A Time of Transition
This is one of the busiest and most reflective times of the school year. Subject Selection Season is now underway, with every student in the Senior School turning their mind to their program of study for 2027.
Our Year 12 students are weighing their options for next year, whether that be university, TAFE, an apprenticeship, or moving straight into the workforce. My thanks to Ms Anthea Bennett for her outstanding online presentation on all things VTAC, delivered to our Year 12 students and the parents considering a university pathway. It was informative, thought-provoking, and clearly valued by everyone who attended.
Our Year 11 students are consolidating their VCE or VCE Vocational Major pathways for Year 12 next year, an exciting stage in their schooling. Alongside choosing their Units 3 and 4 VCE subjects, many are also preparing leadership applications as part of the selection process for our 2027 College Captains.
Our Year 10 students face what is arguably the most significant academic decision of their schooling to date: the shift from largely internal subjects to a full two-year VCE or VCE Vocational Major program. These are choices that can shape a student’s path for years to come, and our staff are always on hand to guide and support families through the process. Last week’s VCE Information Evening brought together a wealth of expertise from across the College, giving our students an excellent foundation for making confident, informed decisions.
Our Year 9 students are beginning their own transition, moving on from the adventures of the Year 9 Environmental Centre and the wider Year 9 Program into the Senior School’s academic environment, with its broad range of elective choices, including the option to take a Year 11 subject for those who are ready for the challenge. Last week’s Year 10 Information Evening was another outstanding event, showcasing everything on offer for students entering Year 10 in 2027.
A reminder that all subject selections for 2027 close on Friday 14 August, after which a series of important decisions will shape our academic program for the year ahead. It is a genuinely exciting time, with so many pathways and possibilities opening up for our students.
Brett Torstonson
Head of Senior School
Sri Lanka Service Trip
Last month, our group of seven Year 10 students, and Mr Prideaux, travelled to Sri Lanka with Infuse Travel for an unforgettable adventure. Throughout the trip, we used the Find My Penguin app to share daily updates and photos so our families and friends could follow our journey from home.
Our trip was filled with incredible opportunities to immerse ourselves in Sri Lankan culture, giving back to local communities and challenge ourselves through new experiences. We explored fishing villages, colourful markets, ancient temples and breathtaking landscapes while learning about the country’s history and traditions.
One of the most rewarding parts of the trip was our community service project, where we worked alongside local people to help build the foundations of a family home. Despite the hot and humid conditions, everyone worked hard and experienced the satisfaction of making a meaningful contribution to the community.
The adventure continued with hiking through the Knuckles Mountain Range, white water rafting, visiting the famous Nine Arche Bridge, and an exciting safari where we saw elephants, crocodiles, buffalo, deer and many other native animals in the wild. We also visited an elephant transit home and had the unforgettable experience of helping protect newly hatched sea turtles as they made their way safely to the ocean.
Along the way, we enjoyed cooking classes, traditional cultural performances, local markets, delicious Sri Lankan cuisine and plenty of fun together through games, karaoke, bus singalongs and pool time. Every day brought new challenges, laughter and opportunities to step outside our comfort zones.
As we returned home, we reflected on the friendships we had strengthened, the resilience we had developed and the appreciation we had gained for a different culture and way of life. Our Sri Lankan adventure with Infuse was an experience we will never forget, leaving us with lifelong memories, valuable lessons and a greater understanding of the world around us.
The team was: Mackenzie Marr, Bede Prideaux, Georgie Sanders, Emma Sorensen, Stephen Spencer, Jayden Stephenson and Alayna Williams. We thank Mr David Prideaux, who was there to help guide us.
Mackenzie Marr
Year 10 Student
Year 12 Formal
Last Saturday evening, our Year 12 students took a well-deserved break from their studies to celebrate at their Formal alongside House Mentors and members of the College Leadership Team. Dressed to impress, everyone looked absolutely fantastic as they enjoyed an evening of celebration, laughter and connection at the RACV Inverloch Resort.
In elegant gowns and suave suits, the Formal provided an excellent opportunity for our Year 12 cohort to take to the dance floor, creating unforgettable memories with their peers and celebrating this special milestone before the final stretch toward their exams and completion of their secondary schooling.
A sincere thank you to all involved; our Student Leaders who hosted so confidently, and to the House Leaders and College Leadership Team who attended, helping to make the evening such a memorable occasion.
Aisling Fagan
Event Organiser
Year 9 Update: A Busy Start to Term 3
Term 3 has begun at full pace for our Year 9 students. Many have already put their hands up to represent the College through SEISA sport, which has been fantastic to see. Following a busy conclusion to Term 2, highlighted by City Cite, students have quickly resumed some of the important community-based elements of the Year 9 program. Aged care visits at Phillip Island Care Community (formerly Grossard Court) and tutoring in the Junior School are once again underway.
Students have also had an opportunity to reflect on their first experience of formal examinations and consider what they learned from the process. At the same time, attention has turned towards subject selections for Senior School. Many students are investigating whether Year 10 could provide an opportunity to accelerate their learning and begin a VCE subject early. This is an important decision-making period, and we encourage students to ask questions, explore their interests and carefully consider the pathways available to them.
Our current learning focus is Food Security. Students are investigating how the choices we make as consumers connect us to sustainability at local, national and global levels. Recent fieldwork has provided students with an opportunity to explore food production, agriculture, Indigenous knowledge, biodiversity and sustainable land management within our local area.
We are particularly grateful to maintenance team member Michael Gordon for welcoming students to his farm in the Bass Hills and sharing his knowledge of cattle farming. We also thank Uncle Steve Parker for sharing his Boonwurrung knowledge and perspectives on Indigenous food security, Gary Morton from Field Phillip Island for introducing students to honeybees and beekeeping, and the team at The Cape Farm. A special thank you goes to AJ for generously hosting our students and supporting their learning. Over the coming weeks, students will draw on these experiences as they investigate and propose practical ways to improve food security for people within their local community and across Australia and the wider world.
The pace will continue as we move towards STEAM Week in Week 6. Students will soon have the opportunity to select an activity that allows them to explore an area of interest through design thinking and creative problem-solving. Options will include areas such as coding, building, chemistry and, of course, the all-important Science Community Games.
Following STEAM Week, students will begin preparing for the Horizons Project. This significant part of the Year 9 program invites students to investigate an area of personal passion or interest, identify a problem relating to the community, sustainability or the environment, and develop a creative response or solution. Horizons will keep students busy throughout the final weeks of Term 3 and into the beginning of Term 4. We expect that many projects will also make their way home during the holidays for further tinkering, testing and refining.
While the end of the year may still feel some distance away, Peak Pursuit will approach quickly. Families may wish to begin checking that students have access to suitable wool or polypropylene thermal undergarments. All students, except those attending Wollangarra, will also require a sleeping bag rated to -5°C. We have partnered with Camp List by ONE PLANET, and a more detailed equipment list will be released shortly. Students’ Peak Pursuit expedition groups will also be confirmed over the coming weeks, with further information provided to help families prepare.
It has already been a busy and productive beginning to the term. There is a great deal ahead, and we look forward to seeing our Year 9 students continue to challenge themselves, make positive contributions and embrace the opportunities available to them.
Sam Foura
Head of Year 9
Community Volunteering: A Year 9 Experience
As part of the Year 9 learning, students are involved in lessons called Community. The aim being for our students to explore the role of volunteering, offering time and expertise to others. On Wednesday, Year 9A went on an excursion to the Phillip Island Fire Brigade, where the members graciously gave up their time to explain their roles and reasons for volunteering.
Our students explored the roles of Responder, Community Support and Volunteering. CFA volunteers come from all walks of life and are just everyday people, who are committed to their local community – through 4 practical activities, the students got to experience the Medical Response – by performing CPR and looking through extensive First Aid equipment, they got to dress up and get a feel for what it’s like wearing fire fighting protective equipment, they also had a show and tell session of the Brigade’s main fire fighting appliance and finally – the best bit and most popular activity - they got to use a hose and squirt water!
The students had a wonderful time and Newhaven College extends our grateful thanks to the Captain and members of Phillip Island Fire Brigade for making us so welcome and teaching us all about our incredible CFA Volunteers.
Simon Furniss
Year 9 Teacher
Year 10 Holocaust Museum visit
On Tuesday, our Year 10s attended an excursion to the Holocaust Museum in Elsternwick. They began by enjoying lunch in nearby Glenhuntly Road, followed by what can only be described as a reverent experience. From examining artefacts salvaged from the pre- and post-war era, to bearing witness to the testimony of Joe Szwarcberg, a survivor of both the ghetto and death camps of Poland, the students have truly had an extraordinary day. Thank you to the staff involved, supporting the students through what was an emotionally charged but incredibly rewarding day.
Elizabeth Hall
Senior School Teacher
Year 11 Legal Studies
The Year 11 VCE Legal Studies students visited Frankston Magistrates' Court in Week 8 of Term 2, where they observed a range of hearings linked to the legal concepts studied in class.
The excursion gave students the opportunity to see the court system in action. They observed the roles of key participants, court procedures, and developed an understanding of the practical realities of legal proceedings beyond the textbook.
Overall, it was an insightful experience that helped bring their learning to life and provided a greater appreciation of the operation of the justice system.
Ramya Kurmala
Senior Teacher
Year 10 Work Experience Program
Our Year 10 Work Experience Program provides a fabulous opportunity for our students to try a career path that they are interested in. This year, over forty students went out into their chosen workplace, with many positive reports and comments coming back from their employers. Some of this year’s chosen employment pathways included: nursing, teaching, police service, building and construction, electrical, physiotherapy, child care, animal care, hairdressing and design.
We encourage our Year 10 students to make the most of their work experience week; to ask questions and try new things in a work environment. These opportunities assist our students to make important decisions regarding their future studies and gives them an insight into potential career pathways.
Pictured: Eden Foster at Wonthaggi Police Station, Heath McLean at Free 3D Hands in Newhaven and Isabella Stead who tried Nursing at Swan Hill District Health.
Meredith Lynch
Careers Office
Careers
Please be sure to check out this month's Career Newsletter.
Highlights include the many Open Day and Higher Education provider experiences.
Anthea Bennett
Head of Careers