No.12 August 18 2015 - Koonung Secondary College

No.12 August 18 2015
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
“Knowledge advances by steps, not by leaps.”
LORD MACAULAY
FROM THE PRINCIPAL CLASS
Koonung Teaching Staff spend a day with Professor John Munro
Last Friday over 80 teaching staff, including many of our regular casual relief teachers,
plus 13 of our Melbourne University Teacher Candidates were privileged to have the
opportunity to work with Professor John Munro. John is an Associate Professor and
Head of Studies in Exceptional Learning and Gifted Education in the Melbourne
Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne.
As a trained primary and secondary teacher and psychologist. His research, teaching
and publications in literacy and mathematics learning and learning difficulties, gifted
learning, professional learning and school improvement give him unique skills to assist
us to develop the SEE@K program for 2016. John has been working with a team of 10 staff from the College
throughout terms 2 and 3 and last Friday was a fantastic opportunity for this group to share what they have
learnt to date and provide examples of the theory inaction in our classrooms.
Our learning objectives for the day were clearly defined. We gained an understanding of the educational
theories as they relate to gifted learning and we developed our knowledge of the multiple ways in which
students can demonstrate talented outcomes in different areas of the curriculum. As we focus on providing
students opportunities to display their knowledge and understanding, and foster the development of
“intuitive theories” in all of our students, we continue our commitment to a supportive learning environment
where students work collaboratively and tasks are differentiated to meet the needs of each individual.
We will be continuing our work with John over the coming months. In that time staff will use the skills and
knowledge acquired on Friday to develop specific learning activities for the SEE@K program in 2016 during
our Teaching and Learning Team (TLT) sessions. In addition, many of the tools demonstrated by staff will be
integrated into regular teaching programs.
Lunch for Friday’s PD session was provided by the Year 12 Valedictory Committee. Staff would like to express
their appreciation for the wonderful food which was provided.
Domain Weeks
You may have noticed the appearance of various domain specific weeks on the school calendar. This initiative,
designed to highlight each of our Key Learning Areas and to encourage student engagement in a variety of
activities, has had immediate impact. The first domain week was Maths, followed closely last week by LOTE.
Food stalls, games (including a game or two of petanque), competitions and movies were all features of LOTE
week and it was great to see high levels of student participation. This coming week is the turn of the Science
domain. Paper planes, water rockets, science shows and science fiction movies are all on offer this week.
Please encourage your son or daughter to participate in these activities and keep an eye on Compass for
details. Still to come are: Literacy week, Humanities Week, Health and PE, and Arts Week.
Mid-term Assembly
Each term we hold three whole school assemblies. Last week’s assembly was an opportunity to acknowledge
the achievements of many of our students who have competed in subject based competitions. Awards were
given out for students who had achieved Distinctions in the Maths Challenge, Geography Competition, LOTE
competitions and the Science Competition. Students who have achieved High Distinctions were also
acknowledged, as their certificates will be awarded at Presentation Night in December.
Other Activities
We welcome back the safe return of 50 students and accompanying staff from the annual ski camp. The snow
was great and the students conducted themselves as proud ambassadors of Koonung Secondary College.
Ten students from Years 8-12, accompanied by teachers Peter Hodkinson and Julia Hodson, participated in
the Melbourne Interschool Theatre Sports competition on Sunday 9th of August. This event was a culmination
of many weeks of involvement in the College based lunchtime activity on Theatre Sports.
A small team of students from our Project Based Learning (PBL) elective participated in a bridge building
competition at Scienceworks last Friday. The completion was to design a bridge which could hold the greatest
weight. Although not victorious, the students improved their knowledge of the principles of engineering and
design. Thank you to Steve Kimonides for accompanying this group.
Upcoming events
Next Sunday, the 23rd of August, is a student led working bee. Students are hoping to complete some
significant work in and around the Senior school precinct. If you have an hour or two to spare next Sunday
between 11am and 1pm then the group would appreciate your assistance. This year Koonung Day will be on
Thursday 3rd of September. As always there are a variety of games and activities available for students. Please
support the day by donating a can of drink, block of chocolate or baking as requested. By all contributing
something small we achieve an exciting, engaging and fun filled day at minimal cost.
Congratulations to Box Hill North Primary School. This month they celebrate 60 years of excellence in
education. The school will be hosting an Art show on Friday 28th August from 5-7 pm and the school will be
open with displays.
Congratulations to one of our teaching staff, Gail Munro, who has been nominated by the Koonung parent
community for a National Excellence in Teaching award. This is a significant achievement for one of our
teachers and we are very proud of Gail and her contributions to teaching and learning at Koonung. We wish
her well.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge the ongoing commitment of the Principal class team to ensuring that
Koonung remains abreast of current thinking and innovation in the areas of teaching and learning and
leadership. Last week Peter attended the Inaugural International Conference, run by the Bastow Institute, on
“Creating a High Performance Learning Culture”. In the previous week he attended the first forum for
Principals of the “Lead Schools of the Teaching Academies for Professional Practice”. Koonung continues its
partnership with the University of Melbourne in this area with the focus on improving preservice teacher
education and training. Mark spent a day touring three high performing schools in Victoria, focusing on school
innovation, teaching, learning and leadership. Anne returned from “The International Confederation of
Principals Conference” in Finland with a team from the Victorian Association of Secondary School Principals.
Anne has more to share on her attendance at this conference later in the newsletter.
Sandra Greenhill
Assistant Principal
SCIENCE COMPETITION
Big Science Competition Results
The Big Science Competition was held on May 21st last term. All year 7, 8 and 9 students
took part in the online quiz (attempted by over 48,000 students Australia wide) which
consisted of 30 multiple choice questions aligned with the AusVELS strands of Science
Understanding, Science as a Human Endeavour and Science Inquiry Skills.
Congratulations to all students who participated and to those who achieved high
distinctions (top 5% of students in Australia) and distinctions.
High Distinction:
Junior Level- Alexander O’Brien, Connor Diamantopoulos, Daniel Pooley, Hamish McLean, Hannah Clauson,
Jian Lam, Joe Healey, Joel Hansen, John Alexandrou, John Li, Pui Lam Lo, River Vanderfeen-Ball, Senna Steen,
Stanley Liau, Valentino Martino.
Intermediate Level- James Martin, Jarrah Marsh, Jasmine Wolrige.
Distinction:
Junior Level- Ayana Dobie, Benjamin Cutter, Catherine Muir, Charlotte Terrill, Daniel Caine, Eve TudorMatthew, Flynn Evans, Marshall Poon, Mathew Bores, Max Xu, Megan Fitz, Patrick Rowe, Reka Ropolyi,
Samantha Mason, Sarah Carpentier, Sarah Larson, Sarah Whitebrook, Scott Heng, Talia Lowe, Tobias Solyk,
Vicky Mangonis.
Intermediate Level- Adam Smith, Cameron Owens, Christopher Thomson, Faith Morgan.
Michael Harte
Science Domain Manager
LEADING EDUCATIONAL DESIGN
IDEAS FROM THE 12TH Convention of the International Confederation of Principals
August 2015 Helsinki, Finland
I was privileged to attend this international conference, held in Finland last week. I travelled there in several
roles. I am a member of the Victorian Association of Secondary School Principals (VASSP) and am a Committee
member this year. I was one of 5 committee members who travelled to Finland, along with principals from
schools such as MacRobertson Girls’ School, Albert Park College and the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA). I
also went to represent Koonung and bring back ideas that can implemented and make our school a
wonderful place at which to learn. In addition, I will share ideas at the Whitehorse Principals’ network.
Opening speech – Finland Conference
Welcome address by the president of ICP
and the mayor of Helsinki.
Context
There were representatives from 46 countries, with 1,110 participants in all.
The largest contingents were from Scandinavia, followed by Africa, China, Australia, New Zealand, Europe
then the Americas.
KEY ISSUES
What are the future trends in education for the world?
What are the latest educational ideas to allow students to perform at their best?
What directions are schools heading?
What are the best practices in education?
What can we learn from each other regarding educational policies?
What are the new learning and motivational environments like?
What are the biggest challenges in the world of education?
Keynote speakers:
Andre Noel Chaker ‘Teaching how dreams can come true’
André Noël Chaker (b. August 25, 1966, Montreal, Canada) is a French Canadian lawyer who has lived in
Finland since the early 1990s. In 2011, he published a book on ‘The Finnish Miracle’.
Pasi Sahlberg (Finland) ‘Invisible Learning-hidden features of successful education systems’
Finnish educator, author and scholar. He has worked as schoolteacher, teacher educator, researcher and policy
advisor in Finland and has studied education systems and reforms around the world. His expertise includes
school improvement, international education issues, classroom teaching and learning, and school leadership.
Alf Rehn ‘Creativity, Critique and Care-designing thinking organisations’
Alf Rehn is a Finnish professor, author and speaker based in Finland. He currently holds the Chair of
Management and Organization at Åbo Akademi University in Finland.
Rehn was listed as #13 on the 2009 Thinkers 50, in the "Up and Coming Business Thinkers” list. He was listed
for a second time 2011.
Vanessa de Oliveira Andreotti ‘Ethics and global education’
Phd, Associate Professor; Canada Research Chair in Race, Inequalities and Global Change.
Eduardo Andere ‘From learning environments to motivational environments’
PHD Political Science, Boston USA. An analyst and writer of public policy, educational policy and comparative
education.
Andrew Cole (USA-Wallace Foundation) ‘How effective principals lead change’
Lead Reviewer for the Wallace Foundation’s Leadership Pipeline grant program and works with the New York
City Leadership Academy as a learning community facilitator for district partnerships in advanced leadership
development. He also serves as a reviewer for the Quality Measures process developed by Education
Development Centre (EDC) to assess the effectiveness of education leadership programs.
Anne with delegates from Uganda
Olive Mugenda (Kenya), ‘Transformational leadership
Kenyan academic, researcher and academic administrator. She is the Vice Chancellor of Kenyatta University,
one of the 22 public universities in Kenya, the largest economy in the East African Community. She was
appointed to that position in 2006, the first woman to lead a public university in the African Great Lakes area.
So why are Finnish students performing so well in the world? A keynote speaker, Noel Chaker, explained the
reasons, and he also provided detailed information and research in his book, 'The Finnish miracle'. Finland is
successful in improving educational outcomes for students for the following reasons:
 Teachers use constructive feedback.
 There is a positive impact of Finnish and school culture on success.
 Spirit of enterprise: concept of initiative, responsibility and creativity.
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Always look to see how to do things better.
Be happy. Research shows that Finland is one of the happiest countries in world.
Be honest. Finland is one of the least corrupt nations.
Be Competitive. Finland is known as one the most competitive countries. To look at the future you
need to understand the past.
(Finland has experienced hunger and civil wars which have made social economic welfare possible.
Use stories for education. Teach the power of independent thinking and collaboration. Teach values
that drive economic success.
Use positive outcomes.
Drivers of thinking: be critical, value openness.
Encourage physical exercise.
Promote diversity.
Avoid hierarchy of disciplines. Offer interplay between domains.
Encourage students to make mistakes. Give room for error.
Experiences can offer success.
Work harder and smarter.
Promote trust in schools.
Value silence and thinking.
Teach cultural values to kids.
Motivation is a strong driver of success.
Choice, competence, community (relatedness, welcome people with a smile) are the 3 C’s of
motivation. It is a fundamental need for people to stay motivated over time. Give people choice and
challenge everyone.
3 key ideas for schools: Be more competitive, be unique, be more personal.
Other interesting factors that contribute to the Finnish success?
Students start school by the age of 7, all schools have the same standards and all schools are
governed by a public system (no private schools), the government supports the culture of the school
and community, and society has a strong respect for teachers. Assessment is continuous and there
are no national tests for students. Students learn to self-assess. The purpose of this is to support the
growth of self-knowledge and study skills. Education is free, including text books, lunches and buses.
Teachers are highly valued in the wider community.
Insights that may help shape and guide our education here at Koonung
Here are some ways that we may work together so that we are the best school, using 10 lessons that Victorian
schools can adopt. These 10 ideas were discussed in various forums at the Helsinki conference.
1)
Relationships are a key to developing students so that they to become independent learners.
Staff, students and families need to interact positively and work together to achieve the best educational
outcomes.
How?
Agreed protocols on how we communicate and share ideas.
Discuss how we can be a positive school, in discussions at focus groups within our Koonung community.
Classroom protocols for the acceptance of all, and for calm and happy classrooms.
Continue the strong student leadership profile at our school.
2)
Develop the school culture
How?
Celebrate student and staff success at assemblies.
Celebrate Koonung Day.
Continue working bees.
Continue to offer theatre, drama, music concerts, and clubs.
Celebrate success at the Presentation Night.
Celebrate the year 12 year with the valedictory dinner.
Celebrations at the sub school level with year level bbqs and concerts.
Continue the Year 7 bbq for new families to our school.
Welcome morning tea by PFA at the start of the year.
The PFA celebrations for Mothers’ Day and Fathers’ Day.
3)
Encouragement and feedback is a focus in schools, provide rewards for success
How?
Continue regular student reports, learning tasks on Compass, parent/ teacher interviews.
Awards at year level assemblies.
All year levels have weekly 20 minute assemblies.
1: interviews for students in developing their career pathways.
4)
Quality teachers and teacher training
How?
Continue our strong partnerships with the University of Melbourne.
Develop the culture of success in the classroom, using ideas from John Munro, University of Melbourne.
Continue to work in collaborative learning teams.
Continue to cross mark assessed work in the senior school, both internally and externally.
5)
Set agendas to drive change for higher student success
How?
Progressively evaluate each student’s performance.
Evaluate NAPLAN and VCE data.
Student and parent focus groups to look at opportunities for students to perform in a range of contexts: music,
drama, teamwork, student leadership, cooperative activities, camps and excursions.
6)
Be Inclusive
How?
Student leadership.
Curriculum that emphasises inclusive values.
Protocols and policies that endorse diversity.
Engage international students into the school culture.
7)
Respect for all in schools
How?
Student engagement policies.
Respectful behaviour protocols.
Value each other in the school community.
CASSE: upstander behaviour.
Year 9 LIVELIFE program.
Pastoral Care Programs.
Year 10 student mentors.
Year 11 student mediators.
School assemblies.
Celebrate visitors to the school: sister school programs, international student program, student exchange
programs, guest speakers.
8)
Develop strong leadership teams in schools
How?
Through various committees: LAC, College Council, Curriculum Committee, Wellbeing Committee, Pastoral
Care Committee.
Regular Leadership meetings.
Mentoring of Leading teachers.
Professional support.
Network meetings with nearby Secondary Schools.
9)
Establish forums for strong student voice
How?
Continue INTERACT club, SRC, CASSE.
Lunchtime clubs such as the Aspies club.
10)
Look at the Scientific research into motivation and learn how to get students to be ‘hungry to learn’,
and develop a growth mindset in students
How?
Teaching and learning teams trial ideas.
Team teaching.
Develop ideas from John Munro, University of Melbourne in getting students to question and think about their
learning.
Farewell concert-school students singing farewell in their Finish national dress
There are many more anecdotes that I would love to share with you at another time.
Remember that ‘Tomorrow begins today’.
We ask that our students don't just relate to knowledge, but that they look beyond our world view.
Anne Abbott
Assistant Principal
KOONUNG SECONDARY COLLEGE STUDENTS ALEXANDER OWENS AND
OLIVIA BOTTOMLEY TO TAKE THE SPOTLIGHT AT HAMER HALL
On Monday 14th September Koonung Secondary College students Alexander Owens and Olivia Bottomley, will
take part in the Morning Melodies festival at Hamer Hall in the Melbourne Arts Centre; one of Australia’s
most prestigious performance venues.
Alexander and Olivia are performing in Give My Regards to Broadway; a celebration of the golden age of
Broadway musicals featuring songs from A CHORUS LINE, SWEET CHARITY, WEST SIDE STORY, GUYS AND
DOLLS and many more.
This exciting special event will be hosted by Patti Newton and features 100 of the most talented members of
the Young Australian Broadway Chorus (YABC); the leading youth musical theatre group in Australia.
Guaranteed to entertain children and adults alike and presented during two family friendly time slots, Give
My Regards to Broadway will be an event to remember!
The incredibly gifted young singers, dancers and actors of the YABC are some of the most talented performing
artists of their generation. You can find out more about the YABC at: www.broadwaychorus.com.au
If you would like to see Alexander and Olivia take part in this spectacular performance, you can purchase
tickets at:
http://www.artscentremelbourne.com.au/whats-on/morning-melodies/give-my-regards-to-broadway
YABC Present:
Date:
Time:
Venue:
Duration:
Tickets:
Give My Regards To Broadway
Monday 14th September
11am and 1.30pm
Hamer Hall, The Arts Centre, 100 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne 3004
60 minutes
$12 - $20
2015 LYNNE KOSKY MEMORIAL VCAL SCHOLARSHIPS
Is your child better suited to a hands on approach to learning? Have you considered studying VCAL in Years 11
and 12?
If so, the Department of Education and Training have announced a new Lynne Kosky Memorial VCAL
Scholarship that recognises the outstanding contribution Lynne Kosky made to education and training in
Victoria.
Two scholarships are available for students in Year 10 who plan to study VCAL in Years 11 and 12 as a pathway
to further study, employment or training.
Each VCAL Scholarship will be valued at up to $25,000 in $5,000 grants each year over 5 years of study,
training or apprenticeship.
Applications are now open and close on Friday 18 September. Apply online via the Department website:
www.education.vic.gov.au
LOTE WEEK REPORT
We had four days of fun and exciting LOTE Week related activities during lunchtimes last week. Monday saw a
talk to the Year 9’s from Mr Jones, an ex-Olympian on the Tour de France then a Pétanque competition during
lunch. Tuesday was food day with a strong crowd eager to try the Japanese Gyoza dumplings. On Wednesday
students were able to hide from the cold windy weather and enjoyed a choice of movies from China, France
and Japan. The final day on Thursday was dedicated to a soccer match of Asia vs Europe, with Asia winning 2
goals to 1. Throughout the week there was an ongoing quiz about aspects of different countries and a guess
the number of lollies.
Our question winners were: Monday – Arienne 8D (China Wall: 21,196.18 km) and Tuesday – Ella 7D (Eiffel
Tower 324m). The lolly jar guess competition was won by Jacob Yr. 11 (222 lollies). Special thank you to Peter
8G for refereeing the soccer match.
Thank you to all the students and staff who participated and assisted in LOTE Week.
LOTE Domain teachers
VISIT BY BERNARD CALEO - CARTOONIST
On Tuesday 28th July, the Year 7 High Achievers had the cartoonist, Bernard Caleo, come in during Period 4 to
talk to us. He explained that cartooning is not drawing but writing with pictures, referencing the phrase ‘A
picture tells a thousand words’. We were each given a piece of paper and told to draw a character with a
connection to war, whether it was a nurse, soldier or civilian in a war-torn city, as WW1 was our theme. This
was to help us with a potential entry into the ‘War Touches Us All’ competition run by the local libraries,
celebrating the centenary of the landing at Gallipoli earlier this year. On the next page, we were asked to
draw a rat in one minute, then in thirty seconds, and after that ten seconds followed by five. Our first ones
were alright, but by the time we got to five seconds, most were a pile of scribbles!
Bernard Caleo
Bernard also showed us the different styles of various cartoonists, from the man who drew Tintin to the one
who brought Charlie Brown and ‘Peanuts’ to life. We continued with our theme of war and drew a landscape
including our previous character, and under that two panels, one of our rat and the other of our two
characters combined.
This was a great experience for all in the class and that some of us were inspired and are going to enter the
competition. I certainly had a lot of fun, and I’m sure everyone else did too. Thanks to the local libraries for
giving us this great opportunity, Bernard Caleo for coming in, and Ms Shaw for organising this session.
More information on the competition is available from Ms Shaw or the library staff.
Ayana Dobie 7D
SKI CAMP – MT BULLER
Fifty students, six voluntary staff, and four teachers attended the 2015 Ski Camp at Mt Buller two weeks ago.
The camp offered our students an opportunity to improve their snowboarding and skiing skills throughout the
three-day annual camp. Our students participated in daily lessons with professional instructors followed by
time spent with organized groups facilitated by staff. We experienced excellent snow conditions this year with
fresh snow and cold temperatures.
Our adult volunteers and past students, Bonnie Aylen, Sam Thompson, Paul Glaubitz, Leigh Howlett, Elissa
Schembri, and Dave Thorpe were an invaluable part of the running of the camp. They were proactive, patient,
friendly and professional.
Thank you to our teaching staff, Craig Canning, Jane Thornton, and Mark Quinlan. They were fantastic staff
team members who offered specialised support to our students. Thank you also to Anne Abbott and our
Educational Support staff, Helen Lamers, Jan Vanselow, Judy Tricker, and Lorraine Poyner for their assistance
in the preparation of the trip.
Mark Threadgold.
Ski Camp Coordinator
‘What I liked most about the camp was being able to snowboard with friends. I learnt how to snowboard
properly on Ski Camp. I met some new students from different year levels who were in my lesson group and I
really enjoyed snowboarding. The accommodation was good and in an excellent location’.
Max Clark Yr 10
‘I learnt lots of new things about skiing on Ski Camp and improved my confidence on harder runs. I worked on
my parallel skiing and improved a little. I enjoyed the social nature of the camp and the time that we had
available with the other students. I met some students that I had not talked to before, so I made new friends.
I would love to go again, as I had so much fun this time. I didn’t expect it to be so relaxed, I definitely enjoyed
that aspect, and the staff were all great’.
Gareth Clauson Yr 11
‘We learnt how to ski properly on Ski Camp. What we liked best about the camp was definitely talking to new
people from school and the skiing. We would love to go again next year because it was so much fun, the camp
definitely offered a lot more than we expected. The staff volunteers (past Koonung students) were really
helpful. The accommodation was awesome!’
Annaliese and Natasha Yr 8
‘I learnt how to do 180's off the side-walls of the downhill runs.
During the camp I met some Year 11 students, I used to just see them around school and now I know them on
a personal level. Ski Camp was even better than expected, the last few days became really fun when we were
able to snowboard with friends. My teacher taught us how to do nose rolls on our snowboards and he helped
me do it’.
Jack Stewart, Yr 10
‘During Ski Camp, I learnt how to parallel ski on blue run (intermediate level) slopes, and how to do a hockey
stop on skis so I could stop quickly and safely in a lot of places. The best thing I liked about the camp was the
free afternoons skiing because you got to meet up with lots of people and Ski down runs together. I also met
new students on the camp. I would love to go again, I mean who doesn't love the snow? Going there was like
going to another land because it was white and cold and you could have snowball fights whenever you
wanted. The staff were very helpful as they always knew their way around the mountain, and knew how to
get everywhere from anywhere. They always knew what to do and what was happening next.’
Overall 10/10 awesome!
James Martin Yr 9
During the camp I learnt how to snowboard, I really liked going on the harder runs off Burnt Hut run. I met
new students in my group from Year 8, Gabe and Raph. I would go again if I could because it was really fun
and not a normal camp. I didn’t expect it to be as good, I also thought it would've been harder to pick up how
to snowboard than it actually was. The staff helped me learn how to snowboard.
Paul Collopy, Yr 11
‘I learnt how to do jumps more confidently and how to be a better skier on Ski Camp. I really liked skiing with
different volunteers and teachers every day. The camp was fun, interesting, and enjoyable. I got a lot out of it.
The accommodation was great and most of the food was nice.’
Jacob Davis, Yr 8
‘I learnt how to nose press on my snowboard during the camp. What I liked the most about the camp, was
when we all came together in the afternoon and went down Burnt Hut run. The staff were great, they were
good to talk to and have a chat with. The accommodation was fantastic but I thought the food could have
been a little better.’
Nik Fotinatos, Yr 11
During the camp I learnt how to snowboard and I learnt how to go on the lifts. I became confident in doing so.
I liked that we snowboarded for a lot of the day and it was really fun! I got to meet and talk to a lot of other
students. I would love to go again so I could further improve my snowboarding skills.
Patrick Boakes, Yr 10
FATHERS’ DAY BREAKFAST
The Parents and Friends Association (PFA) is proud to host a breakfast to
celebrate all the fabulous Koonung Fathers on Friday 28th August from 7.30 - 8.30
am in the Amphitheatre and Middle Years Centre.
We will provide egg and bacon rolls, hot drinks, juice and fruit platters. Please
register through the TryBooking link on the Koonung SC homepage
http://www.trybooking.com/IOGG (for catering purposes) by 20th August.
DOBSONS UNIFORM STORE - KOONUNG
NORMAL TRADING HOURS
Mondays:
8.15am – 11.15 am
Wednesdays: 10.15am – 1.45pm
Contact Kylie at the Uniform Shop on 9897 4726 or email:
koo@dobsons.com.au for all enquiries.
PFA MEETING DATES - 2015
Monday September 7th
Monday October 26th
December Xmas Dinner TBA
All meetings are 7.30 - 9pm in the MYC
PFA SECOND HAND BOOKS
PFA have a large selection of good quality second hand books available for sale.
Please direct enquiries to Carolyn Minster at drcarolyn@optusnet.com.au
CAREERS NEWS
Year 12
YEAR 12 INTERVIEWS
All students need to sign up for a careers interview in Term 3. If you haven’t yet seen us this term, please
book in on the Career Interview Sheets outside the Careers Office to discuss options for next year.
VTAC Applications for 2016
Timely VTAC applications opened at 9am on 3rd August and close 5pm on 30th September. For currently
enrolled Year 12 students, a processing fee of $29 applies. After September 30 there will be an increase in the
fee up to $121. You can list up to 12 preferences for courses in preferential order. You can change these
courses at no cost up until 30 September, then during ‘change of preference times’. Applications for SEAS and
scholarships also open 3rd August.
http://www.vtac.edu.au/dates.html
Students who would like help completing their VTAC application can sign up for a lunchtime VTAC session.
These sessions will be held each Thursday lunchtime until the end of term. Please book in on the Career
Interview Sheets outside the Careers Office to discuss options for next year.
Engage Education Practice Exams
Find free practice exams with worked solutions for many VCE subjects on Engage Education’s website.
http://engageeducation.org.au/practice-exams
Open Days
Remember – there are still Open Days operating at tertiary institutions, make sure you go along to these,
they continue throughout August.
Year 11
Students who did not have a Course selection interview should book in for an interview as soon as possible at
the careers office.
Year 9
The Course Selection interviews will now be held for all year 9s going into Year 10 on Tuesday August 18 th.
This has changed from Monday August 17th. Students who are absent on this date will be rescheduled and
interviewed over the following two weeks.
General Information
Swinburne Advice Nights
Wantirna: Wed 9th September
Hawthorn: Mon 14th September – Aviation, Engineering, Information and Communication Technologies,
Science
Tue 15th September – Design, Film and Television, Games and Animation
Wed 16th September – Business and Management, Law
Thu 17th September – Arts and Social Sciences, Education, Health, Media and Communications
All sessions will be held between 4pm and 6pm. Registrations can be made on the website.
http://www.swinburne.edu.au/2015/advice-night/
Monash: Simply Scienterrific
16th September, 4pm – 7:30pm
Students in years 10-12 and their parents are invited to this event to find out about career possibilities from
studying science at Monash, and to bust some myths relating to scientific careers.
Contact: Rebecca Adam – 03 9905 0224 or rebecca.adam@monash.edu
http://monash.edu/news/events/show/simply-scienterrific-exploding-science-myths
Deakin: Industrial Design for 2020 and Beyond
8th September, 6pm – 8pm @ Geelong Waurn Ponds Campus
This information night allows future students to find out about courses in Engineering and Design from
academics, industry specialists, graduates and current students.
RSVP to sebe-events@deakin.edu.au or register on the website
http://www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin/news-and-events/events/events/industrial-design-for-2020-andbeyond
Deakin: Develop, Plan, Design and Build your Future
9th September, 6pm – 8pm @ Geelong Waterfront Campus
This information night allows future students to find out about courses in Construction Management,
Property and Real Estate, Planning, Architecture and Architectural Technology.
RSVP to sebe-events@deakin.edu.au or register on the website
http://www.deakin.edu.au/about-deakin/news-and-events/events/events/develop-plan-design-and-buildyour-future
ACU Elite Athlete Program
Elite athletes who apply to ACU may be eligible to receive up to five bonus entry points. Elite Athletes who
successfully gain entry to ACU will be given greater support and flexibility for study and assessments.
http://www.acu.edu.au/study_at_acu/alternative_entry/elite_athlete_program
University Exchange Programs
Most universities offer exchange programs, which involve already enrolled students studying for a half or
whole year at a partner institution of their own university. Study abroad programs are slightly different, and
do not involve studying at a partner institution; this means students sometimes need to contribute extra
funds towards their tuition fees. As an alternative to exchange, some universities also offer short study tours,
or the option to study at an international campus of their own. Most universities offer various forms of
financial assistance to students going on exchange. Below are some links to the international study options
offered by a number of universities.
University of Melbourne: http://www.mobility.unimelb.edu.au/outbound/index.html
Monash University: http://monash.edu/study-abroad/
RMIT: https://www.rmit.edu.au/life-at-rmit/study-experience/global-opportunities/
La Trobe University: http://www.latrobe.edu.au/students/exchange
Deakin University: http://www.deakin.edu.au/study-at-deakin/study-options-and-pathways/global-studyopportunities
Victoria University: http://www.vu.edu.au/student-life/study-overseas
Swinburne University of Technology: http://www.swinburne.edu.au/abroad/departures/index.html
Other News
Free VCE Revision Lectures
Victoria University are offering a series of free VCE revision lectures. Registration for these events opens Mon
10th August. All lectures will begin at 10am.
Maths Methods: Sat 12th September @ Footscray Park
Legal Studies: Sat 19th September @ City Queen
Accounting: Fri 25th September @ Footscray Park
Chemistry: Sun 27th September @ Footscray Park
English: Tue 29th September @ Footscray Park
Psychology: Thu 1st October @ Footscray Park
Business Management: Fri 2nd October @ City Flinders
Contact: Jessica Campbell – jessica.campbell@vu.edu.au
http://www.vu.edu.au/study-with-us/your-study-options/vce-high-school-students/vce-revision-lectures
Camp Dookie
Dookie is the agricultural campus of the University of Melbourne. They are running a three-day camp from 9th
– 11th September for students to find out about education and career opportunities in agriculture and
environments. There are still some places open for the 2015 camp for students from the Hume Region in
years 10 and 11.
Contact: 5833 9255
https://www.facebook.com/camp.dookie
Camp American Season Kick Off
Geelong: 18th August, 6:30pm – 8pm
Melbourne: 19th August, 6:30pm – 8pm
Online: 31st August, 6:30pm – 8pm
Find out everything you need to know and have your questions answered by people who have experienced
the Camp America program for themselves.
Register for these free events on the website. For more information contact 1300 889 067 or
info@campamerica.com.au
http://campamerica.com.au/events/
Trish Paddick/Kylie Poppins/Carol McCaskie
Careers Team
WELLBEING & ENGAGEMENT NEWS
The wellbeing and engagement team!
Dear Koonung Secondary College,
We are very excited to announce that we have increased the number of scholarships on offer
each year and now offer 2 NEW Volunteer and Community Involvement scholarships.
13 August 2015
Our brand new Volunteer and Community Involvement Scholarships recognize and reward students who are actively
contributing to their community and making a difference to the people around them. Whether you are involved with
scouts, surf lifesaving, your church group or volunteering to assist the elderly, we encourage you to apply. Please see
the full list of categories and application requirements on our website.
Watch our NEW Scholarships & Discounts video!
Our Scholarships are all valued at $2500 (semester) and $3500 (year) and include:
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3 x Language Scholarships
3 x International Affairs Scholarships
2 x Indigenous Scholarships
2 x Volunteer and Community Involvement Scholarships
3 x Digital Video Scholarships
All of our scholarships are open to eligible students from Australia and New Zealand and the closing date for
applications departing between April – September 2016 is 31st October 2015. Any unsuccessful scholarship
applicants automatically receive the applicable Early Bird Discount if they choose to continue on a fee paying basis.
Semester and Year Programs: Departing January - March 2016
If your students want to experience another country for longer than 3 months or are looking for a more substantial
experience then one of our semester or year programs could be ideal. The upcoming deadlines for our Semester
and Year Programs departing in early 2016 are listed below.
Apply by Country and Departure Month
15 August Semester & Year programs to Canada (dep. Jan 2016).
20 August Semester & Year programs to Hungary (dep. Jan 2016).
September Short Programs to Hungary (dep. Jan 2016). Semester & Year programs to Germany, Hungary, France,
Netherlands, Denmark, Norway, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the United States
(dep. Jan-Mar 2016).
October Semester & Year programs to Belgium, the United Kingdom, Argentina, Mexico, Poland, Ireland, Chile and
Paraguay (dep. Jan-Feb 2016).
If any of your students are considering applying for any of the above programs please contact us and let us
know. Some programs are more popular than others and we have limited places available.
To assist your students, download an application form one from our website.
Upcoming Information Sessions!
If you, your students or their families would like to find out more information, we'd love for you to join
us at one of our free information sessions. They are a great way to find out all the details about our
programs, meet other students going on exchange, hear from returned students and ask our staff any
questions you might have. Check out our website for more details on both our in-person and online
sessions!
Upcoming dates for your diary:
Australia
Wed 19 Aug
Beenleigh
But if you can't wait for our next in-person session, you can still watch our 24/7 On Demand Info Session anytime you
like. Register now
Are you going on an exchange soon? Follow us & keep updated, see who else is going on exchange, watch videos &
more! Just got back from exchange? Tell us about it!
Contact us today for more information
Aus Web: www.studentexchange.org.au
Ph: 1300 135 331
E: info@studentexchange.org.au
NZ
Ph: 0800 440 079
E: info@studentexchange.org.nz
Web: www.studentexchange.org.nz
DIARY CALENDAR FOR TERM 3 2015 (10 WEEKS)
WEEK
MONDAY
17 Aug (Day 6)
TUESDAY
18 Aug (Day 7)
7:00pm
School Council
Y9 into Y10
2016
1:1 Interviews
WEDNESDAY
19 Aug (Day 8)
THURSDAY
20 Aug (Day 9)
FRIDAY
21 Aug (Day 10)
SATURDAY
22 Aug
24 Aug (Day 1)
25 Aug (Day 2)
26 Aug (Day 3)
27 Aug (Day 4)
28 Aug (Day 5)
PFA Fathers Day
Breakfast 7.30am –
8.30am MYC
29 Aug
31 Aug (Day 6)
1 Sept (Day 7)
2 Sept (Day 8)
Regional Aths
3 Sept (Day 9)
5 Sept
7 Sept (Day 1)
8 Sept (Day 2)
Year 9 Camp
15 Sept (Day 7)
7:00pm
School Council
9 Sept (Day 3)
Year 9 Camp
16 Sept (Day 8)
Spring Concert
10 Sept (Day 4)
Year 9 Camp
17 Sept (Day 9)
Parent Teacher
Interviews
4 Sept (Day 10)
Koonung Spring
Soiree (PFA)
11 Sept (Day 5)
Year 9 Camp
18 Sept (Day 10)
End Term 3
6
7
8
9
14 Sept (Day 6)
10
12 Sept
19 Sept