Ashwood High School eNews

Issue 1


Principal's Report

Welcome to Ashwood High School for 2022 – Good to GREAT – GREAT to Exceptional
We have enjoyed an outstanding start to the year.  The Professional Learning Program for staff was most productive, focusing on the quality of teaching, learning, and wellbeing support. The academic program, which commenced on Tuesday 1 February 2022 was a positive experience for students. We have inducted 13 new staff members and over 165 students (and families) into the school (Year 7 and other levels) this year. It is easy to learn the Ashwood High School way.

New Recruits 2021 – Valuing staff and building capacity

Please see the ‘New Staff’ section in this eNewsletter for more information about our wonderful new staff members.

COVID-19 Normal – Ashwood High School Response – Safe and Orderly Learning Environment
Much thought and planning has gone into ensuring we continue to prioritise the safety, health, and wellbeing of the school community.

  • adaptive practice based on feedback and current health advice
  • advocacy for the needs of our school community in the context of DET and regional directives
  • Staff eLetter 1 2022 – Thursday 27 January 2022
  • Staff and student wellbeing was front and centre in the Principal’s Address Friday 28 January 2022
  • Parent eLetter 1 2022 - Friday 28 January 2022
  • Staff Meeting on Monday 31 January 2022 at 12:30pm
    • identifying areas that require further clarification
    • identifying issues that needed to be addressed
    • implementing Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs)
      • The Department of Education (DET) provided free Rapid Antigen Tests (RATs) to each student and staff member for the first four weeks of Term 1 2022. These tests were distributed to all staff and students, with a recommendation that they take the voluntary test twice weekly on Tuesday and Thursday before school
    • Reporting to the school community each day a positive case is reported to the school
    • Ventilation and installation of air purifiers
    • Vaccination requirements
    • Risk assessment of camps and co-curricular activities
    • Risk mitigation, limiting cohort sizes and cohort mixing.

Embedding the Mini-School Structure - Safe and Orderly Learning Environment – Enhancing the Student Culture and Growing Pride and Achievement
In 2018 I designed the Mini-School Structure; this was anticipated in the design of the School Colours badges which were introduced in 2017. The implementation of the two Mini-Schools was documented in the School Review and Strategic Plan which were published in July 2018. During 2019 and 2020 I planned for the successful implementation of the two Mini-Schools in 2021. This planning was expressed in the Mini-School Manifesto, budgeting, and resourcing. I am extremely pleased with the implementation of the Mini-School structure catering for the school’s enormous enrolment growth and the stages of student learning. Congratulations to the newly appointed Assistant Principals, Meg McLellan – Middle School Assistant Principal, and Tom O’Toole – Senior School Assistant Principal, for their work in ensuring that the implementation was seamless.

Intensive English and Intensive Maths Program (MYLNS) – Growing Pride and Achievement
The government is continuing to invest $480 million in the Middle Years Literacy and Numeracy Support initiative. It provides intensive teaching support to students who are at risk of finishing school without the literacy and numeracy skills they need for future work, education and training. Teachers will work directly with students and build the capability of other teachers to improve the literacy and numeracy of students at our school.

The program was a great success in 2021, with the school receiving accolades for an excellent program that set students up for academic success.

Intensive English and Maths classes are run by qualified teachers who will work with small classes of identified students to develop learning goals, complete targeted work at the required level and assess student progress. A full report on these classes is provided at the end of each semester to inform parents of student learning progress.

Learning Mentor Program (TLI) – Growing Pride and Achievement
The Ashwood High School Learning Mentor Program (DET Tutor Learning Initiative) is designed to support students whose learning has been disrupted as a result of the coronavirus pandemic. It is understood that some students have not been able to engage as fully in the Remote and Flexible Teaching and Learning period as they would if learning onsite. Ashwood High School is committed to ensuring all students attain standards at or above the expected level.

There are a number of students who have been identified through student engagement and learning data who have not made the same progress in their education as would be anticipated under normal circumstances. These students come from a wide range of backgrounds, year levels and ability levels. It is important to acknowledge that our successful Remote and Flexible Teaching and Learning has had a positive impact for most students who have made extraordinary progress in learning, however for other students it has been an additional challenge. It is for these students that the school is implementing a Learning Mentor Program aligned with the DET’s Tutor Learning Initiative.

In 2021, Ashwood High school introduced its own Tutor Group and Form Group programs. For this reason, we have not used the Department’s program title.

Using various data points (including PAT and OnDemand testing), the school has assessed and identified those students who need additional support to regain and enhance their learning outcomes.

According to the data, Ashwood High School has run an exceptional program which has made a positive impact upon wellbeing and learning growth.

Dux for 2021 Growing Pride and Achievement
Congratulations to our 2021 Dux Andy Kuok who achieved an ATAR of 98.50. Andy achieved study scores of 47 for Physics and 45 for Mathematical Methods. Congratulations to Andy and his family.

Thank you and well done to the staff who have supported all of our Year 12 students over the course of the year, and to all staff who in some way have contributed to these fine young adults’ education in a positive way over their six years of formal schooling.

Class of 2021 Results Growing Pride and Achievement
Congratulations to the Class of 2021; there were some exceptional high performance results.

  • Average Study Score of 33
  • A number of 40+ scores in English, Health and Human Development, Legal Studies, Maths Methods, Physics and Psychology
  • 25% of students with ATARS of 90 or above
  • 60% of students with ATARS 80 or above
  • 10% of Study Scores of 40 or above
  • 1 perfect score of 50 (Further Mathematics)
  • 100% satisfactory VCE completion
  • places
  • 3 students were awarded the VCE Baccalaureate

 Projected Enrolment – Growing Pride and Achievement
The Department’s projected overall enrolment (made in 2015) for our school in 2020 was 269. Despite the Department’s projected downward trend in enrolments, Ashwood High School currently has 720 enrolments, even though the effects of travel during the pandemic has decreased our International Student numbers. Please refer to the graph below. The Path Forward has delivered an outstanding public school education for the Ashwood High School community.

Whole School Assembly - Enhancing the Student Culture
Our first Whole School Virtual Assembly on Tuesday 22 February set the platform for a positive year. New staff, and the Student Leadership Executive were all welcomed into their positions. The behaviour of students was exemplary. The School Captains set the tone, specifically welcoming new Year 7 students to the school. The theme of their presentation was ‘Gratitude, Self-Belief, and Determination’.  I was humbled when the students announced the successful completion of my PhD which drew a round of applause from students.
 
Students from the Class of 2022 were presented with their Year 12 Badges which I first introduced to the school in 2016. Students were excited to receive badges as part of the school’s acknowledgement of an important year ahead.


Prefect Investiture -
Growing Pride and Achievement
Ashwood High School’s Prefect's Investiture was another wonderful celebration and acknowledgement of student leadership at the school.  Each year, our Prefects will play a significant role in setting the tone for the student body.  They accept the responsibility of being examples of how Ashwood High School students are to conduct themselves in all aspects of their daily lives here at the school.  This is the first year of the Prefect Investiture Ceremony and we look forward to being able to invite family and friends to this ceremony in the future, if COVID-19 restrictions allow it. Congratulations to all students appointed to a position in 2022.
   

Parents & Friends Network – Year 7 Get-together – Increasing Positive Parental and Community Engagement
Thank you to the members of the PFN, who catered for a non-school based event, a well-attended Year 7 Get-together on Tuesday 15 February, 2022 at the Ashwood Cricket Club. A similar event is planned for Year 8 families on Sunday 27 March 2022 at the South Oakleigh Bowls Club. Ashwood High School Parents and Friends Network is highly valued by the school and its community.  The Parents and Friends Network is made up of volunteer parents who work to support the school and students by organising special events, both inside and outside of the school grounds.
  

Strategic Plan 2019 – 2022 – Polishing ‘The Jewel of the East’ - Good to GREAT – GREAT to Exceptional
The school is on track to deliver on the three major goals outlined in its Strategic Plan for 2019 – 2022:

  1. Learning, Catch-up and Extension - Using various data points (including PAT and OnDemand testing), assess and identify those students who need additional support to regain and enhance their learning outcomes.
  2. To raise achievement of all students through consistent implementation of a powerful approach to teaching and learning.
  3. Enhance active engagement in learning and motivation to learn, through implementation of approaches that empower students and develop voice, leadership (advocacy) and agency.
  4. To enhance student learning growth by continuing to build the capacity of all staff (teaching and non-teaching) to consistently apply evidence-based strategies related to curriculum planning, pedagogy and assessment.

As Principal, I am confident and excited about the next phase of The Path Forward at Ashwood High School.

Annual Implementation Plan 2022 – Good to GREAT – GREAT to Exceptional
The Annual Implementation Plan for 2022 has been approved by School Council and ratified by the Department of Education and Training.

School Self Evaluation and School Review 2022 – School of First Choice
2022 is a year of celebration, reflection and anticipation as our school continues to prosper. A School Review comprises of the following elements:

Term 1 – School Self Evaluation

Term 2 – School Review

Term 3 – Develop the next Strategic Plan 2023 – 2026.

I look forward to working with all members of the school to ensure the ongoing success of our exemplary school.  All decisions will focus on student wellbeing and learning.

Framework for Improving Student Outcomes - FISO 2.0 –  GREAT to Exemplary
Last year School Council members were introduced to FISO 1.0 and the origins and underlying principles of the framework were explained and discussed. FISO 2.0 is being introduced in 2022.  The graphics for the respective frameworks have been provided below. The principles underpinning FISO 2.0 have been explained and discussed with Council members. The School Review will be informed by the Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO).
  

Student Leadership Profile 2022 - Enhancing the Student Culture
Student leadership, voice and agency is part of Goal 2 in the Strategic Plan and the Vision of the school. Instigated in 2021, our School Leadership structure has enabled this goal to be reality. When I designed the leadership profile in 2019 I could not have predicted the pandemic that was to follow. It was therefore a terrific experience to hold the first official Prefect Investiture on Thursday 3 March 2022 in which 59 students were officially appointed to these positions.

Co-curricular Program 2022 -  Enhancing the Student Culture
The Year 12 Study Advance, held at Ashwood High School due to Deakin University’s COVID-19 policy, and Year 11 Queenscliff Camp were positive experiences for students and staff. The commitment of Ashwood High School staff towards the holistic development of each child is outstanding. The International Student Program Lunar New Year Celebration is an important part of celebrating our culture of diversity and inclusivity at Ashwood High School. A luncheon, held on Friday 18 February 2022 was a great success. Please see the photos enclosed in this newsletter.

Afterschool Homework Study Hall Program – Years 7 – 10 – Growing Pride and Achievement
Ashwood High School will continue to offer a scheduled afterschool homework program run by teachers in the Educational Resource Centre; two afternoons per week (Tuesday and Thursdays) 3:15pm – 4:15pm. This is an outstanding offering for students and families. Students can get help in Maths / Science and English / Humanities / Languages.

Ashwood Revealed Campaign – 2022 – School of First Choice
A plan has been developed for our Ashwood Revealed Campaign for 2022. The Ashwood Revealed Campaign will involve six elements:

  • Weekly Tours of Ashwood High School by the Principal held during Term 1. Although weekly tours can attract up to 50 families, the school has capped numbers at 25 adults to enable social distancing and minimise risk
  • Primary School Visits – Ashwood High School Roadshow – Meg McLellan / Sachael Miller and student ambassadors, COVID restrictions permitting
  • ‘A Day in the Life of Ashwood High School’, COVID restrictions permitting
  • Ashwood High School – Ashwood Revealed (Open Day & Night) Wednesday 4 May 2022, COVID restrictions permitting.


Ashwood High School Year 7 2023 Scholarships –– School of First Choice
Ashwood High School offers scholarships for entry in Year 7 in the following categories:

  • Academic Scholarship
  • Sporting Excellence Scholarship
  • Leaders and Community Spirit Scholarship
  • Instrumental Music Scholarship
  • Performing Arts Scholarship

If your Grade 6 student wishes to apply, please click here to find out more.

School Council 2022 Elections – Sound Governance – School of First Choice
Thank you to parent, student and staff members for their commitment to sound governance of Ashwood High School and realising the Vision and ‘The Path Forward’ at Ashwood High School. Thank you to the outgoing members of School Council, Mr Dean Matchett and Mrs Edwina Harvison for their contribution to School Council.  It has been my pleasure to work with them both.

The following table reflects constituency and terms prior to the Election process:


2022 School Council Elections – Increasing Positive Parental and Community Engagement
Nominations closed for School Council on Monday 14 February 2022. We have received the correct amount of nominations for staff, and parent nominations for three vacancies.

2022 School Council – List of Nominations
Parent Members:

  • Nicki Dear parent of James Lee, Year 12; William Lee, Year 10; Hamish & Samuel Lee, Year 7
  • Philip Connell parent of Declan Connell, Year 8
  • Graham Hawtin parent of Murray Hawtin, Year 7

DET Members:

  • Meg McLellan
  • Tom O’Toole
  • Niesha Moorad
  • Caroline Servadei

Student Members:

  • Sam Harvison
  • Elizabeth Tziafas

Capital Works Program – From GREAT to Exceptional*
Over the summer break, I have had the pleasure of attending meetings with the architects, the VSBA the APP Corporation and the Regional Office to ensure that our Capital Works Program proceeds in a timely fashion.

The successful builder in the tender process was Intrec Management.  It is expected that the capital works, funded by the Victorian Government (10.29m) and by the school (2.1m) will begin with site establishment in the coming weeks.  I will meet with builders prior to the site establishment to set up the site for the construction of stage 1. When I have a firm date for the start of construction, some adjustments will be made to student access to buildings.  This will be communicated at a later stage. The school is liaising with the VSBA and the Minister’s office for a date for the official ‘Turning of the Sod’ ceremony.

Brett Moore
Principal
Monday 8 March 2022

 



New Staff in 2022

Hello, my name is Kavita Balvally and I have started working at Ashwood High School as an Integration Aide. My first few weeks here have been spent getting to know the friendly and helpful staff and students and settling into a new routine.

Having previously worked at a primary school, I found the high school environment vastly different and extremely rewarding. I am grateful to have been given this opportunity to work with students across a number of year levels which has made for an enriching experience thus far.

Due to the positive engagement and enthusiasm of the students and staff, I have thoroughly enjoyed my first weeks here and look forward to the journey ahead.

Kavita Balvally
Integration Aide

Graduating from Monash University with a Bachelor of Science and Masters of Teaching (Secondary), my passion for teaching began straight after completing high school. I started tutoring students of my own in both the academics and music, where I discovered my love of mentoring students. During my studies, I was presented an opportunity of a 6-week placement at Ashwood High School, where I felt immensely supported by my mentors and the entire Ashwood High School teaching staff. Although it was completed remotely, the warm welcome and inclusive community influenced my decision in applying for a full-time position at Ashwood High School. Not only did I love working with the students during my placement, but I soon realised how my personal morals aligns with Ashwood’s CHIOR values. As a new teacher of Mathematics and Science , I cannot wait to get to know all my students and work colleagues, as well as develop my teaching pedagogy. Aside from teaching, you will find me running my own piano school, playing tennis and eating my way through the restaurants and cafes of Victoria.

Vivian Chen
Maths and Science Teacher

My name is Harsha Dias. I commenced in the role of Information Technology Manager at Ashwood High School at the start of this year. My job is to make everyone’s life easier. I’ve been in this industry for over a decade now but my passion for IT started at a very young age which I believe is what led me into this position today. The school community is unlike any other and I am grateful and excited to be here at Ashwood High School. I have been warmly welcomed by everyone and I very much look forward to contributing as much as I can to the school community to make things even better. We are off to a great start, and I wish everyone the best of the best!

Harsha Dias
Information Technology Manager

Hello, my name is Marnie Edmiston and I am teaching Visual Art, Design and Technology at Ashwood High School. The start of the teaching year and return to school has been tremendously exciting, and it is wonderful to have the classroom studios and workshops open for students. Although I have only been at Ashwood for a short period of time, the creativity across all year levels has really impressed me—a school day has not gone by without a student producing an ingenious artwork or solution to a design problem! As a teacher, I find it especially rewarding to see students develop artworks and designs that they find meaningful. When I am not teaching, I'm probably attending an art exhibition, watching a movie, seeing a band play or out on a bike ride.  

Marnie Edmiston
Visual Art, Design and Technology Teacher

While I am a new Maths, Physics, and Science teacher to Ashwood High School, I am also a new teacher in general, graduating from my Master of Teaching (Secondary) in 2021. I come from a Physics research background (Astronomy) where I investigated the effect of twinkling stars on telescopes during my Honours year. However, I found my passion for teaching in my previous work at the Victorian Space Science Education Centre, where I was an educator for excursion groups simulating Mars missions. 

While I will always encourage my students to achieve their best, I equally want to prioritise a sense of considerate, consistent, and respectful treatment in my classrooms, in line with the CHOIR values of Ashwood. Outside of teaching, I enjoy reading, movies, trivia, running and spoiling my cat, Otter. 

I already feel warmly welcomed by the Ashwood students and staff and am looking forward to a great year!"

Thanks and Warm Regards,

Rory Fahey

Maths, Physics, and Science Teacher

Hi, my name is Peta Gannoulis, and I am the new Director of Studies here at Ashwood High School. For me it is an absolute privilege and an honour to have this role in such a progressive and reformative school. My time so far at Ashwood High School has been a joy due to the kind students and staff culture. I am looking forward to contributing my knowledge in improving and supporting curriculum projects that the school are developing and implementing. Knowing that in my position I can be an influence to help all students and the school community keeps me motivated to come to work every day and be a part of something great.

Peta Gannoulis
Director of Studies

Hello, my name is Georgia Agapi Kazis and it has been an absolute privilege to join the Ashwood High School team as a new teacher and EAL Coordinator. I was born and raised in Athens, Greece where I first discovered my love for foreign languages, history and culture.

I am a recent Master’s graduate from the University of Melbourne and I am very excited to join this wonderful school. As a new staff member, I have been quite busy this term getting to know all of the fantastic staff and students while teaching EAL, Humanities and Food Studies.

Being a part of the Ashwood High School community has been a pleasure thus far and I look forward to working alongside this exceptional teaching team.

Thank you all for your warm welcome.

Georgia Agapi Kazis
EAL Coordinator

Hello, my name is Edwina Nolan and I am the new Food Studies teacher here at Ashwood High School.

My teaching career began in Ireland where I taught Home Economics for five years before moving to Melbourne. I am really enjoying my time at Ashwood High School so far and feel lucky to have such fantastic students and kitchen facilities which is making the transition to an Australian school so much easier. Both staff and students have been incredibly welcoming to me and I am looking forward to the year ahead in a school with a strong, positive sense of pride and community.

Edwina Nolan
Food Studies Teacher


Hello, my name is Andrew Padbury and I am a teacher of History, Legal Studies and Humanities. I recently graduated from Monash University with a Bachelor of Education (Honours) and Bachelor of Arts.

I feel privileged to have joined a school with such a strong sense of community and have been blown away by the passion for learning demonstrated by the staff and students thus far. I look forward to working with the students at Ashwood High School as we strive for excellence both in and out of the classroom. All those at Ashwood High School have been incredibly welcoming and have made the transition to a full-time teaching role a very positive one.

Before Ashwood High School I worked in a secondary school boarding house as well as working in sports coaching roles both here in Melbourne and the UK.

When I am not teaching, I spend most of my time involved in community sport, whether that be cricket, football or Golf. Thank you again for the warm welcome to Ashwood High School!

Andrew Padbury
History, Legal Studies and Humanities Teacher

Hello, my name is Lexi Wang and I am teacher of students in Maths, Science and Computing in Ashwood High School. I am a recent graduate of the University of Melbourne with a Master of Teaching (Secondary).

I’m very excited to become a new member of the Ashwood High School community, as this is not only my first teaching job, but my first job, too. However, the warm welcome and support from the school community have swept away my anxiety about the transition into becoming a full-time teacher. I enjoy collaborating with and learning from the fantastic and knowledgeable staff, and I’m constantly inspired by the talent of the students in my wonderful classes.

In classrooms, I always strive to challenge students to achieve their full potential, as well as to encourage independence and genuine curiosity in the subject.

Outside of school, I usually spend my spare time watching movies, reading, writing, sketching, catching up with friends and sometimes dancing. Thank you again for the warm welcome and I feel privileged that Ashwood High School is the place where I start my teaching career. I look forward to the year ahead at Ashwood High School!

Lexi Wang
Maths, Science and Computing Teacher

Hello, my name is Ed Williams and I am delighted to be teaching English at Ashwood High School.

I have eight years’ experience in education. After teaching in rural Victoria throughout my career, this position has brought me back to Melbourne, where I grew up.

I am looking forward to sharing my subject knowledge with all my students, continue to get to know them as people and help shape their relationship with the English language.

In my spare time I enjoy playing and watching sports. As cricket is one of my favourites, I am glad to be teaching it once a week this first term!

Thank you everyone for the warm welcome!

Ed Williams
English Teacher

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Key Dates - Term 1 & 2 2022



2022 Lunar New Year Celebration for International Students

Our Lunar New Year Celebration was held on Friday 18 February 2022. All international students attended and enjoyed the event.

A special thank you to Dr Moore and the school leadership team for supporting the event onsite. We would also like to thank our School Captains, Sam Harvison, Elizabeth Tziafas and Middle School Captains Connor Russo, and Daisy Harvison for their kind support.

Dr Moore’s red packet presentation was indeed the highlight of the event. Most of our international students have been unable to return home for over 2 years. Dr Moore’s red packets, a kind gesture of care and support from our school, really made students feel Ashwood is their home away from home.

Well done to our amazing student performers from Senior School, Jason Suryanata, Vivian Yan, Bing Tang, Gloria Li, Carol Yuan, Yuhang Meng, Ziming Zhuang, Anthony Zhu, Olson Ou, Sheldon Liu, David Ji and Chenwei Zhang. I am so proud that you even made Dr Moore a star performer on the stage with you!

The successful event strengthened international students’ belonging to Ashwood High School community and supported the global learning and engagement at Ashwood High School.

Yonghong Williams
International Student Manager

   





  



Middle School Assistant Principal's Report

We have had a positive start to 202 with the transition of 144 Year 7 students. Our students in the Middle School have settled in well and are off to a great start in their learning in 2022. Please see below for a few key events that highlight the key parts of our year thus far, as well as some important reminders.

Transitions
Our Year 7 students have settled in well as Ashwood High School students. Year 7 Orientation assisted students in preparing for life as a high school student and aligned with our CHOIR Values. An extended orientation program ran for Year 7 students, with guided sessions on topics to assist with their move to high school. Sessions included: Getting to know your home group classmates, getting yourself organised, finding your setting up your laptop and finding your way around the school. An exciting addition to this program was the digital passport program for Year 7 students, developed and delivered by our Director of Digital Learning Ms Meg Brydon, that taught students about basic IT skills needed to be successful in a high school academic setting.

Assembly
Our first assembly for the 2022 academic year was held virtually via WebEx on Tuesday 22 February 2022. Our students exhibited exemplary conduct through their high level of engagement and respect throughout the entirety of the assembly. Dr Moore gave a passionate address to the school population which encompassed the importance of high expectations and effort. The principal’s address was followed by an impressive and highly astute Captains Address by our School Captains, Elizabeth Tziafas and Sam Harvison. The nature of their speech focused on the importance of routine to support success. Due to the 2021’s fluctuations between onsite and remote and flexible teaching and learning, it was decided that the Principal’s Attendance Awards for 2021 would be withheld. The assembly also included our Class of 2022 – Year 12 Students - receiving their Year 12 badges. Overall, the assembly was an impressive display of the high level of respectful conduct exhibited by our students.

Year 7 BBQ
Unfortunately, due to current COVID-19 restrictions, the annual Year 7 BBQ had to be cancelled in 2022. On behalf of the staff, we are sad to be unable to gather as a group to welcome our new families to the school. We look forward optimistically to having the opportunity to meet students with their families at other times this year.

Student Leadership Investiture
It was pleasure to plan and deliver our inaugural Student Leadership Investiture on Thursday 3 March 2022. It was at this special event that our 2022 Student Leaders were formally acknowledged for their role and were also provided with their badge. 

Important Reminders:

Uniform
We uphold high expectations of our students in all aspects of their conduct at Ashwood High School. Thank you to parents who assist us in ensuring your child’s uniform reflects our school’s CHOIR values. Please note that the school approved scarf, with school logo, is available for purchase from the uniform supplier, Dobsons. The scarf is only to be worn in Terms 2 and 3. Students are also requested to revisit the school’s uniform policy found on pages 180 – 183 of the Student Planner. In particular, please note the guidance found in the following headings on pages 180-181: ‘Make-up and Other Changes to Personal Appearance’ and ‘Accessories.

Wellbeing: The Critical Role of Attendance
Research around attendance suggests a strong positive correlation between high attendance and strong social and academic outcomes. Please note that students are expected to be at school and doctor’s certificates should be sought for days off. All absences must be approved via Compass. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask your child’s House/Year Level Coordinator.

Meg McLellan
Middle School Assistant Principal



Middle School Engagement, Wellbeing and Transitions Report

Term 1 2022 for Middle School has been a great success. Our amazing staff have been so enthusiastic and supportive welcoming back our Years 8-9 students who are so excited to be back in the physical classroom working collaboratively with their peers and getting to know their teachers. Our new Year 7 students have been supported in their transition to high school and we have loved meeting all new students, answering their questions and of course welcoming them to our great school.

I wish to acknowledge and congratulate our incredible Years 8 and 9 students who have been such wonderful role models and have taken the time to welcome all our new Year 7s. I wish to thank our student leaders who were so kind and caring to students on their first day and always do the Middle School proud by upholding their strong commitment to our CHOIR values.

I would like to thank our Middle School Student Leadership, Voice and Agency Coordinator Calvin Yin and the Senior School Student Leadership, Voice and Agency Coordinator Daniel Meagher for their incredible efforts on orchestrating student leaders for the first day of school. I would also like to acknowledge the wonderful work of all our Student Leaders who assisted students with their timetables, locks, lockers, and all things Ashwood High School!

Tutor Group has begun with great success for the second year. It has been excellent to see new friendships form amongst the students across varying year levels and the excellent leadership qualities that our Middle School House Captains have exhibited in their facilitation of student activities and in their preparation for the upcoming Swimming Carnival. We have a strong dedication this year in Tutor Group to enhance House spirit, peer, and school connectedness and will continue the implementation of a skills-based framework to support vision inspired action across the middle years.  

Year 7s have made an excellent transition to high school. This year, we expanded our Orientation Program over the first 3 weeks of term where students took part in numerous sessions run by classroom teachers and our ICT team. I would like to acknowledge the work of Meg Brydon and her team, Harsha Dias and Brendan Airens, on their implementation of the ‘Digital Passport’ program, a new initiative this year teaching students the key skills in ICT to support and enhance their learning. Year 7 students also participated in numerous ‘Getting to know your Home Group’ sessions and learning about the lesson plan structure at Ashwood High School through understanding Learning Intentions and Success Criteria. Thank you to Dr Elisa Jones-Arango who organised a transitions session for our Year 7 students run by Headspace. It was a fantastic workshop and students learned about how transition and change can impact mental health. They spoke about strategies to manage stress from change and explored ways to build resilience and healthy coping strategies. Students also completed a session titled ‘Four Pillars of a Great School’ to learn about the amazing opportunities available at Ashwood High School from student clubs, co- curricular opportunities, and leadership portfolio positions. Again, I would like to acknowledge the work of Calvin Yin in orchestrating an amazing student video, where past students of Year 7 leadership positions spoke about their rewarding and fulfilling experience as a Year 7 leader. I would also like to thank Chai Couzens Transitions and Orientation Prefect.along with her team of student leaders who ran information and help sessions for our new Year 7s. We had over 30 applicants and I want to congratulate each one of you. What an amazing thing to do in your first three weeks of high school!

I also wish to congratulate our 2022 Student Leaders in the Middle School, appointed at the end of 2021. You have made such an outstanding start and we are all very excited to see the initiatives you are implementing get underway for 2022.

It has been a such an excellent few weeks for me in my new role as Acting Middle School Engagement, Wellbeing and Transitions Leader. I have loved returning to the Middle School and want to thank the House Coordinators Mr Guy Driscoll (Cowan House Coordinator), Mr Ned Hayward (Melba House Coordinator), Ms Harriet Cooper (Paterson House Coordinator) and Mrs Vicky Dernikos (Flynn House Coordinator) for the continuous care and support they give to our students and families and the incredible dedication they have to their roles.

It is an absolute pleasure to work with our school community every day. I wish to warmly welcome you all back to Ashwood High School for 2022 and I trust you are looking forward to a successful, positive year, filled with learning, fun and exciting opportunities.

Sachael Miller
Middle School Student Engagement, Wellbeing and Transitions Leader



From the House Coordinators

On the back of a fantastic 2021 for the mighty Batters, another wonderful year is shaping up on the horizon!

With brand new leaders stepping up to assist in running the house, a fantastic new Year 7 cohort joining our ranks and older students relishing the opportunity to compete for the Yellow, Cowan House has never looked so strong.

Congratulations are in order to our new House Captains, with Isaac Roder and Miles Guy becoming our new Senior School House Captain and Senior School Vice-Captain respectively. In our Middle School ranks, our Captain this year is Anjali Rao and our Vice-Captain being Gilly McCann. All four leaders are well deserving of their positions and have already shown fantastic leadership and enthusiasm. I am confident that Cowan House will further succeed under their guidance.

Furthermore, it is important to acknowledge that Cowan has an abundance of leaders at our disposal, with a magnitude of students showing fantastic capabilities and leadership ahead of 2021.

It fills me with great excitement to look forward at the upcoming year for Cowan House, including the continuation of our Tutor Group program, to continue with the sensational guidance of our Cowan members throughout the year. At the conclusion of 2022, I fully expect great success to have eventuated with the personal growth of students, as well as the promise of winning the House Competition at the fore.

Guy Driscoll
Cowan House Coordinator


As we enter another exciting year at our great school, the ‘C’ for Community from our CHOIR values resonates strongly throughout all Houses. We enthusiastically welcomed our wonderful Year 7 students, along with many new enrolments and new staff into our House. Our Flynnians have settled in beautifully and are quickly establishing themselves to be valuable and upstanding members of our community.

Students have worked collaboratively during the initial Tutor Group sessions to get to know others and nurture a true sense of belonging to our great school. Congratulations to many Flynn students who are already amassing School Colour nominations from across the plethora of categories.

Thank-you to our wonderful Flynnians who have helped our new enrolments and Year 7 students find their way around our grand school, supported them around the locker bay and demonstrated behaviours that align with our school’s values.

We welcome our Flynn Captain, Mikayla Van Dalen and Flynn Vice-Captain, Emma Hew; Middle School Flynn Captain, Mitchell Morton and Flynn Vice-Captain, Teghan Rado and wish them every success in their role as they proudly lead our House in 2022. Their commitment and enthusiasm has already shone through, as we prepare for the upcoming Swimming Carnival.

Our wonderful students and staff continue to foster amazing pride and connectedness to our school. The energy and enthusiasm reverberating from our students and staff since the start of the year is invigorating and reflects the optimism we all have for the year ahead.

I look positively to the future as we set and commit to new goals and aim to support our students in being valuable citizens.

Vicky Dernikos
Flynn House Coordinator


Welcome to 2022, students and families of Melba. I hope you all had a restful and enjoyable break over the summer. I begin the year with two welcomes and a congratulation. The first welcome is to our new cohort of Year 7s, who we all look forward to meeting and getting to know. The second welcome is to our Melba Leaders for 2022; Melba House Captain Stephanie Milan, Melba House Vice-Captain Celina Hewerdine, Middle School Melba House Captain Annais Lewis, and Melba House Vice-Captain Tom Houghton. I look forward to working with them to celebrate our House spirit throughout the year. Lastly, I congratulate the Year 12s of 2021 on their fantastic results and for making our school community so proud. Take care Melba House and I wish you the best for the new year.

Ned Hayward
Melba House Coordinator


Welcome back to Ashwood High School, Paterson House. As Paterson House Coordinator, I am excited to be back on campus to support all learners and enjoy an uninterrupted 2022. Reflecting upon 2021, our community missed out on many opportunities to come together and be rewarded with our individual and collective efforts as part of many school House events. This year I am thrilled to have the opportunity to be part of Paterson House and work with our new leaders to develop a stronger sense of House spirit aspire to set new goals for 2022.

Congratulations are in order to our new House Captains, with William Roache and Themis Tziafas, becoming our new Paterson House Captain and Vice-Captain respectively. In our Middle School, our Paterson House Captain is Cormac Morrin and our Vice-Captain Amy Noy. All four leaders have demonstrated excellent enthusiasm, passion and leadership so far in their role. I am confident that all 4 leaders for 2022 will continue to support and guide all Paterson House students to strive for excellence.

Furthermore, I would like to congratulate and welcome our new Year 7 cohort. The entire Paterson House community is excited to see how well the Year 7 students have settled in at Ashwood High School. It is anticipated that the Year 7 Paterson House students will involve themselves in as many opportunities that Ashwood High School has to offer and enact the CHOIR values at all times.

The upcoming Swimming Carnival event will be a great opportunity for all Paterson House students to continue to be involved and contribute points to our house. Other events where Paterson House students can showcase their talents are the Athletics Carnival, Cross- Country carnival and the School Musical.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the Paterson House students for their on-going effort so far this year and endeavour to see a successful year ahead.

Harriet Cooper
Paterson House Coordinator

 

 

 



Middle School Student Leadership & Agency Report

Congratulations to all the Student Leaders in the Middle School for making a superb start to 2022. Middle School Captains, Daisy Harvison and Connor Russo, Vice Captains, Georgie Taylor and Yunal Lutfi, and International Student Captain, Fatema Sajid, have been working attentively to ensure the Ashwood High School Community feel welcomed and excited for the new year.

The Middle School Executive, the Middle School House Captains and Vice-Captains and SRCs,  alongside the Transition and Orientation Prefect, Chai Couzens, took initiative and assisted on the Year 7 Orientation Day and the Orientation Program.

The Middle School House Captains and Vice-Captains have been meeting regularly with their Senior School counterparts to prepare for the House Swimming Carnival and to develop new and exciting House events to entertain the student body throughout the year.

A huge congratulations to all the Year 7 students who have applied for a Student Leadership role. Applying for a role in your first couple of weeks in a new school environment shows courage, determination and an ability to uphold our CHOIR values with pride. I am grateful for all the Student Leaders, previous Student Leaders and Ashwood Media Crew’s assistance in the promotion and recruitment process. I am looking forward to announcing all the Year 7 Student Leadership appointments soon.

Thank you and well done to all Middle School Student Leaders for a great start to Term 1!

Calvin Yin
Middle School Student Voice, Leadership and Agency Coordinator


Middle Schoo Captains Report

Following a shaky start to our High School experiences, we are proud to represent Ashwood High School’s community of perseverant and independent students. Our names are Daisy Harvison and Connor Russo and we are the Middle School Captains for 2022. Over the previous two years, we have seen many students begin high school with much uncertainty, wondering what the ensuing year may hold. We have also witnessed how our school has supported and aided students during both on campus and online learning. We are both very proud of how our school has been able to provide brilliant learning resources for the students throughout different types of learning, and of the students themselves for pushing through to achieve their best.

We are incredibly grateful and enthusiastic to be working on the Student Leadership team, and to have been given the opportunity to enact great change within our school. We are proud to be students here, and we cannot wait to help our community move forward to make this an even better place for students to grow. Through our positions as leaders, we are committed to serving the school as best we can, as we recognise that the students here have given us an incredible opportunity to better our school environment.

This year, we are looking forward to actioning the ideas and opinions of the students of Ashwood High School. We also hope that we’ll be able to work positively with the school community and its many members, in order to foster an environment of support, enthusiasm and school pride. As Middle School Captains, we aim to increase student connectedness through student-run clubs and school events. Personally, we will be fiercely supporting our Houses at sporting events and encouraging all of our peers to participate as well.

We hope that this year will be a smooth introduction to high school for our Year 7 students, and that all of our middle school students will feel at home, and supported, during their time here at school.

We congratulate everyone on beginning a new school year, and hope that all will make great strides on whatever paths they choose.

Daisy Harvison and Connor Russo
Middle School Captains

 
Middle School Captains: Daisy Harvison & Connor Russo 

 
Middle School Vice Captains: Georgie Taylor & Yunal Lutfi


Middle School International Student Captain: Fatema Sajid

Darwin Defenders 80th Anniversary Commemoration







Accelerated Curriculum & Enrichment Program

A warm welcome back to the 95 students who are part of the ACE Program at Ashwood High School in 2022 and an especially warm welcome to the 22 students who joined us in Year 7 ACE this year.

Among the exciting developments taking place in 2022, two changes are of particular note: the introduction of student choice in VCE elective selection for students in Year 10 ACE, and the rollout of a new promotions process that will identify exceptional students within our current Years 7-9 student cohort for advancement into the ACE Program. The talent identification process will rely on data gathered as part of six-monthly PAT testing, teacher nominations and school report data. A panel appointed by the principal will consider the available data and, where a place is available, invite eligible students to join the program in the following academic year.

In other news, I would like to acknowledge the achievement of the 6 students in Year 8 who are participating in the Victorian High-Ability Maths Program through Virtual School Victoria in Term 1 this year. Congratulations to these students on their achievement in securing a place in this prestigious program. We wish you all the best with your studies.

Finally, back by popular demand in 2022, this issue will feature a revival of the segment ‘Spotlight On’ which takes a closer look inside the classrooms of our ACE program. This month, we welcome 9ACE Humanities and their teacher, Mrs Caroline Servadei.

Caroline Servadei
Enrichment, Pedagogy Partnerships & Professional Learning Leader

Spotlight on 9ACE Humanities

In Year 9 ACE Humanities, students have been exploring the new-look Humanities curriculum for 2022 which aligns key aspects of the previous Challenge program with Year 9 Humanities content. A key feature of the new curriculum will involve a focus on experiential learning, culminating in an inquiry project which will be presented to the school community in Term 4 this year. As part of the Challenge component of Year 9 Humanities in Term 1, students have learned about the Herrmann Brain model and their Character Strengths. The 9ACE Herrmann Brain Chart appears on the right.

 



After School Study Hall



Senior School Assistant Principal's Report

Dear Ashwood High School Community,

It has been a really warm welcome to Ashwood High School community for the start of 2022. I have had the privilege of getting to know many new staff and students through our extra curricular learning and outdoor educational environment with the Years 11 Camp and the Year 12 Study Advance within the first two weeks of being at the school.

During the first two staff professional development days, Principal Dr Brett Moore presented the values, vision and goals of the school for 2022. As an educational community, we remain focused on continued growth; this is evident in our introduction of 12 new staff joining our community for the first time in 2022. Dr Moore explained that we as a team will continue to focus on building and developing relational trust in our students, teachers and community.

In 2022 at Ashwood High School, I have been able to gather a real strong sense of pride and excitement while attending several events, including our Senior School Information Evening held on Tuesday 15 February hosted by our Senior School Engagement Wellbeing and Pathways leader, Ms Phoebe Lindsay. Both these presentations displayed the Innovation, Optimism and High Expectations set up at Ashwood High School to continue to develop our students in 2022 to achieve their best.

As a Senior School, we have had a really positive start. On the first day we held assembly which involved introducing the Senior School expectations and understanding our students for 2022 with presentation from Ms Phoebe Lindsay and the four Coordinators: Year 12 - Ms Jessie Tian, Year 11 -Mr John Sheehan, Year 10 - Ms Matilda Wraight and VCAA Curriculum Coordinator - Mrs Julie Huggins. This allowed our students to have a clear understanding of the line of leadership. On Tuesday 22 February, the Ashwood High School community came together in a formal assembly to celebrate and have our Principal Dr Brett Moore present the Year 12 badges to the Class of 2022 and formally welcome the new Year 7 students of 2022. Dr Moore also presented our School Captains for 2022 for the first time to our school community.

The innovation of the school’s teaching and learning continues to grow and develop with the introduction of the PIVOT Lesson Plan Framework across the school to focus on consistent teaching and learning practices and strategies from Years 7-12. This allows our parents/carers, teacher, and students to gain an improved understanding our expectations in every class.

I would like to thank our Principal Dr Mr Brett Moore for his outstanding leadership and guidance through the snap Government COVID-19 lock down during Term 4 of 2021, the way our staff and students adapted with the limited timeframe was a testament to our school organisation and community communication.

As the Assistant Principal of the Senior School, I look forward to meeting you all over the next year at the many upcoming Ashwood High School events in 2022.

Best regards

Tom O’Toole
Senior School Assistant Principal



Senior School Engagement, Wellbeing & Pathways Report

2022 has been off to an excellent start with staff and students alike excited to return for the new school year. The second year of our transition to two mini-schools places Ashwood High School in the prime position to cater to the multifaceted needs of our students, and I have great confidence in the support structures the school has in place for the different year levels. I would especially like to acknowledge the passionate and dedicated coordinators of each year level: Jessie Tian (Year 12), John Sheehan (Year 11) and Matilda Wraight (Year 10). Each group of students are facing a new and exciting development in their educational journey this year, with our Year 12s completing their final year of high school, Year 11s entering VCE and VCAL, and Year 10s transitioning to Senior School. The committed team of Senior School teachers and wellbeing support staff are prepped and ready to assist all students in reaching their full potential and achieving their goals.

This year’s 2022 Senior School Parent information and Elevate evening ran online via Webex on Tuesday 15 February. The parent information component provided detailed information on the VCAA rules and regulations, how to apply for Special Provision, Senior School expectations, and key dates for the year. This was followed by the Parent Seminar run by Elevate: Empowering parents to reinforce study skills at home. The senior presenter delivered a 60-minute webinar which delved into practical strategies for parents and carers assisting their children with motivation, organisation and engagement.

After a quick and impressive adaptation from Jessie Tian due to the loss of our venue, the Year 12 camp this able to go ahead with meaningful workshops run by Ashwood High School staff and external providers. Thank you to Jessie Tian and Julie Huggins for their tireless work to ensure the camp was a memorable and valuable experience for our Year 12 students.

Thank you also to John Sheehan for organising and running the fantastic Year 11 camp in Queenscliff. This was an excellent opportunity for students to build connections with their peers as they move into their final two years of high school. The feedback from students was overwhelmingly positive and truly reflects the quality of the program and the commitment of the teachers involved.

I would lastly like to share some of the beautiful words of our new School Captains Elizabeth Tziafas and Sam Harvison delivered out our recent whole school assembly:

Coming back to school in January every year is a weird feeling. It’s like coming home but something’s changed somehow. In all fairness, yes it has – we're in the next year of school, there are new faces all around and Mr. Ripper’s got a new haircut. But beyond that, there’s always a feeling I get of existential change. Maybe it’s because my brain’s developed more, who knows, but every year without fail, I get this feeling that the year ahead is uncertain. Sometimes, that feeling can be scary. It can also be incredible.

The beauty of uncertainty is that anything is possible and therefore, anything could happen. This year could be the best or worst of your life and there’s only one thing deciding that... you. Only you can decide how this year goes. Only you have the agency to decide how you act and react. Only you can define your own successes.

Successes look different for everyone. It could be anything. Some people strive for a high ATAR, others for sporting excellence, maybe even performing arts. We’re not here to define what success is for you. We’re here to help you in your journey to achieve it.

It’s all about goals. Goals can be difficult to work towards, but if you try your hardest and seek help, you can achieve great things. Our very own Dr. Moore was recently successful in his submission of a thesis, granting him a PHD. It’s a perfect example of how incredible things are possible despite dire circumstances. All you can do is your best, so we hope we can inspire and support you to do so.

 

Phoebe Lindsay
Senior School Engagement, Wellbeing and Pathways Leader (SSEWPL)



Year 10 Coordinator's Report

I would like to wish a warm welcome to all of the Year 10s joining the Senior School this year and congratulate them for making such a positive start to the 2022 school year.

Year 10 is a year of big changes and new experiences that I know all of the students will take in their stride and make the most of. Hopefully, this year with be without major interruptions and the students will get to participate in the unique opportunities that this learning stage has to offer, including Work Experience, the VCE and Careers Expo, and Year 10 Camp.

I would also like to highlight the efforts of the record number of Year 10 students undertaking Early Commencement VCE subjects. The teachers of these subjects have been blown away by the effort, dedication and enthusiasm that these students have shown to their studies and the excellent results that they have already begun to achieve.

Finally, I would like to congratulate Year 10 students Amber Balmer, Luke Noy, Emma Hew, Themis Tziafas, Annais Lewis, Miles Guy and Lily Greaves for being appointed to Student Leadership positions, as Year 10 SRC Representatives, House Vice-Captains and Sustainability Prefect respectively.

Well done to all students on your work so far and I look forward to seeing all that you achieve in 2022.

Matilda Wraight
Year 10 Coordinator



Year 11 Coordinator's Report

Welcome back to 2022 to all students, parents, and guardians,

The Year 11 students in 2022 have made a strong start, adjusting with maturity to the increased rigours of the VCE and VCAL programs. While there is no doubt a ‘step-up’ in academic expectations at this level, Ashwood High School students should feel confident that they are well prepared to meet the challenges that lay ahead in their final two years of secondary education. ­­

The year began on a high with a team-building camp to Queenscliff, where students challenged themselves and reconnected with their peers and staff. It was a positive experience, and we were incredibly pleased with the way in which the students conducted themselves during this busy 3 days. It was great to see the group’s cohesion and their enthusiasm as they actively engaged with the camp program and interacted respectfully with teachers and camp staff.

I would also like to thank the following staff that gave their time to attend: James Boarotto, Stephanie Richards, Ruby Cameron, Peta Gannoulis, Rosario Ripper, Calvin Yin and Matthew Dexter. Also, thank you to Assistant Principal Thomas O’Toole and Senior School Engagement, Wellbeing and Pathways Leader , Phoebe Lindsay, for spending a day and night with us; I know the students really appreciated this.  

I wish the group a positive and productive year and if you have any inquiries regarding the Year 11 program, please feel free to contact me for assistance.

I would like to thank Sebastian Millan of Year 11 for providing a student’s perspective of the camp, below.

John Sheehan
Year 11 Coordinator

After missing out on our Year 9 and 10 school camps due to COVID-19, we were excited to finally be leaving for our Year 11 camp at Queenscliff on the 7th of February. We arrived at the YMCA Camp Wyuna grounds around midday and immediately were split into groups and got stuck into the fun activities such as canoeing, boogie boarding, and bike riding. For me, the scenic views offered on the bike ride to the lighthouse were definitely a highlight.

With Port Philip Bay on our doorstep, we were grateful to have hot weather throughout our three day stay. This meant that we could properly enjoy the beautiful blue waters of the nearby beach with our teachers and friends.

At night we enjoyed going into the quaint little town of Queenscliff for some sightseeing and ice-cream. And speaking of food, the food at the camp was delicious. There were pancakes, bacon and eggs, and my personal favourite, chicken schnitzel.

We were so lucky to have such amazing teachers accompany us on this camp and I’m sure that everyone enjoyed seeing a new side to their favourite teachers.

On behalf of the Year 11 cohort, I’d like to thank Mr Sheehan for organising such a fantastic camp. It was nice to be able to reconnect with our peers and teachers and enjoy each other’s company in a beautiful setting.

Sebastian Millan, 11C

   



Year 12 Coordinator's Report

Whilst the academic year only commenced at the end of January 2022, our 2022 Year 12 students have already embarked on their journey since the end of the last academic year with the Welcome to Year 12 Assembly and a two-week Early Commencement Program – Year 12 Prep Program. It was during this period that I already started to become proud of our current Year 12 students, a cohort full of talents in a range of areas, a cohort that is supportive toward their peers and teachers, and a cohort that is goal-oriented and open to learn and improve. Despite a difficult and ever changing year in 2021, our current Year 12s, continued to work diligently during the vigorous Year 12 Prep Program, taking in suggestions received in the Welcome to Year 12 Assembly and trying to apply feedback from subject teachers.

Great attitude and effort do not go without being rewarded. In the first half of Term 1 2022, our Year 12s appear to adjust to the high demand of Year 12 study with a bit more ease than usual. Already, many of them are producing high quality work recognised by their teachers, VCAL and VCE alike. Apart from the support and guidance for our amazing Year 12 teachers and many other staff, with fairness, I believe our Year 12s have themselves to thank. As English writer and philosopher John Ruskin stated “Quality is never an accident. It is always the result of intelligent effort.” In the case of our Year 12s, it is a collaborative effort from all, but it is a collaborative effort with all of Year 12s being the main driving force. Great start of Year 12 journey, indeed!

Amidst busy days with the ‘usual’ routine, study, SACs and structured work placements, our Year 12s have also embraced some ‘unusual’. In Week 2, on 7 and 8 February, Year 12 Study Advance took place. Due to the sudden change of COVID rules and regulations, we had to host the program on campus with very short notice instead of the originally planned venues. Our Year 12s demonstrated great flexibility and adaptivity, showed impressive engagement with the academic and wellbeing sessions, and kindly expressed their sincere gratitude towards all the inhouse and external presenters, and all the supporting teachers and staff. On the first day of the program, Year 12s also enjoyed the company of Dr Moore, Mr O’Toole, Ms McLellan, and a number of staff for Year 12 High Tea at the end of day to celebrate the commencement of the year.

The celebration of the commencement of 2022 continued for our Year 12s on 22 February, 2022 with the congratulations and best wishes from the entire school community in the first whole school assembly. Following the Principal’s Address by Dr Moore and welcome address by our school captains, Elizabeth Tziafas and Sam Harvison in Year 12, our Year12s received their Year 12 badges in person! Congratulations, Year 12s, Class of 2022, for your great work in the first couple of weeks of 2022. What a great start! Quoting our very own school principal, Dr Moore; “great effort and belief translate into results.’”

Dear Year 12s, may 2022 continue to witness your great effort and fortify your belief, in our community, in your peers, in your teachers and most importantly, in yourselves, to prepare and enable you to achieve the results you aspire to and to achieve your personal best.

Jessie Tian
Year 12 Coordinator




Senior School Student Leadership & Agency

The start of the 2022 academic year has been one of extreme hope and social connection. While only part way through Term 1, the Senior School Student Executive has been diligently working through a vast array of events, leadership meetings and planning committees to guarantee 2022 is a year of reconnection full of student contribution and memory making.  

Congratulations to the 2022 School Captains; Elizabeth Tziafas and Sam Harvison, Vice-Captains; Abby Helm and Jake Larking, and International Captain Anthony Zhu who have already assisted the Ashwood High School community in starting 2022 with positivity, academic rigor, and an emphasis on social reconnection.

Elizabeth, Sam, Abby, Jake and Anthony joined Mr Meagher and Mr Yin at the Darwin Defenders 80th Commemorative Service of the Darwin bombing on Saturday 19 February. While the School Captains joined tow other schools in laying a wreath as a sign of respect, the Vice-Captains joined the Official Party of the Darwin Defenders Association Melbourne Chapter as banner bearers. All students demonstrated exemplary respect for both the event and the sacrifice made by brave Australian men and women during the war to protect the lives in which we lead today. Members of the Melbourne Chapter and veteran family members alike approached the supervising teachers to complement the participation of the school captains, but also the respectful and mature nature in which they handled such an event.

The Senior School Executive have also been working hard on presenting and participating in the Chinese Lunar New Year celebrations, School Council, our first 2022 Whole School Assembly, and also rallying enthusiasm and endearment for the senior students at the Senior School Assembly earlier this year (including at the Year 12 Study Advance Camp).

Final student appointments have also been made to SRC, with Luke Noy joining Amber Balmer as the Year 10 SRC representative. They join Yufei Wang (Year 11), Sebastian Millan (Year 11), Abby Helm (Year 12) and Jake Larking (Year 12) as the Senior School members on the Student Representative Council.

In addition, Interact President Bianca Ting and I are pleased to announce there have now been appointments made for Interact Secretary and Interact Project Managers. We look forward to working with all our incredible student leaders throughout 2022.  A massive congratulations to all Senior School Leaders across all domains and portfolios of leadership for an exceptional start to 2022.

Daniel Meagher
Senior School Student Voice, Leadership and Agency Coordinator


Welcome to 2022. We’re so excited for what the year will bring and, along with the rest of the leadership team, we have a great vision, and many events planned for the Ashwood High School community in 2022.

We are grateful for the opportunity to continue learning back onsite this year. It has brought us much joy to see all students, teachers, staff, and members of our community enjoying the experience of learning and collaborating onsite again. We aim to assist our community to reconnect with each other by providing all students, staff and teachers with motivation and encouragement by attending all Ashwood High School events to demonstrate our support.

On Friday 18 February the School Captains were responsible for an address at the Chinese Lunar New Year celebration for our international students. This address aimed to recognise and strengthen the bonds between local and international students. It is especially important that they feel valued, supported, and welcomed after the past two years of remote teaching and learning.

The Senior School Executive visited the Shrine of Remembrance on Saturday 19February to honour the 80th anniversary of the Bombing of Darwin, organised by the Darwin Defenders Association. We acted as ambassadors for the school, paying respects to those who protected our country during conflict and laid a wreath in Ashwood High School colours as a sign of respect in their honour.

All students, staff, teachers, and the Ashwood High School community are very proud of the class of 2021 for their efforts and accomplishments. These results have set high expectations among Ashwood High School students and has motivated the current Year 12 cohort to strive for similar successes, which was supported by the Year 12 Study Advance camp. This camp was a great success and the Year 12 cohort adapted to the changes to the program extremely well.

We are hopeful to provide students with as many student-led events as possible to account for the loss of opportunities over the past two years due to lockdowns and COVID restrictions. These include lunchtime music concerts, activities for those who missed camps, and school sports events.

We are excited for what the rest of the year will bring for the school community and we cannot wait to represent the school as the students make the most of the academic year.
 
School Captain: Elizabeth Tziafas and Sam Harvison 
 
School Vice Captain: Abby Helm and Jake Larking

International Student Captain: Anthony Zhu






VCE VCAL VET Curriculum Services

The VCE and VCAL students have had a very positive and busy start to the year. As we enter week 5 the students are well into their various courses, in many cases having already completed some assessments, attended excursions and participated in incursions.  Students, parents and guardians should be checking Compass regularly for VCE SAC and VCAL Outcome dates, which will appear as events on both the student and parent dashboards.  I would also like to take this opportunity to remind students that any absence from a VCE SAC or VCAL Outcome event requires a medical certificate.

Please note that in order for fairness and equity, as stipulated under the VCAA Guidelines, some assessments will take place after school. This is to ensure that in subjects where there are multiple classes, all students undertake the assessment at the same time. Subject teachers have advised students of this where appropriate.

Students undertaking VCE and VCAL courses are aware that attendance should be a priority. To this end we would please ask that non-medical appointments are not made during class time, and that reference is made to assessment schedules prior to making medical appointments. Any extended absences should be discussed with the appropriate year level coordinator.

To best prepare for any assessments, students must ensure that they are completing homework tasks in a timely manner and utilising all available class time productively. Many teachers are also offering additional help sessions after school and all students are encouraged to take up these opportunities.  VCE students should also be revising regularly, on top of their scheduled homework, to ensure that they are well prepared for SACs and Exams. 

The Year 12 students all took part in an Elevate Education session, Memory Mnemonics, as a part of the Year 12 Advance, and Year 11 students will be participating in upcoming sessions on Study Techniques and Time Management, which will assist them with their study habits.

As the workload builds for students please remember to plan ahead, seek assistance as required and keep the school informed regarding any issues that will impact on a student’s ability to complete tasks. To this end I would also remind VCE students to speak to me if they believe that they qualify for Special Exam Provisions as the forms must be completed as soon as possible to enable these provisions to be put in place in the classroom, as well as for external assessments.  As explained at both the Year 12 Advance and the Parent/Guardian Information session, these provisions allow for a “level playing field” for all students. 

Finally a reminder that Student Led Conferences are coming up in Week 7. These meetings are a valuable opportunity for all students, along with Parents and Guardians, to “check in” on their progress and gain valuable one-to-one feedback, and it is extremely important that bookings are made with all teachers. 

I am looking forward to a very productive year with our VCAL and VCE students.

Julie Huggins
VCAA Curriculum Services Coordinator



Careers & Pathways

It has been a great start to the year for careers. During the first week I was lucky enough to be invited to attend the Year 12 Study Advance to deliver their last ever Career Action Plan session. From what I have seen so far, we have a very ambitious Class of 2022. For the Year 12s who have not yet completed, you still have time. If you need a refresher you will find the student user guide here – remember to click ‘Share with your Teacher’ and it will come through to me for feedback. Or I am happy for you to make contact with me via email at Jodie.hechenberger@education.vic.gov.au to set up a time to go through the CAP process.

For Years 7 to 11 you will also be completing your Career Actions Plans throughout the year with Year 10 next in Week 8.

                            

Senior School - Structured Workplace Learning (SWL)
The 2022 VCAL class have started their search for industry-related placements including Hospitality, Horticulture, Automotive – Mechanical, Animal Studies, Information, Digital Media & Technology – Gaming, Design Fundamentals (Visual Arts), Community Services, Furniture Making, as well as their volunteer placements. Some students have been successful in securing placement, however some industries are more challenging than others, especially at this time.

If you or someone you know could offer a student one day per week placement on a term-by-term basis – you are not locked in for a full year – please make contact with me on 9807 1333 or jodie.hechenberger@education.vic.gov.au your support is greatly appreciated. Offering a student work placement is very rewarding and a great way of giving back to the community.
  

Jodie Hechenberger
Careers and Pathways Coordinator



School Psychologist's Report

Dear Students, Parents and Carers,

It has been exciting to see students return to school with a sense of positivity and optimism for the year to come.

At this early stage of the year, the Wellbeing Team focused on supporting our students’ transitions.

In liaison with Headspace, all Year 7s participated in a workshop titled “Transitions: Primary to Secondary”. The workshop was delivered by Natalie from Headspace and focused on helping students unpack how transition and change can impact mental health, how to mange stress from change, how to build resilience and healthy coping skills, and how students can build connections. The workshop ended by collecting students reposes to the question, what do I know now? Here are some responses from our Year 7s:

“That it’s okay to reach out for help and that many other people share the same feelings as me.”

“That I am never alone and there are people that could help me.”

“The WWW (what went well) strategy”

Natalie also worked with our parent and carer community in a workshop titled Supporting your young person’s health and wellbeing. The event was a great opportunity to discuss the mental health of young people from a parent and carer perspective and provided excellent resources and strategies for our community. Thank you to parents and carers who came along to the workshop and participated in this discussion. The resources from the session have been shared through Compass for all parents and carers to access.

Finally, Breakfast Club (running on Friday mornings), has had a strong start in 2022! It is excellent to see so many of our students come along and build connections, especially so many Year 7s who are new to our community.

Dr Elisa Jones Arango on behalf of the Wellbeing Team
School Psychologist




Director of Digital Learning Report

The Director of Digital Learning role is new at Ashwood High School in 2022, and aims to optimise the way we use technology to support and enhance learning. Technology can be used to support and enhance learning through the teacher, the learner, and also connecting families with the teaching and learning process.

Digital Learning Project Snapshot: Year 7 Digital Passports

In conjunction with Sachael Miller (Middle School Engagement, Wellbeing and Pathways Leader), the Year 7 Digital Passport program was envisaged and implemented for the first time in 2022.

This involved three targeted lessons to ensure all new Year 7 students were explicitly taught the key ICT skills required to be successful in the Ashwood High School classroom environment. These lessons were taught to all students by the Director of Digital Learning to ensure rigour and consistency of implementation and formed part of the broader Year 7 Orientation Program, spanning Weeks 1-3.

During the program, students were provided with an A5 sized paper passport which outlined each of the key ICT skills, along with step-by-step instructions with screenshots for students to revisit at any point.

At the end of each session, students were given the opportunity to demonstrate competency across the identified Success Criteria for the lesson, and have these signed off by a supervising teacher. If students successfully completed all three lessons in their passport, they received a nomination for an Academic School Colour.

Year 7 students should be very proud of the way they positively engaged in this program. We would love to see families reviewing the Digital Passport at home with their child/children and reinforcing these key skills as required.


We use a number of wonderful digital resources from external providers at Ashwood High School, including Edrolo, Education Perfect, Stile, MusicEDU and Dynamic Science. These were all detailed on the 2022 Book List. If one of these resources was booklisted for your child, please ensure you have purchased the subscription to ensure your child is able to access the resource in class.

There are a number of exciting future projects within the digital learning portfolio including:

  • A digital suite of video resources for parents and students to respond to many FAQs at Ashwood High School
  • Planning for digital elements of the Indigenous Garden to support learning across the curriculum
  • Planning for online delivery of NAPLAN in 2022

If you have any questions or suggestions about any of the projects being undertaken in the Digital Learning space, please don’t hesitate to contact me.

Meg Brydon
Director of Digital Learning



Student Outcomes Leader's Report

Welcome Ashwood High School families to 2022. Within my role as Student Outcomes Leader this year I am focused on building teacher capacity to improve student learning outcomes and promote student agency in their learning.

Within the Senior School, we have been reflecting on our students’ excellent achievements of 2021 and are working to build on these in 2022. One way in which we are doing this is through the analysis and use of data to inform teaching practice. During Term One, we were joined by Carmel Richardson, an expert in the field of data-informed practice in secondary schools. Carmel worked closely with Ashwood High School VCE teachers to identify subject-specific opportunities for improvement and to support our Senior School staff in developing a deep understanding of the school results data. We value our ongoing relationship with Carmel and appreciate her support of our work in improving student learning outcomes across the Senior School.

One key source for literacy and numeracy data for students in Years 7 and 9 is NAPLAN. This year, the school is transitioning to NAPLAN Online. In preparation for this, over the coming weeks students in Years 7 and 9 will conduct a School Readiness Test and a Practice Test to ensure they are familiar with the online testing environment. Whilst these are practice tests only, it is important that students treat these as valuable opportunities for practice in preparation for the official NAPLAN Online tests in May. Students must come prepared for these practice tests with a charged device and headphones.

Another source of literacy and numeracy data for students in Years 7-10 are results from Progressive Achievement Tests (PAT). During Term One, students in Years 7-10 will undertake PAT testing in the areas of Maths and English during class time. Students do not need to study for these tests. Using the latest technology, the PAT tests are adaptive which means they offer a more precise picture of each student’s level of learning. This information will then be used by teachers across the school to plan for teaching and learning programs that meet the needs of all our students. Again, in preparation for this, students should ensure they bring a fully charged device to school each day.

I am very much looking forward to continuing to work closely with our teachers and students across the school to further improve student learning outcomes in 2022.­­­­                                                                                                                                 
Niesha Moorad
Student Outcomes Leader



Data Analysis, Improvement & School Organisation Report

It has been wonderful to see all students back at school this year and to welcome our new Year 7 cohort to Ashwood High School. My role this year is to ensure that all students and staff have a functional timetable that allows for the best possible choice of subjects and the most suitable teachers for each class to enable high-quality teaching and learning. In addition to this, I’ll also be working to develop strategies for teachers to engage with learning data and to use this to develop targeted teaching plans to meet each students’ point of need. This is an important skill for teachers and helps us to work towards our goal of inclusive teaching that facilitates all levels of student success.

We are lucky in our school to have access to facilities that support and enhance learning. I look forward to ensuring that all classes have as much access to their specific equipment and resourcing requirements as possible to maximise each students’ experience in their classes.

Congratulations to all students and staff on a successful start to the year.

Lucy Rimmer
Data Analysis, Improvement and School Organisation Leader



Enrichment, Pedagogy, Partnerships & Professional Learning

The two-day staff conference, held over Friday 28 and Monday 31 January, launched the start of the 2022 academic year for Ashwood High School staff and the commencement of a new year of professional learning for our teachers.

Supporting the next phase of our transformation in the areas of curriculum, pedagogy and assessment, our whole-school learning goal for Semester 1 will be to upskill teachers in the use of the Ashwood Lesson Plan Framework, which connects our daily practice as teachers with the school’s explicit instructional model: PIVOT.

The acronym PIVOT refers to Planning, Intentional learning, Voice, Optimise and Transform. Each of the components of PIVOT reference evidence-based teacher ‘moves’ that are known to enhance teaching and learning.

Planning refers to identifying the desired results, determining acceptable evidence and planning learning experiences and instruction.

Intentional learning is about understanding what it is that you are having students learn in a lesson (or series of lessons) and how this will be measured.

Voice is about meaningful and authentic teacher and student interactions that improve the learning experience in the classroom.

Optimise is about the provision of clearly defined, purposeful and challenging learning tasks that target a student’s zone of proximal development.

Transform is about assessing for learning. It is about bringing together and clarifying the major learning points and determining what needs to happen next.

During Semester 1 2022, teacher lesson plans will be progressively transitioned to the new format which aims to connect teacher practice with our explicit instructional model. Connecting theory and praxis, our new-look lesson format will promote greater consistency within subject areas, encourage teacher reflection, and enhance the alignment of our teaching practices.

We hope that you will take a moment to explore the new format and the insights it offers into your child’s learning. Should you have any questions regarding the new format, please do not hesitate to contact the Enrichment, Pedagogy, Partnerships and Professional Learning Leader, Mrs Caroline Servadei for more information.

Caroline Servadei
Enrichment, Pedagogy Partnerships & Professional Learning Leader

 

 



English Learning Area Report

As a cornerstone of success in English, positive reading habits encourage the development of vocabulary, written expression, and the ability to concentrate for an extended period of time. However, embedding the love of reading can be challenging when myriad distractions abound in everyday life.

To support the development of healthy reading habits in Years 7 and 8 students we have established a framework for students to engage with both their set texts and their wider reading:

  • The Reading Journal – every student in Years 7 and 8 for their Crafting Texts unit of work will be using their workbook as a Reading Journal. Students are encouraged to reflect upon the reading they are doing, either of their set texts, suggested text or texts they engage with themselves. When reading, students are encouraged to consider what connections they are making to the texts they are reading, and briefly reflect upon these through short entries in their journal.
  • Homework - to emphasise the importance of reading, the sole homework English task for all students in Years 7 and 8 is to complete a minimum of 20 minutes reading four or more times a week, supported with sporadic Reading Journal entries.

How can I support my child’s reading?

Positive reading habits, like all skills, flourish when supported and promoted at home. To assist your child in completing their reading homework, consider trying the following strategies:

  • Talk about reading materials with your children: ask literal and inferential questions and have a conversation about the contents of the story. 
  • Read the texts yourself and discuss your child’s interpretations: forming and supporting opinions about what they are reading encourages critical thinking and inferential skills that allow deeper understanding of texts.
  • Talk about reading: often a discussion about texts you have read or want to read promotes the idea that reading is not a chore but a positive experience.
  • Model reading: if your child sees you reading then it normalises this positive behaviour.

Our Years 7 and 8 texts:
 

Dom Holloway
English Learning Area Coordinator



Mathematics Learning Area Report

A warm welcome back to our students for 2022. It has been an exciting first few weeks in Maths.

Year 8 ACE Maths have started off the year by studying Percentages, Rates and Ratios from the Number and Algebra Unit.

The consolidation of their skills in this topic was the stepping stone in their investigation of Simple and Compound interest rates. Students used the Simple and Compound interest formula to model real-life financial scenarios.

“I learnt the formula of how to calculate compound interest. E.g., James puts $1000 in the bank for 10 years with 12% compound interest. I would calculate this like this: $1000(1.12)10. I remembered that simple interest stays the same. Before I thought simple interest was the same thing as compound interest.”

Daniel Pashutin, 8Z

 

Our students also gained some valuable experience in budgeting. They were given an investigation to determine a theoretical savings plan to save for the deposit of their dream home. Students not only used commerically available online financial calculators, they even built one in Excel.

 

Financial calculator courtesy of Thomas Duckworth, 8Z

Jay Chan
Maths Learning Area Coordinator



Science Learning Area Report

In year 11 Psychology we are studying the structure and function of neurons and the Nervous System. To engage students and creatively apply their knowledge the following challenge was set: to create a Neuron out of lollies. The neuron had to be as realistic as possible and have all the structures that a normal nerve cell would have. The result was fun and colourful!
   

Stephanie Richards
Science Learning Area Coordinator



Humanities Learning Area Report

Humanities is already off to a great start for 2022. We have been fortunate enough to welcome Ms Gannoulis, Ms Kazis and Mr Padbury to the Humanities teaching team this year. They are all passionate Humanities teachers who bring their enthusiasm and experience into their classrooms.

Our Year 7s are kicking things off with a study of the Ancient World, learning key Historical Skills and Concepts that will lay the foundation for their inquiry into Ancient Egypt. 7 ACE employed their new skills when they worked collaboratively to create impressive 62 metre timelines, demonstrating the vastness and significance of Australia’s ancient past.

  

Year 8 ACE Humanities have been developing their understanding of medieval castles by collaborating on creative replicas in Minecraft.



In year 10, our new Commerce and History electives have been very well received by students. Commerce has begun with a legal studies unit, introducing students to Australia’s justice system and principles, while History students have begun their inquiry into WWII.

Despite the tone of some of the news in the world today, it has been heartening to see students having robust conversations across all year levels about what is happening around them. It is fantastic to see students using their Humanities’ critical thinking and questioning skills to interrogate ideas and make sense of the world they live in as active and engaged young citizens.

Catherine Nelsson
Humanities Learning Area Coordinator




Creative Arts/Technologies Learning Area Report

Students undertaking Art across the year levels are exploring a range of inspirational artists and experimenting with an array of art materials and techniques. Year 7 students are looking into Modern Art Movements, focusing currently on Surrealists such as Joan Miro and Rene Magritte. Year 9 students are working through the ceramics process to hand-build, glaze and fire unique ‘vessels with character’. Year 10 students are trialling the screen-printing process following a deep-dive of exploration into the work of Wassily Kandinsky. Year 11 and 12 students in Studio Arts continue on with their ambitious and exciting folios of work, enjoying the freedom to explore sources of inspiration, artists, materials, techniques and process that challenge their creative confidence and develop their very own Studio Art Process.

As a teacher of Art, this year has so far been the most rewarding for me, and we are only four weeks into Term 1! The willingness to explore new ideas and processes in the Art room has been wonderful to experience. I am continuing to learn awesome new ways to approach creative tasks myself. Thank you, wonderful Art Community!

Art Club

If you are looking for more Art in your week, visit Art Club on a Monday during lunch! Please eat lunch outside before coming along. Ideally, bring a visual diary and pencil case, but the only thing you truly need to bring is yourself and some creative energy. Art Club is open to all students and staff of Ashwood High School.

Open Studio

Open Studio runs during Thursday lunchtimes. Please eat lunch outside before coming along. Open Studio is only open to Senior School students completing a folio subject.

Competitions and Events

Keep an eye out for competitions and events in the coming weeks!

Ideas?

If you have any other ideas for incorporating more Art into Ashwood High School, have a chat with Ms Lindholm or Ms Edmiston.

    

Artworks by Eirini Vilianioti in Year 10

Jessica Lindholm
Creative Arts Learning Area Coordinator


VCE Visual Communication Design (VCD) students have hit the ground running this semester with the submission of their Prep Program and holiday drawings. They were given a range of different stimuli over the break to prepare them for the upcoming year in VCD. Please see below a range of the outstanding work from the Years 11 and 12. They have set themselves up for a strong year in design and I have high hopes that they will achieve well.


Emily Wilcock-Stuart (11A)
Perspective Exploration.


Micky Van Dalen (11C) Third Angle Orthogonal Drawing Task.


Jess Lewis (11A)
Isometric Drawing Type Task.


Daniel Butler (12B) Free Drawing.


Yao Zhang (12D) Industrial Design Sketches.

Additionally, in the classroom, Year 11 students have been making use of design-specific equipment, such as T-Squares, Set Squares and Drawing Boards to complete their Technical Drawings. The finished versions of these drawings will be revealed in a future article. Please take a look at the photos below of the students at work.


Mel Saengyojarn (11A) with his drawing board.


Jess Lewis (11A)
and Emily Wilcock-Stuart (11A) working on their Technical Drawings.


Year 11 students working on their Technical Drawings.”

Rosario Ripper
VCE Visual Communication Design, Design and Technology, Mathematics and Computing Teacher

 



Technologies Learning Area Report

Food Studies
Year 8 students enjoyed their first week of practical class making pancakes. Hamish, Joe, Liam and Matilda enjoyed eating their creations. Well done, Year 8s!
  

Sachael Miller
Year 8 Food Studies teacher

It has been fantastic to see the growth of technologies this year at Ashwood High School. After extended lockdowns last year, students have made use of the school’s excellent facilities. Pictured below are Kaitlyn and Mercades who prepared breakfast trifle during Ms Robinson’s Year 7 Food Studies class.

Recently the Media Tech Crew helped livestream the Year 12 Assembly to the school. The students involved gained invaluable skills in operating professional equipment, working alongside talent, and troubleshooting challenges. This student-led group has also begun training other students in the school to better understand filming equipment.

Daniel Christiansz
Technologies Learning Area Coordinator



Instrumental Music Report

Welcome to all things Music in 2022!

Our Instrumental Music Program has started with a bang with over 100 enrolments for lessons on the violin, viola, cello, guitar, electric bass guitar, drumkit/percussion, clarinet, saxophone, flute, trumpet, trombone and euphonium. To our Woodwind and Brass players, thank you for your patience whilst we delayed commencement of lessons and ensemble rehearsals due to the uncertainty around the Omicron variant of Covid-19. Please see below the weekly schedule for instrumental music lessons and note that I will communicate the commencement of Woodwind lessons as soon as this is confirmed.

Thank you to Mrs Renee Badcock (Woodwind & Concert Band) and Mrs Tania Kaev (Voice & Choir) for their enormous contribution to the Instrunmental Music Program prior to 2022. We wish them well in their future endeavours.

Thank you to our Instrumental Music staff, students and families for all your support in getting us off to a smooth start for 2022. We look forward to sharing the musical growth and achievements of our program with you throughout the year.
   

Wendy Anderson
Director of Music



Health & PE Learning Area Report

Welcome to Health and Physical Education at Ashwood High School. We are looking forward to an exciting year ahead, packed with new experiences and learning opportunities.

Firstly, I would like to give a warm welcome to our new students and look forward to meeting you all soon.

Just a few reminders about PE uniform:

Students are to wear the FULL PE UNIFORM on the days they have PE practical and Sport.

At the beginning of the Term, in line with our CHOIR expectations, students were given an outline of what is expected in terms of PE uniform. Should parents/guardians have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your child’s HPE teacher. The student planner outlines the PE uniform expectations.

For new parents/guardians, and a reminder for those returning, should your child not be able to participate in their practical class, please send your child with a note (or email your child’s teacher) outlining the reasons. We will be guided by your child’s health professional for returning to physical activity due to injury.

In 2022, Year 10HPE classes are semester subjects. As a result, we have adapted and improved our curriculum to encourage students to become life long physical activity participants. Currently students are finishing a Cultural Games unit where they learnt to play a variety of sports from around the world, such as Jianzi (China), Mer Kai (Torres Strait Islands) and Korbo (Ethiopia). We are finishing the term off with a three-week program at the Mount Waverley Bowls Club where students will be introduced to the sport of Lawn Bowls. Please ensure consent and payment is made by the due date. Look out in the next newsletter for the photos.
  

Our Year 10 Sports Science elective is busy participating in a variety of laboratory activities, focusing on our body systems. Below are two photos of students engaging in fitness tests where they will analyse the muscles and contractions used in each test.

 

Year 9 students have been learning about the key ideas used Invasion Games, such as creating space, keeping possession of the ball, etc then adapting these when participating in a sport. It has been exciting to see students learning how to transfer skills from one movement activity to another.

We have VCE Health and Human Development running in 2022, and I wish our Year 12 students every success this year.

As you can read, it has been a busy but energising start to 2022, and I have no doubt the rest of the year is also going to be just as amazing!

Keep active,

Allison Phillips
Health and Physical Education Learning Area Coordinator



LOTE Learning Area Report

The LOTE Department is indeed entering exciting times at Ashwood High School. Both Years 11 and 12 French classes are preparing in earnest for various assessments and the Year 12s are beginning to think of their end of year exams.

Our Year 12 French class recently completed their first School Assessed Coursework – a role-play in which they had to negotiate the advantages and disadvantages of taking a gap year (une année sabbatique). The students came up with colourful scripts and worked hard to memorise them from cue cards. Acting and expressive skills were also on display as students took on their roles with aplomb.

The extra tuition options increase for our Years 9 – 12 students, with an extra session being offered on Fridays. This session, run after school is to assist students with their writing and reading skills. Madame Marie will run these sessions, offering feedback, tuition and short revision tasks for those seeking extra help with their French studies. Bring your work with you and a studious spirit to classroom G04, Friday after school.

The French Conversation Club continues to assist students with their spoken French at Tuesday lunchtimes in classroom G01. Students can work on an upcoming oral assessment for extra practice, or can practice their general conversation with Mr Rayner or fellow students in an environment, which offers support on pronunciation, fluency and sentence structure. We look forward to seeing students there.

Alistair Rayner
LOTE Learning Area Coordinator



Director of Sport Report

Welcome back to another year of Ashwood High School Interschool Sport. We will be looking to produce some even better results this year, as we have been steadily growing (both in enrolments and winning teams) since 2016.

You may have noticed the event on Compass titled: Sports Carnivals 2022 – (House Name/Tutor Group). This year, all 3 major whole school sporting carnivals, Swimming, Cross Country & Athletics have been bundled into one Compass event. This is to make it easy for families to make one payment of $40 which will cover the cost of running all three sporting carnivals.

Parents and guardians are encouraged to do this as soon as possible as the first major sporting carnival of the year, the Swimming Carnival, will take place on Monday 28 March 2022.

Here is the list of upcoming interschool sports days in Term 1:

As always, if you have any questions, please email me at: tom.grbac@education.vic.gov.au

I look forward to another year at the helm as the Director of Sport and continuing to grow from a good to great sporting school.

Tom Grbac
Director of Sport




Sports Activities Report

Dear Students, Staff and Families,

It has been an exciting start for students to begin 2022 at Ashwood High School. Term 1 has seen the return of the Ashwood Basketball League (ABL), which is a lunchtime Basketball competition showcasing the best talent on offer at Ashwood High School.

The interest and excitement around the ABL have been amazing in 2022 and, to put things into perspective, in 2021 there were 12 teams in the ABL and this year we have had a record number of 18 teams entering the competition. The grading game phase is currently underway, and the knockout rounds will begin from Week 6.

Students should be extremely proud of themselves for electing to participate in the ABL this term as they are showcasing many of the schools CHOIR values in doing so.

I would also like to commend all the students who come down every lunchtime to create the incredible atmosphere around the stadium, and those students who control the music selection to add another layer to the hype around the ABL.

The ABL is scheduled to finish up by the end of the term so there is still plenty of time to showcase the great talents of the Ashwood High School students.

Here is a look ahead at what is on offer as the sport lunchtime activities for the other three terms in 2022.

  • Term 2: APL (Ashwood Premier League)
  • Term 3: ANL (Ashwood Netball League)
  • Term 4: Ashwood Benches League

 
James Boarotto
Sports Activities Coordinator




Debating & Public Speaking Report

Ashwood Debating Club has been off to a great start in 2022 with an influx of many new students. Our Year 9 team is larger this year than ever before, with many student leaders from the Middle School working hard to improve their public speaking skills further. We also welcome back our returning Year 10 students, and congratulate Angela Hewerdine, 11C, who begins her second year as Debating Prefect.

This year, Ashwood High School has been invited to participate at the West Japan Model United Nations conference, hosted by Fukuoka International School in Japan. We will be delighted to send an Ashwood delegation to participate online comprising of the following students:


Angela Hewerdine, 11C (Head Delegate)


Emma Hew, 10Z


Joshua Aitken, 9F


Daisy Harvison, 9Z


Celina Hewerdine, 9F


Ved Karve, 9Z


Wesley Pryor, 9F


Leah Ried, 9Z


Connor Russo, 9Z


Fatema Sajid, 9Z

Over the course of three days in April, these students will be representing individual countries to debate various global issues and to develop draft resolutions. For many, this will be the single most challenging activity in their academic lives so far, and we wish them success in the conference.

Ronald Lee
Debating/Public Speaking Coordinator



International Student Program

In Term 1 2022, we have 39 international students at Ashwood High School. Among them, 18 are homestay students. Our students are from China, Vietnam, South Korea, Greece, USA and Indonesia.

I am so pleased to welcome four new international students, Peter Nguyen, Ivan Shi, Gloria Li and Kaile Wang to join Ashwood High School in Term 1 2022. I am sure you will find Ashwood High School a warm family for you.

I would also like to welcome seven returned online learners to finally arrive at school after a 2-year Australian border closure. Yufei Wang, Kaisheng Hou, Yuhang Meng, Jialu Cai, Chenwei Zhang, Bing Tang and Ziming Zhuang, your journey to Australia was not an easy one. I am proud of your achievement in online learning last year and I am sure you would cherish the opportunity to study at Ashwood High School and put every effort into improving your learning outcomes and enhancing your study experiences.

In the Year of Tiger, I wish everyone as energetic and vigorous as a tiger (虎虎生威) and rocket towards your dream like a tiger with wings (如虎添翼)!

2022 is a year for you to make lots of positive memories. All Ashwood High School staff is here to support you to achieve your potential and dreams.

Yonghong Williams
International Student Manager

Dear International students

It is my great honour to be the International Student Captain for 2022.

First, welcome to students who have just arrived from overseas or other schools. I am excited to see you joining our warm school community. I hope you will get to know your peers and make new friends at school soon.

In the Year of Tiger, we will support each other and build a more dynamic and inclusive international student community at Ashwood High School. So please feel free to have a chat with me any time if you have any problems or good ideas. I am always here for you!

Anthony Zhu
International Student Captain


Submissions for 2022 Student Arrivals Social Media Campaign
Our newly arrived students, Yufei Wang and Kaisheng Hou, participated in the student arrivals social media campaign in January 2022. Here are their submissions and you can find the Chinese version on DET’s WeChat account here: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/AJcjd5PyjuT_EXWUwnfDYg

I suggest that new students read and follow Australian travel policies before returning to Australia. Make sure you complete the Australia Travel Declaration as required. Bring your vaccine certificate, passport, evidence of your PCR test result within 72 hours with you. The most important thing is that you must take protective measures and wear a medical mask all the time on your trip to Australia. 

You need a healthy body to enjoy the beautiful city of Melbourne. Looking forward to your coming!

Yufei Wang, Year 11

It is very exciting to be back in Melbourne to continue our study in person and we can discover Australian culture and socialise with our friends.

 The most important thing is to have all the required travel documents ready before departure as missing any of these documents may result in you not being able to enter Melbourne. (Travel declaration, Passport etc.) Be sure to check regularly for the latest travel policies in Australia a few days before departure. It is best to be able to travel with students from the same school in case there are situations that you cannot handle on your own.

Keep in touch with your International Student Manager because they can help you in any situation in Australia.

 After arriving in Melbourne, follow the local Covid restrictions and prevention policy for isolation including PCR or RAT test.

 It is not very easy to accept and adapt to a new environment, but we need to try and settle ourselves in here. It's normal to feel lonely sometimes. Hanging out with new friends or classmates will help with a quicker adaptation to the new environment in Australia.

Kaisheng Hou, Year 11



Education Resource Centre Report


The Education Resource Centre’s mission is to promote information literacy and support teaching and learning at Ashwood High School by providing students and staff with access to relevant, well-managed information resources.

Open Hours
This term the ERC is open as a quiet study space, at lunchtimes and after school. We close at 3:30pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and 4:30pm on Tuesdays, and Thursdays.

Online Access
Our Infiniti library management system provides staff and students with anywhere, anytime access to the ERC’s catalogue, and online resources. To access the homepage, follow this link or go to, Compass > Star Icon > Library System.

Research
The ERC facilitates student research with easily accessible, up-to-date resources in a variety of formats. In addition to our broad collection of non-fiction books, the ERC provides access to two, excellent, online research databases, Links Plus, and Britannica School, as well as the educational video database, ClickView and the media issues database, Echo Online. All of these online resources are searchable through the ERC’s catalogue, and they are highly recommended as initial go-to sites for all student research.

Reading
Reading makes us happier and more creative. To broaden the reading culture that exists at Ashwood High School the ERC has a wonderful, ever-growing, fiction collection full of classic novels and popular favourites. The collection also includes highly acclaimed graphic novels and audiobooks. All items are available for loan and all loans must be registered before leaving the ERC.

Remember to find time to enjoy reading every day.

Matt Feeney
Education Resource Centre Coordinator

 



Parent and Community Partnerships - Parents & Friends Network




Fundraising, Revenue & Building Works

Parent Payments
Ashwood High School values the high level of support it receives from parents and families. Your contributions continue to assist us to broaden the educational experience of our students.  It has allowed us to provide: 

  • Leadership and team building sessions
  • New lockers for all students
  • New classroom furniture
  • Award ceremonies
  • Education Resource Centre equipment – Library Fund donations
  • New outdoor learning centre – Building Fund donations
  • Classroom resources
  • Gym equipment
  • Media equipment and resources
  • Art equipment and resources

In order for students to enjoy the opportunities that this extra funding provides, please check Parent Payments on your Compass Portal.  Methods of payment can be found on the portal.  This funding does make a difference to our students.

Thank you to families who paid prior to the end of the year and to families who have paid this year your contributions are greatly appreciated. 

Camps Sport Excursion Fund
CSEF applications can be submitted to reception by Friday 24 June 2022.  For secondary school students the amount received will be $225.00.  This funding must be spent on school camps, swimming and school organised sport programs, outdoor education programs, excursions and incursions.

Accident Insurance and Ambulance Cover
Parents/Guardians are reminded that the Department does not provide personal accident insurance or ambulance cover for students. Parents and guardians of students, who do not have student accident insurance/ambulance cover, are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance attendance or transport as well as any other transport costs.

As there is no whole-of-school policy for student accidents or ambulance cover, you are reminded that:

  • parents/guardians of students, who do not have student accident insurance, are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance attendance or transport as well as any other transport costs; and
  • parents or guardians can purchase insurance policies from commercial insurers.

Personal Property
Parents or Guardians and Staff are reminded that the Department does not hold insurance for personal property brought to schools and it has no capacity to pay for any loss or damage to such property.

This includes mobile phones, calculators, toys, sporting equipment and cars parked on school premises. therefore students and staff are discouraged from bringing any unnecessary or particularly valuable items to school.

Resources

  • Capital Works Program – Senior STEAM and Research Building.
  • Classroom resources
  • New photocopiers have been installed in all buildings – student and staff use
  • Routine inspections for the school are scheduled for 2022 eg evacuation system
  • A new office has been installed in Building E
  • New lockers
  • OH&S matters continue to be maintained

 

Traffic
A warning to the school community to read parking restrictions signs outside the school.  The City of Monash frequent Vannam Drive during pick up and drop off times to ensure the safety of the school community on the roads.  Families have received infringement notices/fines in the past for stopping and letting their children out of the car in restricted areas.  A caution to students to use the attended crossing during drop off and pick up. Vannam Drive is a busy thoroughfare during the day and student safety is of utmost importance. 

The Administration Car Park is for visitors only and not for student drop off or pick up.

Schools’ Privacy Policy
The Department of Education and Training (the Department) values your privacy and is committed to protecting information that schools collect.

All staff including contractors, service providers and volunteers of the Department, and all Victorian government schools (schools), must comply with Victorian privacy law and this policy.

In Victorian government schools, the management of ‘personal information’ and ‘health information’ is governed by Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014 (Vic) and Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) (collectively, Victorian privacy law). In addition, the Department and Victorian government schools must comply with the Victorian Data Sharing Act 2017.

This policy explains how Victorian government schools collect and manage personal and health information, consistent with Victorian privacy law and other associated legislation.

Schools' privacy policy (education.vic.gov.au)

Debbie Whitehouse
Director of Business