From the Head of Senior Campus
The End of Year is upon us ... again!
Where does time go? I can’t believe we are in Term 4 and heading toward the end of a successful and vibrant year back onsite. As you receive this week’s Messenger, our students are in the midst of Semester 2 assessments, and staff are well and truly in the swing of finalising feedback and grades in their respective learning areas.
Our VCE cohort only have a matter of days left as we prepare to farewell them at their upcoming Valedictory celebration on Friday 18 December at the Frankston Arts Centre. The current Year 10 and 11s are about to embark on exams and ‘O’ Week, where they transition into their 2023 classes. Our Years 7, 8 and 9 students will remain in their 2022 timetabled classes until 9 December with some year level specific programs planned during this time. Their Homestead session on the final day of the term will be dedicated to celebrating a wonderful year.
A selection of photos from the recent Spring Musicale
I would like to congratulate our Year 12s for their hard work, resilience, and ability to care for one another throughout this year. I’m sure you join me in wishing each of our 2022 graduates a happy, healthy, and personally rewarding future. Good luck!
Ella Adam, Kat Baker, Ethan Bam, Noah Barnes, Hunter Barrett, Taj Barrett, Tayla Basso, Milan Becker, Finlay Benallack, Ben Black,Charli Brough, Pia Bruce, Lou Lou Burton, Danny Bush, Milan Castan, James Charlton, Rhett Clark, Eliza Cooney, Tessa Cox, Nyalual Deng, Sebby Doughty, Georgina Doyle, Ryan Drenkhahn, Ruby Duncan, Jacomo Dwyer-Morris, Cara Eades, Angus Fithall, Gigi Footner, Harry Fox, Sam German, Nathan Giliberto, Seb Ginsberg, Nicholas Gordon, Alice Grant, Charlotte Gray, Callum Griss, Momo Guest, Holly Hamson, Lulu Harvey, Lucy Holder, Tealia Holmes, Alexander Hyde, Rose Illman, Mezz Imer, Matthew Jeffries, Summer Johnson, Hannah Jones, Izabel Jones, Milani Khoza, Osel Lakatsang, Callum Lee-Smith, Fi Lynch, Adelie Marshall, Alexandra Mathews, Lachie McComb, Benny McConnell, Lila McDonagh, Niamh McDonald, Zac Moore, Archie Morris, Nick Morrison, Eva Mosele, Haylee Nash, Zac Nelson, Toby Newgreen, Mack Newman, Sage O’Connor, Rupert O’Neill, Lally Penna, Lyla Perkin, Chelsea Poll, Chloe Pollerd, Lucia Puleio, Bridget Richards, Chloe Rosengrave, Nikki Sartori, Pippin Seagren Hughes, Maddie Sheppard, Ryan Smit, Charlie Spicer, Jedd Steele, Morgan Storm, April Strilec, Will Tallon, Esther Taplin, Rex Thorpe, Ilan Umansky, Izzy Van Der Zwaard and Elizabeth Wood-Collins
Last week, I once again had the privilege of being part of a live audience at Senior Campus. The Spring Musicale was a true reflection of the rich talent we have at Woodleigh. Performances, Rock Bands, Orchestras, Ensemble groups and soloists experienced the feeling of performing in front of a jam-packed Hall. The Program was outstanding and a fine example of how Woodleigh students strive for their best. Congratulation to all of our students who performed on the evening and for providing us with such an enjoyable night. I would also like to acknowledge the hours of work that our staff dedicate to the development of students in the music and performing arts space.
This week, I also want to remind students to finish their year ‘in style’. Continue to seize the opportunities that enrich their Woodleigh experience. This involves maintaining a positive attitude and a solid work ethic both in and out of the classroom to maximise the potential that lies beyond Woodleigh. Being organised with the material required for learning. Working hard. Aiming high. It sounds simple, but it takes a lot of energy and effort. At this time of year, students can sometimes find it difficult to prioritise, organise, and find a balance as the pressure builds as they move through the assessment period and toward the end of a big year. Ensure your child has a quiet place to study and get involved with the development of their schedule. They should be planning for all time commitments during the week – this includes part-time work, social media access, sport, and ‘down time’ (even television time). It’s important that students aim to achieve a balance between work and play.
I stumbled over the following passage during the week that I would like to share with you:
10 Tips for Self-Care:
- Give yourself a treat
- Take some exercise
- Eat well
- Do something you enjoy
- Find time to relax
- Be around someone positive
- Write a journal
- Breathe slowly
- Smile
- Notice the sparkling moments in everyday
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your warm support and connection throughout 2022. I wish you a safe and happy festive season and look forward to seeing you upon our return in 2023.
Take care,
NATALIE McLENNAN
Deputy Principal – Head of Senior School
The Department of Health strongly recommends that students and school staff:
- who test positive for COVID-19 stay home and isolate for five days and do not attend school after five days if they are still symptomatic
- who are symptomatic but have not tested positive, do not attend school. This does not include students with pre-existing conditions such as hay fever.
Parents and carers are recommended to continue to report their child having COVID-19 to both the school and the Department of Health.
We ask parents and carers to remain vigilant in preventing COVID-19 transmission. Any unwell student should continue to stay at home to keep students healthy and well in our school and reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.
Parents and carers will be contacted if their child shows symptoms while at school.
Students who wish to wear a mask should continue to do so.
ROD DAVIES, VIVIENNE WEARNE and NAT McLELLAN
Deputy Principals – Heads of Campus
For Unit 2, Outcome 2 of Year 11 Media, we had to create an opening sequence for a fictional movie or tv series, of our own design. As part of the creation of this opening sequence, we had to go through the media production stages of pre-production, production, and post-production, to emulate the process that a filmmaker may go through.
The end product for my opening sequence was entirely different from my initial idea, which was a crime/heist movie opening sequence. I ended up creating the opening sequence for a thriller/mystery, and although not initially part of the plan, it evolved to become quite like the opening sequence of a tv series.
I wanted to make use of timing cuts and other edits with the soundtrack used, in order to keep things moving. Not much happens within the sequence, however it is heavily implied that something serious has already occurred. The lack of dialogue, and the presence of characters creates suspense and unease, as you don’t really know what’s going to happen next.
The music that I used, Polaris by Nebelung, was key in establishing the feel that I was aiming for. I think that this song worked quite well.
One of the key challenges that I encountered whilst making the sequence was getting the right lighting. An issue with filming at night is that it’s easy for a shot to be too dark, or too light. There were a couple of points at which a shot was too bright, or not bright enough, but for the majority of the shots taken, the lighting was bright enough to be able to properly see the shot, but not so bright that it breaks the immersion.
I really enjoyed working on this sequence and have learned a lot in doing so. I hope you enjoy the opening sequence to (the non-existent) film Exodus!
DAVID O'CONNELL
Year 11
In May this year, six students from Year 10 French class participated in the ‘Berthe Mouchette’ Alliance Française Poetry Competition. The students were: Phoebe A, James L, Gabe F, Hudson M, Hannah H, and Tabitha Pl.
The students had to memorise their chosen poem, ‘Confinés’, which is based on how young people coped during the Covid-19 lockdown around the world. Students recorded themselves reciting the poetry off-by-heart to Madame K, who sent it to the external examiners at the Alliance Française. The examiners gave a mark out of 20 for each of the participants based on pronunciation and fluency.
Special commendations to all the students who did very well in learning the poem off-by-heart and fine-tuning their pronunciation and presentation skills in French.
Félicitations!
MADAME K
French teacher
Has your student missed vaccines due to lockdowns in 2020 or 2021, or during secondary school?
All students in Year 7 and Year 10 receive FREE vaccines. During the pandemic, students may have missed one or more of these vaccines.
In Year 7 students are funded for two vaccines:
· A single booster dose of diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough (Boostrix)
· 2 doses of Human papillomavirus (HPV) 6 months apart (Gardasil)
In Year 10 students have a single dose of Meningococcal ACWY.
Your students' vaccine immunisation record will appear on the Australian Immunisation Register (accessed using your or for student over 14 years of age the students, their Mygov account).
If any vaccines have been missed, you can book into Frankston City Council’s dedicated Secondary School Session on Tuesday 22 November. Appointments can be made online here.
If you have any questions please email the Frankston Immunisation Team immunisation@frankston.vic.gov.au or call their Central Booking Maternal Child Health and Immunisation team on 9784 1756 selecting the immunisation team option 3.
DI MOLD
School Nurse
Join us at Senior Campus on Friday 25 November from 5.30pm for the Annual Cambodian Fundraiser and help raise important funds for Chumkriel Language School!
Bring along your friends and family to a night of live music performed by Woodleigh students!
Be entertained by TOP STUDENT BANDS!
Pack a gourmet picnic or buy drinks on the night.
Most importantly, help raise funds for Chumkriel Language School in Kampot, Cambodia.
Tickets are just $10 for the audience, while performers come for free!
Join us for our annual Perkerkoong celebration on the evening of Wednesday 30 November, in the beautiful surrounds of the Bush Chapel.
Perberkoong (a Boon Wurrung word meaning 'come together') is a Woodleigh end-of-year celebration that includes reflections and performances by students from all Woodleigh School campuses, as well as the Nativity Story performed by Minimbah Campus Foundation students.
This annual tradition is a wonderful opportunity for us to celebrate as a community after a particularly full year of rich learning. It's also an opportunity to celebrate the diversity of traditions and spiritualities within the Woodleigh community.
We hope to see as many Minimbah, Penbank and Senior Campus families as possible on the night. Let us know you're coming at the link below.
Please enter via the main school gate on Golf Links Road and park as directed by the attendants.
Let us know you're coming!