Welcome to this month’s edition of the W-Files. Term 1 has been an exciting and productive period for both student learning experiences and extracurricular activities. A number of these activities outside of the classroom have provided students with opportunities to increase their connectedness to WHS, strengthen friendships and impact positively on student wellbeing.

Some highlights have been our whole-school Athletics Carnival, Harmony Day, International Women’s Day and the World’s Greatest Shave. School tours have also taken place with demand for a place at Williamstown High School reaching record levels - a fantastic reflection on our wonderful school community, made up of fantastic staff, highly engaged and supportive families, and exceptional students. Many other activities, such as immersion program showcase, sports, debating, camps, incursions and excursions, among others, have been held as well. Please enjoy reading about some of these events and the photos taken of them in this edition of the W-Files.

Athletics Carnival

Our Athletics Carnival is one of two events on our calendar where we bring both campuses together as a whole school (Town Hall Assembly being the other event). This has truly become so much more than the sporting events alone, with Year 12 dress-ups, students in house colours, musical showcase, a World’s Greatest Shave event and a real bonding and celebratory vibe. Student spirit was very high throughout the day and I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to connect with a large number of extremely polite and respectful members of our student cohort.

School Council elections

I am pleased to announce the 2024 members of the WHS School Council. The Department of Education positions are occupied by new council member Alice Arablou and returning members Daniel Pearce, David Child and Andre Bernardi. Joining our returning parent representatives, Kane Harnden, Jake Mansfield and Natalie Blurt, are newly elected parent members Aaron Hunt, Karen O’Duil, Blake Taylor and Steph Viljoen. We also warmly welcome our newly elected student representatives, Lachlan Patterson (Year 12) and Nayimah Falzon (Year 9).

I would like to thank all parents, students and staff for engaging positively in the nomination process. We also welcome the student leaders and continuing Parents and Friends member, Elizabeth Cushion, who attend School Council meetings to provide reports from their associated teams.

I would like to acknowledge and congratulate Kane Harnden, who has been nominated and elected as our School Council president for this year. Steph Viljoen has accepted the role as vice president and Jake Mansfield will continue in the position as treasurer.

Bayview Campus improvements

By the time our students return for Term 2, we will have resurfaced the Bayview Campus synthetic courts and upgraded the surface of our basketball courts there. Our new uniform shop pod located at the front of the school near the recently installed instrumental music pods will also be ready early Term 2. This will allow us to expand spaces for our wellbeing and welfare staff, with the aim of having our mental health practitioner, youth worker and welfare staff all in the offices at the front of the Bayview Library.

These and further Bayview improvements mentioned by campus principal Karen Anderson in this edition of the W-Files are all significant investments in upgrading our facilities and ones that I am sure will be greatly appreciated by the students.

New buildings at Pasco Campus

Finally, the day has arrived. After several years of delays (beyond our control), I am extremely pleased to announce our new building projects are almost complete. Our Performing Arts Centre of Excellence (PACE building) and brand new Year 12 Study Centre will be ready for students to use at the start of Term 2. We recently participated in a walk-through with our music and drama teachers, and the facilities are outstanding and beyond expectations. Our students, and generations of students to come, will truly enjoy learning and utilising these spaces. We will be having an official opening celebration during Period 4 on day one of Term 2. Campus principal Daniel Pearce will be sending further details to the Pasco students shortly.

If any families are interested in viewing the facilities, Daniel Pearce and I are happy to take groups through the new buildings on Thursday, 18 April, at 3:30pm. If you are keen to do this, please email me directly via the email below so we can efficiently organise this.

Giorgio.Catalano@education.vic.gov.au

Curriculum Day

Our recent Curriculum Day saw staff come together to work collaboratively on the area of Inclusive Education. As previously mentioned, all schools now receive increased funding for this area and we have invested this extra resourcing in a high quality Inclusive Education team with high level leadership now in place at both campuses for this area. External presenters provided in-depth learning on a number of topics including ASD/ADHD and specific learning difficulties. These discussions gave staff new ideas and strategies to implement in their classrooms to ensure we have an environment here where all students can learn and achieve success. Looking at the role of the integration aid also featured on the agenda. Staff left the day exhausted but appreciative of the learning they had experienced.

Wishing all families and staff a restful break leading into a busy and exciting Term 2.

Dear parents and carers

We hope that our students will commence their first term break of this academic year feeling confident about their learning progress. By the time this is published, very engaging Parent Teacher Student Conferences (PTSC) will have occurred with the vast majority of students and parents/carers attending and planning for the next success in all learning areas. Interim Reports and PTSC are key means of understanding where students are at, at this point in time, and working together to implement strategies to further improve. This is true for teachers and staff also.

During the break, we hope students reflect on their learning in Term 1 and plan ways to make further progress with their goals in Term 2. Pages 11-13 in the Homegroup Student Resource are where students are to record their SMART Personal Learning Goals. The beginning of the Resilience Project section also has QR codes linked to Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness, Emotional Literacy and Connection. The term break may be an opportunity to explore these further.

Please speak with your child about their goals. We encourage all students and parents/carers to speak to their child’s homegroup teacher about further support that may be required to achieve goals in Semester 1. Copies of the Homegroup Student Resource are still available from JP Books, if you are yet to purchase this.

Our school day commences at 8:50am and our grounds are supervised from 8:30am. Please encourage your child to arrive with sufficient time to access their locker and do what is required in readiness for the first two lessons. Our library opens at 8:20am daily and closes at 4:30pm.

Our learning environment

Engagement with learning in class continues to be our focus. Our staff have recently undertaken professional development in differentiation and in Disability Inclusion, so that we become increasingly skilled to challenge all learners. Student Support Group meetings have been occurring regularly this term; the three way partnership is paramount in attaining high level student learning outcomes.

Our physical environment

We are on the eve of our 10 portable classrooms becoming more accessible, with funding from the Accessible Buildings Program. Plans include decking that spans the group of portables, two ramps and five sets of stairs. The building work is due to commence at the end of this term and conclude toward the end of Term 2. During this time, student lockers in the vicinity will be relocated to maintain accessibility. We appreciate your support with this.

During recent Clean Up Australia Day activities, we spent more time outside appreciating our surrounds. We are ‘geographically privileged’ at Bayview and with this lies increased responsibility, not just to respect our learning environment and workplace, but also where our litter will end up if not recycled or placed in a bin. We do not have a large fence that can prevent litter from leaving the grounds. Our End of Clean Up Report from the event showed much of what was found is single-use plastic from multi packs of potato chips and the like; please provide ‘nude’ food for your child wherever possible.

Staff farewells and welcomes

We have two staff members due to take leave in Term 2: Kerri Wangeman for the first four weeks and Mathew Grossman and Robert Harry for the term. We will also farewell Marie Glass at the end of this term, for the remainder of the academic year. We are in the process of developing our timetable and assigning teachers to these classes and this will be communicated via Compass.

We are currently in the Iuk season of the annual Eastern Kulin Seasonal Calendar, as described by Woiwurrung traditions - Eel Season. This time of the year is evident at Bayview Street with temperatures cooling. Our ‘piered’ wetland contains eels and students have been observing their growth and movement.

Kind regards

Karen Anderson

Academic support from the Alumni Club

It has been fantastic to see so many students approaching our incredible alumni tutor team for academic support. The library is buzzing with students and tutors consolidating learning. A ‘silent zone’ has recently been introduced in A0 at the request of students to cater for those who prefer to work quietly. If you haven’t been yet, get along and join in on Mondays and Tuesdays after school in the library!

Global Politics class host esteemed visitor

Earlier in the term, the Hon. Tim Watts MP visited the Year 11 and 12 Global Politics class to discuss his role as the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs and the complex nature of politics around the globe. It was a fascinating insight into politics for our students, who had worked with their teacher, Mr Raiter, to prepare questions for Tim. We’re thankful for this level of support from our federal member of parliament. Tim spoke glowingly of our students and their keen interest in global and federal issues, and we have several budding politicians in the class who are actively building their knowledge and skills of a very important subject.

Leadership visit to Newport Lakes PS

Early in the term, I had the incredible opportunity to visit the Year 5/6 cohort at Newport Lakes Primary School to give a presentation about leadership and participation. As the current focus for their year levels is on leadership positions and gaining experience in new events, I was able to deliver a talk on the best ways for these wonderful students to get involved in becoming a leader.

We explored the qualities and values they hold close to their heart, with some simply hilarious examples and engaging activities. This cohort was an absolute blast. We all had a ton of fun over the course of the hour, and I was delighted to hear they left feeling motivated to get involved in a leadership role. It makes me feel very proud to help give the next generation of high school students a little boost.

- Lachlan Patterson

Hold fast.

Daniel Pearce

Pasco Campus Principal

STEAM Club inspired by robotics in Terms 2 & 3

Williamstown High School is very excited to announce the commencement of the Inspire Robotics STEAM club for 2024, with applications now open for 20 places for Years 7, 8, 9 and 10 students. Starting on 15 April (Term 2, Week 1) and concluding on 16 September (Term 3, Week 10), the club will run on Monday afternoons at the Bayview Campus from 3:05-4:30pm.

The program aims to give students the opportunity to build, design and program robots and/or rockets for experimentation and activities. It will again be hosted by former student and Australian Robot Soccer Champion Tamas Simonds.

Students participating in the program are expected to attend all sessions as the program builds on skills learnt in the previous sessions. There is a cost of $5 per session attached to the program (total of $105).

Students wishing to join should complete the Inspire Robotics STEAM Club Application Form (WHS Google account login required). For more information, please visit the Inspire Robotics Website at https://www.inspirerobotics.com.au/williamstownhigh/ or contact Mr Clifford.

Term 1 has been a busy time in the wellbeing space. At Pasco Street, the Year 10s have made a successful transition to the senior campus and the majority are thriving in their new environment.

The past two weeks have been full of SACs for our Year 11 and 12 students. This can be a stressful time because they are trying to manage working on new content, preparing for the assessments and also juggling any outside school commitments they have. Reach Out (au.reachout.com) is a fabulous website that contains resources to support young people, parents and schools. This link contains some tips to support young people with studying for SACs and exams:
Five ways parents can help teenagers study for exams - ReachOut Parents

As well as welcoming youth worker Alanah Meilak to the wellbeing team, we also welcome our new therapy dog, Lottie. Lottie is a two-year-old Labrador who loves working at school, getting oodles of pats from students and staff alike. She spends most of her time in the wellbeing office supporting students who are seeing the Student Wellbeing Coordinator. When not doing that, Lottie is out and about in the yard or visiting classrooms.

Ann Goller

Student Wellbeing Coordinator, Pasco Street

I have to say autumn is one of my favourite times of year. Melbourne is such a beautiful place in March and there is still so much going on. It was great to go to the year level orientation sessions in the opening weeks and I appreciated the engagement with teachers and staff these events offer. It was great to see our teachers and staff come back so refreshed, ready to take on the new school year.

In Term 1 every year we welcome a new cohort of students ready to embrace their time at Willi High and embark on their student journeys. To all of our new families, I would like to welcome you to Williamstown High School.

At this time of year, the school council goes through its own renewal where we see dearly valued members end their time on council, with new members taking their place. I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the retiring members of School Council: Matt Clarke, Natalie Goroncy and Emma Harris. I’d like to thank each of you for your commitment during your terms on council and your subcommittee contributions. Continuing their terms are parent councillors Natalie Burt and Jake Mansfield.

For this school year, the council nominated new member Steph Viljoen for vice president and Jake will continue in the role of treasurer. We also welcome new parent councillors Aaron Hunt, Karen O’Duil and Blake Taylor. Lachie Patterson and Nayimah Falzon will be our school council student representative.

In addition to parent and student representatives on council, we also have staff representatives. This year we welcome Alice Arablou, who is new to council, and I thank Andre Bernardi, David Child and Daniel Pearce for their continued support. Rounding out our School Council are Karen Anderson, Bayview principal; Elizabeth Cushion, PFA representative; and Tess Duerden, business manager.

In addition to confirming new members, the most recent School Council meeting saw the tabling of Williamstown High School’s 2023 annual report to the school community.

Some key areas of the annual report measure parent satisfaction, achievement and student engagement. The result for WHS’s parent satisfaction survey is that 76.3 percent of parents agree or strongly agree that they are satisfied with the school. This is a solid improvement over last year’s result of 67.4 percent.

Student wellbeing is measured by a sense of connectedness factor as reported in the Attitude to Schools Survey. The WHS result for 2023 was 48.5 percent, which compares favourably to the state result of 45.3 percent and to the statewide result of 45.4 percent. Both statewide and at WHS, the endorsement by students of the management of bullying has seen a decline and this will continue to be a focus for school staff and leaders.

For academic performance, the annual report discloses that Naplan Year 9 has 75% of students as strong or exceeding. Additionally, 98.7 percent of students successfully completed their VCE in 2023 with a mean study score of 32.

The full report will be uploaded to the school’s website and presented at a public meeting during Term 2. When the date and location is confirmed for the meeting, it will be advertised through Compass and posted on the school’s website.

I wish everyone a wonderful and safe break over the coming holidays.

If you would like to get in contact with me, please do so via kane.harnden@willihigh.vic.edu.au

Kane Harnden

School Council President

The students at Pasco Campus have had a productive start to the school year, with many having completed their first round of assessments.

The Year 10 students have truly settled in at the new campus and can be seen enjoying both their core subjects and the diverse range of elective subjects on offer.

The Year 11 students officially started their VCE journey with its many challenges, be it keeping up with the academic rigor of a VCE subject or meeting the organisational demands of managing both school and external VET courses in the VM program. They have faced these challenges head on and have learned to utilise the support available at school to aid them, from asking teachers for help and using the SAC calendar to keep track of assessments, to attending the alumni mentoring program after school on Mondays and Wednesdays.

For the Year 12 students, the pressure of the final school year can definitely be felt, but with it also comes the motivation to rise up to the occasion, which can be seen in the number of students attending the VCE masterclasses or staying back after school every day to study in the Study Centre. A number of students embarked on the French and Indonesian trips at the end of Term 1, which will no doubt be invaluable experiences for their learning.

I wish all the students a safe and relaxing break so they can recharge and be ready for Term 2. Between finishing all the assessments for their units, completing Semester 1 exams and Unit 3 trial exams, and doing the GAT (General Achievement Test), Term 2 is set to be the students’ busiest term yet.

Time flies when you're having fun. Students have transitioned so well from primary school and have settled into the school community. It has been wonderful to see so many students make friends not only in the classroom but with other students from other classes and year levels.

To finish off the term we have Victorian Police speaking to our students about the use of social media and the law in regards to it. A few weeks ago we had cyber safety expert Susan McLean complete an incursion with our students about online dangers and what they should do to protect themselves. She also spoke to students about what to do when things go wrong. She provides many useful insights to parents, carers and students on her website as well: www.cybersafetysolutions.com.au The misuse of social media can have a massive negative effect on students and we need families to monitor and have discussions about what is appropriate for their child.

We are concerned about finding some students bringing energy drinks to school. If we find students with energy drinks, our Health and Wellbeing Coordinator Alex Robinson will talk to them during lunch to inform them about the impact these drinks have on their bodies long term. Please do not purchase these for your child or allow your child to bring them to school. Below is a picture we used during assembly to make our students aware of how much caffeine is in these drinks.

Earlier this term we went on Year 7 Camp to Kangaroobie. We were lucky with the great weather and students really engaged with the activities on camp. We would especially like to thank all of the staff that made this possible: Ezra Bangun, Rachel Roberts, Warren Patterson, Kathyrn Harik, Jayne Moore, Allanah Meilak, Garret Drago, Callan Martin, Lucy Pellengrino, Denise Horner, Nick Axaris, Martyn Van Ryek, Dat Che, Carmen Wiseman, Hannah Erasmus, Amy Curran, Daniel Mackenzie, Jonathan Griffen, Marie Glass and Darren Nicholas.

We recently kicked off our Year 7 footy tipping competition and have already seen remarkable success! Throughout the term, our homegroups enthusiastically engaged in predicting the outcomes of each match, showcasing their knowledge and passion for the sport. It’s been incredible to witness the friendly rivalry and camaraderie that has emerged among the homegroups and is often a talking point during homegroup. With each round, the competition has intensified with 7D and Mr Drago taking the lead off Ms Nahas' 7H. Good luck for the rest of the competition.

Each term we recognise two students from each homegroup.

• Academic Achievement: The student has shown strong academic achievement across a range of subjects.

• Citizenship: The student has shown a mature outlook, is supportive of others and is a positive leader in the classroom.

We also recognise that attendance is important. We have discussed this with students at assembly. Each term we will award two students with a prize. One for 96-100 percent attendance for the term and the other for 96-100 percent attendance overall for the year so far.

Looking forward to Term 2.

Isabella O’Malley and James Riccobene

As we come to the end of a busy term, all the Year 8 teachers would like to thank the students for their continued effort over the past nine weeks. Below is some information about recent opportunities students have had the chance to be a part of.

Cyber safety incursion - Susan McLean

The whole cohort had the chance to hear from a leading expert in the cyber safety field. Susan McLean was a police officer for 27 years and was one of the first officers appointed to the cyber safety department at Victoria Police. Susan has since become a leading expert in the cyber community and shared her knowledge with our students discussing the importance of the ‘Three Rs’ while online: respect, responsibility and reputation.

We will also be reinforcing online safety and expectations early next term when VicPol comes and speaks with the Year 8 students about being and staying safe online. This is a great time to speak with your children about their online footprint and interaction with others online.

Challenge Unit Outdoor Ed.

Outdoor Adventure this term has been fun and adventurous. We have done lots of exciting outdoor activities such as going down to our beloved Jawbone Marine Sanctuary and exploring the area with care as well as cleaning up the environment as we go. We also learned how to use a trangia, cooking two-minute noodles that were cooked to perfection. We then went to the You Yangs Regional Park where we went mountain biking and we did a hike. This trip was so much fun!

Matylda Bak - 8A

Sophie Lee - 8F

Goergia Loutakis - 8G

Uniform

As the weather starts to cool down, please check to make sure your child has the correct uniform to keep warm over the winter months. Refer to our uniform guide on the school website if you are unsure of the winter clothing options.

Getting to know our homegroup teachers

Clayton Warren - 8A

This is my first year at Williamstown High School. I am a Visual Arts and Visual Communication Design teacher and the 8A homegroup teacher. I am also the Middle Years Curriculum Leading Teacher at Bayview Campus. I love sports, art and design, movies and TV shows when I can find the time. I am looking forward to the year ahead at Williamstown High School.

Sarah Barry - 8B

I began teaching at Williamstown High School last year, and this year teach Year 8 English (both SEALP and mainstream) and Year 7 Humanities. This semester I’ve also taken on the role of Acting Learning Specialist for Teaching and Learning, which allows me to collaborate and work with staff to improve learning outcomes for students across the college. This year, I’ve used my love of cross stitch to continue the WHS Cross Stitch Club into its second year, which runs on Mondays at lunchtime. My hobbies at home also include baking and trying to keep my potted plants alive!

Carmen Wiseman and I would like to congratulate the Year 9 cohort on a positive start to 2023. Students have embraced the expectations of Year 9 and have applied themselves accordingly. Evidence of this has been the staggering number of positive acknowledgements posted for students on Compass throughout the term - something they have received praise for at fortnightly assemblies. The year level also completed their final ever set of NAPLAN tests, which I’m sure they are all very happy and relieved about.

An integral part of the Year 9 experience is our pastoral care program and homegroup curriculum, where several key units allow a diverse approach to learning. In Term 1, students have explored a range of topics, including study and sleep habits, emotional regulation, vaping prevention and ‘Be the Hero’. The Be the Hero program, delivered as part of the RRRRs (Rights, Resilience and Respectful Relationships) curriculum, explores the issue of domestic violence: its prevalence, contributing factors, impacts and, importantly, ways that we can improve our social and emotional awareness and behaviours, in order to have healthy relationships with others.

International Women’s Day and Harmony Day have been two important campus events that have created celebration and awareness among our students. Some activities run by the student leaders to engage both students and staff included ‘Just Dance’ activities in the gym and photo booth, just to name a few.

9A, 9B and 9C Immersion classes this term delivered well-researched and engaging stalls to over 200 Year 7 and 8 students, introducing them to key issues that are influencing the world around us - nearby and abroad. These groups were able to further ‘Make A Difference’ through the Immersion Camp, where students took part in some key community service activities (FareShare and The Big Umbrella kitchens - cooking meals for Victoria’s homeless community; and the Salvos Youth Homelessness Tour - broadening their understanding of the challenges facing many youth in and around Melbourne). Students were also treated to a range of fun, social activities, with a great time had by all. 9D and 9E are up next in Term 2!

Wishing everyone in the Williamstown High School community a safe and happy Easter break.

Tyson Hartwig & Carmen Wiseman | Year 9 Coordinators

Dear Year 10 parents and students,

We want to firstly extend a big thank you to our Year 10 cohort for their excellent start to the school year and transition to the Pasco Campus. The students have settled in well and have been working hard over the past term to establish positive routines in their transition from middle school to senior school.

On Thursday, 21 March, we held an educational seminar with our Year 10 cohort. The “Whole New World” session was about the harms of vaping and the updated laws surrounding them. Students were given invaluable information regarding this topic, including the short and long-term harm to the human body as well as ways in which young people can receive support to quit vaping.

We were also lucky to receive an unexpected cyber safety talk on Friday, 22 March, from Susan McLean, Australia’s foremost expert in the area of cyber safety. Widely known as the “cyber cop”, she was a member of Victoria Police for 27 years and was the first officer appointed to a position involving cyber safety and young people. The talk gave students insight into their internet usage and how they should be behaving online in a positive way.

Throughout our homegroup curriculum we have been keeping very busy in fostering a wide variety of personal, social and emotional wellbeing skills, aligning our sessions with the Respectful Relationships and Resilience Project. Students have been covering content from character strengths and how to harness these, to how to deal with conflict in a positive and productive way.

As always, our homegroup sessions each day have started with our morning circle, allowing for students to engage with classmates through a positive primer activity and discussion topic. And, of course, there is always the competitive daily trivia or “Minute to Win It” activity, which enables all students to connect with their homegroup in a fun and engaging manner.

As we conclude the first term for 2024, a few reminders for all students and parents for upcoming key events for the Year 10s:

• Work Experience - In Week 9 of Term 2. Students have been asked to finalise their work experience placements by the first week back of Term 2. This will enable students to complete their required paperwork and modules in homegroup throughout the term.

• Gold Coast Camp - To be held from 7-10 May. We are all excited to set off on our big adventure. Please continue to check Compass for any details regarding preparation leading up to the camp.

• Exams - All students will start their preparations for exams in Weeks 7 and 8. Staff will work with students to prepare them within the lead up to these. Students will sit exams for each subject, including their elective classes.

We wish all our Year 10 students and families a safe and happy school holiday break, and look forward to yet another busy term when we return.

Term 1 is alway jam packed and this year has been no exception. The Athletics Carnival took place a few weeks ago, with beautiful weather conditions leading to a fantastic supportive atmosphere and a high level of participation. We would like to acknowledge Leo Church, Stella Olsen and Rivi Zdraveski, who all participated in 4 events on the day.

Two Year 11 workshops were held in the second half of term as well. Elevate Education presented to students as to how they can more effectively manage their time at school and at home to maximise their ability. Batyr Australia educated students about how they can support themselves and their friends through emotional distress, recognise signs of mental ill-health and the many ways to get help.

To round it all off, hopefully all families will be happy with the results of the school photos that were also taken recently.

Ms Hall, the campus assistant principal, recently sent communication to all families about enforcement of the Department of Education mobile phone ban, which requires students who bring mobile phones to school to have them switched off and securely put away during school hours. Students should ensure that they have a secure lock on their locker, which can be purchased at JP Books.

Also, please note that from the beginning of Term 2, students will not be able to use mobile phone payment apps, such as Apple Pay, to purchase food from the canteen. Students must either bring cash or pay by card.

As cooler weather has started at the beginning of autumn, we ask all families to check their child’s uniform over the Term 1 holidays to ensure it is correct at the beginning of Term 2. Areas of focus next term will be ensuring that students are not wearing tracksuit pants to school and have appropriate shorts, dress pants or skirts. They must also wear the proper black, laced, leather/vegan leather school shoes. Trainers are not allowed.

Shortly after the first edition of the W-Files, members of the student leadership team held the inaugural Uno Tournament in the Pasco Library. Lachlan Patterson, one of our 2024 School Captains, helped organise the event and gave this review of it:

“Early in the term, the first Williamstown High School lunchtime Uno Tournament was born! With over 50 people taking part in the Pasco Library, the competition was a huge hit. It was great seeing everyone from all around the school jumping in with high spirits, including Mr Catalano, who presented the winner with a trophy. Thank you to all participants; it was an absolute joy to see and we can’t wait to hold another tournament later in the year.”

Many Year 11 students form part of the Williamstown High School Debating Team, and recently they matched up against fierce rivals Westbourne Grammar School. Here is a review of the opening round from Vince Mandado:

“Another year, another debating season! After weeks of intensive recruitment and pre-preparation, Williamstown High School debaters kickstarted their journey in the state competition with a stellar start. In the first round, every year level gained a victory that earned them four points in their respective leaderboards. With one of the highlights being a thrashing of rivals Westbourne Grammar School. It is in no doubt that Williamstown High School will once again achieve a spot in the knockout stages later this year. Until then, the debating team shall develop, prepare and hold fast.”

Congratulations to the following students who received awards determined by teacher nominations as part of the End of Term Celebration Assembly held on Tuesday, 26 March:

Excellence and Creativity: Chloe Wilson

Integrity and Honesty: Tom Chapman

Diversity: Cara Egry

School Spirit Award: James Palser

Making a Difference: Vince Mandado

Congratulations also to the following students who are the top five for receiving positive posts in Term 1: Madison Camillo (18), Jack Thurston (18), Soren Madai (12), Thomas Williams (12) and Vafa Ighaniyan (12). As always, thank you to all staff that take the time to recognise students by issuing Positive Posts, in particular Ms McKeegan, Mr Craig, Mr Patchell, Ms Roussel-Corbineau and Mr Liubinas.

Like last year, there has been a focus on attendance across Year 11 at the start of 2024. Some parents would have had discussions with year level coordinators or homegroup teachers to discuss their child’s attendance percentage. A high level of attendance at school is one of the key factors that underpins learning and wellbeing, and we would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge Han Nguyen, Ngoc Han Nguyen and Vince Mandado, who have all maintained 100 percent attendance so far this year.

Finally, after introducing a slightly different side to the Year 11 coordinators in the first edition of the W-Files, we would like to take the opportunity this time around to do the same for three of our homegroup teachers:

Timothy Howie - 11A

I have worked at Williamstown High School for seven years and currently teach Environmental Science, Humanities and Science. I don’t have any pets, and in my spare time I love running, reading and spending time with my family. My top TV streaming recommendations are: The Wire, Wolf Hall and Wednesday. My favourite travel location is Iran, and my favourite cuisines are: Mexican, Vietnamese and Modern Australian. My favourite music is: Confidence Man, The Beatles and Nas. Finally, I go for the Western Bulldogs, the New York Knicks and Arsenal FC.

Clementine Roussel-Corbineau - 11B

I have taught French at Williamstown High School for four years. I have a cat called Pippi (I didn’t choose that name) and my favourite music is ’70s disco funk and neo soul. I enjoy Vietnamese, French and Italian food, and my favourite travel destinations are: Cuba, Scotland and Vietnam. My interests outside of school include cooking, reading, politics and foreign cinema. I very loosely go for the Western Bulldogs, but I closely follow the Jumbo Visma cycling team and the French football team. My top three Netflix recommendations are: Peaky Blinders, Ozark and Queer Eye.

Jesse Craig - 11C

I have worked at Williamstown High School for seven years, teaching Mathematics (General and Methods). I am a big Western Bulldogs fan, and in my free time I enjoy gaming, cars and technology. I have one dog and two cats, and my favourite travel location is Japan. My favourite meals are: gozleme, ramen and cheesy mac, and my favourite bands are: the Glass Pyramids and Bring Me the Horizon. If I had to give some TV streaming recommendations, they would be: Slow Horses, Utopia and The Brothers Sun.

One term in and we are well and truly into this year. When we returned from camp early in Week 3, there was an infectious feeling of positivity within the Study Centre. It was evident the Year 12 cohort had truly galvanised into a team.

This spirit flowed into the school’s Athletics Carnival, where the Year 12 team went above and beyond with their costumes. Special mentions go to the Avatars and Minions who showed great commitment to their costumes by painting their bodies. Another special shout out goes to Year 12 student Jesse Holland, who participated in the World’s Greatest Shave and raised more than $2000! All in all, it was a great day for the students to get away from their studies and create some memorable photos that we will be able to look back on at graduation.

The positive atmosphere that once filled the Study Centre quickly shifted, however, as the first school assessments drew closer. You could feel the stress within the school. We were quick to remind the Year 12s that this was all part of the experience. It was pleasing to see so many students helping each other during this time, showing that our message of the importance of teamwork had well and truly been heard.

To support the students with managing the stress of Year 12, we have been sharing a number of strategies within our homegroup sessions. This has included creating and implementing a study timetable, learning what study is and how it differs from homework, and reflecting on their screen time and how this impacts their lives.

As Term 1 closes, it is important that the Year 12s take some time away to recharge their batteries and remove some of the water from their bucket. It is important, however, to remind them to not completely switch off as we all know how difficult it can be to get started again.

Year 12 Team,

Angus Rodda & David Urwin

Exploring Futures: VCE VM Students Dive into RMIT STEM Taster Sessions

In an exciting endeavor to explore the vast horizons of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), the students of VCE VM recently embarked on a journey of discovery through participation in RMIT’s STEM Taster and Career Session. With curiosity as their compass and enthusiasm as their fuel, these students delved into an immersive experience designed to ignite their passion for the realms of science and technology in trades.

Through these sessions, students had the opportunity to not only witness the practical applications of STEM concepts but also to explore their own potential in these fields. They were encouraged to experiment, question and innovate, fostering a spirit of curiosity and creativity essential for future STEM leaders.

The Career Session served as a valuable guidepost for students navigating their academic and professional trajectories. Industry experts and alumni shared their experiences, insights and career pathways, offering invaluable advice and inspiration to budding tradespeople, engineers and technologists.

For many students, this experience was not just about gaining knowledge but also about envisioning their future roles in shaping the world through STEM. It sparked aspirations, fuelled ambitions, and instilled a newfound sense of purpose and direction.

The participation of VCE VM students in these sessions not only exemplifies their dedication to academic excellence but also underscores their commitment to personal and professional growth. It is a testament to their willingness to step out of their comfort zones, embrace new challenges and seize opportunities that pave the way for a brighter future.

So far in 2024, the Teaching and Learning team has been focused on leading an enhanced Professional Learning Team program, and on contributing its knowledge to the new teacher induction program.

Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) are groups of three to eight teachers who meet at least three times a term to analyse student learning data, conduct research and develop specific teaching strategies. PLTs are a fantastic opportunity for staff to meet across year levels and share their expertise with one another through collaboration and classroom peer observation.

At Williamstown High School, PLTs have commenced this year with an increased focus on student literacy data and using that data to enrich learning for all in the classroom. Staff have learned how to navigate and explore our Student Data Dashboards and used this to guide their discussions of specific student needs. This term, staff have met regularly to:

• use the Data Dashboards to identify students across a range of abilities who require additional support with their learning

• analyse individual, class and cohort achievement data from previous years, as well as results from standardised tests such as PAT-Reading

• discuss effective learning strategies in their classrooms, with a focus on literacy and differentiation

In Terms 2 and 3, PLTs will continue this work through further professional learning, research and classroom practice, supported by the Teaching and Learning team. We look forward to sharing some of our successes as the year progresses. And we’d also like to thank our staff, including our new teachers, who have engaged in the PLT process with great enthusiasm. Happy Term 1 break to all.

Sarah Barry, Glenn Kellam, Gavin Clifford

Teaching and Learning Team (Bayview and Pasco Campuses)

2024 NAPLAN

Recently our Year 7 and Year 9 students completed the 2024 National Assessment Program for Literacy and Numeracy (NAPLAN) online. Overall, we were impressed with how well our students conducted themselves over the duration of the four assessments - they were organised, engaged and attentive for each session. Well done!

According to ACARA, this year’s adaptive testing - where the questions become more or less difficult depending on student responses - allows for a wider range of student abilities to be assessed and therefore measures student achievement more precisely. A NAPLAN individual student report will be provided to parents and carers later in the school year.

As part of the English curriculum at the Bayview campus, Year 7 to 9 students can now complement their learning with the IXL for Learning online platform. IXL for English helps students gain confidence in spelling, grammar, punctuation, reading and writing skills.

IXL can track the progress of students, and teachers can get immediate feedback on where further literacy support is needed. IXL is a great tool to practise and reinforce topics studied in class. Students can access IXL via Compass, under the favourites ‘star’ icon using their IXL login details. Please contact your child’s English teacher if you have any questions.

PRINCIPAL’S WRITING COMPETITION

The Principal’s Writing Competition will be officially launched in Term 2 with great prizes to be won. Prizes include an Apple iPad, writer’s masterclass, work published in an anthology and showbags of goodies. So watch this space!

This term, students have been busy behind the scenes with the creation of artwork for this year’s prompt: ‘It’s just a game’. We would like to congratulate Gauri Gautam (7I) as the winner of this year’s Principal’s Writing Poster Competition. We are sure her inspirational artwork will encourage student writers from both campuses to further develop their creative skills and talents through the medium of writing and illustration.

Wow! What a whirlwind start to 2024, it’s hard to believe we are nearing the end of Term 1 already. There are so many great things happening in and around the school and I can definitely say that this is also the case for our Mathematics learning area. The Year 9s have been diving the depths of algebra by solving linear equations; the Year 8s are now climbing their way through the topic of directed number; and our Year 7s are beginning a new topic on statistics.

We would like to welcome some new faces to our fantastic Mathematics team: Dat Che, Isabella O’Malley, Martyn Van Reyk and Rachel Roberts, plus Lincoln Chen, who is new to the teaching profession.

Our continual focus as a Mathematics team is to regularly reflect, improve and update our work programs, assessments and resources. With the gradual transition to Victorian Curriculum 2.0, there has been lots of time and effort from across the team spent ensuring our teaching programs reflect these changes, that we have engaging and effective resources, as well as rigorous assessment thus far in 2024. This is all focused on creating a better teaching experience for students and improving student growth in our learning area.

The Cambridge Textbook is a resource that is widely used within our classrooms and we are encouraging all students to activate their online code. This will provide your child with access to an online interactive textbook with additional interactive features, plus a PDF textbook that can be downloaded for offline use. Instructions can be found on the inside cover of the textbook. Please speak to your child’s teacher if you are experiencing any difficulties. Here is a link to accessing your digital resource.

Mathspace is an online Mathematics program designed for secondary students and another resource used extensively by our teachers with our students. The ‘skills check-ins’ have the ability to track student gaps and growth, thereby providing specific and targeted questions to improve student achievement. The check-ins are a set of five short questions and can easily be completed regularly at home.

In Week 9 of Term 1, we will have 19 students [listed below] from Years 7, 8 and 9 participate in the Kangourou Sans Frontieres [KSF] Mathematics Competition. The KSF is now the largest mathematics competition in the world, with more than six million participants each year. Held in March, the KSF is a great opportunity for students to experience mathematics in a competition environment prior to the AMC in August. This is the second year the KSF has been held at Williamstown High School and we would like to thank Mr Bangun for organising and supervising this event.

Good luck to all participating students! We hope to receive the results soon and share these with our school community.

PS. The first Bayview student to email me at felicity.christmass@willihigh.vic.edu.au with the correct answer to the Easter Mathematics Puzzle above, will win themselves a prize!

Felicity Christmass

Bayview Mathematics Team Leader

Science this term at Pasco has been full of fun activities and learning opportunities both inside and outside of school.

With the implementation of the new Units 3 & 4 Physics and Chemistry Study Designs, there’s been a lot of hard work from our staff to prepare and plan for the new changes to curriculum. Our Science team has been working diligently to ensure that our students are as prepared as possible for all of the new updates, putting together new activities, practicals and a variety of new assessment formats VCAA have introduced.

We also have our first Unit 3 & 4 class for Environment Science running, which is an amazing opportunity for our students to explore topics like climate change, pollution, changes to our ecosystems and a lot more.

While this learning is taking place inside the classroom, we’ve also had fun exploring the applications of science in the world around us. Our Physics students have had the opportunity to apply knowledge of motion and gravity to the rides at Luna Park (pictured below), while our Psychology students have been learning tricks like how to pull a tablecloth out from under a stack of crockery (picture below).

I’m excited to see how the rest of this year pans out for our students. They have a great time ahead of them.

Mathew Hrasko

Later Years Science Curriculum Leader

Bayview

Swimming Carnival

Once again the sporting calendar was opened with the Swimming Carnival at the Oak Park Sports and Aquatic Centre. The weather was ideal and the students had a fabulous time competing for their respective houses in the races in the 50-metre pool as well as the novelty events in the 20-metre pool, which were organised by the Student Leadership group.

There was a definite buzz in the air, and expectations were high for Mia Mifsud to break yet more records, and she did not disappoint. Her swim in the Year 9 Girls Butterfly broke a long standing record held by Jessica Danaher since 2004. And in the Year 9 Girls Backstroke she broke a record that had coincidentally been held by Jessica’s twin, Alicia Danaher, since 2007. A huge congratulations to Mia from all of us.

And congratulations also to Red House, who were crowned the 2024 Swimming Carnival winners.

Hobsons Bay Divisional Swimming

Once again our swimmers were extremely successful in the HBD Swimming on March 18 at Werribee. The following individuals and teams made it through to the WMR Secondary Swimming Championships at Kardinia Park in Geelong on Wednesday, March 27. We wish them luck and hope that they make it through to the State Championships on Friday, April 19, at MSAC.

Year 7

Marissa Batzogiannis - 13 Yr 50M Breastroke, 50M Freestyle and 50M Backstroke + Medley and F/Style Relay

Edward Stacey -13 Yr 50M Breastroke + Medley and F/Style Relay

Lola Munro - 13 Yr 50M Butterfly + Medley and F/Style Relay

Year 8

Ashton Corry - 14 Yr 50M Breastroke, 50M Butterfly, 50M Freestyle, 50M Backstroke + Medley and F/Style Relay

Mabel Hanrahan - 14 Yr 50M Butterfly + Medley and F/Style Relay

Zara Johnston - 13-15 Yr IM + Medley and F/Style Relay

Year 9

Mia Mifsud - 13-15 Yr 200M Freestyle, 13-20 Yr 100M Butterfly, 15 Yr 50M Butterfly, 15 Yr 100M Freestyle, 13-20 Yr 400M Freestyle. + Medley and F/Style Relay

Mahli McCarroll - 14 Yr 50M Breastroke, 50M Freestyle, 50M Backstroke + Medley and F/Style Relay

Ava Palser - 15 Yr 50M Freestyle, 50M Breastroke + Medley and F/Style Relay

Isaac Goga - 13-15 Yr 200M Freestyle + Medley and F/Style Relay

Tyler Smith - 15 Yr 50M Butterfly + Medley and F/Style Relay

Lucas Newbery - 15 Yr 50M Backstroke + Medley and F/Style Relay

Year 10

Emilia Rossi - 13-20 Yr 100M Freestyle, 16 Yr 50M Freestyle + F/Style Relay

VCE

Hunter Mace - 13-20 Yr 400M Freestyle + Medley and F/Style Relay

Blake Dosser - 16 Yr 50M Butterfly, 50M Freestyle, 13-20 Yr 200M IM + Medley and F/Style Relay

Oli Devine - 17 Yr 50M Backstroke + Medley and F/Style Relay

Heath Corry - 20 Yr 50M Butterfly, 100M Backstroke, 50M Freestyle + Medley and F/Style Relay

Relays

We were extremely successful with our Medley and Freestyle relays with the following teams, successfully competing for a place in the WMR finals:

14 Yr Female and Male Medley relay

16 Yr Female and Male Medley relay

20 Yr Male Medley Relay

13 Yr Female and Male Freestyle Relay

14 Yr Female and Male Freestyle Relay

15 Yr Female and Male Freestyle Relay

16 Yr Female Freestyle Relay

20 Yr Male Freestyle Relay

Athletics Carnival

February was a big month for sporting events, with the Athletics Carnival taking place at the Newport Athletics Track on Thursday, February 29. Once again the weather was on our side and we managed to get through the carnival without any weather delays.

For the first time in a number of years, we had a huge Year 12 contingent competing in events throughout the day.

Congratulations to Red House on winning the House Cup on Athletics Day.

Also, one record was broken on the day. Congratulations to Dash on his new record!

Dash Muir - 400M VCE Boys (0.51.69) (Record set in 2008 by James Bewley)

Cross Country

The next event on the Athletics calendar is the HBD Cross Country, which will take place at Cherry Lake on May 27. If you are interested in competing, please contact Ms Mahoney at the Bayview Campus and Mr Hume at the Pasco Campus.

HBD Athletics

Hobsons Bay Divisional Athletics will take place in Term 3 at the Newport Athletics Track. Notifications will be sent out via Compass during Term 3.

Interschool Sport

Term 1 sees Williamstown High School send out teams to compete in the following sports:

• Tennis

• Volleyball

• Cricket

Students always enjoy competing in the Interschool Sport Competition and we have had a number of teams make it through to the WMR Finals later in the year.

Year 7 Sport

Competing on Tuesday, March 26.

Year 8 Sport

Year 8 Boys Tennis Team A - Runner Up

Year 8 Boys Cricket Team - Winner

Intermediate Sport

Intermediate Boys Tennis Pasco Team - Runner Up

Intermediate Boys Cricket Combined Team - Winner

Senior Sport

Senior Boys Cricket - Runner Up

Senior Boys Tennis - Runner Up

Senior Boys Volleyball - Runner Up

Term 2 Interschool Sports

This competition commences early on in the term with the sports listed below on offer. Parents need to pay and consent first on Compass in order for their child to be involved in the competitions.

• Cross Country

• AFL

• Soccer

• Netball

• Badminton

VCE Instrument Demonstrations – students have recently been learning about the range of articulations and techniques used across instruments, to further develop strong vocabulary when describing music. Thank you to Instrumental Staff for visiting our classes and demonstrating the range of sounds that can be produced on your instruments.

Top Class Excursion – senior Music students in VCE Music and VET Music Performance studies attended the Top Class excursion on Thursday the 21^st of March at the Melbourne Recital Centre. Students witnessed some of the top selected performances of the 2023 year, gaining valuable insight into performance criteria which will inform their own end-of-year programs.

Athletics Day – Music students enjoyed another year of performing for our College Athletics day at the Newport Athletics track. Well done to all students involved.

Excelsior Madden and Violet McCurley at Soundstep - early in Term 1, these students listened to their completed mix recordings at Soundstep Studios EP Launch at Woods Street Arts Space. These students along with 4 other local artists have had their original music featured on this EP as part of the Hobsons Bay Make It Happen Initiative.

Indy Readsmith at Port Fairy Folk Festival - Congratulations to student Indy Readsmith for recently performing alongside singer/songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke at the Port Fairy Folk Festival, singing Kate’s hit song ‘Caught in the Crowd’. Well done Indy!

Winter Concert – Save the date. We hope to see families, friends and staff at our annual Winter Concert on June 24^th in the Centenary Theatre.

Open Rehearsals – open rehearsals at both Bayview and Pasco campuses will be happening throughout the year. Please stay tuned to communication from the conductors of these ensembles to find out more information.

Music Leaders

Lachlan Wyatt (Pasco) and Will Salisbury (Bayview)

Set off Broadway in New York City during tough times, Lady Liberty is a rundown cabaret club struggling for financial survival. Leonard, the club owner, makes a deal with the devil to keep the doors open - as we witness the trials and tribulations of an ensemble of artists struggling to make their way in a world that can no longer afford to smile.

This gripping jukebox-style musical explores the life stories of several performers with whom you will share a compelling evening of song and dance. Rich with narrative, this deeply human drama is presented to you by the talented drama students of Williamstown High School’s Pasco Campus. Season commences Thursday, 18 April. Also showing Friday, 19 April, and Saturday, 20 April, at 7pm. Venue will be Soul City.

All tickets can be purchased at trybooking.com. https://www.trybooking.com/events/landing/1185339

Cost $20 Adults, $15 Students/Concession. Tickets are limited so be quick.

Please note that this production contains themes and issues that may offend some viewers.

Dean Commons

Next meeting – May 14, 7:30pm at the Bayview Campus and online.

Guest speaker – Anna Bovdis, Leading Teacher, Pathways and Transitions, Pasco Campus.

Anna will be speaking about the VCE subject selection process that Year 10 students will undertake later in the year.

Thanks to Liz Lorenc, Martyn Van Reyk and Clayton Warren, our guest speakers at the PFA’s first two meetings of 2024. Guest speakers are an important part of PFA meetings, giving families the chance to learn more about different aspects of Willi High.

Parent donations – thanks for your generosity

Thanks to all of the families who included a contribution to the PFA as part of their 2024 school payments – contributions were significantly higher than last year, which means the PFA is able to fund more extras for WHS students (see below).

Three year commitment to upgrade Year 11 area – Pasco Campus

The PFA has pledged $5000 per year for the next three years to help the school upgrade and enhance the Year 11 locker/outdoor area. In consultation with students, this work will include increased seating and shaded areas. We look forward to seeing these plans come to fruition, for the benefit of Year 11 students for years to come.

Funding new shirts for WHS sporting teams

At the last PFA meeting, it was also agreed to donate funds toward new sports shirts for WHS sporting teams to compete in. Team kit, specific to different sports, will make our students more comfortable whilst playing and will enhance school spirit during competitions.

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 get in touch.