Edition #15, 14th August 2020

Principal's Report

Announcement from Premier Andrews

Last week Premier Andrews made an announcement that a process will be introduced by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) to help alleviate the 鈥渁dverse impacts of Coronavirus鈥� on Year 12 students this year, particularly as these may be reflected in the Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR). This 鈥淐onsideration of Educational Disadvantage鈥� sounds like it will be applied in a similar way to the process that is currently used for individuals seeking 鈥渟pecial consideration鈥�, but will be more wide ranging. We await more specific advice as to exactly how this process will be undertaken and Mrs Greenwood, Head Senior Years, will make this information known as soon as it becomes available. Mrs Greenwood also discusses this announcement further in this edition of The Lighthouse.

I continue to offer my encouragement to all of our students, and our Year 12s especially, to stay focused on completing each task to the best of their ability and use the time that they have with their teachers as productively as possible. It is completely understandable that they are uncertain as to how the year will finish, we all are, but the VCAA are resolute that the General Achievement Test (GAT) will occur on October 7, exams will proceed in accordance with the new timetable, and students will get a statement of results by December 30. We should all continue to prepare accordingly.

There is great support available at the College. Please do not hesitate to contact the subject teacher, mentor, or Year Level Coordinators should you have concerns.

Wellbeing Day - Friday, 28th August

Please note that there will not be any classes conducted on Friday 28th August to allow for a Wellbeing Day. The feedback from our Wellbeing Day in Term 2 was overwhelmingly positive and the chance to down tools and catch our breath was found to be very beneficial for both students and teachers. There will also be no supervision of students onsite on this date.

Parent Student Teacher Interviews and Subject Selection Expo

By necessity, our Parent Teacher Interviews and Subject Selection Expo will need to take a new 鈥渧irtual鈥� form this year. Significant planning has been put into ensuring that these meetings are purposeful and as easy for you to access as possible. Of course, we are entering new territory and seek your understanding if these events have some minor limitations. There is also trepidation from some staff about conducting meetings in their family homes. I know that you will appreciate, only too well, the challenges faced with conducting your work from a busy family home and will be generous in response. Deputy Principal, Mr Box, has provided a detailed outline of the arrangements for Parent Teacher Interviews and the Subject Selection Expo in this edition of The Lighthouse.

Year 7 2021 Information Night

The first Information Night for guardians of students joining 文轩探花 for Year 7 in 2021 will be conducted on Monday night. As has become the pattern in 2020, we will be meeting with our incoming families in a virtual environment and endeavouring to share the important information they need about the transition from primary to secondary school. A number of the normal orientation activities will need to be planned differently this year, but we hope the next generation of our students remain excited about joining 文轩探花 and we will be making every effort to ensure that we extend a warm welcome.

Enrolments and re-enrolments for 2022

Families received a request from the College Registrar last week to log in to the and indicate that they are seeking re-enrolment for current 文轩探花 students and update any details that may have changed since last year. Can I please ask that you complete this process today, as requested, to assist in our planning for 2021. Should you have any questions you are asked to contact the Registrar. Enrolment deadlines for Year 7 2022 have been extended in response to the disruption we have experienced this year. Enrolment will now close on October 9 and applications can be made here.

Launch of College Website

Since early February, our marketing team has been working with a website development company to update the College website and produce a more user friendly interface for the wider community. The new website has gone live this week and, as you may have noticed, it incorporates The Lighthouse. We hope that the new website is easier to access on smaller mobile devices as this was one of the limitations in the older versions. Thank you to Mr Ben Johnson, Mrs Janet Blackwell, Mrs Rebecca Presta and Ms Emily Scott who worked so diligently on this project.

VRQA Visit

The Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority (VRQA) is charged with the responsibility to accredit non government schools in Victoria and, every five years, schools are required to demonstrate that they comply with all legislative and safety requirements. This year it is our turn and, today, we have met with an assessor to demonstrate our high levels of compliance. Thanks to Mrs Janet Blackwell, Director of Marketing and Development, who has coordinated the collection of all of the evidence that we need to produce for this purpose. We also continue our preparations for reaccreditation with the Council of International Schools (CIS) which has now been deferred until March 2021 given travel restrictions.

Darren Atkinson
Principal

Learning @ 文轩探花

On 18th August parents and families who have a student studying a VCE subject or doing VCAL will have an opportunity to meet with subject teachers. On 27th August, families of students in Years 7-10 will be able to meet with Homeroom Teachers (HRT) or Mentors. While in all of these meetings we will discuss progress - what has happened so far - the main purpose of the meeting meeting will be about the future, what should we continue with, what needs to change, how can we harness the College curriculum to make the most out of your son or daughter鈥檚 talents and interests.

While much of what we do will be similar to parent meetings you have attended in the past, there are some things that will be significantly different. The most obvious of these is that the parent(s), family members, student and teacher will not be in the same room and this might have some teething issues. The VCE/VCAL meeting is to talk about individual subjects, the Year 7 and the Years 8-10 subject selection is to discuss overall progress, but many of the parameters are the same.

Being on time and using only the allocated time will be important. VCE/ VCAL meetings have been allocated 8 minutes, HRT/Mentor meetings 12 minutes. If you have a matter that will take longer than this, or involves more than just the teacher, contact the Year Level or Team Leader to organise a longer phone or video communication.
We are inviting each other, virtually, into our homes. We will tell 文轩探花 staff to prepare for you as guests, although unfortunately the best aspect of visiting, food, will not be able to be shared. We will send out more specific details about access immediately prior to the evenings.
Some of the annoying things about Parent/Teacher night like finding rooms, parking, not getting appointments close together may not pose the same problems.
Any concerns that you have should still be addressed to leaders of years or Heads of Years. You should feel free to make follow up phone calls to leaders.
The Subject Selection evening will still have displays, information sessions and opportunities to talk to teachers one on one about what is best for your child, as well as the meeting with the HRT/Mentor
For students who are making subject choices, the next two weeks are a key time to really watch the information from the school. There will be information packages, usernames and passwords for submitting subjects and details about pathways, careers, VCAL and VET and individual subjects.
Parents can see the Subject Selection Web on . To reiterate the key element of choosing subjects as detailed on this page:
Part of what you need to do to make choices about subjects is to have an understanding of your own interests and ability. The three most common questions asked to help are:
- What do you like?
- What are you good at?
- What do you need for the future?

This will be something new and we will have some trepidation about it, but in the last few months you as parents, we as teachers and, most importantly, the students have overcome bigger hurdles.

Michael Box
Deputy Principal Learning

A Time to Find our Sense of Future

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As we reach the halfway point in the term, it is important to encourage the students to maintain focus on what we aim to achieve as a learning community; 鈥渢o develop and to grow as learners鈥�. Students and their teachers have continued to meet on-line, work remotely, and it is my estimation that they have mostly made very positive progress through good effort and dedication. I believe that the current approach to the Continuing Learning Plan has been much better received by the students, as staff appear to be much better prepared for the uncertainties and certainly far more able to make the necessary adjustments to their courses and infrastructures for the delivery of programs more effectively. Considering the impact that the current lockdown is having on the community, with restrictions far greater than ever, I believe that our community has adapted well. However, it is important to maintain this approach, and to also seek support from the College or other networks if your child is experiencing any particular challenges that you may not have the opportunity to address at home. If your child has not been able to fulfill their responsibilities, please ensure to seek guidance and support to improve the situation.听

It is important to consider that the restrictions will not last forever, and that 2021 will hopefully bring opportunities which begin right now. The next couple of weeks will yet again provide the opportunity for the College to try to do things differently to what was once upon a time, 鈥渢he norm鈥�. Remotely, and on-line, parents will have the opportunity to check in with key staff at the College to discuss the progress of the students. This is a great opportunity to engage in discussions about what has been achieved, what is to come, and how you will need to continue to be a big part of the process. You will have the chance to ask questions and to also provide some feedback to staff as to how your child is progressing at home while staff will equally inform you on their experiences, considerations and recommendations. On Tuesday 18 of August, the College will hold VCE Parent/Teacher conferences. All students will conclude their school day at 1.00pm. This is inclusive of students who currently physically attend the College. On Thursday 27 and Friday 28 August, there are no scheduled classes for students.听

Please note that from 2.00pm on Thursday 27 August, the College will hold Parent/Teacher meetings for Years 7-10. These interviews are an opportunity for you to meet your child鈥檚 respective Homeroom Teacher or Learning Mentor. Again, meetings will take place on-line. There will also be a subject selection expo for you to gather information as to the options for your child as they progress into the next school year in 2021. This will be an important time to engage with staff who have a good understanding of how your child may be progressing and who can advise you on the relevance of subjects and the child鈥檚 sense of future.

The Victorian State Government announced at the weekend that it would fund mental health support agencies in response to what has been an increase in the seeking of mental health aid听 by the extended community, citing alarming figures which outline an increase of approximately 25% of people attending emergency support in hospitals and the alarming confirmation by Beyond Blue that out of all the contact made with their service in the last month, 66% are of Victorians seeking assistance and guidance as they battle the mental challenges that the current state of affairs bring. The world is definitely a very different place to what it was 6 months ago, and although the times we have shared as a community in our the battle with COVID-19 have brought upon opportunities to grow, there have also been challenges that have continually made us respond and react in ways that may be foreign and perhaps even painful to our mental health. It is important to keep monitoring how your children are dealing with the current situation. It is important that the students understand how valuable they are to our community and how relevant it is to seek support when needed. If you or your child require health advice or support, I suggest that you visit your GP. Alternatively, you can contact the Youth and Family Centre at the College: yfc@aquinas.vic.edu.au

The following support services are valuable entities which can assist you and your family if there is a need:

Mr Andrew Fuller provides a and screening any possible concerns with mental health. It may be useful to you. As always, please feel free to make contact with me if there are any questions.

Dr Nap Rodezno
Deputy Principal

Senior Years & Middle Years Report

Senior Years Report

In the last edition of The Lighthouse, the focus was on Year 12s, especially those contemplating tertiary study. Since then there have been some considerable changes to the way that VCE scores are to be agreed upon which directly impacts ATARs. Last week, James Merlino, the Victorian Education Minister, made a public announcement on the way the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority is implementing what is being called a consideration of educational disadvantage process. What that process is designed to do is assess the disruption to learning caused by the pandemic to each individual and compensate in some way for the significant impact of school closures and the increased responsibilities and effect of COVID 19 on students鈥� health and wellbeing.

Currently, schools are not exactly clear what our role will be. We are trying, however to be as transparent as we can be to minimise confusion and indeed anxiety in our senior students. They have all been sent a copy of the letter Merlino has composed plus a copy of that missive .

Continuing the theme of the last fortnight, Year 10 and 11 students are also making choices. Although it will look very different from previous years, the very popular Subject Selection Expo will continue. Furthermore, mentors will continue to play a vital role in stepping students through the subject selection website. Ms. McLaughlin, the Pathways coordinator, and Ms. Fran Jennings, the Careers Counsellor, have been very involved with the Year 10 cohort helping them plan their respective pathways, ensuring that they keep options open and are making choices from a position of knowledge. Naturally, parents and guardians are often the students鈥� best advocates and sounding boards so to assist you to assist your offspring, Ms. McLaughlin and Ms Jennings have put together the following course links and information.

Year 12

Yr 11

Yr 10

Meredith Greenwood
Head Senior Years

Middle Years Report

Building a sense of connectedness and valuing perseverance are two attributes that the College endeavours to instill in our young people. Over the coming weeks there will be various opportunities for students to reach out and connect with each other beyond the regular homeroom activities. We look forward to the 5 week House Challenge, Excellence Assemblies and subject selections.

I would like to acknowledge the efforts of the Student Leadership group in developing The 5 week House Challenge. This initiative provides the whole College an opportunity to join in and have some fun together. The student body have arranged diverse weekly topics to ensure that each individual has the chance to contribute to their House spirit. It may not be everyone鈥檚 cup of tea to create an art piece this week however we encourage all students to be part of the fun in their own way. Belonging and connectedness is not about being the best artist or cook in the competition rather it is nurtured through the respectful encouragement of others, showing interest in classmates contributions, refraining from putting an idea down, giving things a go or just taking an interest in how their House is going through the Challenge website. I hope everyone allows themselves to get caught up in fun.

In the coming weeks Middle Years students will need to get up and ready for school a little earlier. There will be several extended Homeroom times to cater for a number of assemblies that have been prepared to deliver important information and celebrate student success. This Monday, 17th August, Years 8 and 9 Homerooms will begin at 8.45am. On this day students will be given an introduction to subject selections and the parent teacher interviews. For Year 9s only there will be an additional presentation in Homerooms on Friday 24th August at 8.45am to address the further information specific to entering the senior school. Year 7 presentations will take place in the following week.

Following on from the subject selection, students will also be participating in the Year Level Excellence Assemblies where we look forward to awarding High Achievement along with celebrating effort and improvement shown in each subject area.

Rachel Crawley
Head Middle Years

Wellbeing Matters

Waiting and Mental Health

Have you found yourself saying 鈥淚 can鈥檛 wait for...鈥�? Understandably we can鈥檛 wait for a number of things like level four restrictions to be lifted. To enjoy the freedom of simple pleasures like dinner out or catching up with friends for coffee or watching a game of football in a crowded MCG (remember those days). We can鈥檛 wait for this pandemic to be over!

COVID 19 has revealed many things, our inability to wait might impact our wellbeing more than we realise. The health and wellbeing benefits of mindful meditation in many forms is well documented. Even our AFL footballers are using mindful techniques in quarter time huddles. Learning how to slow down, be still and listening with a calm mind is essential for our mental health and wellbeing. This is not a new concept, it dates back to ancient time right here in Australia. Aboriginal people recognise Dadirri builds wellbeing.

Dadirri means inner, deep listening and quiet, still awareness. It is a 'tuning in' experience with the specific aim to come to a deeper understanding of the beauty of nature. Dadirri recognises the inner spirit that calls us to reflection and contemplation of the wonders of all God's creation. Indigenous Australians have a special respect and sacred connection with the land, listening and waiting. Miriam Rose, celebrated aboriginal artist and educator invites us to share in what she describes as the 鈥渢he most unique gift鈥� indigenous people can share with all Australians, Dadirri an inner deep listening, self-awareness and recognition of the 鈥渄eep spring that is inside each of us鈥�. Members of our 文轩探花 community have been lucky enough to experience Dadirri first hand visiting Daley river where Miram was born and works as a celebrated educator providing extraordinary service and contribution to others, art and education in the Northern Territory. Miriam reminds us of the importance of waiting, that there is nothing more important than what we are attending to right now for wellbeing. Miriam explains 鈥淲e (aboriginal people) don鈥檛 mind waiting because we want things to be done with care…. We cannot hurry the river, we need to move with the current and understand its way鈥�.

A strong sense of community where all of us belong and learning by listening with a calm mind builds wellbeing in particular nourishing our mental health and wellbeing amidst uncertainty. 文轩探花 has encouraged all students to practice mindfulness as a way of building wellbeing but also enhancing learning. A common way many people learn is by asking questions. We can also learn from creating stillness in our lives to listen, watch and connect with others on a deeper level. A focus on wellbeing in Homeroom and Mentor sessions continues in Term 3 with a range of opportunities designed to support our students in navigating the turbulence of uncertain times or to wait this pandemic out. I encourage you all find some time in your day to be still and wait. Waiting gives us an opportunity to appreciate each other, restore our mental health and tap into as Dadirri describes as 鈥渢he deep spring within us鈥�.

The following links offer further explanation into Dadirri. Watching these short clips is a great thing to do for your mental health. I hope this offers you increased peace of mind during challenging times.

Cheryl Kane
Child safety and Wellbeing Coordinator

SPECIAL REPORT: Riding the Corona Coaster Across Victoria - Michael Carr Gregg

Across Victoria, students and their families are experiencing challenging times with the state being in various stages of lockdown yet again. Riding this corona coaster and navigating the ups and downs of the current reality is proving to be confronting for many people. In this Special Report, families are encouraged to embrace the guidance offered to help minimise the impact of this corona coaster.

Student Voice - Our Year 11 Students

What is the first place you are going to go after restrictions have eased?

At the moment, we are all surely feeling familiar with听our neighbourhood - after all, it鈥檚 the only place听where we鈥檙e allowed to exercise since new听restrictions came into place. Some people may have听even walked every street in their 5km radius (not听looking at you Brighton Karen). But when听restrictions are finally eased in hopefully just over a听week鈥檚 time, what is going to be the first thing you听will do with your newfound freedom? I asked some听members of our cohort what the first place they will听go to after the current stage 4 restrictions have been听eased will be, and these were their responses.

Reuben Steen
Year 11听

鈥淚鈥檇 probably go to the park or something and have a picnic with friends because friends and food are two of the better things in life lol鈥�

Tanisha Wu

鈥淲hen lockdown is over the first place I鈥檒l go to is the beach, the holidays weren鈥檛 very exciting sitting at home for two weeks, so when lockdown is over it鈥檒l be nice to finally do something fun, hopefully by the time lockdown is over it鈥檒l be nice and warm.鈥澨�

Toby Box

鈥淲herever my friends are鈥澨�

Danny May

鈥淎fter Quarantine 2.0 is over, the first thing I want to do is get KFC before going to a cinema and watching a movie. Just the experience of being able to be around strangers and not have to distance myself, just being able to pass them in the seats and听say 鈥榚xcuse me鈥� as I crouch run in front of them before we all sit down and experience a peaceful quiet between us but still acknowledge the company. After that, I'm going straight back home to bed where I鈥檝e been for the past 6 weeks to take a听lengthy nap.鈥�

Rachael Prete

鈥淭he first place that I will visit after quarantine will听most likely be my nan鈥檚 house or my mates.听Socialising has been hard in quarantine so that will听be my first priority.鈥澨�

Lloyd Hulands

鈥淭he first place I'll go will most likely be to a friend's place, not seeing them for such a long time is weird considering I spend so much time with them otherwise.鈥澨�

Seb Perello

鈥淚'm going to the beach. Even if it isn't hot. I haven't been in a really long time and I miss playing on the sand with my little siblings, or swimming in the ocean.鈥澨�

Maddie Fernandes

Sports News: EISM 2000 to today

Over the past 20 years, the EISM Sport Association has continued to grow. Currently there are 21 schools and over 13,000 students in the association.

Currently the schools involved are:

ALPHINGTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL ( Aphington)
文轩探花 COLLEGE
BIALIK COLLEGE ( Hawthorn)
BILLANOOK COLLEGE ( Mooroolbark)
DONVALE CHRISTIAN COLLEGE ( Donvale)
ELTHAM COLLEGE ( Eltham)
EMMAUS COLLEGE ( Vermont Sth)
HUNTINGTOWER SCHOOL ( Mt Waverley)
KILVINGTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL ( Ormond)
THE KING DAVID SCHOOL (Armadale)
KINGSWOOD COLLEGE ( Box Hill)
THE KNOX SCHOOL ( Wantirna Sth)
LUTHER COLLEGE ( Croydon)
MT LILYDALE MERCY COLLEGE ( Lilydale)
MT SCOPUS MEMORIAL COLLEGE (Burwod)
NUNAWADING CHRISTIAN COLLEGE ( Nunawading)
OAKLEIGH GRAMMAR ( Oakleigh)
OXLEY CHRISTIAN COLLEGE ( Chirnside Park)
PLENTY VALLEY CHRISTIAN COLLEGE ( Doreen)
MELBOURNE RUDOLF STEINER SCHOOL ( Warranwood)
TINTERN GRAMMAR ( East Ringwood)

The Association decided with the amount of schools, it would operate in divisions for weekly sport. There are 3 divisions operating currently - Eastern (schools with enrolment greater than 600 students), Central (400-600 students) and Southern (less than 400 students). 文轩探花 competes in the Eastern division with Billanook, Donvale, Emmaus, Luther, Mt Lilydale, Mt Scopus & Tintern

Over the past 20 years, 文轩探花 has continued to be very successful in the Eastern Division in weekly sport winning many competitions in the Year 9 and Senior programs. The number of sports offered in the association has also continued to increase. EISM has brought into weekly sport at different times (those marked with asterisk are no longer played) - Touch Football, Ultimate Frisbee, Lawn Bowls, Ten Pin Bowling*, Golf*, Indoor Cricket, Football (Girls), Netball (Boys), Softball (Boys), Badminton, Indoor Soccer (Boys) and European Handball*.

A number of the senior weekly sports also offer the opportunity to continue to the next level to compete in State tournaments representing the EISM association. Currently the sports that offer this are Football, Soccer, Boys Cricket, Badminton, Lawn Bowls. 文轩探花 has won many premierships in Senior and Year 9 competitions in the 20 years from 2001-2020.

One of the reasons 文轩探花 has been successful over the time has been due to the staff/coaches who have been involved with the teams. A lot of 文轩探花 staff are always eager to be involved in EISM Sport and keen for their teams to succeed. We have had many different staff involved and not just PE staff who are eager to coach/guide our students in the different teams.

In the Swimming carnivals...文轩探花 has had many different results over the past 20 years. 文轩探花 has competed in Division 1 for 18 years of the 20 years and had two years in Division 2. For most of the time during this period we have finished usually between 4th and 6th in the carnivals. This year was our best result in a very long time, finishing 3rd in Division 1.

In the Athletics Carnivals...from 2001 to 2020, 文轩探花 has been competing in the EISM Division 1 competition. In every year we have competed, we have either won the competition or finished 2nd. A great effort.

In the Cross Country Carnivals...from 2001 to 2020, 文轩探花 is in the Eastern Division competing against the schools from the Eastern section of the EISM schools. In majority of the other years, 文轩探花 has finished 2nd and occasionally 3rd overall

文轩探花