Celebrations

It has been a busy few weeks in Grade 9 and we cannot believe how quickly the term is flying by! Last week, our first My Education Day took place on Tuesday. The theme of this day was ‘managing our wellbeing’ and once again, we were incredibly impressed with how well students participated and made the most of opportunities provided throughout the day. An activity that particularly stood out and had an impact on staff and students was called ‘Don’t put people in boxes’. This activity required students and staff to stand in a big circle in the gym. Mr Stokes read out a range of different statements (for example, ‘I have days where I feel overwhelmed’) and if students agreed with this statement, they moved into the middle of the circle. It was a powerful experience and really highlighted the fact that despite all of our differences, we have so much in common and we all encounter the highs and lows of life in different ways. We wish to applaud students for their bravery, their vulnerability and the great deal of respect they showed each other as we completed this activity.

This Friday (26^th March), class leader applications are due. Each class in Grade 9 will appoint two class leaders; students submit an application, complete a short speech in front of  their class and votes are then submitted by students. Successful class leaders will be announced before the end of Term 1. We encourage all students to apply via this link: https://bit.ly/g9classleaders.

What a wonderful leadership opportunity and a great way to ‘get comfortable with being uncomfortable’. We would like to remind students that growth can only happen outside of their comfort zones!

Another cause for celebration is the success students experienced at the Science and Engineering Challenge with Ms Casey and Mr Killalea. It was an excellent day, with lots of critical thinking, problem solving and teamwork on show. Our students represented our school incredibly well and displayed our ROCKS at all times.

Finally, we wish to congratulate students on their participation in our recent swimming carnival! It was a fantastic (albeit different!) day at the Riverside Pool, organised by our amazing HPE team. The Grade 9 teaching team commented on how well students encouraged their peers and showed sportsmanship throughout the day – it was thoroughly enjoyable.

Grade Focus

As the term draws to an end, we urge students to remain focused on their learning until the last day! It is important that we make every moment count, and commitment to learning is so crucial in order for students to grow, improve their knowledge and skills, and set themselves up for a successful 2021.