Woodleigh Messenger
- Learning is not Bound by Four Walls
- What's food got to do with flourishing?
- Student Voices
- Model citizens at UN Assembly 2022
- Year 11 Economics visit to IKEA
- SIS Athletics Wrap Up 2022
- Activities Week Reflections from the Art Department
- Ninjas and Noodles Camp Reflections
- Cross Country Ski Camp
- Fishing Camp
- R U OK? A conversation could change a life
- Learning to Thrive: Strategic Plan launch events
Learning is not Bound by Four Walls
This week, I have had the pleasure of listening to many stories about the Senior Campus Activities Camp Week, from both staff and students. Our camps and co-curricular programs play an integral role in developing important life skills and consolidating students’ learning in a range of different contexts.
Improved social skills are one of the bonuses of co-curricular experiences. Students interact with each other in different environments to help improve their social skills. Spending 8-hours a day at school is one thing, but eating meals together, travelling together, and sharing accommodation teaches children the worth of collaboration and treating others with respect. This aligns with our School values of respect for self, respect for others, and respect for the environment. One of the most important life lessons is the ability to interact with others in a positive way. In a family this can be taught to a degree, but being immersed in a group situation for an extended period of time is a great way to learn and practice these skills.
At times, our students would have faced challenges last week – they possibly felt wet or cold, were forced to make new friends, had to navigate different living arrangements and were encouraged to make decisions as part of their camp experience. These challenges are designed purposefully. They develop resilience and an ability to adapt to different circumstances, all whilst building more obvious skills, whether that be riding a wave, using a blow torch, or navigating public transport. It is important for students to have time on camps and programs to build their independence and ability to operate on their own or with different people. A school camp places your child in a position where they have to make decisions about how their day unfolds. For example; what shall I wear? how much can I eat? when should I brush my teeth? are decisions some children have never made on their own, especially post-COVID lockdowns. Co-curricular activities will nurture your child to grow and develop greater independence and capabilities to thrive in a world beyond school.
The deep connections and breadth of skills students build in an immersive experience with other students and staff cannot be replicated at home or within the four walls of a classroom. Students have developed new friendships and happy long-lasting memories from last week. I’m sure you will agree that Woodleigh continues to provide our students the chance to get involved in a wide range of learning in a variety of contexts. Most days, I wish that my personal experience of secondary school reflected what these students get the opportunity to experience every day.
Student-Parent-Teacher Interviews
Our Semester 2 Student-Parent-Teacher Interviews are scheduled for September 6 and 7, 2022. These interviews are an opportunity for parents and students to meet with staff to discuss progress within specific learning areas. Teaching staff have a range of strategies to differentiate learning and enable high-quality student outcomes. We believe that if teachers, students, and parents build strong relationships, they can work together to improve learning outcomes. During these interviews, staff will have discussed the Learning Behaviours exhibited by your child and the importance of developing these attributes to establish an independent, confident learner.
I encourage both parents and students to continue to ask staff for feedback and strategies on how they can improve in all subject areas. I would also recommend that an ongoing conversation at home around the strategies discussed is important for continued student progress.
Our First Live Production in 3 Years
It was wonderful to witness our first live full-scale production since 2019 this past week. I could not be prouder of the young people and staff that give their time, dedication, and energy to such an outstanding performance. Preparation and rehearsals have been underway since the beginning of the year and the perseverance for excellence in the Performing Arts has once again been showcased in this year’s production.
My sincere thanks go to Carey Saunders with the help of Lucy Wharington and the team for such a wonderful performance. I would like to congratulate all involved and acknowledge the following students for their outstanding commitment to Almost, Maine:
CAST
Imogen Cottee: Narrator
Zac Moore: Pete
Zoe Heffernan: Ginette
Hunter Barrett: East
Pippin Seagren Hughes: Glory
Cody Hammock: Jimmy
Eliza Cooney: Sandrine
Alex Mathews: Waitress
Chloe Pollerd: Marvalyn
Willoby Sheezel: Steve
Tsomo Lakatsang: Gayle
Stella Sampieri: Lendall
Ben Ireland: Randy
Al Jones: Chad
Pat Cummin: Phil
Bridget Richards: Marci
Lou Lou Burton: Hope
Toby Newgreen: Man
Tabitha Plummer: Suzette, lead understudy
Ella Jones: Rhonda
Charlie Spicer: Dave
ORIGINAL MUSIC
Amelia Evenden: Student Musical Director, composer, arranger, violin, flute, piano, chimes, vocals
Tayla Basso: Electric guitar, bass guitar, acoustic guitar, vibes, vocals, cello
Tabitha Plummer: Piano, vibes, vocals, clarinet, bass guitar
Rani Jones: Cello, ukulele, vocals, vibes
Milla Lee: Double bass, bass guitar, vocals, “Love You So” composer
CREW
Beth Elphinstone: Stage Manager, Poster Artwork, set painting, Bake Sale
Ella Adam: Backstage Manager
Maya Stubbs: Prop Master & Set Construction, Tattoo Artist
Anika Gay: Assistant Stage Manager
Oscar Morton: Lighting Operator
Tommy Lewis: Sound Operator
Harry Holder: AV Operator
Adelie Marshall: Animations, Fog Master
Lou Lou Burton: Fog Mistress
Cody Hammock: Fog Master
Indra Stubbs: Wardrobe Coordinator
Phoebe Azzopardi: Publicity, Marketing, Hoodie coordination, FOH usher
Bella King: Poster Artwork, FOH usher, set painting, stagehand
James Stuart Acknowledgement of Country voice over, FOH
Jake Aronleigh: Northern lights slides, Bake Sale poster design, prop & QR code design
Zac Moore: Filming, Microphone Technician
Pippin Seagren Hughes: Microphone Technician
Eliza Cooney: Catering
Lou Lou Burton: Student Photographer
True Sheridan-Grubb: Slide photoshop
Jacomo Dwyer-Morris: Student rehearsal prompt
Jet Rogers: FOH usher
STAFF
Carey Saunders: Director, Producer
Lucy Wharington: Director, Musical Director
Kylie Stevenson: Technical Producer
Anthony Bingham: Audio Engineer, Technical coordinator
Amy White: Show recording for streaming, Kissing clips
Liam Matthews: Photoshop and projection clips, Hall tech
Donna Nairn: Production support, snow cradle
Marcus Butler: Set support
Alphonse Landman: Set support
Emma Cleine: Photoshop support
Adam Liddiard: Marketing, Poster support, Program
Harrison Robertson: Photographs
Winter Health
As you are aware, there is a range of viruses circulating throughout the community, and this is not unusual for this time of year. Schools find that student and staff absences increase during Term 3 as a result of illness. If your child presents with any symptoms of ill health, we would appreciate it if you could keep them at home until they are symptom-free.
We are continuing to strongly encourage the use of masks, as per the recommendation from the State Education Department and Independent Schools Victoria. For VCE students, it is particularly important to pay attention to personal hygiene, nutrition, sleep, and wearing a mask as we move towards the ‘business-end’ of the year.
I wish you the best for the last few weeks of Term 3 – stay safe and take care.
NAT McLENNAN
Deputy Principal – Head of Senior Campus
What's food got to do with flourishing?
In our most recent Student Flourishing at School Survey (which all students in years 7-12 complete twice a year to provide us with a snapshot of their general wellbeing), nutrition and sleep were highlighted as areas for attention. It may or may not be a behavioural hangover from lockdown life, but the fact is the food we put into our body can have a huge impact on how our brain works and our overall feeling of positive wellbeing. From a physiological point of view, food can improve working memory, concentration, and focus, support problem-solving functioning, sustain physical energy, and influence the quality of sleep.
Fuel for thought
Our brain is the most complex part of our bodies. Like a computer, it runs millions of processes every day. It never stops working, so it needs constant topping up with the fuel it operates on – glucose - which is a type of sugar. Our body obtains glucose from our food, and it’s delivered to the brain through the bloodstream. The problem is, our brain can’t store glucose, so we need to top up our levels throughout the day.
Which foods are the best fuel?
Healthy brain foods include:
Protein — meat, fish, eggs, poultry, legumes, nuts and seeds, dried beans and lentils, dairy products, and soy products. Protein helps your brain send messages to the rest of your body, and helps create brain chemicals that improve your mood.
Antioxidants — fruits and veggies, including berries, and pomegranate juice. Antioxidants can help delay or even prevent certain effects of aging on the brain.
Omega-3 — oily fish, flax seeds and flax oil, and eggs, chicken and beef. Omega-3s have been found to help your brain work harder and improve your mental health.
Dietary cholesterol — dairy and egg yolks. Your brain relies on cholesterol to create the cells that send messages to the rest of the body.
Monounsaturated fats — avocados, nuts, olive oil, canola oil and peanut oil. Food that contains monounsaturated fats can improve your memory and help your brain work harder, better, faster, stronger.
Caffeine (moderate amounts) — tea, coffee and dark chocolate. In small doses, caffeine can help you feel refreshed and more focused.
Water - Your brain is 73% water, and water is vital to keeping your body (and brain) in tip-top shape.
What we eat affects how we sleep
Sleep research suggests that a teenager needs between 8 and 10 hours of sleep every night. However, most teenagers only get about 6.5 to 7.5 hours sleep per night.
Chronic sleep deprivation can have dramatic effects on a teenager’s life, including affecting their mental well-being and reducing their academic performance at school.
A balanced, nutritious, and healthy diet contributes to better, more restful sleep while a poor diet contributes to poor sleep quality and short sleep duration. The right foods can encourage better sleep efficiency, healthier sleep onset latency— the time it takes you to fall asleep— and may even contribute to more restorative, deep sleep. Therefore, the foods we eat during the day are not only vital to our physical health, but they’re key to our sleep health as well.
In an article published in Sleep Review Magazine, Dr. Jose Colon shares the following links between nutrition and sleep:
1. There’s No “One Size Fits All”
There is no single “best” diet for a good night’s sleep. Diet, nutrition, and sleep intersect in complex ways that differ from one person to the next depending on factors like age, lifestyle and activity levels, health, and genetics.
2. Nutrition’s Impact on Sleep Quality and Sleep Quantity
Broadly speaking, diets filled with fibre, moderate amounts of complex carbohydrates, plenty of high-quality protein, and healthy fats are associated with more deeply restful, restorative, and plentiful sleep.
3. Consistency is Key
It’s important to maintain a consistent sleep-wake routine each and every day. A consistent sleep schedule also helps regulate your appetite and reduce cravings for the foods that disrupt sleep.
4. Timing of Eating Effects Gut Health
Establishing a consistent eating schedule, optimizing those times to align with your circadian biology, and allowing sufficient time for the body to fast overnight may help you keep your gut stocked with more health-promoting bacteria. This is significant given the composition of the gut microbiome directly affects our mental and physical health. The gut microbiome is often referred to as our body’s 'second brain'. It influences our mood, metabolism, cardiovascular and circulatory health, as well as our immune system and risk for chronic disease. The microbiome is also responsible for producing some of the body’s melatonin supply, as well as other hormones and neurotransmitters involved with sleep.
5. Short Sleepers Have Distinct Eating Patterns
Short sleepers are often defined as those persons getting less than 7 hours a night. Not getting enough sleep alters the hormones that regulate appetite; this increases cravings for salty, fatty, and sugary foods, and increases overall daily calorie intake.
Food for Thought
A healthy and nutritious diet isn’t just vital for your overall health and brain functioning; it’s important for your sleep health, and vice-versa. If we want to focus on what’s in our control to support ourselves and our children, to function at their best, to thrive and to flourish, then food has everything to do with it.
Bon appetite & sweet dreams,
DONNA NAIRN
Director of Counselling
Acknowledgements & further reading:
Foods that help our brain study
Sleep Doctor Nutrition
The awful spike in Eating Disorders during Lockdown
Teenagers and Sleep
Student Voices
Ever wanted to know what stirs up our young people?
Or needed a rebuttal for the grumps who write off Gen Z as social-media-addicted whingers?
Read on.
Each year, Year 12 English students stand before their peers to advocate for change. They form contentions in response to topics that they are passionate about and showcase the critical thinking that their Woodleigh journey has helped them refine.
It is always difficult assessing these persuasive speeches. So many are excellent. A number are exceptional. These are the thoughts from those brilliant minds.
ZAC SHINKFIELD
Language and Literature Learning Area Leader
L - R: Milan Castan, Pippin Seagren Hughes, Izzy Jones, Lou Lou Burton, Ruby Duncan, Alex Mathews, Jacomo Dwyer-Morris
Lou Lou Burton:
‘The ABC states that "the UN has criticised Australia's detention centres as inhumane". Our nation’s policies are evidence of systemic racism and discrimination. Australia’s government is attempting to perpetuate the infamous ‘white’ Australia policy, also known as the Immigration Restriction Act. From 1901 to 1950, Australia prevented all non-European refugees from entering the country, aiming to recreate Australia as a racially insulated, white society. Many Aussies are proud of how ‘multi-cultural’ and ‘diverse’ Australia is, yet innocent people are still being denied entry simply on the basis of our government’s racist and discriminatory policies. The logistics and regulations around refugees seeking asylum within Australia are impossible.’
Milan Castan:
‘It took 22 minutes for any medical help to arrive, and by that time, Nathan had collapsed on the cold, hard prison floor. Nathan had died. He had died under the protection and guardianship of the Australian government. Behind this case, and 512 other First Nations deaths in custody, lies an explanation that runs all the way back to colonisation. And that is that Australia is built on deep-rooted systemic racism that is embedded into our justice system and culture, and the only way to prevent the over-incarceration and deaths in custody of First Nations people, is if that system gets redesigned.’
Ruby Duncan:
‘I understand that as a generation we have grown up with the tradition of Australia Day and we deserve to celebrate our country. But we don’t have to cancel these celebrations, just reschedule them. On 2 March 1996, Australia became a sovereign, an independent commonwealth; a self-governing nation. A day that holds value and recognition to Australian history. A day that does not represent generational trauma or genocide. A day just out of summer when it’s still barbie-weather and a perfect date to celebrate this country. Or any other day of the 365 days in a year for that matter, except for January 26.’
Jacomo Dwyer-Morris:
‘As men we need to accept the responsibility that comes with our societal privilege. We need to teach and model respectful behaviours; celebrate loving and emotionally honest men; stand up against sexist jokes, attitudes and behaviours. Simply not joining in is no longer enough.’
Izzy Jones:
‘Words only make sense in context, and unfortunately, the world we live in provides a context of gender inequality. When we see this context change, and the world a more fair, forgiving and accepting place for women, then maybe the core meaning of words like bitch can change too.’
Alex Mathews:
‘The privileges we now take as normal were a result of the hard work and success of everyday people banding together for systematic change. In short, the government is supposed to be serving us and our communities not the other way round. Although these various anti-peaceful protest bills are intimidating and understandably disheartening, there is still so much hope that they will not go through. Especially if we join together. Can you fight it with me? Will you fight?’
Pippin Seagren Hughes:
‘Whilst Australia’s laws may say that abortions are legal, there is a vast difference between legal and accessible. Something being legal is useless if you can’t access it. Abortion is legal in all Australian states. However, they are only easily accessible in 2 out of our 8 states.’
Model citizens at UN Assembly 2022
On Saturday 20 August, Nia Charlesworth and Ruby Reynolds represented Woodleigh at the 2022 Rotary Model United Nations Assembly. Otherwise known as MUNA, this program gives two Year 11 students the opportunity to learn about the role of the United Nations and how it operates as it strives to protect different countries' individual rights and customs in a way that is fair and unbiased.
Approximately 20 schools took part, with each school representing a different country. Students argue for or against three different resolutions, with a majority vote deciding the outcome. This year, the resolutions were Climate Change, Violence Against Women and Girls, and Space Governance. With countries from all around the world being represented, there were many heated and entertaining debates on all three resolutions. It was especially entertaining listening to ‘Russia’ talk about the way women should be ‘educated’. It is a very different model from our way of life.
Nia and Ruby did a marvellous job arguing for the rights of The Solomon Islands, especially regarding the way climate change is affecting their way of life. I am sure Ruby and Nia learnt a lot about the Solomon Islands and also how the United Nations manages worldwide issues.
Students are encouraged to dress in appropriate national costume, so it made for a very colourful, and highly educational day.
MARNEY POPE
Senior Campus Teacher
Year 11 Economics visit to IKEA
On Wednesday 10 August, our year 11 economics class visited IKEA to identify strategies that IKEA uses to influence consumer behaviour. After a group chat and a bite to eat in the cafeteria, students were free to roam the store collecting data for the research project. A great afternoon was had by all.
PAIGE STROUTS
VCE Economics Teacher
SIS Athletics Wrap Up 2022
Wednesday 24 August saw the return of the SIS Athletics Carnival (the first since 2019), held at Lakeside Stadium in Albert Park. Woodleigh were the host school, and had a team of almost 100 students competing in Division A.
Our team ran, jumped and threw their very best, representing the school impressively. Students stepped up to fill events and challenge themselves against quality opposition. It was great to see a number of our Year 12 students get to represent the school one final time at SIS level, led by team captains Lally Penna and Callum Lee-Smith.
Thank you to all students and staff for representing the school with pride and determination.
BEN DAVENPORT
Director of Sport
Activities Week Reflections from the Art Department
Jewellery Making Camp
Activities Week is a creative, technical, and exciting program to broaden Woodleigh students' horizons. I spent my camp week making jewellery. I was able to work on refining fiddly and specific skills to improve an end product of a patterned bangle, key chain, pewter casting, and maker’s mark stamp. I learned to weld a ring after many attempted prototypes. The pieces were well made and will symbolize a sense of growth, achievement, and persistence for future years. I am excited to explore more about the art of jewellery-making and continue my skills.
LOLA DWYER-MORRIS
Year 9
Textiles and Fashion Camp
During the Textiles and Fashion camp, we explored natural dyeing techniques, overlocking, sewing, cutting, and reading from a pattern. The first two days of exploration, we trialled disperse dyes, painting designs onto paper, placing the paper on plain synthetic fabric and ironing to transfer the design. Throughout this process, we also explored different dyeing techniques from natural substances such as vegetables, coffee, and spices. Once we had familiarised ourselves with our fabrics, we then chose a pattern to construct a garment.
We documented our creative process by writing in a journal and putting samples in our book and explaining each process of how and what we did.
Seeing the other school-based art Activities Week camps going on in each studio was motivating. Seeing everyone collaborating and learning had us into a little tight-knit community. We all pulled ideas from each other into our respective activities. A communal fire pit was lit each morning and kept stoked throughout the day. It became a favourite place to go to each day. There were potatoes put on the fire each day for everyone to enjoy over lunch which was appreciated by everyone. We were welcomed each day with enthusiasm, a willingness to create, explore and learn from people who were more experienced in their art. They would encourage us, let us create and experiment with our art, and pushed us to go beyond our 'creative comfort zone' by making something we weren’t familiar with.
On the final day of Activities Week, everyone had finished making their art pieces. We dressed up mannequins with our garments and displayed their final constructions in the gallery. With spotlights shining on our work, it made everyone acknowledge and recognise their work. Everyone loved having their work on display for all to see. We got to share what we had done and got to see each student’s different style and 'flairs' they put into their work.
JAMES STUART
Year 10
Street Art and Mural Camp
Last week I participated in the first Street Art and Mural Camp at Woodleigh. It was epic.
Ms Cleine and Ms Pitcher arranged for guest artists to work with us for the week. Their names were Abbey Rich and Olana Janfa. Olana and Abbey have previously worked on murals for communities and big brands such as Nike and Frankston's Big Picture Fest. They showed us some of their artwork, and walked us through the process they follow when they create public art.
Our main task for the week was to work to a design brief. The brief describes the thing you have been asked to create. Our brief was to create a mural for the STEAM room wall. After we all spent a day or so brainstorming and sketching, Abbey and Olana worked to combine our individual contributions into one big design, which we then transferred on to the wall and painted as a team.
For inspiration, we also got to visit some of the world-class street art in Frankston. Although Ms Pitcher accidentally booked us into a vegan cafe for lunch, we took a risk and ate outside of our comfort zones. I told her my lentil burger was 'magnificent' because I didn't want her to feel too bad.
Our finished STEAM piece looks fantastic. I would highly recommend this camp to anyone interested in making art that lives outside of gallery walls.
LOUIS CHARLTON
Year 10
Ninjas and Noodles Camp Reflections
Ninjas and Noodles camp was phenomenal. We spent the week alternating between Wing Chun Kung Fu with Master Joe and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu with Coach Trav, and started every day with Fudoshin, which is traditional Japanese sword training with Sensei Darren. Mr Ryan organised a different Asian restaurant for every day, and the food is some of the best I’ve ever had. From amazing dumplings to Korean barbeque (cooked at our table in front of us), we got to enjoy a wide range of delicious foods, most of which we wouldn’t have eaten otherwise. In the afternoons we had lessons on traditional Japanese calligraphy and ink painting with our instructor Miho, and a meditation session with our Fudoshin instructor Darren. This week was one of the best weeks of my life, and I want to keep practicing martial arts.
LEXIE BRENNAN
Year 11
For Activities Week, I participated in the amazing Ninjas and Noodles Camp. This included so many great things. For lunch on the first day, we went to a Korean BBQ place, and it was cool how they cooked the food right in front of us. There were lots of martial arts experiences like Kung Fu and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I learned some kicks and punches. Lunch on the second day was DUMPLINGS and they were something else! As a table, we tried to eat every dumpling and not waste any. Our mission was successful! On Wednesday we has so much fun learning takedowns in BJJ, and we also had a calligraphy lesson where I learned how to write my name in Japanese. The next few days were similar: doing BJJ, Fudoshin sword training and Kung Fu. We also did a painting session with our Japanese instructor Miho where I painted some bamboo.
Some other highlights were the restaurant Ginseng for our final lunch and the sword routine that we learned. I can’t forget the ninja star throwing! Overall I rate this camp an 11 out of 10.
Thanks to Mr Ryan, Ms Craven and Mr Wu: we all had a great time!
WILL MUIR-SIMPSON Year 7
Cross Country Ski Camp
On Sunday morning we left for the snow. The bus trip was 7 hours but filled with excitement. When we got there, we were all so happy to see snow everywhere that we had a snowball fight and ate some snow.
On Monday we had many trips and stumbles, but we learned how to ski by the end of the day. Tuesday and Wednesday we improved our skills. In the afternoons we built a big snow fort and played card games together. On Thursday it was very windy, so we skied extra fast. We did 15km in 3 hours all the way from Hotham back to Dinner Plain.
BEC JEFFRIES, CATE FILIPPONE, LILY LAWSON
Fishing Camp
A small group of fisherfolk had the opportunity to fish spots around Port Phillip and Western Port Bays during Activities Week on a day camp arrangement, exploring the region and fishing different piers on or around the Peninsula. Students learned about the bay system, how bays relate to fish breeding habits, and the ecology of the local areas. As you can see, we captured a lot of our catch on camera, but the students were keen to to release much of what we caught back into the water.
ROSEMARY CIAN
Teacher
R U OK? A conversation could change a life
On Tuesday 6 September, Senior Campus will be running a whole school event across all the Homesteads to recognise R U OK? Day. Each homestead will run fun activities that help to educate and raise awareness around mental health. R U OK? is a harm prevention charity that encourages people to stay connected and have conversations that can help others through difficult times in their lives. Their work focuses on building the motivation, confidence, and skills of the person who can have a meaningful conversation with someone who is struggling. R U OK? contributes to suicide prevention efforts by encouraging people to check in with their mates and spend more time building relationships and a network of support.
R U OK? Day is an important step forward to deepen the discussion around mental health. To further show the school communities support for those with mental health struggles, there will be a lolly jar guessing competition for each homestead from Monday 5 to Friday 9 September. After placing their guess and making a gold coin donation, students will write a message of support on a big message board in their homestead. All money raised will go to the R U OK? charity.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, almost 50% of Australians have experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life. More than 1 in 4 Australians have thought about suicide in the last year, three-quarters of young people’s mental health worsened during the lockdown, and so far, this year, there have been over 1500 deaths by suicide. That’s about eight people a day. For these reasons, it is essential as a community to recognise the hardships everyone, friends, family, and loved ones, faced during and after the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. I believe acknowledging mental health as a school can contribute to removing the stigma that surrounds mental health and allow people to reach out and get the help they need. The first step to a happier, more accepting society is starting the conversation.
I look forward to seeing everybody actively getting involved and showing their support.
JACOMO DWYER-MORRIS
Year 12
Learning to Thrive: Strategic Plan launch events
Principal, David Baker and Chair of the Woodleigh Board, Vanessa Gabriel, warmly invite all parents and staff to join us as we take a close look at Learning to Thrive, Woodleigh School's Strategic Direction for 2022-2030.
The plan - which will be issued in hard copy to the entire community in the coming week - describes our commitment to a holistic education that equips young people with the knowledge, skills, and capabilities they require to find personal success, build compassionate relationships with others, and positively contribute to the communities in which they live. We understand that to achieve these goals, we need to work together as a community to help our young people learn to thrive at three interdependent levels: Self, Others, and Human and Natural Environments.
Launch events are planned at each of our three campuses.Come along for a drink, some nibbles and the opportunity to informally engage with senior leadership and board members.
Please RSVP for catering purposes at one of the three links below:
In our most recent Student Flourishing at School Survey (which all students in years 7-12 complete twice a year to provide us with a snapshot of their general wellbeing), nutrition and sleep were highlighted as areas for attention. It may or may not be a behavioural hangover from lockdown life, but the fact is the food we put into our body can have a huge impact on how our brain works and our overall feeling of positive wellbeing. From a physiological point of view, food can improve working memory, concentration, and focus, support problem-solving functioning, sustain physical energy, and influence the quality of sleep.
Fuel for thought
Our brain is the most complex part of our bodies. Like a computer, it runs millions of processes every day. It never stops working, so it needs constant topping up with the fuel it operates on – glucose - which is a type of sugar. Our body obtains glucose from our food, and it’s delivered to the brain through the bloodstream. The problem is, our brain can’t store glucose, so we need to top up our levels throughout the day.
Which foods are the best fuel?
Healthy brain foods include:
Protein — meat, fish, eggs, poultry, legumes, nuts and seeds, dried beans and lentils, dairy products, and soy products. Protein helps your brain send messages to the rest of your body, and helps create brain chemicals that improve your mood.
Antioxidants — fruits and veggies, including berries, and pomegranate juice. Antioxidants can help delay or even prevent certain effects of aging on the brain.
Omega-3 — oily fish, flax seeds and flax oil, and eggs, chicken and beef. Omega-3s have been found to help your brain work harder and improve your mental health.
Dietary cholesterol — dairy and egg yolks. Your brain relies on cholesterol to create the cells that send messages to the rest of the body.
Monounsaturated fats — avocados, nuts, olive oil, canola oil and peanut oil. Food that contains monounsaturated fats can improve your memory and help your brain work harder, better, faster, stronger.
Caffeine (moderate amounts) — tea, coffee and dark chocolate. In small doses, caffeine can help you feel refreshed and more focused.
Water - Your brain is 73% water, and water is vital to keeping your body (and brain) in tip-top shape.
What we eat affects how we sleep
Sleep research suggests that a teenager needs between 8 and 10 hours of sleep every night. However, most teenagers only get about 6.5 to 7.5 hours sleep per night.
Chronic sleep deprivation can have dramatic effects on a teenager’s life, including affecting their mental well-being and reducing their academic performance at school.
A balanced, nutritious, and healthy diet contributes to better, more restful sleep while a poor diet contributes to poor sleep quality and short sleep duration. The right foods can encourage better sleep efficiency, healthier sleep onset latency— the time it takes you to fall asleep— and may even contribute to more restorative, deep sleep. Therefore, the foods we eat during the day are not only vital to our physical health, but they’re key to our sleep health as well.
In an article published in Sleep Review Magazine, Dr. Jose Colon shares the following links between nutrition and sleep:
1. There’s No “One Size Fits All”
There is no single “best” diet for a good night’s sleep. Diet, nutrition, and sleep intersect in complex ways that differ from one person to the next depending on factors like age, lifestyle and activity levels, health, and genetics.
2. Nutrition’s Impact on Sleep Quality and Sleep Quantity
Broadly speaking, diets filled with fibre, moderate amounts of complex carbohydrates, plenty of high-quality protein, and healthy fats are associated with more deeply restful, restorative, and plentiful sleep.
3. Consistency is Key
It’s important to maintain a consistent sleep-wake routine each and every day. A consistent sleep schedule also helps regulate your appetite and reduce cravings for the foods that disrupt sleep.
4. Timing of Eating Effects Gut Health
Establishing a consistent eating schedule, optimizing those times to align with your circadian biology, and allowing sufficient time for the body to fast overnight may help you keep your gut stocked with more health-promoting bacteria. This is significant given the composition of the gut microbiome directly affects our mental and physical health. The gut microbiome is often referred to as our body’s 'second brain'. It influences our mood, metabolism, cardiovascular and circulatory health, as well as our immune system and risk for chronic disease. The microbiome is also responsible for producing some of the body’s melatonin supply, as well as other hormones and neurotransmitters involved with sleep.
5. Short Sleepers Have Distinct Eating Patterns
Short sleepers are often defined as those persons getting less than 7 hours a night. Not getting enough sleep alters the hormones that regulate appetite; this increases cravings for salty, fatty, and sugary foods, and increases overall daily calorie intake.
Food for Thought
A healthy and nutritious diet isn’t just vital for your overall health and brain functioning; it’s important for your sleep health, and vice-versa. If we want to focus on what’s in our control to support ourselves and our children, to function at their best, to thrive and to flourish, then food has everything to do with it.
Bon appetite & sweet dreams,
DONNA NAIRN
Director of Counselling
Acknowledgements & further reading:
Foods that help our brain study
Sleep Doctor Nutrition
The awful spike in Eating Disorders during Lockdown
Teenagers and Sleep
Ever wanted to know what stirs up our young people?
Or needed a rebuttal for the grumps who write off Gen Z as social-media-addicted whingers?
Read on.
Each year, Year 12 English students stand before their peers to advocate for change. They form contentions in response to topics that they are passionate about and showcase the critical thinking that their Woodleigh journey has helped them refine.
It is always difficult assessing these persuasive speeches. So many are excellent. A number are exceptional. These are the thoughts from those brilliant minds.
ZAC SHINKFIELD
Language and Literature Learning Area Leader
L - R: Milan Castan, Pippin Seagren Hughes, Izzy Jones, Lou Lou Burton, Ruby Duncan, Alex Mathews, Jacomo Dwyer-Morris
Lou Lou Burton:
‘The ABC states that "the UN has criticised Australia's detention centres as inhumane". Our nation’s policies are evidence of systemic racism and discrimination. Australia’s government is attempting to perpetuate the infamous ‘white’ Australia policy, also known as the Immigration Restriction Act. From 1901 to 1950, Australia prevented all non-European refugees from entering the country, aiming to recreate Australia as a racially insulated, white society. Many Aussies are proud of how ‘multi-cultural’ and ‘diverse’ Australia is, yet innocent people are still being denied entry simply on the basis of our government’s racist and discriminatory policies. The logistics and regulations around refugees seeking asylum within Australia are impossible.’
Milan Castan:
‘It took 22 minutes for any medical help to arrive, and by that time, Nathan had collapsed on the cold, hard prison floor. Nathan had died. He had died under the protection and guardianship of the Australian government. Behind this case, and 512 other First Nations deaths in custody, lies an explanation that runs all the way back to colonisation. And that is that Australia is built on deep-rooted systemic racism that is embedded into our justice system and culture, and the only way to prevent the over-incarceration and deaths in custody of First Nations people, is if that system gets redesigned.’
Ruby Duncan:
‘I understand that as a generation we have grown up with the tradition of Australia Day and we deserve to celebrate our country. But we don’t have to cancel these celebrations, just reschedule them. On 2 March 1996, Australia became a sovereign, an independent commonwealth; a self-governing nation. A day that holds value and recognition to Australian history. A day that does not represent generational trauma or genocide. A day just out of summer when it’s still barbie-weather and a perfect date to celebrate this country. Or any other day of the 365 days in a year for that matter, except for January 26.’
Jacomo Dwyer-Morris:
‘As men we need to accept the responsibility that comes with our societal privilege. We need to teach and model respectful behaviours; celebrate loving and emotionally honest men; stand up against sexist jokes, attitudes and behaviours. Simply not joining in is no longer enough.’
Izzy Jones:
‘Words only make sense in context, and unfortunately, the world we live in provides a context of gender inequality. When we see this context change, and the world a more fair, forgiving and accepting place for women, then maybe the core meaning of words like bitch can change too.’
Alex Mathews:
‘The privileges we now take as normal were a result of the hard work and success of everyday people banding together for systematic change. In short, the government is supposed to be serving us and our communities not the other way round. Although these various anti-peaceful protest bills are intimidating and understandably disheartening, there is still so much hope that they will not go through. Especially if we join together. Can you fight it with me? Will you fight?’
Pippin Seagren Hughes:
‘Whilst Australia’s laws may say that abortions are legal, there is a vast difference between legal and accessible. Something being legal is useless if you can’t access it. Abortion is legal in all Australian states. However, they are only easily accessible in 2 out of our 8 states.’
On Saturday 20 August, Nia Charlesworth and Ruby Reynolds represented Woodleigh at the 2022 Rotary Model United Nations Assembly. Otherwise known as MUNA, this program gives two Year 11 students the opportunity to learn about the role of the United Nations and how it operates as it strives to protect different countries' individual rights and customs in a way that is fair and unbiased.
Approximately 20 schools took part, with each school representing a different country. Students argue for or against three different resolutions, with a majority vote deciding the outcome. This year, the resolutions were Climate Change, Violence Against Women and Girls, and Space Governance. With countries from all around the world being represented, there were many heated and entertaining debates on all three resolutions. It was especially entertaining listening to ‘Russia’ talk about the way women should be ‘educated’. It is a very different model from our way of life.
Nia and Ruby did a marvellous job arguing for the rights of The Solomon Islands, especially regarding the way climate change is affecting their way of life. I am sure Ruby and Nia learnt a lot about the Solomon Islands and also how the United Nations manages worldwide issues.
Students are encouraged to dress in appropriate national costume, so it made for a very colourful, and highly educational day.
MARNEY POPE
Senior Campus Teacher
On Wednesday 10 August, our year 11 economics class visited IKEA to identify strategies that IKEA uses to influence consumer behaviour. After a group chat and a bite to eat in the cafeteria, students were free to roam the store collecting data for the research project. A great afternoon was had by all.
PAIGE STROUTS
VCE Economics Teacher
Wednesday 24 August saw the return of the SIS Athletics Carnival (the first since 2019), held at Lakeside Stadium in Albert Park. Woodleigh were the host school, and had a team of almost 100 students competing in Division A.
Our team ran, jumped and threw their very best, representing the school impressively. Students stepped up to fill events and challenge themselves against quality opposition. It was great to see a number of our Year 12 students get to represent the school one final time at SIS level, led by team captains Lally Penna and Callum Lee-Smith.
Thank you to all students and staff for representing the school with pride and determination.
BEN DAVENPORT
Director of Sport
Jewellery Making Camp
Activities Week is a creative, technical, and exciting program to broaden Woodleigh students' horizons. I spent my camp week making jewellery. I was able to work on refining fiddly and specific skills to improve an end product of a patterned bangle, key chain, pewter casting, and maker’s mark stamp. I learned to weld a ring after many attempted prototypes. The pieces were well made and will symbolize a sense of growth, achievement, and persistence for future years. I am excited to explore more about the art of jewellery-making and continue my skills.
LOLA DWYER-MORRIS
Year 9
Textiles and Fashion Camp
During the Textiles and Fashion camp, we explored natural dyeing techniques, overlocking, sewing, cutting, and reading from a pattern. The first two days of exploration, we trialled disperse dyes, painting designs onto paper, placing the paper on plain synthetic fabric and ironing to transfer the design. Throughout this process, we also explored different dyeing techniques from natural substances such as vegetables, coffee, and spices. Once we had familiarised ourselves with our fabrics, we then chose a pattern to construct a garment.
We documented our creative process by writing in a journal and putting samples in our book and explaining each process of how and what we did.
Seeing the other school-based art Activities Week camps going on in each studio was motivating. Seeing everyone collaborating and learning had us into a little tight-knit community. We all pulled ideas from each other into our respective activities. A communal fire pit was lit each morning and kept stoked throughout the day. It became a favourite place to go to each day. There were potatoes put on the fire each day for everyone to enjoy over lunch which was appreciated by everyone. We were welcomed each day with enthusiasm, a willingness to create, explore and learn from people who were more experienced in their art. They would encourage us, let us create and experiment with our art, and pushed us to go beyond our 'creative comfort zone' by making something we weren’t familiar with.
On the final day of Activities Week, everyone had finished making their art pieces. We dressed up mannequins with our garments and displayed their final constructions in the gallery. With spotlights shining on our work, it made everyone acknowledge and recognise their work. Everyone loved having their work on display for all to see. We got to share what we had done and got to see each student’s different style and 'flairs' they put into their work.
JAMES STUART
Year 10
Street Art and Mural Camp
Last week I participated in the first Street Art and Mural Camp at Woodleigh. It was epic.
Ms Cleine and Ms Pitcher arranged for guest artists to work with us for the week. Their names were Abbey Rich and Olana Janfa. Olana and Abbey have previously worked on murals for communities and big brands such as Nike and Frankston's Big Picture Fest. They showed us some of their artwork, and walked us through the process they follow when they create public art.
Our main task for the week was to work to a design brief. The brief describes the thing you have been asked to create. Our brief was to create a mural for the STEAM room wall. After we all spent a day or so brainstorming and sketching, Abbey and Olana worked to combine our individual contributions into one big design, which we then transferred on to the wall and painted as a team.
For inspiration, we also got to visit some of the world-class street art in Frankston. Although Ms Pitcher accidentally booked us into a vegan cafe for lunch, we took a risk and ate outside of our comfort zones. I told her my lentil burger was 'magnificent' because I didn't want her to feel too bad.
Our finished STEAM piece looks fantastic. I would highly recommend this camp to anyone interested in making art that lives outside of gallery walls.
LOUIS CHARLTON
Year 10
Ninjas and Noodles camp was phenomenal. We spent the week alternating between Wing Chun Kung Fu with Master Joe and Brazilian Jiu-jitsu with Coach Trav, and started every day with Fudoshin, which is traditional Japanese sword training with Sensei Darren. Mr Ryan organised a different Asian restaurant for every day, and the food is some of the best I’ve ever had. From amazing dumplings to Korean barbeque (cooked at our table in front of us), we got to enjoy a wide range of delicious foods, most of which we wouldn’t have eaten otherwise. In the afternoons we had lessons on traditional Japanese calligraphy and ink painting with our instructor Miho, and a meditation session with our Fudoshin instructor Darren. This week was one of the best weeks of my life, and I want to keep practicing martial arts.
LEXIE BRENNAN
Year 11
For Activities Week, I participated in the amazing Ninjas and Noodles Camp. This included so many great things. For lunch on the first day, we went to a Korean BBQ place, and it was cool how they cooked the food right in front of us. There were lots of martial arts experiences like Kung Fu and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. I learned some kicks and punches. Lunch on the second day was DUMPLINGS and they were something else! As a table, we tried to eat every dumpling and not waste any. Our mission was successful! On Wednesday we has so much fun learning takedowns in BJJ, and we also had a calligraphy lesson where I learned how to write my name in Japanese. The next few days were similar: doing BJJ, Fudoshin sword training and Kung Fu. We also did a painting session with our Japanese instructor Miho where I painted some bamboo.
Some other highlights were the restaurant Ginseng for our final lunch and the sword routine that we learned. I can’t forget the ninja star throwing! Overall I rate this camp an 11 out of 10.
Thanks to Mr Ryan, Ms Craven and Mr Wu: we all had a great time!
WILL MUIR-SIMPSON Year 7
On Sunday morning we left for the snow. The bus trip was 7 hours but filled with excitement. When we got there, we were all so happy to see snow everywhere that we had a snowball fight and ate some snow.
On Monday we had many trips and stumbles, but we learned how to ski by the end of the day. Tuesday and Wednesday we improved our skills. In the afternoons we built a big snow fort and played card games together. On Thursday it was very windy, so we skied extra fast. We did 15km in 3 hours all the way from Hotham back to Dinner Plain.
BEC JEFFRIES, CATE FILIPPONE, LILY LAWSON
A small group of fisherfolk had the opportunity to fish spots around Port Phillip and Western Port Bays during Activities Week on a day camp arrangement, exploring the region and fishing different piers on or around the Peninsula. Students learned about the bay system, how bays relate to fish breeding habits, and the ecology of the local areas. As you can see, we captured a lot of our catch on camera, but the students were keen to to release much of what we caught back into the water.
ROSEMARY CIAN
Teacher
On Tuesday 6 September, Senior Campus will be running a whole school event across all the Homesteads to recognise R U OK? Day. Each homestead will run fun activities that help to educate and raise awareness around mental health. R U OK? is a harm prevention charity that encourages people to stay connected and have conversations that can help others through difficult times in their lives. Their work focuses on building the motivation, confidence, and skills of the person who can have a meaningful conversation with someone who is struggling. R U OK? contributes to suicide prevention efforts by encouraging people to check in with their mates and spend more time building relationships and a network of support.
R U OK? Day is an important step forward to deepen the discussion around mental health. To further show the school communities support for those with mental health struggles, there will be a lolly jar guessing competition for each homestead from Monday 5 to Friday 9 September. After placing their guess and making a gold coin donation, students will write a message of support on a big message board in their homestead. All money raised will go to the R U OK? charity.
According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, almost 50% of Australians have experienced a mental disorder at some time in their life. More than 1 in 4 Australians have thought about suicide in the last year, three-quarters of young people’s mental health worsened during the lockdown, and so far, this year, there have been over 1500 deaths by suicide. That’s about eight people a day. For these reasons, it is essential as a community to recognise the hardships everyone, friends, family, and loved ones, faced during and after the pandemic and subsequent lockdowns. I believe acknowledging mental health as a school can contribute to removing the stigma that surrounds mental health and allow people to reach out and get the help they need. The first step to a happier, more accepting society is starting the conversation.
I look forward to seeing everybody actively getting involved and showing their support.
JACOMO DWYER-MORRIS
Year 12
Principal, David Baker and Chair of the Woodleigh Board, Vanessa Gabriel, warmly invite all parents and staff to join us as we take a close look at Learning to Thrive, Woodleigh School's Strategic Direction for 2022-2030.
The plan - which will be issued in hard copy to the entire community in the coming week - describes our commitment to a holistic education that equips young people with the knowledge, skills, and capabilities they require to find personal success, build compassionate relationships with others, and positively contribute to the communities in which they live. We understand that to achieve these goals, we need to work together as a community to help our young people learn to thrive at three interdependent levels: Self, Others, and Human and Natural Environments.