rules about when your child can use their mobile phone or computer can help avoid cyberbullying. For example, cyberbullying often happens at night through text messages and group chats. It is best if you agree to switch off all devices at night and leave them in a family area.
Talk about cyberbullying with your child It’s a good idea to start talking about cyberbullying when your child first starts to use social media sites, or when they first get a mobile phone.
You can talk about:
· what cyberbullying looks like – for example, ‘Cyberbullying is sending mean text messages, spreading rumours on social media, ganging up on a player in an online game, or sharing an embarrassing photo with other people’
· how it might feel to be cyberbullied – for example, ‘Being cyberbullied can make you feel very upset and lonely. It can make you not want to join in activities where the cyberbully might be’
· the consequences of cyberbullying – for example, ‘People who get cyberbullied can stop doing well at school and feel depressed or anxious.
Talk about being safe online This might involve talking about things like:
· online friends and messaging friend lists – if your child adds someone they do not really know as a ‘buddy’ or ‘friend’, it gives that person access to information about them that could be used for bullying
· not giving out passwords to friends. Some young people do this as a sign of trust, but a password gives other people the power to pose as your child online
· Think before posting – if your child posts personal comments, photos or videos they may get unwanted attention or negative comments. The comments and photos can also be available online for a long time
· Telling you, a teacher or another trusted adult if they are worried about anything that is happening online
· Talk through possible bullying scenarios. For example, if someone repeatedly says untrue or nasty things about you, ignore the behaviour by not responding to the messages, block the person, report the abuse and tell someone you trust as soon as possible.
In this week’s edition of the Newsletter, I have attached a Department of Education ‘Parent Advice Sheet’ on Cyberbullying. I hope you find this information helpful.
https://www.carwatha.vic.edu.au/uploaded_files/media/cyberbullying_advice_sheet_for_parents.pdf
Rachel George
I think I speak for everyone when I say I can’t believe we are already in Term 3! The first semester of 2021 has been a whirlwind of getting to know everyone, learning new concepts and topics and having a lot of fun along the way.
The students in Prep/1C have been continuing to work really hard on their learning and developing great friendships with the students in our room. We have been learning all about addition, subtraction, multiplication, division and money as well as being able to decode difficult words when we read.
We were lucky enough to be able to take part in the Henny Penny program and be given 2 chicks and 12 eggs that we eagerly watched hatch and grow into cute little chicks. It was an engaging way to learn about chickens, their life cycle and how to care for animals. The students in Prep/1C loved watching the chicks hatch on our Chicken live stream and came in each morning eager to discover how may new chicks we had and to choose what names we would use.
Prep/1C were also lucky enough to start working on Procedural texts. In doing so, we collaborated with the Unit 2 Food Tech students to make yummy Choc Chip Muffins but also delicious Pizza!! We practised measuring, stirring and taking turns and our muffins and pizzas turned out great! They loved being able to see the process and then being able to eat them all!
We then used that experience to create a recipe about our very own muffins and pizzas that included our ingredients, the equipment used and the method/steps you take. All students were engaged in doing this and found it easy to do so after having the chance to be hands on and make their own food.
Unfortunately, we are currently (Week 5) in lockdown and we aren’t too sure when we will be back at school, fingers crossed it’s soon. The students and families of those In Prep/1C have shown an amazing sense of resilience and flexibility by being able to move to Microsoft Teams to have our lessons. It has been the highlight of my day each morning when I log on to Teams and see all of their faces pop up in our meeting and being able to still communicate and build great friendships in our class.
I am so proud of Prep/1C and I cannot wait to see what the rest of this crazy term will be like for all of us. The preps and I are also eagerly waiting to celebrate the first 100 days of school, as we went into lockdown the night before our celebration. Hopefully we are back soon and can celebrate then!
Ms Cox - Class Teacher
We are trying to stay positive, enjoying our morning catch up to discuss how we are feeling and support each other through classroom and lockdown experiences.
We have been working extremely hard to complete our poetry writing pieces. We have been focussing on Acrostic poems using descriptive words and making sure we find the correct words to match the letter and match the topic.
Here are some examples:
In reading groups we have been Synthesising and Summarising and generally thinking deeply, about the information we are reading. We have read some amazing books, used some fabulous illustrations and short films to practise the reading strategies.
In Maths, we have been learning about money, recognising all the coins and notes. We have been adding coins, adding and subtracting amounts of money and working out change.
Thanks to 1/2M students and parents for your support and making me smile every day!
Mrs McPhie - Class Teacher
We have had a memorable start to Term 3. At the beginning of the term we started our measurement unit of work. Students had great fun using informal and formal units of measurement to learn new concepts. They used different objects to measure and compare length and then moved on to using rulers. The Olympics inspired students to participate in a variety of sports in our Mini Olympics. This gave them great opportunities to apply their new understandings of measurement. It was an excellent way to begin the term!
We are extremely proud of their enthusiasm and flexibility! It is lovely to connect each day with our awesome students.
Ms Bishop & Mrs Abraham - Class Teachers
It has been a challenging start to term 3 however the students in 5E have adapted outstandingly moving from face to face to online learning now twice in the term.
In Numeracy and Integrated Studies this term, students have been working closely on a Maths Investigation related to creating a product that they would like to sell at a market stall. Students have been developing different strategies to solve financial maths problems. They are working in successful groups to advance their communication, collaboration, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. When deciding on the products that they wish to sell, students are also learning about and taking into consideration different economic terms such as needs and wants, opportunity cost, and resources.
In reading this term, students have been learning about synthesising and summarising which can be used to develop a deeper understanding of the book. Alternatively, in Writing this term, students have been focusing on creating, editing, revising, and publishing different types of poetry.
The start of the term has been very busy, however the grade 5’s have been very adaptable!
Grade 5 have made an awesome start to term 3!
Ms Edwards - Class Tecaher
This term began on a very positive note. We had great plans for what was to come in all areas of our learning. We had the grade 5/6 Camp to look forward to and a couple of Gala Sports Days that were also part of the plan.
In Reading, the focus was Synthesising (putting all of the information or clues in a text together to help us understand what is happening better). Synthesising helps us to make sensible predictions about what will happen next and it can give us a deeper understanding of characters’ motivations in fiction texts. In non-fiction texts when we synthesise information, we gain a deeper understanding of the topic, which gets richer when we read another text on the same topic. After synthesising, our focus moved on to summarising. Students have been focussing on identifying key pieces of information from non-fiction texts and key details in fiction texts.
In Writing, students have been learning about different forms of poetry. They have written acrostics, haiku, cinquains, limericks, “I am” free verse poems and rhyming poems. The students have produced some exceptional pieces of work.
In Maths students have been working on an investigation into developing a profitable market stall. Students needed to work in teams and they began by identifying how much profit they could make from selling shop bought biscuits and comparing this with the profit from selling homemade biscuits. They were also required to consider value for money and which product customers would be more interested in buying. From there they needed to decide on a product they would sell at a market. They need to identify the cost of the materials to make their product, identify how much it costs to make one product and how much profit they can make from their product. Once they have completed this, they will need to consider how to package their product, and what size stall they might need to sell their product. The focus of the investigation is applying a variety of areas of Maths in real-world situations.
Of course, over the past few weeks, the lockdown has required us to be more inventive about how we have approached all of this learning. Students have demonstrated amazing resilience and have adapted well to working online, yet again. Their willingness to participate in learning and collaborating with their peers in difficult circumstances has been awesome!
Below is an example of an “I am” poem, written by Brandon Shaw.
Mrs Elias - Class Teacher
I am Grass by Brandon Shaw
I am short and green.
I wonder if I will be run over.
I hear dogs barking.
I see a human’s foot.
I want rain.
I am short and green.
I pretend I’m a flower.
I feel beautiful and bright.
I touch the sky.
I worry I will be run over by the mower.
I cry when I’m mowed.
I am short and green.
I understand I will always be mowed.
I say, “That’s life!”.
I dream about being tall.
I try my best to grow.
I hope a dog does not poop on me.
I am short and green.
So far this term the year 9’s have been working on their subject selections for their venture into V1 program. This is a massive step for our year 9’s who will be very soon engaging in senior school.
The course counselors and I noted how well organised and thoughtful each student’s selections were. A big thank you to the parents for assisting in creating an effective subject selection, which at times can be quite daunting, however with your help students felt empowered and excited by it.
“The subject selection went really well, the course counselors really helped with helping us pick out what subjects would be a great fit for next year, I’m super excited to start V1 next year and I look forward to my next year's subjects.” - Chloe Malkocer-year 9 captain.
This term has been trying for the students with repeated snap lockdowns, however, they are proving, once again, to be amazing in their resilience and adaptability in swapping between online learning and face to face.
Both the students and I hope that we can resume sports and excursions soon. I do encourage students to get in contact with me at zannen.brown@education.vic.gov.au if they would like to raise anything with me or if they need more information.
Zannen Brown - Year 9 Coordinator
Term 3 has been a rollercoaster for the Year 10 students with two lockdown periods in such a short period of time. Despite this, students have shown resilience and have embraced online learning and for that – I’m very proud of them. I’m impressed by the motivation shown by the students during this difficult time – they continue to work and complete the tasks as required.
Despite it being moved to an online setting, the V3 Information Evening was well attending by students and parents/carers. It provided key information which enabled students and parents/carers to make important decisions on subject choices. During the course counseling sessions, students came in with a direction and were able to make career pathway choices for 2022.
The Year 10 students were fortunate enough to participate in a presentation by ‘The Fashionista Sistas’. The Fashionista Sistas are Style and Image Consultants. Their Presentation helped to assist the Year 10's in preparation for their individual Mock Interviews which will be held later this term. They highlighted the '3 seconds' impression and assisted students to understand first impressions. They provided tips to encourage students to greet, meet, engage, and have a conversation.
Please continue to check Compass, to ensure you are up to date and fully informed of what is happening in your child’s school life. There are many activities and excursions planned for the Year 10 students in Term 3. I’m always pleased to hear from you so please do keep in touch.
Georgia Rentzis - Year 10 Coordinator
This is our first year of the Year 10 special interest elective: “Crime Scene Investigation” where students learn about how crimes are solved. Students have been exploring their observation and communication skills throughout the semester, and have spent lots of time perfecting their scientific investigative skills during hands-on practical lessons. So far, we have looked at fibres under a compound light microscope, handwriting analysis and fingerprints as evidence.
“Before lockdown we created an exemplar fingerprint database with the Year 10 students. We then got to examine fingerprints at a crime scene that was set up by Mrs. Wright. We had to lift the latent fingerprints from glasses left at a dinner party and match them to the killer from our database.
We found out that the victim (Logan) was at a dinner party with Stella and Pave (suspects/witnesses) and he was poisoned by me (Buay)! Stella and Pave were called in as witnesses, they were questioned and eventually testified in class court. It was a fun experience being a part of the ‘crime’ from start to finish and having everyone trying to guess who the killer was.”
By Buay Duac 10A
We had our Year 11/12 Formal on 24th June at The Grand on Princes. This was such a great opportunity as we did not get to celebrate much due to COVID lockdowns last year. Year 11 and 12 students got to enjoy a night to themselves, to forget the stress of school. Everyone was dressed in their finest, girls wearing beautiful dresses with their makeup done and boys wearing suits or smart outfits.
The night was filled with cultural music as well as the students’ favourites, along with great food from entrée to dessert. Students took the opportunity to capture this memory at the photobooth where props were used. The DJ also played drums and was able to get us all together on the dance floor. The teachers also joined in, especially during cultural dancing. It was an awesome night and we are so glad it went ahead. You can view the photos from our photobooth on the Carwatha College P-12 webiste.
Another highlight for us was the Outdoor Education camp last week. We were able to go to Wilsons Prom, the day before Melbourne was again plunged into lockdown. This was such a great experience for all of us. When we went for a night walk on the beach and turned all our flashlights off, the sky was so clear that we could see the milky way! I believe it is these experiences that help us keep going during this especially tough year.
Again, we are so grateful that the timings were right and we could go ahead with this. On the same day, students undertaking Unit 4 English went to ACMI to watch the movie, The Queen, and gain some insight into their comparative texts. Watching the movie on a big screen after a long time was refreshing and helped students pay attention to details they could easily miss watching it on their TVs or laptops.
It is only a couple of months to our final year 12 exams. The GAT has already been postponed twice and we still do not have the final date yet. We are wrapping up the coursework and getting ready for our exams. We are undertaking practice exams, getting feedback, and revisiting the practice tasks to improve our understanding as well as writing skills.
It has been a difficult year with intermittent lockdowns with no end in sight, but with our teachers and families’ support, we are trying to make the most of our final year of schooling, academically as well as emotionally.
Grace Garcia
Crystal Isaacs
Year 12 College Captains
The Wellbeing and Inclusion Team are available to provide access to information and services that meet the needs of students and promote their learning and wellbeing. For assistance, contact Miss Hallett – caitlin.hallett@eduation.vic.gov.au
Mental Health:
Quick Guide to Student Mental Health and Wellbeing
The mental health and wellbeing of students is a priority, especially during online learning and frequent lockdowns. The Quick Guide to Student Mental Health and Wellbeing provides resources for parents and carers to support their child through this difficult time: Mental health toolkit (education.vic.gov.au)
You might like to try this activity at home with your child to support their wellbeing:
Problem solving and stress management
Goal: Solve a problem in six steps.
Activity: Ask your child to think of an issue that is making them feel worried at the moment, then go through each step:
1. Name the challenge 2. Brainstorm ideas (as many as you can) 3. Evaluate your ideas (could it work? Pros/cons. Give each idea a score out of 10) 4. Choose one idea 5. Think through what it will look like, sound like, and feel like to take this action. 6. Try it – assess it, did it work?
Mental Health Support - COVID-19 Lockdown
What can I do to help with anxious thoughts or worries? Lockdowns can be stressful and overwhelming times.
Here are some tips to support your mental health:
o Exercise boosts mood and mental health – make it fun!
o Nourish your brain by eating healthily – it will also improve your mood
o Prioritise sleep to support mental and emotional wellbeing
o Explore relaxation techniques and coping strategies
o Stay in touch and catch up with friends and loved ones online
o Make time to do things you enjoy
o Practice positive self-talk – and remember you are not alone
o Seek professional help if needed
o If you are struggling and need help, contact:
o A trusted adult, teacher or Year Level Coordinator.
o eheadspace: 1800 650 890 or www.headspace.org.au/eheadspace
o Kids Helpline: 1800 551 800 or www.kidshelpline.com.au
Mental Health Services – Online & After-Hours
The following telephone and online support services are available to students: · Headspace: 1800 367 968 or https://headspace.org.au/headspace-centres/dandenong/ or headspace.org.au/eheadspace · BeyondBlue: 1800 512 348 or https://coronavirus.beyondblue.org.au/ (24 hour service – all ages)
· Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800 or kidshelpline.com.au (24 hour service – 5 to 25 years)
· Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au (24 hour service – all ages)
· Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467 or suicidecallbackservice.org.au (24 hour service – all ages)
Ripple – Online Wellbeing Tool
Year 11s and Year 12s are starting to use Ripple - a new wellbeing tool that tracks your mental wellbeing and health using 2 minute surveys. This information will be private and shared with their study/mentor teacher, coordinator and the wellbeing coordinator. If the students is in VCAL it will be shared with Ms Hudson. Parents can elect for their child to opt out by contacting Miss Hallett – caitlin.hallett@education.vic.gov.au
Staff Changes
The following staff changes have been made to support the wellbeing and inclusion needs of our students:
I hope you enjoyed watching the Olympics in the library, congratulations to all our Australian athletes.
We have some fantastic new fiction.
First up is the Star Trek graphic novel collection, this is the ultimate reference for Star Trek fans.
New Secondary Fiction
Books of the Month
Secondary Book of the Month
Layla Karimi has been cursed by the evil eye. Well, that's what Layla's superstitious grandmother tells her. And Layla reckons it makes sense as she's sort of Australian and sort of Lebanese: a 'halfie' who doesn't really fit into either world. And when all hell breaks loose at the first beach party of the summer, Layla finds herself caught between her friends and the Lebanese kids who call themselves 'the Cedar Army' (of which her cousin Sufia is the Queen Bee). One group has been wrongfully accused and Layla knows the truth that would clear their name. But will she speak up?
Primary Fiction Book of the Month
The right book might just change your life... Mim Cohen roams the world in a travelling bookshop, with her dad and brother and a horse called Flossy. Flossy leads them where she will, to the place where they're needed most... the place where the perfect book will find its way home. Now Mim has arrived in a pretty Dutch village where she meets Willemina, a kind and gentle child, who is being bullied by a girl named Gerda. Mim knows they're here to help Willemina.
Picture Book of the Month
When Zimdalamashkermishkada starts a new school, he knows he’s got to do something about his long name.When no amount of shrinking, folding or crumpling works, he simply settles for Zim – but deep down, it doesn’t feel right. It’s not until a new friend sees him for who he truly is that Zimdalamashkermishkada finds the confidence to step boldly into his long name.
New Picture Books
New Primary Fiction
Trending Now
Popular Series
Looking forward to getting back to borrowing at school and hearing all about what you have been reading.
Tracey Hadfield
We are delighted to announce that Mr Patrick Mulcahy has been shortlisted for the 2024 Victorian Education Excellence Awards in the Colin Simpson Outstanding Secondary Principal category. Only 3 Principals from Secondary, P-12 or Specialist settings are shortlisted for this award in any given year.
Mr Mulcahy was selected on the shortlist after an exhaustive process, including endorsements from a community representative, our school council and our SEIL (Senior Education Improvement Leader) and an interview process.
The honour is a recognition of the demonstrable improvement in student learning outcomes throughout his time at the school so far. The honour also recognises the safe and inclusive environment created at Carwatha College P-12.
Winners for each award will be announced later in the year:
https://www.vic.gov.au/2024-victorian-education-excellence-awards-finalists