Issue Seven
JAPANESE VISIT CANCELLATION
Unfortunately, the planned visit by 28 Japanese students from Shizuoka Prefecture to Castlemaine Secondary College has been cancelled this year.
The Japanese company organising the main component of the trip, Kokusai Kanko, has been declared bankrupt. There is another Japanese company who is interested in organising the visits to Australia in the future but we won’t know details until later in the year.
We are very hopeful that the planned trip to Japan will still continue in 2019. More details will be published as they become available.
We are very grateful for the support we receive from the
CSC community to enable this program to run year after year and we hope we have your support again next year. We apologise if the cancellation has caused any inconvenience to anyone.
French Exchange
Call for more students currently in Years 9 or 10 French to participate in the French exchange in 2019!
We had a very good response to our call for interested students and families to participate in the next French exchange during 2019. At this stage, however, we have 7 students interested and our requirement is for 8 students to participate in the out-going exchange along with two staff members.
If you have been deliberating and as yet are undecided about you/your child going on the exchange I would encourage you to think further about it and if indeed your decision is positive then let us know immediately. You can get more details from us by calling the school’s number below.
I would like to reiterate here too that it is really a fantastic opportunity for students to live with a French friend and learn about the life, language and culture of France that a touristic trip will never be able to provide students, so consider that when thinking about the value of this kind of trip.
Please let me, Jane Macdonald, or Mark Johansson know if you are interested on 5479 1111 if you haven’t already done so.
WE WANT OUR PARENTS TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK!
Our school is conducting a survey to find out what parents think of our school. The Parent Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education and Training that is conducted amongst a sample of randomly selected parents. It is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of parents’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour and student engagement. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies.
Approximately 30 per cent of parents will be invited to participate in this year’s survey. All responses to the survey are anonymous. This year the Parent Opinion Survey will be conducted from Monday 23rd July to Sunday 26th August.
The survey will be conducted online, only takes 10-15 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the fieldwork period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. The online survey will be available in a range of languages other than English. These include: Arabic, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Chin (hakha), Hindi, Japanese, Greek, Turkish, Somali and Punjabi.
The survey results will be reported back to the school at the end of September and is used in the future planning of the school.
Music Camp 2018
This year 81 students attended Music Camp at The Old Priory, Beechworth. After months of organising everything from booking the camp, organising students, working out the ensembles, rewriting orchestral parts to suit our students’ needs, the big day arrived. We travelled on two coaches to Beechworth along with our truck, filled to the brim with instruments of all shapes and sizes. The students helped unpack quickly before our first rehearsal before dinner.
Every night before dinner we have our Big Choir rehearsal. Big Choir involves absolutely everyone on camp, even the ones who pretend to hate singing and is the only experience I can think of involving students in the same learning activity from Yr 7-12. This year we learnt ‘Walking on Sunshine’ by Katrina and the Waves. Tilly and Ada taught the choralography, which was a hit with nearly all!! Sorry to the dancers who actually know how to dance!!!
We rehearsed the following groups-Senior Orchestra, Junior Orchestra, Guitars with Singers, Guitar Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, Choir, Big Choir, Funk Band and String Orchestra. All groups started new repertoire on camp and had to work hard to get parts learnt in time for the concert.
On Tuesday, we went for a walk around the Beechworth Gorge. It’s a gorgeous walk and meanders along the river and through beautiful bush land. On Wednesday we traveled to Wangaratta to the Aquatic Centre where the students played on an inflatable we had hired or played basketball for a couple of hours. A well deserved break from playing music.
On Thursday, we had a morning rehearsal and the packed up all the equipment, loaded the truck and headed for home.
On Friday we had a very busy day of rehearsing at the Town Hall in preparation for our concert. At 5pm the audience began to arrive and by 5.30pm there were no seats left. The concert was magnificent. It showcased the extraordinary efforts of the amazing, fabulous, gifted, inspirational and awe-inspiring students and staff of the Castlemaine Secondary College Music Department. Well done everybody!!
Kirsten Boerema Music Coordinator
Dates to remember!
Don’t forget to look on the calendar in XUNO for these and future events
JULY
20th Year 7/8 Footy
23-27th Year 10 Work Experience
24-27th Primary School Experience Days 25th French Immersion Day
25th Music Support Group Meeting
26th Pathways Information Evening Year 10 & 11 30th Mt Buller Ski Day
30th-5th Aug Mittagundi Yr9 Camp 31st Pathways Interview Day AUGUST
1st Sandhurst Basketball Year 7 & 8
1st Motormouth Love Sickface – VCE Drama Excursion 2nd Year 12 VTAC
6-10th CSC Literature Festival 6-9th VET/Steiner Snow trip 8th Senior Footy / Netball
8th Year 7,8,9 “Cyberia” Brainstorm Production 8th Steiner Class Meeting
9th Year 9 Cyber Safety Ed 9th Australian Maths Comp 9th VTAC Evening
10th Year 10 Wellbeing Day
7th Writer’s Festival – Library Excursion 12-17th Justice Camp – SOAR Girls group 12-15th VCE Hotham Trip
15th College Assembly
15th School Council Meeting 22nd Year 7 Immunisations
27th Student Free Day – Staff PD Berry St Training 30-1st Sept CALAMITY JANE
31st Wear It Purple Day
Skulls and Flowers Exhibition
First Semester saw year 10 and 11 Art and Steiner students explore the theme of Skulls and Flowers. Students referenced these symbols when exploring a wide variety of styles and techniques to hone their technical skills and develop confidence in manipulating Paint, Print and Photography.
The culmination of their efforts recently went on display at the CASPA space (above Stoneman’s book room) in Castlemaine. The exhibition opened during the recent holidays with several students and parents attending the launch on July 6th. The exhibition is still on and runs until July 29th, so drop in to have a look at the high standard work developed by our talented students.
Year 10 Work Experience 2018
All Year 10 students at Castlemaine Secondary College in 2018 are to participate in a compulsory one week Work Experience placement of their choice, from the 23rd July until the 27th of July.
We remind families that if your child has not registered with Mr Cook, that they are required to attend school for this week for an alternate timetabled studies.
If you have any questions or there is any reason your child may not be able to participate in a Work Experience placement during these dates, please contact me on 54791111/0438890280 or by my email (cook.ian.a@edumail.vic.gov.au).
Rehearsals are going well and everyone is excited! The kids have had a few big days working on the routines and lines.
The dates to remember are,
August 30 & 31 and
September 1 at Castlemaine Town Hall
Tickets are on sale NOW costing $25 Adults, $15 Students and $70 for a family (2 adults & 2 children).
Drama Support Group Fundraiser Calamity Jane T-shirts/Hoodies, closing SOON!
The tops are black, are printed locally in Bendigo and are 100% cotton for the T-shirts / 80% cotton 20% Polyester fleece. Prices and order form are below, with a copy of the design.
Forms and money need to be submitted to CSC Reception. We have sample sizes available to try on in the school office.
Principal
On a personal note, I am excited about returning to work this term after my Long Service Leave for the latter half of Term Two. Although I thoroughly enjoyed my leave, it was refreshing to return to our vibrant school community this week. I thank our Assistant Principal, Justin Hird, for his excellent work as Acting Principal during my absence.
As you are probably aware from the letter emailed home Tuesday, the process for students selecting their 2019 subjects has already commenced with the publication of our 2019 Course Selection Handbook (available via the “publications” tab on CSC website) and the presentation of parent information sessions over the next few weeks (please see the letter emailed home July 17 for more specific details). On Tuesday 31 July there will be no classes for any students at CSC, but all students are expected to attend a mentor interview with their parent or guardian to make their initial subject selections for 2019.
Although Years 7 and 12 students will not be involved in selecting subjects for 2019, there will still be the opportunity for these students and their parents or guardians to meet with their mentors on the day to discuss general progress at the halfway mark of the year. Again, please refer to the letter emailed home on July 17 (also available under “publications” on the CSC website) for more details about making appointment times on this mentor interview day.
Unfortunately, I might not see many parents and guardians when you visit the school on July 31, but my reason for being busy on this day is exciting! The tender process for appointing architects for our final stage of building has commenced, and I will be involved in interviewing a shortlist of architectural firms on July 31. The successful firm will be appointed very soon after these interviews, and planning for our final stage of building will commence next month. I will continue to keep the school community updated about the progress of our building works.
Paul Frye Principal
Youth Parliament
During the first week of the recent mid-semester holidays our Castlemaine Youth Parliament team including Ella Hayes, Isabel Lynzaat, Gabby Byrne, Abigail Meadows, Bodie Maffescioni and I (Shanti Steventon-Lorenzen) set off for a week of debating at Melbourne Parliament house, instigating positive social change and connecting with young people ages 16-25 all throughout Victoria. The Victorian Youth Parliament is a program that provides an opportunity for 120 young Victorians to participate in a seven-day residential program including three days of debate in the Parliamentary Chambers of Melbourne as well as an official reception hosted by the Youth Governor, the creation of relationships with inspired like-mind people and training in parliamentary procedure, the writing of legislation, leadership, media representation and proactive change making.
In preparation for the debate our team created a piece of legislation addressing an issue we identified as prolific within Victoria. Our Bill, titled the “Prevention and Minimisation of the Harmful Effects of Gambling and Betting” is targeted toward changing the consistent glorification and normalisation of gambling in Australia by enacting a cessation of free to air advertisements promoting the activity, a counter educational campaign as well as direct facilitated education for those most vulnerable in Victoria (young people and those consistently exposed to gambling culture in sports clubs and the broader community).
The team was thrilled to have our Bill unanimously passed by the chamber as it has now been given the assent of the Youth Governor and handed to the minister of Youth Affairs, who will then pass it to the relevant government ministers for consideration.
We are also excited to continue discussion surrounding youth agency and harmful gambling as issues with the Mount Alexander community through the media and our Shire Council.
Speaking on a state level and initiating conversation with the governmental decision makers within our state was an incredibly empowering experience that allowed us to understand that we as young people have an important voice that deserves to be heard, listened and equally valued. All too often youths are dismissed as incapable of making change or valuable contributions to our communities. We are prepared and motivated to continue breaking down such generational barriers by demonstrating that we do care, that we are passionate and that we are equipped with all the necessary ideas, perspectives and diversity to better society.
Main-FM Radio
As part of the FRRR (Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal) funded ‘Community Connect’ Project, selected VCAL/FLO students are learning from Louise Olsen, the skills of putting together a radio show.
Two groups of 3 students (Jesse, Teegan, Tiffany,and Ben, Corey, Jake) spent an hour pre-recording their favourite music with intros and outro’s, and general radio chit-chat as part of Louise’s show on a Saturday.
Students are enjoying the different learning environment and are keen to develop skills where they go into the studio and produce their own radio shows independently.
Click on link to go to the ABC story
– http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-22/disengaged- students-learn-though-radio-program/10018246
MAAW Pet Food Drive
One of the appealing things about the VCAL Framework is the ability to integrate a number of different outcomes in one complex activity.
During the month of August FLO/VCAL are thrilled to be collaborating with local charity HALT to collect pet food to donate to Mt. Alexander Animal Welfare Shelter.
The concept is simple. There will be collection points throughout the month of August at Maine Hardware in Campells Creek, Maxi IGA in Mostyn St Castlemaine and The Harcourt Servo. People are asked to buy a tin of pet food and drop them into collection bins.
The VCAL Personal Development has a number of outcomes including developing community projects, examining types of leadership, working as a team, and making a civic contribution. This one project ticks all those outcomes.
By collaborating with HALT students will work with community leader Jeremy Forbes. Jeremy grew up in Castlemaine, worked as a painter and decorator, and in 2013 co-founded HALT (Hope Assistance Local Tradies) as a way of promoting mental health and suicide prevention among the tradie community.
By creating a passion, and utilising his time and effort Jeremy has achieved a lot in a short time. He has received a Westpak Scholarship for overseas travel, and recently delivered a TED Talk that in a matter of weeks has had 821,000 views around the world.
Hopefully, by working with HALT, students will learn that anyone can achieve remarkable things though effort and persistence.
TAFE EXPERIENCE DAYS
I love the TAFE experience days!
VCAL & FLO students visited Bendigo TAFE on the last week of term 2 where students selected three workshops to participate in over the course of the day.
At the City Campus students gain insight into courses on Childcare, Nursing, Business Studies, Computing, Allied Health and Hospitality, while the Charleston Rd Campus with its trade focus saw students select workshops from Carpentry, Electrical, Air Condition maintenance, Automotive, Engineering, Painting & Decorating, Horticulture, Environmental Science and
Lab Technician.`
There is always plenty of chatter on the bus trip home and students are keen to complete their resumes and apply for work experience in areas they have been inspired by.
In the next newsletter issue we will focus on some of the various work experience placements students have done so far this year.
The Langham Hotel
VET Kitchen Operations students enjoyed a fabulous excursion to The Langham Hotel at the end of Term 2. Students toured the hotel, viewed the guest rooms, club rooms and ballroom, as well as visiting the kitchens and stores areas. They enjoyed the tour and asked plenty of questions, ranging from queries about famous guests, to questions about possible careers at The Langham.
The highlight of the day was, without doubt, the buffet lunch in the Melba Restaurant. Students were encouraged to sample foods they had never tasted before – some were brave, other less so! Of course, the chocolate fountain was a hit for all!
This excursion was made possible by the Castlemaine Technical College Past Student Association, who funded the day as a ‘Thank you’ to the students who prepared and served Sunday
Lunch to members of the CTCPSA at the beginning of the year. We are most grateful to the CTCPSA for their continued support and for making this excursion possible.
Caroline Cook: VET Kitchen Operations Teacher
