Parent Bulletin 15
September 20 2024
Notification to College Community – Term 4 Leadership Arrangements
Dear students, parents, carers and staff,
I write to inform you that an opportunity has arisen for me to undertake an Acting Executive Principal position from 7 October 2024 (start of Term 4) at Footscray High school. Footscray High is one of 3 government schools within the Footscray Learning Precinct. I believe this opportunity will benefit both my own learning and, in turn, Strathmore Secondary College.
Whilst I am looking forward to engaging with the Footscray High School community, I am equally looking forward to returning to Strathmore and continuing to lead the school into the 2025 school year.
The Acting Principals in Term 4 will be Vanessa Pratt and Michael Pakakis.
As I wrap up Term 3, I want to wish everyone in our Strathmore Secondary College community a safe and restful school holiday. I hope you take the time to relax, recharge, and return refreshed for the final term of the year.
Kind regards,
Jillian EnglishPrincipal
I write to inform you that an opportunity has arisen for me to undertake an Acting Executive Principal position from 7 October 2024 (start of Term 4) at Footscray High school. Footscray High is one of 3 government schools within the Footscray Learning Precinct. I believe this opportunity will benefit both my own learning and, in turn, Strathmore Secondary College.
Whilst I am looking forward to engaging with the Footscray High School community, I am equally looking forward to returning to Strathmore and continuing to lead the school into the 2025 school year.
The Acting Principals in Term 4 will be Vanessa Pratt and Michael Pakakis.
As I wrap up Term 3, I want to wish everyone in our Strathmore Secondary College community a safe and restful school holiday. I hope you take the time to relax, recharge, and return refreshed for the final term of the year.
Kind regards,
Jillian EnglishPrincipal
Strathmore Secondary College News: A Season of Success and Creativity!
As we enter the final stretch of the academic year, we are thrilled to reflect on a range of recent accomplishments and upcoming activities at Strathmore Secondary College. From artistic triumphs to sporting victories, the past term has been one of remarkable achievement for our students.
25th Annual Senior Art Exhibition
In August, our talented senior students showcased their creativity at the 25th Annual Senior Art Exhibition, held at Neon Parlour. This year's exhibition was truly outstanding, with a diverse range of art forms including painting, sculpture, photography, and digital art on display. The event was a vibrant celebration of the incredible artistic talent at Strathmore, and we are immensely proud of the hard work and passion our students poured into their creations.
Jazz Night and Chamber Concert
The Music and Performing Arts Faculty once again delivered spectacular performances during our recent Jazz Night and Chamber Concert. The dedication and skill of our musicians were on full display, with captivating performances that left audiences in awe. From smooth jazz rhythms to the intricate sounds of chamber music, these events were a testament to the high calibre of our music program. A special thank you to our music staff for their unwavering support and guidance.
Sporting Successes: AFL and Cross Country
It has been an exceptional season for Strathmore's sporting teams, with some notable victories to celebrate:
- Our Senior Girls AFL team triumphed in the State Final, taking home the championship trophy after a thrilling and hard-fought match. Their determination and teamwork throughout the season have been inspirational.
- In cross-country, the Under 16 Boys team clinched the State Championship, demonstrating their stamina, resilience, and competitive spirit on the track. Congratulations to all athletes and coaches involved in these outstanding achievements!
Upcoming Year 12 Practice Exams
As we prepare for the final term, Year 12 students are reminded that practice exams will be held during the school holidays. These exams are an essential part of preparing for the final VCE assessments and provide a valuable opportunity for students to gauge their progress. We encourage all Year 12s to approach these exams with focus and dedication.
End-of-Year Activities
Looking ahead, we are excited about the upcoming end-of-year activities, which will provide students and staff an opportunity to celebrate the year’s achievements and reflect on their journey. Details about events such as the Year 12 Graduation Dinner and other celebrations will be shared soon.
Jillian EnglishPrincipal
Jillian EnglishPrincipal
Road Safety Reminder for Parents and Carers
Dear Strathmore Secondary College Community, I hope this message finds you well. I would like to remind all parents and guardians about the importance of road safety, especially during the busy drop-off and pick-up times outside our school. Please refrain from making U-turns over double lines in front of the school. This practice is not only illegal but also poses a significant risk to the safety of our students, staff, and other road users. We understand the convenience it may offer, but the safety of our community must come first. I kindly ask for your cooperation in adhering to traffic rules and driving responsibly around the school premises. Together, we can ensure a safer environment for everyone. Thank you for your understanding and support. Kind regards, Jillian English Principal
Safety Around Schools (click to download)
Drop & Go Map - Strathmore Secondary College
Strathmore Secondary College and Moonee Valley City Council are committed to creating a safe and more sustainable environment for students. Walking and cycling to school is a great way for your child to start the day, as it stimulates the mind and improves overall health. This map has been created through the Better Moves Around School Program, this program brings Council and schools together to improve safety and encouraging walking, cycling and the use of public transport.
Moonee Valley Council has identified Drop and Go locations for Strathmore Secondary College students, each location is within a comfortable walking distance.
The map has been designed to encourage more students to walk to and from school at least part of the way to reduce congestion in Pascoe Vale Road.
Strathmore Secondary College is very appreciative of the support of Moonee Valley Council and encourage the College community to support this initiative.
Moonee Ponds Police have contacted the school. There has been numerous complaints regarding the roads around the college carpark. They have informed us they will be monitoring Pascoe Vale Road and Pascoe Avenue for illegal / dangerous parking and stopping.
Strathmore Secondary College and Moonee Valley City Council are committed to creating a safe and more sustainable environment for students. Walking and cycling to school is a great way for your child to start the day, as it stimulates the mind and improves overall health. This map has been created through the Better Moves Around School Program, this program brings Council and schools together to improve safety and encouraging walking, cycling and the use of public transport.
Moonee Valley Council has identified Drop and Go locations for Strathmore Secondary College students, each location is within a comfortable walking distance.
The map has been designed to encourage more students to walk to and from school at least part of the way to reduce congestion in Pascoe Vale Road.
Strathmore Secondary College is very appreciative of the support of Moonee Valley Council and encourage the College community to support this initiative.
Moonee Ponds Police have contacted the school. There has been numerous complaints regarding the roads around the college carpark. They have informed us they will be monitoring Pascoe Vale Road and Pascoe Avenue for illegal / dangerous parking and stopping.
Year 10 and 11 Japanese
Melbourne University Excursion
The year 10 and 11 Japanese classes were invited to the University Of Melbourne to explore what Uni life is like, and what to expect for university level classes.
When we arrived we were warmly welcomed by staff members, after which we were introduced to our University student group leaders who then lead us to various Japanese classes. We sat in with the classes and participated in some of the learning activities.
We gathered back to the Japanese building were a presentation was displayed. The Japanese lecturer explained how Japanese University courses run, and all the opportunities that are possible, such as exchange student programs. Our group leaders shared encouraging information and advice on University life overall, which we were all so grateful for. We played a couple of games, and shortly after we were served lunch. We were offered sandwiches and rolls and of course traditional onigiri. おいしいですね!
Finally, our group leaders gave us an informative tour around the extensive campus, which ended on a positive note among all Strathmore Secondary College students and teachers.
We all thoroughly enjoyed the day, and it gave us aspirations to one day attend Melbourne University.
ありがとうございます!
Vivian S, Year 10
The year 10 and 11 Japanese classes were invited to the University Of Melbourne to explore what Uni life is like, and what to expect for university level classes.
When we arrived we were warmly welcomed by staff members, after which we were introduced to our University student group leaders who then lead us to various Japanese classes. We sat in with the classes and participated in some of the learning activities.
We gathered back to the Japanese building were a presentation was displayed. The Japanese lecturer explained how Japanese University courses run, and all the opportunities that are possible, such as exchange student programs. Our group leaders shared encouraging information and advice on University life overall, which we were all so grateful for. We played a couple of games, and shortly after we were served lunch. We were offered sandwiches and rolls and of course traditional onigiri. おいしいですね!
Finally, our group leaders gave us an informative tour around the extensive campus, which ended on a positive note among all Strathmore Secondary College students and teachers.
We all thoroughly enjoyed the day, and it gave us aspirations to one day attend Melbourne University.
ありがとうございます!
Vivian S, Year 10
Food Technology
Our students have been busy this week with design tasks, with each group getting the opportunity to create a dish or product in response to a design brief.
Year 11 Food Studies students were asked to create a healthy canteen product and after surveying student preferences they created a range of dishes including burrito bowls, fried rice, pasta with homemade pesto and chicken schnitzel.
Food Technology students in Year 9 were tasked to create a healthy breakfast and Year 7s got creative with the fillings for their swirly scones.
The finished dishes looked fantastic, and we hope this encourages all our students to keep practicing their culinary skills at home!
Year 11 Food Studies students were asked to create a healthy canteen product and after surveying student preferences they created a range of dishes including burrito bowls, fried rice, pasta with homemade pesto and chicken schnitzel.
Food Technology students in Year 9 were tasked to create a healthy breakfast and Year 7s got creative with the fillings for their swirly scones.
The finished dishes looked fantastic, and we hope this encourages all our students to keep practicing their culinary skills at home!
Performing Arts
It's been a busy month in performing arts as students have participated in camp, concerts, lunchtime gigs and performance evenings.
Students from D13 Big Band performed as part of the college's Wear It Purple celebrations, before most students headed to Rutherford Park for 3 days of focused rehearsal at music camp.
This year's Jazz Night was an incredible success, drawing a bumper sold out crowd within a day! Followed close behind by performances from our senior Drama and Dance students as they presented their forthcoming solo assessments.
5 of our students featured in this year's State Schools Spectacular at John Cain. The experience the students receive is incredible and a real opportunity for them to experience the industry.
Finally, the college Chamber Concert saw performances from the classical stream and small ensembles, with a range of diverse styles and pieces but all aiming for excellence.
As we head into the school holidays, our VCE students will be preparing for their performance assessments early next term and we wish them well in their preparation.
Keep an eye out for The Mahoney Awards in week one as we celebrate our Media students and their folio products.
Thank you to everyone who supported any and all of the events, congratulations to the students for their achievements, and my sincere thanks to the performing arts teachers for continuing to go above and beyond to provide incredible experiences for our students.
Luke StewardLeading Teacher: Music, Performing Arts and Media
Students from D13 Big Band performed as part of the college's Wear It Purple celebrations, before most students headed to Rutherford Park for 3 days of focused rehearsal at music camp.
This year's Jazz Night was an incredible success, drawing a bumper sold out crowd within a day! Followed close behind by performances from our senior Drama and Dance students as they presented their forthcoming solo assessments.
5 of our students featured in this year's State Schools Spectacular at John Cain. The experience the students receive is incredible and a real opportunity for them to experience the industry.
Finally, the college Chamber Concert saw performances from the classical stream and small ensembles, with a range of diverse styles and pieces but all aiming for excellence.
As we head into the school holidays, our VCE students will be preparing for their performance assessments early next term and we wish them well in their preparation.
Keep an eye out for The Mahoney Awards in week one as we celebrate our Media students and their folio products.
Thank you to everyone who supported any and all of the events, congratulations to the students for their achievements, and my sincere thanks to the performing arts teachers for continuing to go above and beyond to provide incredible experiences for our students.
Luke StewardLeading Teacher: Music, Performing Arts and Media
Art Therapy Program
Hello Strathmore Secondary Community,
My name is Butho Ncube and I am part of the wellbeing team at SSC.
Students from Year 7 and 8 participated in a four-week art therapy program facilitated by the wellbeing team.
Throughout the program, students engaged in various creative activities, including painting, drawing, and mixed media projects. They explored self-expression and emotional processing through art, learning to communicate their feelings in a supportive environment. Each week built on the last, allowing students to develop their skills while fostering connections with peers.
By the end of the program, students not only honed their artistic abilities but also gained valuable insights into their own emotions and well-being.
My name is Butho Ncube and I am part of the wellbeing team at SSC.
Students from Year 7 and 8 participated in a four-week art therapy program facilitated by the wellbeing team.
Throughout the program, students engaged in various creative activities, including painting, drawing, and mixed media projects. They explored self-expression and emotional processing through art, learning to communicate their feelings in a supportive environment. Each week built on the last, allowing students to develop their skills while fostering connections with peers.
By the end of the program, students not only honed their artistic abilities but also gained valuable insights into their own emotions and well-being.
Year 10 Ceramics and Sculpture
This Term, the Year 10 Ceramics and Sculpture students have been nurturing their creativity and skill development through clay artistry.
Students applied new technical skills from hand building (coiling, slab-building, and surface treatment) to shaping clay on the potter’s wheel, creating a variety of functional pieces.
Students applied new technical skills from hand building (coiling, slab-building, and surface treatment) to shaping clay on the potter’s wheel, creating a variety of functional pieces.
Wellbeing News
Thank you to everyone who supported R U OK? Day last week.
Staff and students all got involved and seemed to enjoy the day. The students definitely enjoyed their stand outside the library - the wrist bands, lollies and lucky dip were a huge hit! Hopefully we can make next year’s R U OK? Day even bigger and better!Let’s not forget that life is every day so use every available opportunity to check in with your friends, family, colleagues and ask R U OK? ANY day.
National Science Week
In week 6 we celebrated National Science Week with a range of lunchtime activities. Monday saw a huge number of students join the Slime Time session, making some very cool (and messy) slime. It was such a hit that students wanted more. Look out for Science Club (or rather, slime club!) coming in Term 4. Tuesday gave us lovely weather to run Outside Science, involving a range of experiments such as Mentos and Diet coke, Elephant’s Toothpaste, and launching bottle rockets. There were also prizes for funny science jokes or intriguing science facts. On Wednesday, students brought their groups to compete in a Science Escape Room. In teams, students had to solve puzzles and crack codes related to their knowledge of the human body.
Thursday saw more mess, and lots of fun with the Building Challenge. Students competed in groups to construct a bridge made out of marshmallows, skewers, and toothpicks. There were some very creative designs, but the winning team was able to hold up the most weight. On Friday we finished the week with Science Trivia. Students gathered in their groups to test their scientific knowledge against each other. There were a range of questions, some quirky and random, as well as some Who Am I? between rounds. Congratulations to the ‘A Team’, who came first, closely followed by runners’ up ‘Oat Slice (made with organic oats)’.
Thank you everyone who came along during the week. We hope you had a heap of fun!
Sarah Sharpley and the Science Team
Thursday saw more mess, and lots of fun with the Building Challenge. Students competed in groups to construct a bridge made out of marshmallows, skewers, and toothpicks. There were some very creative designs, but the winning team was able to hold up the most weight. On Friday we finished the week with Science Trivia. Students gathered in their groups to test their scientific knowledge against each other. There were a range of questions, some quirky and random, as well as some Who Am I? between rounds. Congratulations to the ‘A Team’, who came first, closely followed by runners’ up ‘Oat Slice (made with organic oats)’.
Thank you everyone who came along during the week. We hope you had a heap of fun!
Sarah Sharpley and the Science Team
VFLW Team of the Year
Five of North Melbourne's premiership players and its coach Brett Gourley, Strathmore Secondary College HPE teacher, have been named in the 2024 VFLW Team of the Year.
After guiding the Roos to third on the ladder after the home-and-away season, Gourley became the first coach to lead a Kangaroos VFLW team into a finals series and ultimately to a flag.
He is joined in the team by premiership players Nyakoat Dojiok, Audrey Rhodes, Nicole Hales, Alana Barba and club best and fairest winner Maddie Di Cosmo.
After guiding the Roos to third on the ladder after the home-and-away season, Gourley became the first coach to lead a Kangaroos VFLW team into a finals series and ultimately to a flag.
He is joined in the team by premiership players Nyakoat Dojiok, Audrey Rhodes, Nicole Hales, Alana Barba and club best and fairest winner Maddie Di Cosmo.
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Burnet Bulletin
Good afternoon to the Burnet community and hello to a welcome end of term! Term three is one of the busier terms in the school year and this one certainly proved that to be true. It was great to have so many positive discussions about our Burnet student’s progress during the conferences yesterday, and to recognise some of the outstanding efforts and academic results across the junior cohort this term. The holidays are a time for rest, but also an opportunity to set some goals to finish the year off positively in term four. We want to thank all our Burnet students for ensuring their course preferences for 2025 were considered and entered in a timely manner. For the Year 9s & 10s it was a valuable and rewarding experience for us to be able to have those one-on-one conversations, discuss the great work and results our students have received and have meaningful conversations about goals, pathways and plans for the future. Congratulations to our junior Burnet athletes who had a “top 5” finish at this year’s Athletics Carnival. Congratulations also to the Burnet students who represented SSC at the Moonee Valley District Athletics carnival and to those selected to compete the Regional Athletics Trials next term. Well done Owen V (100m & 200m record breaker, 400m, relay), Amelia H (triple jump, relay), Estelle S (100m, relay) & Stefanie R (800m, 1500m, relay). We also had a number of Burnet students perform at the 2024 Chamber Concert. Well done on an incredible performance to our Burnet students Elpi B, Keya P, Nahla P, Audrey S, Ella V, Emily C, Angie A, Aja P, Mara T, Rachael W, Ha D, Senuki K and Jerry X. A reminder that our Year 9 students have the opportunity to participate in the Naarm Program in term four this year and that consent & payment for the event is now available to process on Compass. The junior picnic day at Funfields in December has also been posted to Compass for our end of year junior school event.
Finally, the junior Burnet team extends our best wishes to Ms Fraser as she departs on leave for the next year. You’ll be missed in the team office and in the college Ms Fraser, and we hope you have a wonderful time being with your family. We are also thrilled to welcome Ms Kirkpatrick into the team as the Year 7 & 8 coordinator in Ms Fraser’s absence. Ms Kirkpatrick has been working with our Burnet students in class all year and will be a fantastic addition to the team. Welcome Ms Kirkpatrick!
Finally, the junior Burnet team extends our best wishes to Ms Fraser as she departs on leave for the next year. You’ll be missed in the team office and in the college Ms Fraser, and we hope you have a wonderful time being with your family. We are also thrilled to welcome Ms Kirkpatrick into the team as the Year 7 & 8 coordinator in Ms Fraser’s absence. Ms Kirkpatrick has been working with our Burnet students in class all year and will be a fantastic addition to the team. Welcome Ms Kirkpatrick!
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Well done on getting through another busy term, take the time to put your feet up reflect, relax and (eventually) start setting some goals to make sure term four is as positive and productive as you can make it. Happy holidays! The Junior Burnet TeamMs Trahar, Ms Kirkpatrick & Mr Roberts
Year 7 STEAM
Our Year 7 STEAM students travelled to La Trobe University in Bundoora to engage in a new sustainable farming course in the ArgiBio centre. Our students got the lab coats on, broke out the data probes and started coding our own moisture readers. We finished out the day with an exciting walk around the university campus and have a break in the Agora for lunch. What an incredible experience we all had for the day!
Strathmore Secondary College Maths Olympics
The inaugural Strathmore Secondary College Maths Olympics took place on Friday, 6th September. There were an incredible 16 registered teams, of up to 5 students in each team, competing to solve as many maths competition style questions as they could over the course of lunchtime.
The standard was extremely high, with all competing teams doing such an awesome job that at one point we were concerned we were going to run out of questions!
The competition was split up into two divisions (Junior 7-9 and Senior 10-12) with carefully selected questions to cater to each division.
To get an idea of what the questions looked like have a go at the first question for the senior division: (Answer at the bottom)
The standard was extremely high, with all competing teams doing such an awesome job that at one point we were concerned we were going to run out of questions!
The competition was split up into two divisions (Junior 7-9 and Senior 10-12) with carefully selected questions to cater to each division.
To get an idea of what the questions looked like have a go at the first question for the senior division: (Answer at the bottom)
The winning teams in each division were:
Senior Division: Team Laura! (Yr 12s) - Leila Plessas, Yana Pisespongsa, Nathan Le, Lisa Dang
Junior Division: The 5 Siggys (Yr 7s) – Xavier Carr, Kerry Qiu, Kyle Luong, Andy Bhandula, Leo Khautakoun
The competition was extremely close, with only a few points separating all the teams involved. Congratulations to all students who participated, every single team solved a significant number of challenging questions.
It was incredibly exciting to see so many students attend the event and have such fun on the day. The level of support from students in terms of attendance and participation exceeded our highest hopes and was so impressive to see on the day.
We have had many requests from students who participated to run another maths Olympics already. Because of this and the overwhelming support of the event it will definitely return in 2025 and beyond.
A massive thanks to the teachers involved in organising the event and running it on the day. In particular Ms Trang, Ms Ferraro, Ms Peng, Mr Lu, Ms Meng and Ms McCraw for their help checking questions and judging student responses.
The answer to the question above is: 7/30
Paul UnklesMaths Faculty Leader
Senior Division: Team Laura! (Yr 12s) - Leila Plessas, Yana Pisespongsa, Nathan Le, Lisa Dang
Junior Division: The 5 Siggys (Yr 7s) – Xavier Carr, Kerry Qiu, Kyle Luong, Andy Bhandula, Leo Khautakoun
The competition was extremely close, with only a few points separating all the teams involved. Congratulations to all students who participated, every single team solved a significant number of challenging questions.
It was incredibly exciting to see so many students attend the event and have such fun on the day. The level of support from students in terms of attendance and participation exceeded our highest hopes and was so impressive to see on the day.
We have had many requests from students who participated to run another maths Olympics already. Because of this and the overwhelming support of the event it will definitely return in 2025 and beyond.
A massive thanks to the teachers involved in organising the event and running it on the day. In particular Ms Trang, Ms Ferraro, Ms Peng, Mr Lu, Ms Meng and Ms McCraw for their help checking questions and judging student responses.
The answer to the question above is: 7/30
Paul UnklesMaths Faculty Leader
Strathmore Shockwaves Prepare to Strike
Motivated by last year’s success and an exciting adventure in Tasmania, this term the Strathmore Shockwaves have working hard to prepare for the First Lego League 2024 competition.
The competition, running since 1998, is designed to introduce young people to key principals of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics though hands on robotic challenges using LEGO bricks. Students build and program robots to navigate an obstacle course, develop teamwork skills and engage in problem solving activities. Students are also tasked with a themed innovation project where they must identify a real-world problem and develop an innovative solution.
This years theme ‘Submerged’ has prompted some considered research into marine conservation, inspiring an innovation project with a goal of designing a prototype robot to identify protected marine species using A.I and image recognition. Archie Bradby and Anthony Spina Falsetta Spina feature proudly smiling after successfully running the program they created in VS code with the python programming language.
Budding engineers, designers and programmers have also been working tirelessly to produce mock-ups, 3D prototypes, slideshow presentations and code instructions to complete missions on the robot game board.
Good Luck Shockwaves!
The competition, running since 1998, is designed to introduce young people to key principals of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics though hands on robotic challenges using LEGO bricks. Students build and program robots to navigate an obstacle course, develop teamwork skills and engage in problem solving activities. Students are also tasked with a themed innovation project where they must identify a real-world problem and develop an innovative solution.
This years theme ‘Submerged’ has prompted some considered research into marine conservation, inspiring an innovation project with a goal of designing a prototype robot to identify protected marine species using A.I and image recognition. Archie Bradby and Anthony Spina Falsetta Spina feature proudly smiling after successfully running the program they created in VS code with the python programming language.
Budding engineers, designers and programmers have also been working tirelessly to produce mock-ups, 3D prototypes, slideshow presentations and code instructions to complete missions on the robot game board.
Good Luck Shockwaves!
Student Attendance
Dear Parents and Guardians
As we approach the end of Term 3, we ask you to take a few moments to review your child’s Attendance Record on Compass.
If your child has unexplained absences, please ensure you explain these by adding an Attendance note. You can select multiple absences at once and add a note to explain the absence, which makes the process quick and easy.
Please contact the Junior School Attendance Officer if you require assistance.
LouiseJunior School Attendance Officer
As we approach the end of Term 3, we ask you to take a few moments to review your child’s Attendance Record on Compass.
If your child has unexplained absences, please ensure you explain these by adding an Attendance note. You can select multiple absences at once and add a note to explain the absence, which makes the process quick and easy.
Please contact the Junior School Attendance Officer if you require assistance.
LouiseJunior School Attendance Officer