DATES TO REMEMBER

TERM 2, 2015

News from the Principal Mr. Tristan Lanarus

Westall News

May 8, 2015

Westall Secondary College

88 Rosebank Avenue, Clayton South, 3169

Email: info@westallsc.vic.edu.au

Phone: 9546 3233 Fax: 9547 5785

Web: www.westallsc.vic.edu.au NOW AVAILABLE

Integrity & Service

2015

YEAR LEVEL COORDINATORS

Year 7 Mrs. Travitz Email: rtr@westallsc.vic.edu.au

Year 8 Mrs. Wagenfeld Email: mwa@westallsc.vic.edu.au

Year 9 Mr. Tran Email: ctr@westallsc.vic.edu.au

Year 10 Ms. Kerwick Email: ake@westallsc.vic.edu.au

Year 11 Mr. Lockwood Email: slo@westallsc.vic.edu.au

Year 12 Ms. Nguyen Email: nng@westallsc.vic.edu.au

May 12, 13 & 14—NAPLAN Testing

May 13—Hospitality Excursion Year 11 & 12

May 14—Senior Sport Round Robin

May 19—SMR Volleyball Year 7 Boys and

Year 8 Girls

May 20—Year 9 City Experience

May 20—Cross Country—Kingston

May 21—Intermediate Rugby—State Finals

May 22—Intermediate Girls Volleyball

May 26—Science Competition

May 27—Year 9 First Aid Training Day

May 27—Year 12 Accounting Excursion

Jun 2—Year 12 Tertiary Information Session at Monash

Jun 5—Report Writing Day—No School

Jun 8—Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday

Jun 9—Year 11 Exams commence

REMINDER TO

ALL PARENTS/

GUARDIANS

AND STUDENTS TO HAND

IN YOUR COMPLETED

MEDICAL FORMS TO THE

GENERAL OFFICE

Dear Westall Secondary College Community, Can you believe we are at the end of Week 4 for Term 2 already. The colder weather is starting to hit us so I hope you get through the season without too many colds or sniffles. My message for this newsletter comes under 5 key headings: NAPLAN – Year 7 and Year 9 students will undertake NAPLAN (National Assessment Program Literacy and Numeracy) from Tuesday 12th May to Thursday 14th May. There are 5 exams across 3 days. These exams are completed across Australia at the same time and provide schools with evidence of their student’s level of academic progress and growth in literacy and numeracy. This data is reflected in each school’s Annual Report and via the My schools website. We wish all our students the best of luck. If you have any questions regarding the NAPLAN tests please contact Mrs. Williamson at the College. Annual Report for 2014 – Our Annual Report for 2014 was recently tabled and ratified via our College Council. This report is a public document and I have attached the report to this newsletter (if you are reading this via email). The report is also available on our website and a hard copy can be collected from the front office. There is some really strong data and outcomes that are reflected in our Annual Report and this is something we should celebrate. We also recognise and will focus our efforts on areas we can grow further and our culture of continuous improvement at Westall means we will always look at ways to get better and better every year. Some of the successes from 2014 include outstanding student attitudes to school data and parent opinion data. This basically tells us on the whole that students and parents are happy and engaged at Westall. We have NAPLAN data at Year 9 that shows high levels of growth and improvement from Year 7. We also have some very strong data at the VCE and VCAL level in terms of outcomes, pathways and destinations. School Strategic Plan for the next 4 years – This has also been tabled at College Council and is currently being processed and approved by the Department of Education. I won’t bore you with every detail but this plan is critically important in guiding our school direction and the strategies we employ over the next 4 years. The core business is about getting the best possible outcome for every student that attends Westall Secondary College. Some of the strategies and targets over the next 4 years include the growth of the school and increasing enrolments and this in turn supports us in providing a comprehensive and student centred program. Greater choice for students and increasing the number of programs and opportunities we offer is a real focus. A review of our whole school curriculum model will be undertaken over the next 12 months to ensure we are providing the best possible service and product. Further improvements to our student learning data will drive most of what we do and a consistent teaching and learning model will support this. Very exciting times ahead at Westall. Community Hub – As you may be aware, the Westall Community Hub is being planned and will be built directly between the primary and secondary school here at Westall. There is information on the hub attached to this newsletter. Another exciting development at Westall. Building will commence next year and the hub is due to open in May, 2017. I will keep you informed along the way as further details become available.

2.

News from Principal—Mr. Tristan Lanarus (continued)

Tech Experts

A group of students with a keen interest in Computers have been spending time each week expanding their knowledge and understanding of computer systems. During designated lunch times students, under the guidance of Mr Mitropoulos have:

Assembled an Educational computer system, Installed an operating system Installed and configured owncloud software Upgraded netbooks

Throughout this process not only are students learning new skills and knowledge but they are working as a team and learning important technology based language. Mrs Cath Temple Leader of Student Learning

NAPLAN – Equating Study Tuesday 5th May 2015 Westall Secondary College, Year 7A and Year 9A, were randomly selected to participated in this study which is being conducted by ACER (Australian Council of Educational Research). Numeracy was the learning area assigned and an independent test administrator came to give the tests to students. Congratulations all students who participated. You were attentive, polite, followed instructions under exam conditions and you looked very studious. Well done! NAPLAN – Literacy & Numeracy - Tuesday 12th , Wednesday 13th, Thursday 14th Mat 2015 NAPLAN (National Assessment Program – Literacy And Numeracy) is a yearly national assessment for all students in Years 3,5,7 & 9. These tests are designed and are informed by the national Statements of Learning for English and Mathematics. Students are tested in reading, writing, spelling, grammar, punctuation and Numeracy. If you want to look at some previous test examples go to the website: www.nap.edu.au . All students are encouraged to participated in NAPLAN tests. A formal exemption from participating may be granted for a student with significant intellectual disability, for a significant coexisting condition or for a student who has recently arrived in Australia and has a non-English speaking background. It is important that students in Years 7 & 9 complete the tests on the dates listed. If a student is away they will be given every opportunity to take the test on another day. An individual NAPLAN report will be given later in the year. A full 2015 Information for Parents Brochure is available and has been sent home with your child. Thank you for reading this important information and if you require further information please contact me through the school. Rosemary Williamson – Literacy Coach NAPLAN, Literacy and Numeracy Co-ordinator

Uniform Rules – This was tabled at College Council and support was given to have a stricter approach to the wearing of College Uniform. A timeline will be communicated shortly around this. Students will be required to be in full school uniform with the only exception (pass will be issued) being for a medical reason with a doctor certificate being required to support this. We want to ensure our focus at school is on learning in the classroom and that we are preparing students for the workforce by having high expectations in regard to uniform and appearance. Once we communicate a timeline and our “deadline date” is announced, students that arrive at school not in full uniform will be sent to the front office for the issue to be addressed and contact will be made with parents. Students will need to be in full uniform before they go to class.

NAPLAN

3.

Assistant Principal—Mrs. Eva Kesidis

The well-being of our students is most important, as healthy and happy students will perform much better academically than tired and unmotivated students. Therefore I am appealing to parents to assist with helping their sons and daughters to achieve some balance in their lives, get at least 8 hours of sleep per night, exercise regularly and eat properly. Young bodies will only develop effectively during these important teenage years, if we look after them appropriately.

Student Absences and communication with families To maximise learning, we need to minimise disruptions which can be avoided. Students are required to be at school on time and not to be absent unless there is a medical reason for their absence. Unless it is an emergency, parents and guardians are asked to provide a written note to their child's coordinator, if a student is to be collected from the College earlier than the end of the school day. As much as possible, medical and other appointments should be made after school hours and holidays should only be booked during school holiday periods. It is very important that we have regular communication with all families and that we have accurate records regarding attendance. Check your son’s or daughter’s diary on regular basis and don’t hesitate to contact us if ever in doubt about school related matters. There is a direct relationship between student results and connectedness with regular attendance.

Valuables are NOT to be brought to school

All students are reminded that any valuables (or money) brought to school , should be given to the front office for safe keeping.

Students who bring valuables and large amounts of money to school, do so at their own risk.

Students in Year 9 have been working on innovative designs for a contemporary Deck Chair. They used a range of materials and equipment such as canvas, pine and chipboard to make the structure of the Chair. Students demonstrated competence in using simple and complex tools and machinery to bring the Chair to a finish. Ms Ifandis

Year 9—Deck Chairs

As part of their assessment task, the Year 11

Business Management class held Market Day

on Wednesday 6th of May. In putting theory

into practice, they spent the last month

planning and making decisions on what they

were going to sell and how they were going to

do so on the day. The students sold lollies,

pizza, baked goods and ice cream. The class

made an overall profit of $169.25 and to encourage the students to become socially

responsible businesses, the class had decided to donate their profits to the Salvation

Army.

Market Day

4.

College Blazer—$110.00—buy direct from the General Office

We are very pleased to announce to all

students and families that the College

Blazer can be purchased from the

College for only $110.

Yakult Factory

WELC Art Elective

Recently in art, students from the Language Centre

were guided through the steps of drawing portraits.

They were given a mirror each to draw portraits of

themselves which they then had to paint. The

students worked patiently making sure they mixed

their colours well to achieve the desired colours in

order to paint their portraits. Their efforts and their

finished portraits were pleasing. The portraits will be

on display in B corridor for all to see.

On Tuesday 5th of May, the Year 12 Business Management class battled wind and rain to go

on an excursion to the Yakult Factory in Dandenong South. This excursion allowed students

to see a real organisation in operation as they study the topic of Operations Management.

Students were able to witness the making of the bottles, the bottling of the drink and the

packaging of the final products ready for delivery. They saw the rigorous process of quality

control that Yakult puts in place to ensure their product complies with international

standards.

The highlight of the day would have had to be the end of the tour where they

all got to sample the drink itself!

5.

Do you have a spare bedroom?

Could you provide a caring, safe and supportive environment for an international student?

Do you speak English at home? Westall Secondary College’s International Program is looking for English speaking families who can provide a welcoming family

environment for international students for both short and long term stays. Families will receive payment for providing this

valuable service.

For further information please contact:

Po Sim Ngian, International Student Coordinator

Phone: 95463233, Email: png@westallsc.vic.edu.au

Wanted: Homestay Providers

Flame colours are produced from the movement of electrons in the

metal ions present in compounds.

When the compound is heated, the electrons gain heat energy and can jump to a higher energy level. Because the electrons are now at a higher and more energetically unstable level, they tend to gradually fall back down to where they were before. When electrons fall back to its original energy level a certain amount of light energy is released which is seen as light of a particular colour. The exact sizes of the possible jumps in energy terms vary from one metal ion to another. That means that each different ion will have a different pattern of spectral lines, and so a different flame colour.

Year 10 Science

Staff Anaphylaxis Training

Empire run a youth group every Friday evening starting at 7.30pm until 9.30pm. Empire meets every Friday night at 2263 Princess Highway, Mulgrave. Throughout the evening there are many fun activities and

games, giveaways and a live band. The purpose of the youth group is to foster and build positive connections and relationships in

a safe, non-threatening (alcohol and drug free) social environment. Throughout the evening positive messages inspiring and en-

couraging young people occur.

The youth group is run by ENJOY CHURCH who is a local contemporary church affiliated with the Australian Christian Churches.

There is a free shuttle bus service from Westall shops (outside the post office) on Rosebank Avenue, close to Westall Road. This

bus will depart at 7.15pm and will return at 10.00pm every Friday.

ENJOY CHURCH supports Westall Secondary College with the ‘Breakfast Club’ which runs every Friday morning starting at 8.00am

until 8.45am. Again, this Breakfast club aims to increase positive connections and foster positive relationships with the school

community while enjoying a healthy nutritious start to the day.

If you and your child are interested in attending the youth group and if you have any further questions please contact any of the

following:

Julio Cano- his mobile number is 0468 960 730

Krissi- her mobile number is 0411106655

James- his mobile number is 0400634732

Over fifty Teaching and Non Teaching Staff completed the Anaphylaxis Training, on Thursday

the 7th of May 2015, at the College. The St John’s facilitators of the “First Aid management of

Anaphylaxis” course were brilliant and all participants came out of the session feeling confident

in using the EpiPen, should ever the need arise.

To assist with Parent Payments, we have negotiated with the Mastercard and the Commonwealth Bank, the above mobile phone app. This app enables payments to be made via your mobile phone. Please read the attached instructions to assist you to download the app. Once downloaded we are sure you will find this mobile app a secure, quick and convenient way to make payments due to the school. Over recent years the College has improved the way in which payments, (due to the school for student charges), can be made. These include BPay, Cheques, Cash, EFTPOS and now Qkr. (Diners Club and Amex Cards are not accepted). We trust you will embrace this new method of payment. Kathy Nicholson/Business Manager/Finance

Qkr Mobile Phone App

6.

Đong Hoc phi (School Fees) nhanh, dê

The Mastercard co môt chương trinh APP tên Qkr do đo qui vi co thê đong tiên băng điên thoai di đông, điên thoai di đông iPhone

hay iPad co chương trinh Android.

Tiêt kiêm thi giơ qui vi băng cach đong tiên tư điên thoai cua qui vi.

Con qui vi không cân đem tiên măt đên trương.

Đê Băt đâu (Start)

Tai vao (download) Qkr

Đăng ky (Register)

Chon tên nươc nơi qui vi ơ – Uc (Australia) va sau đo theo cac bươc đê đăng ky

Tim tên Trương cua chung tôi (Westall Secondary College)

Đanh trên nhan co chư ‘text label’ danh cho qui vi trên điên thoai cua qui vi hay xem trong cac chô gân đo va chư Westall

Secondary College se hiên lên.

Đăng ky tên con qui vi

Viêc nay co thê lam đươc trong thưc đơn cua trương Trung hoc Westall (Westall Secondary College menu).

Bây giơ qui vi săn sang đê tra tư điên thoai cua qui vi.

Qkr Mobile Phone App (Vietnames and Chinese)

6.

8.

Kingston Council Westall Community Hub Information Sheet