Dear Williamstown High School families,

Welcome to this month’s edition of the W-Files. Students have been busily participating in a range of events both in and outside of school, some of which include: debating; Year 9 Morrisby careers interviews; 2025 subject selection and counselling; homework club; sporting competitions; Maths, LOTE and NAIDOC weeks; and a number of musical events including the VET organised WarChild charity concert.

Our VCE-VM students also organised and delivered a staff lunch that was both greatly appreciated by the staff and had our senior VCE-VM students beaming with pride. Some of our senior students also presented at staff meetings on the topics of inclusion and awareness raising. It was immensely inspiring that the presenting students had the confidence to tell us this is what we would like you to do.

Curriculum Day

At our most recent Curriculum Day the focus was on student engagement and wellbeing. For a number of years High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS) have underpinned much of what is seen in an effective teacher’s classroom. As previously mentioned, there has been a shift from what is expected from schools with an explicit focus on learning now becoming a dual focus on learning and wellbeing.

The focus of the Curriculum Day was around creating positive wellbeing classrooms and outdoor environments. We now have research and documents underpinning our work in the wellbeing space, and staff spent considerable time learning, discussing and sharing strategies and experiences underpinned by a High Impact Wellbeing Strategies (HIWS) document. This work is not only exciting but vital in supporting our young people to face the challenges they may experience both now and in the future.

Building Updates

Our Q Block building rectification is progressing but there have been some delays. I am quickly learning I need to be more conservative when sharing ambitious timelines when it comes to building works. Work was set to commence on completely underpinning our beautiful Q Block building, but engineers discovered the footings were on bluestone so a different approach was needed.

However, in good news, this new plan has been finalised and the tender process is almost complete. Once completed and full funding from the government has been confirmed, this work will commence. At no cost to the school’s budget, these multimillion-dollar works will be fully government funded and while it won’t include underpinning it will have all cracking and other structural issues rectified. The end result will be having our beautiful old building restored to all its former glory.

Premier’s Award

On Wednesday, 17 July, the Premier’s VCE Awards ceremony was held at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre. The night recognised the top performing students for outstanding achievement in the Victorian Certificate of Education in 2023. These highly prestigious awards are received by the top students across the state in each subject area (one to five students depending on numbers taking the subject). This year two Williamstown High School students received awards. Congratulations to Alyssa Cunanan for Creative and Digital Media and Ruby Norman, Literature.

Hold fast.

Dear parents and carers

This second semester now feels well underway. On my recent long service leave, I visited Belgium and thought, both there and now back at school, about our school’s association with this country, and their flag and our school colours! Through our homegroup curriculum, we will continue to work with our students on the values of our school and what these can mean into the future...

Congratulations to all students who successfully completed Semester 1 and whose end of semester reports showed growth and achievement; we had some outstanding results in many subject areas. Punctuality, attendance, work ethic and resilience or ‘grit’ continue to be linked to success in learning. Our Year 7 and 8 students will soon have the chance to make subject selections for 2025. This is an exciting time! Our Year 9 students are shortly about to undertake the second step in planning for Year 10 next year.

You may have also recently received National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) results for your child. Please contact us if you’d like to discuss your child’s results. We look forward to continuing to support you with this work in Semester 2.

Our learning environment

We are continuing to work on maintaining and improving learning environments for our students. Our decking for C Wing is almost complete and all rooms are accessible again. Student lockers have also been returned to this area. We appreciate your support during this time of change for your child - it may have been a homegroup room change or their locker in a different area for a few weeks. Improvements to the campus often need to occur during the term but we always work to ensure as little disruption to learning as possible. Our specialist classroom in this wing, our Textiles room, remained accessible throughout the building work. The railings, to complete the decking, are due to be installed shortly.

A fence on the perimeter of the hard courts was replaced over the break and a new fence erected, parallel to Bayview Street alongside the synthetic surface, to prevent balls from escaping onto the road. This area looks much improved with these additions and improves these outdoor spaces for student use.

Please continue to choose ‘nude food’ for your child to bring to school. Also, I ask all families to ensure their children do not bring gum to school. Discarded gum is unsanitary and too often ends up somewhere other than a bin. Gum is difficult and costly to remove and visually detracts from our physical and learning environments. We are looking to spend significant funds to remove gum from our hard surfaces. This is money we would prefer to be investing in improved facilities as opposed to cleaning the existing ones.

Acknowledgement

Thank you to all parents/carers who took the opportunity to provide feedback on school policies, including our Bullying Prevention Policy and Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy. Policy development is often the method to form shared understandings to then be able to articulate a clear vision, that is then evident in our work. Work of this nature is key to providing an environment that enables all students to become ‘happy, healthy and resilient successful lifelong learners and active, informed members of just and sustainable communities’[1].

We are currently in the Guling season of the annual Eastern Kulin Seasonal Calendar, as described by Woiwurrung traditions - Orchid Season. Earlier this week, staff read an excerpt from ‘The Yalukit-Willam - The First People of Hobsons Bay’. Staff were particularly interested in the ‘moiety affiliation’, waa and bunjil, and also leaders of the Yalukit-Willam, Benbow and Derrimut. If you are yet to read the text, it is highly recommended. It can be accessed at: www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/Community/Arts-Events-Culture/Cultural-Heritage/First-Nations-Cultural-Programs/The-Yalukit-Willum

Kind regards

Karen Anderson

Term 3 is an exciting and busy term on the Pasco Campus. There are several key events, the most notable being the course selection processes. It is an exciting time to think about the future and what might lay ahead. That said, it can also be daunting. I encourage students and families to reach out to their respective Year Level Coordinators and the Pathways teams for support as needed.

Course Selection Processes

All year levels are in the process of making their subject choices for 2025. The famous ‘subject supermarket’ was a great opportunity for parents and students to explore the wide range of subject/pathway choices available here at WHS. It was particularly nice to welcome the current Year 9s onto the campus in preparation for next year. Thank you to the 20 Year 10 students who volunteered as guides to help familiarise them with the senior campus. All families are reminded to keep to the timeline for submitting subject choices so we can plan effectively.

NAIDOC Week Celebrations

In Week 1 of term we celebrated NAIDOC Week, which is a significant event at the school. There were a host of activities including a wonderful acknowledgement of country from School Vice Captain Tom Hughes at the campus staff meeting. Tom talked about the week and challenged staff to include indigenous perspectives in homegroup lessons. Tom led the staff through a Yarning Circle activity. It was a privilege for the staff to experience a learning activity led by a student. A lunchtime didgeridoo concert was enjoyed by all students and was a highlight of the celebrations.

Grounds Update

The new counselling spaces are close to being completed and the area between the study centre and basketball courts has been upgraded with seats and planter boxes. The basketball courts have had some resurfacing work completed and the downball courts are marked and available for students to use at recess and lunchtime.

Year 12 VCE-VM/Staff Lunch

Staff were treated to a lunch on Friday, 26 July, prepared and hosted by the Year 12 VCE-VM Numeracy classes. The activity enabled students to meet learning outcomes, analyse data, manage a budget, communicate effectively and prepare and deliver food for many people. The food was also a hit, and it was great to see staff and students come together to enjoy the lunch.

Hold fast.

Daniel Pearce

Pasco Campus Principal

Celebrating First Peoples at Willi High

Willi High’s NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Week always occurs in the first week of Term 3, and this year’s events were a real treat. This year’s theme was “Keep The Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud” so we kept ‘the fire burning’ by holding a range of fun and engaging activities including colouring contests, class activities, mosaic-making and displays in the library, thematically appropriate bell music, cookies and coffee, and a live Yidaki musical performance by the amazing Ganga Giri. Thank you to our NAIDOC Team and all who contributed, including Ms Diamantis, Ms Harink, Ms Van Luinen, Mr Lubicz, Ms Reid and Ms Sapounakis. Please see photos of our celebrations below and some extras in the Year 11 report.

Students visit Wyndham Tech School

On Thursday, 20 June, Mr Rodda took a group of students from both Bayview and Pasco campuses to Wyndham Tech School’s Deadly Teach Day. Students were very engaged and had the chance to explore tech career pathways and hear from some great role models involved in the tech industry. Please see photos of the event below.

VR integration starts in Year 7 Humanities

In our second ever semester of virtual reality use at the school, our Year 7 Humanities classes are now engaging in opportunities to complement their Geography knowledge with apps and experiences designed to engage them. Teaching and Learning Leader Ms Barry has kicked off proceedings with new and specialised lessons for each Year 7 group, and has been helping the Humanities teaching staff to understand the technology and its effective application in the classroom. All VR classes take place in the Bayview Campus’s STEAM Education Centre (Room 13) where we have also now installed a 75” Clevertouch Panel for students to use and interact with in group and individual work. The STEAM Education Centre just keeps getting better!

School direction

Annual Implementation Plan Mid-year Review
At the beginning of Term 3, the Williamstown High School Leadership Team undertook its annual mid-year review to check progress toward our goals so that we can continue to help students have the very best learning environment. We are continuing to build on our strategies and seeing promising progress in all areas.

Hold fast.

Gavin Clifford

Strategic Assistant Principal

Exiting students

Do you know if you will be exiting the school at any point this year? Please send us an email at williamstown.hs@education.vic.gov.au. Knowing this information in advance will assist the school with planning, classes, budgets and staffing for 2025. Your plans don't have to be set in stone, just a heads up of your future intentions will do.

We have begun our staffing process for 2025, and currently have eight positions online on the Department of Education recruitment portal. Student numbers create the basis of our staffing and school council budget, so having accurate estimates for 2025 is essential.

School payment arrangements

School Council sends out letters each year in May and August to families that have made either a partial payment or no payment towards the curriculum contributions on our payment arrangements via Compass. We do this to assist meeting our School Council goal of a 75 percent collection rate. Maintaining a 75 percent collection rate allows the school to sustainably run our curriculum programs and provide greater enjoyment and opportunities for our students.

Thank you all for your continued support.

Compass events for camps and excursions

We understand that for camps and adventure-based excursions (swimming, rock climbing, etc.) there can be several documents to be completed by families, as required by the Department of Education. We have reviewed how we manage this at WHS and have now included the Medical Information Form in our Compass event templates for camps and adventure-based excursions. Parents and guardians will now be required to complete the form online via the Compass event before providing consent and payment. We are hoping this takes the burden off families having to complete additional paper forms after providing consent.
For certain adventure-based excursions, we are required by the Department of Education to collect information on the skill level of participants, such as swimming abilities. This information will also be collected via the Compass event.
This streamlines the process for staff as all data is collected at the time of consenting, without additional paperwork having to be followed up and collected. Please advise us if you have any feedback on these changes.

Youth leading change in Hobsons Bay

A small group of Year 10 students are participating in the Hobsons Bay Youth Change Makers Challenge, a youth leadership and participation program designed to engage, develop and celebrate young people who live, work, study, volunteer or recreate in Hobsons Bay. It will provide the students with the opportunity to develop skills in leadership and project management, and apply these skills to implement a community project for other young people. Finally, the program will give groups the opportunity to present their project, connect with youth action groups in other local schools, and celebrate their achievements with their peers and supporters.

The students have participated in a leadership training day and will have the opportunity to present their project at a Youth Forum. To support this they will also undertake public speaking training. They are regularly meeting with Hobsons Bay Youth Services and staff from Williamstown High School to plan, develop and implement their Community Project. Our students have chosen to focus on supporting an organisation that provides meals/food to the homeless.

Term 3 at the Bayview campus has a strong focus on our students’ pathways.

Year 9 students were the first cohort to participate in subject selection, having completed a homegroup lesson on elective subject selections for 2025. They then attended the Transition Day and ‘subject supermarket’ at the Pasco Campus and had many informed discussions with peers, parents and teachers about the subjects on offer. Many students and their parents also attended the Course Selection Information Evening at Pasco and have read the 2025 WHS Later Years’ Course Selection handbook.

Our Year 7 and 8 students are also about to begin their pathway process for 2025 in coming weeks, both in assemblies and in homegroup lessons. Detailed information about the elective subjects available to them next year will be shared and they will be encouraged to speak with relevant teachers who can provide more information to inform their choices. The links to the 2025 Subject Selection Handbooks can be found below for both 2025 Year 8 and 9 cohorts.

2025 Year 8:

smartbooks.mapsmarketing.com.au/users/williamstown/year-8-course-selection-handbook-2025/

2025 Year 9:

smartbooks.mapsmarketing.com.au/users/williamstown/year-9-course-selection-handbook-2025/

Display boards in the Atrium will also provide further information on 2025 Year 8 and Year 9 elective offerings. They will be on display in coming weeks while the selection process is taking place.

Instructions on how and when to submit elective selections will be made available to Year 7 and 8 parents in the coming weeks.

Making decisions about future educational pathways is important and exciting for students and I look forward to seeing what electives this year’s cohorts choose.

Clayton Warren | Middle Years Curriculum Leader

Hope all families are surviving the cold weather. We do understand that many students are off sick at the moment and we appreciate them not sharing illness with other students and their teachers. If you are concerned about class time missed, please ensure that your child logs into Google Classroom to monitor learning if feeling well enough to do so.

As a parent/carer you cannot fully see Google Classroom unless you log into it using your child's email address and password. You can receive parent summaries though. If you want this, please email the homegroup teacher and request an invite. Please ensure you give it a few days to occur. An email invite is then sent to you. Often it can end up in junk mail, so please look out for it there also. This short video might help you understand how the platform works: Google Classroom for Students & Parents (Google Classroom Tutorial 2020)

Please don't leave a voicemail or send an email in an emergency as teachers may not have an opportunity to check it during the day. Discuss your concerns with staff at reception. Please encourage your child to advocate for themselves and speak directly to the teacher or homegroup teacher for support. If it is not an emergency, the teacher will consider your request or may get back to your call/email when they are able to.

We are encouraging our students to really wrap up during this cold spell. It is important that students are appropriately dressed and have a jumper and jacket if needed. Please make sure your child is wearing the correct colour top under their jumper as it is used as an identifier by teachers to ensure students are in the correct location. We would also suggest that you provide an additional polo shirt in a bag at the bottom of their school bag for emergencies. We helped three students this week alone that had seagull excrement land on them, which not only smells but is very noticeable on the black school jumper!

The uniform shop has moved location and is open regularly so students can collect any orders you place. If you need support with the uniform, please contact our wellbeing coordinator Ms Ann Hyland. www.willihigh.vic.edu.au/wellbeing/student-wellbeing-support

As we have discussed with students, the purpose of the uniform policy is that we are all equal with equal opportunities to learning. We want WHS students focused on their learning and not distracted by what they are wearing and fashion statements. We are aware that many current students in Year 7 are becoming more anxious in regards to their body image. We are working with the Wellbeing Team to implement additional “positive body image” content as part of the respectful relationships homegroup curriculum in Term 4.

We are aware that young people can become anxious in regards to their body image. Body image can be an issue for any gender. Monitor your child social media content as they are often exposed to unrealistic images and concentrate on their flaws. Even if you feel your child is not currently impacted, please read the following flyer so you are prepared if they or one of their friends are impacted by this in the future.

butterfly.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/BodyImageTipsForParents.pdf Alex Cowen, Communications Manager at Butterfly Foundation said, “Butterfly is proud to once again work with Instagram to foster a positive body image online. #BodyKindOnline sparks discussion and offers practical advice about how we can all be kinder to our own and each others’ bodies online. Everyone, particularly young people, needs to be equipped with strong social media literacy skills to disrupt the negative feedback loop that can sometimes occur online. “This campaign puts the power into young peoples’ hands and gives them the tools to reject unattainable appearance ideals, social comparison and the seemingly ‘perfect’ life that can fill our feeds.”

There are also really good podcasts on this parent website called Embrace. In the second episode they focus on body shaming and the casual language we as adults use that has a major impact on younger people. Taryn Brumfitt, who was named 2023 Australian of the Year, developed the Embrace Hub: theembracehub.podbean.com

Student voice is really important. Currently our youth worker, Alanah, is working with us and our student leaders in developing a fun team building day later this term to build positive interactions between students, and finding students with similar interests. We are also looking at arranging a student focus group to get students’ opinions on the respectful relationships curriculum. We are working with some of our primary feeder schools to ensure we are providing continuity in our curriculum.

We recently had a Curriculum Day that was focused on School Wide Positive Behaviour Support. Our Year 7 team came up with some amazing ideas on how to implement our revised matrix and promote our values. I would like to congratulate Anja Sajnovic from Mr Jonathan Griffin’s homegroup, 7J, who won the whole school competition for her artwork, which is going to be used.

We have joined the Hobsons Bay Youth Network, which is a great opportunity for us to meet some great providers of services that we will share in future editions of the W-Files. These may be of interest to you or your young person.

	Parents and young people Please drop in to our hub, which is upstairs in Newport Library, to see what’s on offer or find out more information of different services in the area. Please see the information below on some upcoming events/activities:
Youth Fest Month Hobsons Bay Youth Services are gearing up for Youth Fest, a month-long celebration of young people during September. There will be a range of activities, workshops and opportunities for young people to participate in, including employment readiness workshops and a skate competition. There will be a jam-packed festival event on Saturday, 7 September, bringing together live music, art exhibitions and the opportunity for young people to sell their wares and creations in the Makers and Market Hall. The Makers Hall will be an opportunity for young people to showcase and sell their individual creations, such as: artworks, jewellery, plants, bags and photography. The Market Hall will have a focus on sustainability and upcycling, encouraging young people to “choose second hand”. Here young people will have an opportunity to sell their second-hand items, such as: clothing, shoes, accessories and books. youth@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au
Counselling and Case Management Hobsons Bay has male and female counsellors offering free and confidential counselling, case management and support for young people aged 12-25. A mental health care plan is not required. To speak to one of our qualified and experienced staff, call us on 9932 4000, fill in the referral form or email for more information: www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/counselling Youthcounselling@hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au
The Man Cave: Board of Boys Do you know a teenage boy who would be keen to level up in life and work with the Man Cave and Movember? The BOB journey will be an exclusive in-person and online experience over the course of eight weeks, where boys will get access to facilitators and challenges to build their character. There is the chance to win prizes, all while being a part of a community of like-minded people. The goal is to improve the tools young men have to deal with life’s challenges. It aims to give them an opportunity to put these new skills into practice in their communities to create healthy and long-lasting friendships. Contact Hobsons Bay Youth Services or read more information here: themancave.life/communitychallenge

We have been missing Year 7 Coordinator Mr James Riccobene, who has been away on long service with his wife visiting family in Europe. He is loving the food over there but, alas, will be returning in the next few days.

Enjoy the rest of Term 3.

Year 7 Coordinators James Riccobene & Isabella O’Malley

Welcome back everyone after our midyear break. Still in the middle of a cold Melbourne winter, our Year 8s have returned to school with a growth mindset. Teachers have acknowledged this positive start through individual conversations with students and also through ‘positive posts’ on Compass, which are also visible for families to see.

At our end of term celebration assembly last term, we had the opportunity to celebrate two students from each homegroup with academic and citizenship awards. We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate the winners below:

Subject selection 2025

Students will be going through information in homegroup regarding subject selections for 2025. The subject handbook is available on the school website and further information will be sent out via email shortly.

Meet our Year 8 Teachers

Holly Defina

I began teaching at Williamstown High School last year, and this year I teach Music for both classroom and instrumental lessons (piano) and English at both the Bayview and Pasco campuses. I absolutely love music and, as part of the new piano program introduced to the school, I also run piano ensemble and masterclass where students can develop performance skills both in a group setting as well as solo.

Sarah Quick

Hi, I am Sarah. I am excited to be teaching English at Willi High as of Semester 2, 2024. I am a passionate Westy and love the vibrance of our local communities. I love nurturing a love of the environment, the outdoors and exploring what makes my students tick. I am looking forward to getting to know other members of the community, and assisting it to thrive.

Term 3 is another big term for Year 9, with Year 10 subject selection approaching. Homegroup sessions have had a focus on subject selection for next year, with students encouraged to consider both their strengths and to challenge themselves with their elective choices. Students spent the afternoon at Pasco last Thursday, they had a tour from Year 10 volunteers and got to speak to Pasco teachers at the subject supermarket. You could feel the excitement in the air from the Year 9s as they explored their future campus. Students who are hoping to accelerate into a VCE subject next year have submitted their forms, and await their results. Subject selection culminates on 21 August, where Year 9s will have a student free day, and students and families will meet with a course counsellor to make their final choices.

Many of our Year 9s continue to show great agency for their learning at the after-school Homework Club tutoring program on Wednesday afternoons. Running from 3:00-4:30pm in the Bayview Library, students are able to work with subject teachers, alumni and classmates to access extra learning support and collaboration opportunities. Students have also been attending after school masterclasses, such as for upcoming Maths tests.

Homegroups F, G and H have started on their Immersion journey, and will be attending Immersion camp in Week 5. Students have reported being excited to head to the FareShare or Big Umbrella kitchens to help make a difference in their communities by cooking up a storm. They’re also looking forward to letting off some steam at the go-kart track.

This term we’re having a continued focus on school uniforms at Bayview. We’re encouraging students to wear their uniform with pride to increase school spirit.

We would like to congratulate the winners from our end of term celebration, the students below have been nominated by their teachers for showing excellence in either academic achievements or civics and citizenship. We would like to congratulate Alexandra Trigger for winning the award for perfect attendance in Term 2 - one of fourteen students who achieved this milestone. We would also like to congratulate Ari Taylor for winning the award for zero lates to class in Term 2, out of 29 students.

Carmen Wiseman & Tom Gentry | Year 9 Coordinators

Dear Year 10 families,

We are thrilled to report that our Year 10 students have had an excellent start to the term. They have eagerly begun their new electives, participated in interschool sports, and are diligently preparing for their Year 11 subject selections.

At our most recent end-of-term assembly, we proudly recognised a number of Year 10 students for their accomplishments and successes throughout what was a very busy Term 2. Congratulations to all the award recipients.

I would like to thank the Year 10 homegroup team for their continued support of our students' pathways, with a special thanks to our Pathways and Transitions coordinator Ms Anna Bovdis, for her dedication and the wealth of knowledge she has shared with the Year 10 students, teachers and families.

While the term has been overwhelmingly positive, we would like to remind all families of our school uniform policy. If your child is unable to wear the school uniform for any reason, please ensure they provide a signed note as per the uniform policy. Students out of uniform without a signed and dated note are to expect reteaching and appropriate consequences . We kindly ask that you discuss the school’s uniform expectations with your child and ensure they are regularly wearing the correct uniform.

We are excited to see the amazing things our Year 10 students will achieve throughout the remainder of the term.

Kind Regards,

Jaslyn Walker & Christopher Blattman
Yr 10 YLC team

We are halfway through Term 3 and there have already been numerous events showcasing the talent and learning potential of students at Williamstown High School.

The VET Music Sound Production and Performance students staged a spectacular offering of music during the recent WarChild Benefit Concert at the Substation in Newport. The musical ability of so many students was fantastic to see, and the crowd loved the music of the students and staff that played on the night.

On Tuesday, 16 July, in support of their Unit 2 Literature studies of First Nations writers, students visited NGV Australia. Students joined an NGV educator to view and respond to diverse works by emerging and senior artists and designers. Students explored concepts such as connections to Country, and how artists and designers maintain and regenerate cultural traditions and create new forms of expression. Millie Mountford provides us with a reflection on this excursion below:

“For our Voices to Country unit in Year 11 Literature, we went on an excursion to the National Gallery of Victoria’s Ian Potter Centre. We were taken on a guided tour through an exhibition of First Nations artists titled ‘Wurrdha Marra’, which we viewed and analysed through a post-colonial lens. The exhibition expanded on key ideas of place, language, reconciliation and colonialism that we have been exploring through Deborah Mailman and Wesley Enoch’s ‘Seven Stages of Grieving’.

“Visiting the NGV enabled deeper understanding and discussion of First Nations experiences. Learning through multiple modes, visual and written, informed the class of varying perspectives in a digestible and engaging manner. I really enjoyed the variety of visual styles and mediums, influenced by many years of cultural history, and the presence of uniquely Australian materials and subject matter, such as red earth pigment and native flora. ‘Wurrdha Marra’ was both beautiful and educational.”

At the beginning of Term 3 we acknowledged students in each Year 11 homegroup who received the most positive posts in Semester 1, and those whose attendance percentage was the highest in the first half of the year. Students received a certificate acknowledging their achievement, a card of congratulations from their homegroup teacher, and a $10 canteen voucher. We would like to congratulate the winners of these awards from each homegroup outlined in the table below:

We would also like to congratulate the senior boys and girls soccer teams, both of which recently won through to the state finals. The girls team has two Year 11 students in the team: Marlee Bevan and Alexandra Kokolios. The boys team is predominantly Year 11 students, captained by Oliver Dragicevic. We wish both teams all the best in the state finals later in the year.

The portal for ordering the 2025 Year 12 jumper closed in early August and all orders have now been reviewed and processed. We hope that jumpers will be manufactured and delivered in time for students to wear them for the Headstart Program in late November to recognise their advancing to Year 12 at Williamstown High School.

Ms Bovdis recently spoke to Year 11 students regarding institution open days and the opportunities they provided to meet staff and students, see facilities and experience the on-campus culture. We highly recommend students and their families attend as many institution open days as possible. A list of open days is available for parents and students in Edition 6 of the careers newsletter on the careers website or via the VTAC website.

It was fantastic to see such a large number of students and their families at the recent Year 10 into Year 11 Course Selection Evening. The subject supermarket held in the library was abuzz with conversations between students and teachers exploring VCE options for 2025. We look forward to welcoming the current Year 10s on their VCE journey during the Headstart Program at the end of this year.

In the first few weeks of Term 3 students and staff celebrated NAIDOC Week, Disability Pride Month, Languages Week and Mathematics Week. There were a range of engaging activities, workshops and games for students to learn more about these areas and how they link to their life inside and outside of school. At a recent meeting, staff were very fortunate to listen to excellent presentations from Year 12 students Tom Hughes and Maggie Lynch on what we can learn from NAIDOC Week and Disability Pride Month.

Looking forward, in Week 7 of Term 3 all Year 11 students will participate in an Elephant Ed workshop exploring consent and sex education. If you would like to engage with this topic prior to your child undertaking this workshop, please visit the Elephant Ed website. There is also some useful information on this topic on the following government website: Consent Can't Wait

Finally, Year 10 and 11 students have recently had the opportunity to give feedback to student leaders and Year Level Coordinators about what they would like to see featured in a refresh of the L Block areas. By the end of the year we are hoping to move forward with indoor seating, before focusing on many new features for the outside area next year and beyond. We thank the Parents and Friends Association for their assistance in helping to fund this work.

Term 3 is an exciting time for Year 12s as they begin ticking off a number of events from their to-do lists to finish off the year. This includes final assessments, classes, the WarChild concert, birthdays and a range of other events. These to-do lists help the students break down the rest of the year, making it seem more achievable. Having small, yet important milestones to tick off keeps them focused on what the next few steps look like.

Just as exciting as Term 3 is, it can also feel like a slog. We are four weeks into a 10-week term with no real break in sight. In addition, those studying VCE are also coming up to another round of SACs, which always provides a few stressful days. It's important to continue to encourage your child and check in to see when their SACs are so that you can further support them at home during those periods.

As we begin to look beyond 2024, it is important to note that VTAC applications have recently opened. Students will need to apply through VTAC if they wish to complete further study next year. This information has been sent home via email from Ms Anna Bovdis, the school’s careers counsellor. I would like to encourage you to check in with your child about what they are thinking 2025 will look like for them and to book in a session with Ms Bovdis, who will be able to provide guidance as you make those important decisions.

Finally, a few things to celebrate within the year level. We have had some significant sporting achievements by our students, including the following:

• David Lienert - U18 Hockey National Champion

• Olivia De Silva, Lachlan Wright and Tom Olsen - Competed at Lifesaving Championships

• Senior Girls Soccer Team - Qualified for State Championships

• Senior Boys Soccer Team - Qualified for State Championships

It has been another wonderful term of supporting our future’s leaders in honing their leadership skills. Notably, our student leadership team has begun to recognise that their time at the helm of this ship is ending.

At the end of Term 2 our student leadership team spent some time reflecting on their progress in Term 1 and 2; the events they ran and changes they made. When asked about what they wanted to prioritise in Term 3, there was resounding interest in representing their peers and supporting the next generation of leaders. This spirit of mentorship and care for the students at our school has been such an asset to the 2024 student leaders as they have always acted with the best interests of others at heart.

Student voice was at the centre of our NAIDOC Week celebrations. Vice Captain Tom Hughes worked directly with teachers to create a curriculum that was rolled out across the entire school through homegroup classes. Students discussed the theme of NAIDOC Week this year, “Keep the Fire Burning”, and the importance of storytelling to cultural identity. The students requested that the week was marked by a celebration with which the entire student body could be involved. It was amazing to see so many students sitting in the sun watching and participating in a fantastic yidaki (didgeridoo) performance.

Our school captains, Lachlan Patterson and Indy Read-Smith, have been working toward two exciting projects that will leave their mark on Willi High and future student leaders. Here’s Lachy’s update on how he’s working with the Year 10 and 11 leaders to plan for the redevelopment of the Year 11 space.

“This term, the Year 11 and Year 10 students are developing their leadership skills through a hands-on project: renovating the Year 11 space. I've had the privilege of mentoring these enthusiastic students as they gather ideas and feedback from across the school community, carefully selecting the best ideas to bring to life. With a strong commitment to making meaningful improvements, these students are working behind the scenes with teachers to make this happen! Their creativity, dedication and teamwork have been a joy to watch, and I’m incredibly proud of the progress they’re making. The refreshed space will be a testament to their hard work and collaboration - stay tuned for the exciting transformation!”

Indy, on the other hand, is consulting with teachers and leaders on an exciting restructure of our student leadership team. Here’s what she had to say about her project.

“Recently, the student leadership team has been reevaluating the structure of the team, and the different positions held within it. This issue is being tackled through all leadership students having individual meetings with our leadership coordinator, Miss Diamantis, discussing our year in our role and how we hope to see it progress for future leaders. We have identified specific opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of the student leadership team that would ensure the workload is distributed more effectively and provide greater opportunity for mentoring of younger members that would facilitate an effective handover from year to year. The leadership team is very excited by the prospect of a changing leadership team, which reflects the dynamic nature of student leadership and how the structure is always evolving to best suit the cohort. This is with the intention of strengthening student voice and ensuring that the leadership team is established in a way that will benefit leaders constantly moving through the program.”

As Indy said, each of the student leaders has had the opportunity to report on their experiences of school as representatives of their peers. They have been incredibly articulate and thoughtful in how they view their school in these meetings. Overall, they are so proud of the school they attend and excited to leave their mark through these two projects.

If there are students in Years 9-11 interested in taking on a leadership role at the Pasco Campus next year, I would encourage them to speak to any students who have been in leadership this year. Keep an eye out toward the end of this term for more information on the application process.

Student Leadership Coordinator,

Iolande Diamantis

Disability Pride Month

Last term some students indicated their desire to celebrate Disability Pride Month. Disability Pride Month happens every year in July to promote awareness, celebrate people with disabilities, and encourage self-acceptance and embracing all disabilities. To celebrate, we had badge making, trivia and homegroup activities, and also guest speakers at staff meetings, including external guests and also students.

Disability Pride Month has its own flag, with its own meaning behind it. The five colours represent:

• Green – Invisible and undiagnosed disabilities

• Blue – Mental illness

• White – Sensory disabilities

• Yellow – Neurodiversity and development disabilities

• Red – Physical disabilities

The diagonal line represents the cutting through of barriers people with disabilities face. The black background represents people with disabilities who have died due to ableism, violence, negligence, suicide, illness or for any other reason.

On 1 and 5 August, both Pasco and Bayview staff and students were fortunate enough to have disability advocate and local artist Larissa McFarlane come out and speak about all things disability to the students. They helped organise the first Australian celebrations of Disability Pride in 2017.

Larissa talked to the students about their experiences, and introduced the ‘social model of disability’. The social model of disability says that disability is caused by the way society is organised, rather than by a person’s impairment or difference. It looks at removing barriers that restrict life choices for disabled people. When these barriers are removed, disabled people can be independent and equal in society, with choice and control over their own lives. For example, a wheelchair user is disabled only because many buildings don’t have lifts or ramps, high counters are inaccessible, etc.

Larissa opened our eyes to how changing the environment not only helped disabled people, it helped everyone. Did you know texting was initially designed and used by the deaf community? Or that wheelchair users advocated for kerb cuts to allow them to easily cross the road?

Larissa also explained how they got into art, which they now use as a way to raise awareness for Disability Pride Month. Larissa uses a range of media to display their message, such as badge making, printmaking, street art and community art.

At Pasco, students were also fortunate enough to have access to a workshop on executive functioning by Emma Catchpole. She gave students some tips on working with their brains, rather than against them, and students really appreciated her techniques and honest approach.

Inclusion resources

Don’t forget, our libraries are well stocked when it comes to inclusion resources. There are a range of neuro-affirming books available for staff, students and now families (see recent Compass post): sites.google.com/willihigh.vic.edu.au/whsinclusion/home

Inclusion Club

Inclusion Club at Pasco continues to run. The club is a safe and welcoming space where students come together over a cuppa to promote understanding, acceptance and celebration of diversity in all its forms, with a focus on neurodiversity, disability and minority groups. All students are invited to join for a cuppa and a chat on Tuesdays at lunchtime.

Simone Barlow & Connie Messina

Inclusion Leaders

Semester 2 feels like it has only just gotten underway, but a lot has been happening in the Mathematics space already.

Mathematics Week was held in Week 4, to coincide with the Australian Mathematics Competition, the country’s longest running, largest and most well-known mathematics competition for school students. To celebrate Mathematics Week, the school also ran a range of activities for students to get involved in, promoting mathematical thinking and highlighting some of the fun aspects of mathematics. A big thank you to the Mathematics teams at both campuses for the activities provided to our students. We will have more details about the events and the winners of all the competitions in our next issue.

This term we have also introduced a new Numeracy Support Program through the Tutor Learning Initiative. The program is targeted at a group of Year 7 students identified as requiring more support with Multiplicative Thinking, a key building block for many mathematical concepts. This group of students have begun attending sessions before school, where they complete activities designed to build their Multiplicative Thinking in small groups with support from a tutor.

Here is an example of one of the problems students completed in their first week:

We will be looking for feedback from the students, staff, and families involved in the coming weeks before we decide whether to expand the program to more students and potentially other year levels.

On another note, with the Victorian Mathematics Curriculum 2.0 being implemented in all Victorian schools from next year, the Mathematics team has already begun working to integrate the changes into our subjects. The changes do mean that from next year there will be a new range of textbooks required by all 2025 Year 7-9 students, and those Year 10 students enrolled in Mathematics Advanced (10A). This does unfortunately mean that secondhand textbooks cannot be used for these subjects next year. Here is a look at the new textbooks to help you identify them; they are the Cambridge Essential Mathematics for the Victorian Curriculum Third Edition:

Finally, in Week 2 of Term 3, our 2024 NAPLAN Individual Student Reports arrived at the school and were mailed out to our Year 7 and Year 9 families. More information for parents and carers can be found at the following website:

www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/assessment/f-10assessment/naplan/Pages/parents/index.aspx

Please feel free to contact me with any questions or queries.

Martyn van Reyk

Mathematics Learning Specialist

Bayview & Pasco Languages

Term 3, 2024

What a great start to Semester 2 for our language learners. After celebrating NAIDOC Week and our attachment to Country during the first week, we had Languages Week. It’s an occasion to celebrate the rich cultural and language backgrounds of our students and community.

Languages Week

In celebration of the Paris Olympic Games, we organised a series of sports competitions highlighting national sports from France and Indonesia. During lunchtime, students participated in soccer and badminton matches in a "teachers versus students" format. Additionally, we hosted our traditional French and Indonesian board game lunch activities, featuring congklak and le jeu des sept familles. Students from Bayview and Pasco also tested their language knowledge through a trivia challenge. Unfortunately, the Crêpe Van, which is a yearly tradition, cancelled at the last minute. We assure all students that we will make every effort to bring the Crêpe Van to Bayview and Pasco next year.

Berthe Mouchette Competition

During Term 2, 47 of our Year 7 and Year 8 students dedicated their efforts to preparing for the Berthe Mouchette French Poetry Competition on Zoom. The students delivered their recitations with confidence, and the finalists were praised for their enthusiasm and hard work. This year, more than 6,000 students from 84 schools across Victoria participated in the competition. We extend our congratulations to our diligent participants and the 11 finalists from Williamstown High School for their outstanding performance in the Berthe Mouchette Competition 2024.

In Term 3, some of our VCE students also engaged in the Berthe Mouchette Competition, undertaking both a mock oral and written exam. This experience provided them with valuable practice and feedback from external assessors, aiding their preparation for the end-of-year exams. We are now awaiting the results, which are expected to be announced later in August.

Key dates

We are currently in a dynamic period where junior teachers are actively guiding students through their subject selection and transition processes. We encourage students to stay engaged with their language studies and to appreciate the numerous benefits that language learning provides. At the same time, senior teachers are enthusiastically preparing Year 12 students for their forthcoming oral exams in nine weeks, followed by their written exams, ensuring they are well-equipped for success.

17 August - celebrations in class for Indonesia’s Independence Day
10 October - Year 12 French Oral Exam
16 October - Year 12 Indonesian Oral Exam

À très bientôt, sampai jumpa lagi!

Meet Qisthi, a new Indonesian language assistant

Hi everyone,

My name is Azhar Qisthi Muflihah, but people usually call me Qisthi. I’m excited to be here as a new Indonesian language assistant, sent by the Victorian Government for the next 10 months.

I’m passionate about helping students learn Indonesian language and culture. I believe that language learning is a journey, not just a destination, and I’m here to be a part of that journey.

During my time here, I will help students develop their Indonesian language skills, introduce them to Indonesian culture, and create opportunities for more speaking practice sessions.

I’m enjoying my role here and can’t wait to get to know everyone better.

Thank you very much!

Email: azhar.muflihah@willihigh.vic.edu.au

Perkenalkan Qisthi, asisten bahasa Indonesia baru

Hai semuanya,

Nama saya Azhar Qisthi Muflihah, tapi orang-orang biasa memanggil saya Qisthi. Saya sangat senang berada di sini sebagai asisten bahasa Indonesia baru, yang dikirim oleh Pemerintah Victoria untuk 10 bulan ke depan.

Saya sangat bersemangat untuk membantu para siswa belajar bahasa dan budaya Indonesia. Saya percaya bahwa belajar bahasa adalah sebuah perjalanan, bukan hanya sebuah tujuan, dan saya di sini untuk menjadi bagian dari perjalanan tersebut.

Selama saya di sini, saya akan membantu siswa mengembangkan kemampuan bahasa Indonesia mereka, memperkenalkan mereka pada budaya Indonesia, dan menciptakan peluang untuk lebih banyak sesi latihan berbicara.

Saya menikmati peran saya di sini dan tidak sabar untuk mengenal semua orang dengan lebih baik.

Terima kasih banyak!

Email: azhar.muflihah@willihigh.vic.edu.au

2024 Schoolaerobics

This year marks the 11th year that WHS has participated in Schoolaerobics.

During Semester 1, the senior team based at Pasco Street had much success in the regional and state level competitions. The team consisted of Isabelle Cembala, Indy Webster, Sierra Hockley, Erin Simonds, Annelise Cembala and Matisse Rossow. All these students trained very hard and should be extremely proud of their efforts.

They trained under the guidance of their coach, Jade Pedler (WHS alumni), to prepare a high intensity and creative routine for the Stage 3 competition section.

The regional competition was held in Gisborne during May. This saw the team score highly in their artistic section and gain an overall score of 75.4. This is an excellent first round score and gained them entry into the state round.

At the state competition in June, the day saw a very close competition! The pressure was high being in an extremely competitive section and the team took on the challenge. They ended up getting an improved technical score for their routine but, unfortunately, this wasn’t enough to see them progress to the national competition. They brought their best performance to date and a HEAP of energy to the stage making their coach and WHS community proud!

This isn’t the end of WHS aerobics for the year though... Bayview students have just started up training for Semester 2.

The new students in Years 7, 8 and 9 are training every Thursday with Ms Withers to prepare for the Spring Challenge competition to be held in October.

The aim of our program is to see students improve their confidence, fitness, health, teamwork and self-esteem through participation in a healthy and fun competition. More information can be found at the school website: www.willihigh.vic.edu.au/co-curricular/school-aerobics

Any student who is interested in participating in aerobics should see Ms Lauren Withers or Ms Karen Mahoney. Everyone is welcome.

Art Making and Exhibiting students have been busy going out on excursions to various art galleries, including the Australian Centre for Contemporary Art and Kim Gordon exhibition at Newport Substation.

Year 11 murals of Water Creatures have started.

Year 12 Media students are just weeks away from submitting their media products - this is always a labour of love as they spend so much of their academic year working on these. We cannot wait to see their films, magazines, podcasts and photo series.

A reminder that we have the Senior Art Exhibition early next term. It will be held at the Newport Substation again (opening night is Friday, 1 November) and we have our annual Media Film Festival the night before this (Thursday, 31 October), also at the Substation.

Mr Hayman is overseeing the new tree and world map mural on the wall of the canteen (facing the new Year 12 Study Centre). This style of art is pointillism and the aim is for each student and staff member to contribute at least three dots each. Cannot wait to see this develop.

Jazz Night

Jazz Night, held at Kindred Studios, was an unforgettable night of jazz, soloists and stage band showcases. Well done to all performers and soloists.

Soul Sonics

Students from the Bayview Campus undertaking Year 9 music visited the Pasco Campus for a tour of the new performing arts facilities and were also treated to performances from our senior music students. Students from the Year 9 Making Music elective also experienced the Soul Sonics workshop, where they were able to field record sounds and create beats using Ableton Push hardware.

Our students enjoyed being able to explore music and sound from a new perspective, and were encouraged to think critically about creative choices when making music. We are looking forward to another Soul Sonics workshop in the future.

Winter Concert

Embracing the magic of the season, our high school ensembles lit up the stage and warmed us with their talent. Thank you to everyone who joined us in the Centenary Theatre for an unforgettable evening of music. Thank you to Music captains Isabel Clarkson and Thomas McGuire for compering the evening with an abundance of musical jokes and laughter. Thank you to parents and students for attending.

Music Camp

Held on picturesque Phillip Island, the recent Music Camp brought together 130 enthusiastic students from Years 7 to 12 for an exhilarating three-day musical journey. Amidst the stunning coastal backdrop, the young musicians immersed themselves in intensive ensemble rehearsals, honing their skills and forging lasting friendships.

Beyond the rehearsals, the camp buzzed with excitement as students showcased their diverse talents during a spirited talent show and tested their musical knowledge in a lively trivia night. The blend of rigorous practice and engaging activities created an enriching experience, leaving students with cherished memories and a deeper passion for music. Thank you to our dedicated instrumental staff for another great music camp.

WarChild

Congratulations to the students of VET Music Sound Production and Performance classes for their work on the annual WarChild benefit concert, held at the Substation in Newport. Once again the event was sold out and flowed smoothly thanks to the hard work and planning done by students. Well done to all the performers and sound production crew involved. From shredding solos to epic sing-alongs, you all made it a night to remember. One band even gained some international viewership from heavy metal legends Pantera! Here’s to more music, more passion, and more unforgettable moments.

Song Makers - Year 10 Music

The Year 10 Music class recently took part in a two-day songwriting workshop with some brilliant mentors from APRA AMCOS. Experienced music producers Joel Ma (Joelistics, TZU), Rromarin and Beatrice Lewis (Haiku Hands) took the students through the collaborative process of writing and recording a demo of four great, original songs. The students also got an insight into the diversity of roles in the music industry and how their original music can start to earn an income.

VCE English plays brought to life

Murder and other taboos in Greece over 2,000 years ago and witchcraft in 1692 in Salem Massachusetts might be hard to imagine in 2024 Melbourne. Luckily for our VCE students, they are able to see professional productions from ‘The Complete Works Theatre Company’ to dramatize ‘Oedipus the King’ by Sophocles and ‘The Crucible’ by Arthur Miller. These productions, teeming with terminology in term 3, in our Centenary theatre, have provided a living and vibrant spectacle of these VCE English and EAL texts

Year 12 students interviewed about ‘Oedipus the King’ were enthusiastic about how the production enhanced their understanding of the features and themes of the play. Indi Webster said that it helped to ‘visualise the setting’ and ‘understand the way that the actors delivered their lines to portray respective characters’. When reading the play at home she thought the character of Oedipus was relatively calm. After the play, she noticed how his arrogance was presented and explained by the actor presenting this quality in the ‘Q and A’ session.’

Riley Belfall also felt it was beneficial to visualise the play and to see the narrative unfold and the expressiveness of the actors, rather than ‘just words on a page’. For example, he recognised the self-righteous and self-centred aspects Oedipus’ character and his development throughout the play as presented by the actor. He also liked the way the play broke up the term and he thought this catered to those with a different learning style. James Famador liked the new experience of watching the play rather than a film or youtube clip. He found it valuable to comprehend the play as it unfolded in real time. In particular, he liked the portrayal of Tiresias who was defiant and willing to challenge Oedipus. Will Inness appreciated the tone of the live play such as Oedipus’ hubris and Creon’s defensiveness which he thought came through strongly. He thinks that tying his reading to the performance which either confirmed or challenged his initial interpretation was definitely worth it.

So, it looks like live plays at Willy High are valuable and we will endeavour to keep using our theatre for future pathos, anagnorisis and hopefully catharsis!

Next meeting is Tuesday, 20 August, 7:30pm – online and at the Bayview Campus. Guest speakers will be Ezra Bangun, Jesse Craig and Hannah Vu, who will be speaking about various aspects of the current curriculum.

Garrett Drago, the school’s Marine Science teacher, was the guest speaker at our July meeting. He gave us a tour of the new and existing tanks in the Marine Science Room, and explained the process of installing, setting up and introducing the new inhabitants to the two new tanks that the PFA contributed $4,500 towards. WHS students are so lucky to have the Marine Science program, and such an engaging and enthusiastic teacher. We thank Garrett for his time at the meeting, and throughout the lengthy fit-out of the new tanks.

The Scout and School Monster Raffle is one of the PFA’s greatest sources of fundraising. Tickets will be available online shortly. Keep an eye out for Compass posts over the next couple of months.

There is more information about the PFA on the school website under the Parents Tab. Or email presidentwhspfa@gmail.com to receive PFA updates or to get in touch.