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ANNUAL REPORT

2015

1010 Mickleham Road, Greenvale Vic 3059 www.aitkencollege.edu.au

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Contents

Overview 3 College Vision, Mission and Aims Statement 3 Governance 4 Staff 5 Staff Workforce Composition, Attendance and Retention 11 Staff Professional Learning 12 Teaching and Learning 12 NAPLAN Results 13 VCE Report 16 VCAL Report 17 VET Report 20 Careers Education 21 Learning Centre 24 Student Composition, Attendance and Retention 25 Student Wellbeing and Satisfaction 26 School Reports 26 eLearning 32 Performing Arts 33 Visual Arts 34 Sport 36 Languages 36 Parents 37 Parent Satisfaction 37 Alumni 39 Interact Club 40 Sustainability and Environment 41 Faith Development 42 Finance 44 Capital Works and Property Management 45

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Overview Aitken College is a co-educational, independent Uniting Church school catering for students of all faiths and religious denominations in the northwest region of Melbourne.

Students are encouraged to develop a love of learning and we make every effort to ensure that they possess the skills, resources and motivation which will lead to a lifetime of learning. We endeavour to embrace a broad curriculum that is academically rigorous, which fosters personal, moral and spiritual awareness and understanding and develops a breadth of life skills, as well as balancing essential knowledge with a choice of pathways in the final years of schooling, including VCE, VCAL and VET studies.

We particularly encourage students to develop a sense of service to others, especially to those less fortunate in the community. For this reason, they are encouraged to develop community relationships where individuals will interact in such a way that it will lead to a deeper understanding of human needs and a desire to actively engage in meeting those needs.

All students are encouraged to examine the faith and teaching of the Christian Church in the light of their own belief system, and those of others, in order that they develop spiritual understanding of themselves and others. In particular, they are encouraged to develop a set of values and code of ethics which is Christian based so that they will make valued contributions in the community in which they live.

The Vision, Mission and Aims statements of the College underpin the School’s philosophy and core principles.

Vision The vision for Aitken College is to develop and support a learning community of students, staff and their families in a faith partnership with the Uniting Church in Australia.

Mission Building on a foundation of Christian values, the mission of Aitken College is to enable students to become informed and compassionate members of the wider community by inspiring academic achievement and creativity, nurturing self-worth, encouraging environmental responsibility and committing to service with and for others.

Aitken College will aim to:

• Make the Christian faith relevant through an understanding of its major teachings and by encouraging a personal faith journey.

• Inspire and challenge students to realise their intellectual potential and equip them for life-long learning. • Promote and develop creativity and self-expression. • Enable each student to realise their self-worth in a safe, healthy and happy environment that responds

to personal and community needs. • Encourage individuals and the community to take responsibility for the environment and to act

accordingly. • Instil in students a sense of service and concern for the needs of others.

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Guiding Values • Learning – All members of the community can learn and need engaging, productive and supportive

learning opportunities • Creativity – Members of the community are encouraged to explore creative ways in engaging with the

world • Respect – Members of the community are encouraged to demonstrate responsibility, integrity and

accountability • Relationships – Members of the community are encouraged to have positive interactions and

connections • Compassion – Members of the community are encouraged to demonstrate care for self and others.

Governance Aitken College Board

Chair: Rev Clem Dickinson Treasurer: Ms Heather Ackland Deputy Chair Ms Heather Ackland Principal: Mrs Josie Crisara Members: Mrs Helen Adams Mr Steve Craven Mr Robert Evans Mr Doug Mahoney Mr Gus MacAulay Mr Chris Ward In attendance: Finance Manager: Mr Petar Gajic

The Aitken College Board determines the policies by which the College will operate. It identifies strategic needs and puts in place the framework to achieve the most desirable outcomes. Six Board Meetings and the Annual General Meeting were held during 2015.

Regular reviews ensure that issues of risk are well managed, financial accountabilities are met and legal obligations are fulfilled.

Various responsibilities are delegated to committees (Finance and Risk Management, Planning Committee, Nominations Committee and Executive Committee) who undertake detailed examination of their particular area and report back to the Board. Progress reports enable the Board to be informed of each important phase. All Committee recommendations are brought to the Board for ratification and implementation.

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AITKEN COLLEGE STAFF 2015 Teaching Staff

Adams (Mrs) Anne BA, AMusA, GradDipEd, GradDipMusTh (LSL Term 4)

Adams (Mr) Simon BA,GradDipEd, GradDipIR/HRMngt (LSL Term 4)

Aiyappan (Mr) Vincent BA, GradDipT, PostGradCertSecT

Arthur (Mr) Mike BA, DipDesign, DipEd

Batch (Ms) Kerri BEd, MEd

Beale (Rev) Jeanne BA, BTheol, AssDipComDev(SocSc)

Bernes (Mr) Luciano BEd, PostGradStudWel

Boon (Mrs) Jayne BA(Hons), PGCE

Brewer (Mr) Stephen BEd

Camilleri (Mrs) Linda BEd

Capraro (Ms) Laura BEd, GradDipInfoMan

Carta (Ms) Graziella BSc, GradDipEd(Sec) (on parental leave)

Catoggio (Mr) Daniel BBus, GradDipPrimT

Colthup (Miss) Claire BA, PGradCertEd(Drama)

Cooper (Mr) Michael BEd, DipT

Cosgriff (Ms) Seona BA, GradDipEd(Sec) (Term 2,3 and 4)

Craven (Mrs) Lynne HigherDipT(Sec), PostGradDipEdStud

Craven (Mr) Steve BSc, DipEd, MEd

Crisara (Mrs) Josie BSc, GradCertMaths, GradDipEd, MSL, CertIVWorkplaceAssess

Dan (Miss) Raechen BMus(Hons), MMus, GradDipEd(Sec) (From Term 2)

Danger (Mr) Lance BSc, GradDipMin, GradDipArts(Couns), GradDipEd

Dennis (Miss) Sarah BAgSc, PostGradDipEd(Sec)

Di Martino (Mrs) Mary Ann DipTeach, BEd

Di Paola (Mrs) Michaela BEd

Dowling (Mrs) Emma BEd(Hons), BT(EarlyChildhoodEd)

Duell (Ms) Bianca Bed,GradCertRE (Term 4)

Edmonds (Mrs) Rhonda BBus, BA, ThDip, GradDipEd, MA(Hist) (LSL Term 2)

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Eleftheriou (Mr) Tassie BSci, PGDipTeach, MTeach

Flood (Ms) Jacqueline BA, BEd, DipSmaCom

Flynn (Mrs) Caron BEd

Foreman (Miss) Juanita BMus, GradDipTeach&Learn

Forward (Mr) Kim BSc(Hons), GradDipEd, MEdStud (LSL Term 3)

Gilbert (Mrs) Nicole BA, BTeach(Prim)

Gray (Mr) Haydn BEd (Term 2)

Grech (Mr) Mark BEd(Sec), DipBuildDesign&Tech

Hamilton (Mr) Nigel BA(Hons), GradDipEd, GradDipCareers, MEd

Harman (Mr) Alan BEd, CertFinPlan, DipFinPlan, HigherDipT

Harsan (Mrs) Mona BAgSc, DipEd, GradDipInfMngt

Hart (Mrs) Katie BAppSc, GradDipEd

Heasly (Miss) Jane DipT

Herron (Ms) Cristy BSc(ExssPhys), GradDipEd, MA(OutEnviEd), CertIVTrain&Assess

Hester (Ms) Julie BEd(SecArt/Craft) (LSL Term 2)

Hewes (Ms) Alicia BSc(Hons), GradDipEd, MEd

Hilar (Mr) Kopong BAg, BA, GradDipSecEd

Howells (Miss) Sarah BA(Hons), GradDipT, MTeach

Hudson (Dr) Adele BSc(Hons), GradDipEd, PhD(ChemEng)

Hutchinson (Mrs) Christine LLB, GradDipLegPrac, GradDipEd(AppLearn), AMusA(Piano), CertIVTrain&Assess Jarvis-Dymond (Mrs) Belinda BA, GradDipEd

Keegan (Mr) Nigel BEd

Kempen (Mrs) Georgia BAppSc(Disability), GradDipEd

Kerr (Mrs) Mardy BEd(Lib)

Koodravsev (Mr) Linden BA(MedArts&Prod), GradDipSecEd

Koukoullides (Ms) Christalla BA, DipEd

Koullas (Miss) Maria BTeach, BA

Lal (Mr) Titus BSc, PGCE, STTC

Lawless (Mr) Ben BA(Hons), MA, PGDipTeach, CertArts(Soc), MTeach

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Lilley (Mrs) Jenny BA, DipEd, CertIIIBus (LSL Term 2)

Lindsay (Mrs) Stephanie BA, DipEd

Lutton (Miss) Megan BBiomedSc, BSc(Hons), MTeach

Mackrell (Mr) Jason BAppSc(PE), CertIVTrain&Assess, CertIIIFit, CertIVFit

Mahoney (Mrs) Kellie BEd

Mazzarotta (Ms) Carmen BA, DipIntDes, GradDipEd, GradCertRE, PGradStudWelfare

McGregor (Mr) Cameron BAppSc, BTeach, MSc

McKay (Mr) Joel BSc(Ed), MA

McKay (Mrs) Michelle BEd

McNamara (Mrs) Natalie BAppSc(PE)

McPhie (Mr) Ross BEd(ArtandDesign)

Meszaros (Ms) Annamaria BEd, PostGradDegreeLib (LSL Term 3)

Miotello (Mrs) Lucy BBus, GradDipEd, PGradDipComp, MITEd, CertIV WorplaceAssess (Term 3)

Mocko (Mrs) Jacinta BA, PostGradDipTeach(Sec), MTeach

Mollica (Mrs) Wendy BASocialSciences, GradDipEd, PostGradCompEd

Monos (Mrs) Chris BA, DipEd (LSL Term 3)

Motti (Mrs) Josephine BA, DipEd

Moulder (Mr) Peter BSc(Hons), GradDipEd

Murphy (Mr) David BSc, DipEd, GradCertEdLead, MEd

Neophytou (Ms) Kerrie DipEd, BEd, GradCertEarlyChildhdTeach, PostGradEdStud(SpecialEd), MEd

Oreo (Mr) Gordon BEd, CertIVTrain&Asses

Paniagua (Mrs) Rita BA, GradDipEd

Patchell (Mr) Michael BA(Hons), PGCE

Penny (Mr) Ashley BA(Ed), BEd, ReadRecCert

Perri (Mr) Vince BEd, GradDipEdAd, GradCertCathSt

Pocervina (Mrs) Christine BEd, CertIVTrain&Assess

Politini (Mr) Anthony BA(Hons), BTeach(Hons)

Prendergast (Ms) Sandra BCom, BA, GradDipAcc, DipEd, CertIVTrain&Assess

Prentice (Mr) Ben BEd

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Radley (Mrs) Natasha BTeach, BA

Rees (Mr) Ron BEd, DipT, GradDipComp

Reid (Mr) Chris BSci, GradDipSec, MSSc(IntDev)

Robinson (Mr) Andrew BSc(Hons), PSTCertEdDesign

Rogers (Mr) Steve BA, GradDipEd, BEd

Ryan (Ms) Ainslie BBus, BTeach

Sadler (Mrs) Sherry BEd(Sc)

Scuderi (Mrs) Francis BA, DipEd

Searle (Mr) Aaron BMus, GradDipEd, MMusEd, LMusA (Term 1 & 2)

Seivers (Ms) Brigitte BAppSc, GradDipEd

Shaw (Mr) Alistair GradDipEd,BAppSc, BComp

Shipp (Mrs) Jenny BSc, DipEd

Sinclair (Mr) Peter BA, DipEd

Slee (Mr) Michael BSc, DipEd

Sleeth (Ms) Shannon GradDipEd(Sec) (Term 2)

Smith (Mr) John BA, DipEd, DipT, MA(Hons) (LSL Term 3)

Snowden (Ms) Sally BSc, DipEd, GradDipMathsSc, MEd, CertHums

Spaleta (Ms) Juliana BTeach, BSci

Spyrou (Mrs) Georgina DipT

Stafford (Mrs) Jasmina BA, DipEd, PostGradDipArch, MA(Arch), GradCertLang(Indo)

Tabone (Mrs) Joyce BBus, GradDipSecEd, GradDipLang

Taylor (Mr) Dean BAnim&VetBiosc

Taylor (Mr) Peter BScEd

Thomas (Ms) Nani BA, MA(AsianStudies),GradDipEd (Term 4)

Thomson (Ms) Beth BA, GradDipEd, GradCertBus(AppBus), Cert IVTrain&Assess, MEd (Orgleadership) (on parental leave)

Thorneycroft (Mrs) Andrea BEd, DipEd(Prim), MEd(SpecialEdNeeds)

Tsalapataris (Mrs) Elsa BAppSc(Maths), DipEd, GradCertMa

Tzoumanis (Miss) Christine BA, BArtsEd (Term 3)

Van Beek (Mr) Tony BSc(Ed)

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Vlahopoulos (Mrs) Elpis BA, GradDipEd

Wachter (Mrs) Julie BAppSci, GradDipEd

Ward (Mr) Chris BSc, GradDipAppSc, GradDipEd, GradDipMentalHlth

Weaver (Mrs) Sheridyn BEd (on parental leave)

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Non-Teaching Staff Atkinson (Mrs) Joanna

Borg (Mrs) Clare BA(Hons), DipCareersEd&Couns, GradCertCareersCouns, MSocSci

Browning (Mrs) Raelene

Buhagiar (Mrs) Helen

Caceres (Ms) Silvia BA, DipLib&InfoServices

Callard (Mrs) Angela

Cohn (Miss) Diana (Term 1)

Cooke (Mrs) Jane CertBusPrac (Term 2, 3 & 4)

Ferlan (Mrs) Mary

Forward (Mrs) Jillian BSc, GradDipTheol (LSL Term 3)

Gajic (Mr) Petar BCom, CA

Gibbs (Ms) Rae BEd, GradDipCareers, MSocialSci, GradCertEd&Train, GradCertCareersEd

Harvey (Mrs) Bin DipNurs, BEmNurs, BThNurs, GradDipAcuteCareNurs

Hudson (Mr) Glenn DipArts(Product Design)

Hunter (Mrs) Mary-Ann CertIIIEdSupport

Johnson (Ms) Jillian BHSc, CertSchHealth, GradDipCouns

Lancaster (Mrs) Raida CertIIIEdSupport, EdIntSupportCert

Loukas (Mrs) Vicky CertIIIEdSupport, CourseinEdIntSupport

Manariti (Miss) Cathy

Matthews (Mrs) Sue

Mazzone (Mrs) Sarina CertIIIChildServ, CertEdIntAide, TeachAide

McCarthy (Mrs) Margaret CertEd(IntAid)

Meletis (Mr) Nick DipMngt

Meletis (Mrs) Renaye BTeach

Pavlou (Mrs) Anna BBus

Pedersen (Mr) Daniel Cert IVAudioEng

Pennington (Ms) Cora AssDipLib

Perilli (Mrs) Jacinta

Perryman (Miss) Sherry CertIVTeach&Assess, CertIIIFurnMaking(TradeLvl), GradDipTechEd

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Plaschke (Mrs) Meryl CertBusStud (Term 4)

Shepherd (Mr) Tim

Sims (Mrs) Gail FirstAidCertLevel 3, CertIVTrain&Assess, CertEd(IntAid)

Thill (Mrs) Jillian

Thorneycroft (Mr) Tom CertIIIArtsAdmin, DipLiveProd

Tinker (Mr) Darren DipCon&LandMan, DipSus

Tountsios (Mr) Perry

Tyler (Mr) Matthew

Weaver (Mrs) Pauline (Term 1, 2 & 3)

Whittaker (Mrs) Anne BSc

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Staff Workforce Composition, Attendance and Retention The Staff Workforce Composition is 40.9% male and 59.1% female teaching staff, and 26.6% male and 73.4% female non-teaching staff. There are no indigenous staff members. Staff attendance at 93.8% and retention at 95.5% is high. In 2015 two staff entered into retirement.

Teaching Staff Attendance (FTE)

2013 2014 2015 95% 95% 94%

Teaching Staff Retention

2013 2014 2015 92% 96% 96%

Staff Professional Learning During 2015, 361 external Professional Development activities were attended by the College’s staff members. A significant number of additional activities were provided at the school by guest speakers and College staff members on topics of particular expertise. A total of 4513.5 hours were spent on Professional Development activities by teaching staff, at an average of 43 hours for each person who participated during the year. This is double the VIT annual requirement for teacher re-registration. Non-teaching staff spent 640 hours on Professional Development, at an average of 12.8 hours per person.

Significant and substantial Professional Development was facilitated through the Professional Learning Team program and the Peer Coaching program. Many on-site Professional Learning activities were provided through staff meetings and Professional Learning Days, for all staff.

A sample of professional learning topics undertaken by staff includes:

• First Aid (Level 2 Certificate, CPR, Anaphylaxis and Asthma management) • Subject-specific curriculum content updates • VCE Study Design changes & VCAA requirements • Professional Learning Teams and associated research projects • Educational Support for students with learning difficulties • Classroom management • iPad applications for classroom use

Effective Professional Learning is a core component of the quality of education offered by a school. At Aitken College all staff members are encouraged and empowered to undertake professional learning activities which take into account each individual’s particular skills, job requirements and areas of interest. Sharing of new skills and information is encouraged on a range of levels: at faculty and department meetings, through year level teams and Professional Learning Teams, and at College meetings.

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Teaching and Learning In 2015 six Professional Learning Teams (PLTs) were established, with a total of 42 participants. Each team met fortnightly for one or two semesters to focus on a particular aspect of teaching practice. Topics included “Encouraging growth mindsets in students”, “Time-saving routines and protocols”, “iPad uses for the classroom – beginner level”, “Student‐centred learning & teaching”, “Using assessment to inform and direct better learning” and “Teacher talk in the classroom”. Each team read academic articles on recent educational research findings, reflected on Aitken and individual teacher classroom practice, gathered data about their teaching to indicate which areas could benefit from further improvement, developed and carried out an action research plan, and shared research findings with the College teaching staff. Discussions in team meetings were animated and robust. Many participants reported at the conclusion of the PLT cycle that they had made significant changes to their teaching styles as a result of their involvement in a PLT and could demonstrate through the data gathered that the changes had led directly to the improved learning of students.

2015 also saw the continuation of the Peer Coaching program. Every teacher worked with one of five Peer Coaches, who met with them to discuss their teaching practice and their aims for particular lessons. Each teacher was then observed teaching two classes by their Peer Coach, followed by a discussion during which the teacher and his or her coach considered the teacher’s strengths and areas for further development. The program was quite affirming, in that many, many examples of exemplary practice were viewed and many conversations led to greater confidence and skill amongst our teachers. A side benefit of this program was that students witnessed teachers learning and sharing ideas, living out the importance of life-long learning.

The “Student for a Day” program commenced in 2015, giving the opportunity for twelve teachers to spend a day as a student, to gain new insight into how our teaching practices effect students. Participants reflected on what they learned about curriculum content, the importance of differentiation, and the effect of the pace of a lesson on student learning. Participant reflections were shared with all teaching staff to encourage further improvements to teaching practice.

A key focus for 2015 was the formation of the Assessment and Reporting Team, who conducted a detailed review of our assessment and reporting practices, and planned a pilot project to be launched in 2016 for the revision of these practices at Year 3 & 7. A cornerstone of the new approach is the use of rubrics to make more explicit to students what skills and knowledge they need to demonstrate in order to make progress in a subject. Teachers spent some of their professional learning time in faculty groups developing sample rubrics for use in assessment tasks at all year levels. Teachers also spent time training and preparing for the launch of the 2016 Learning Management System, called “MyAitken”.

NAPLAN Results Overleaf are comparison graphs showing Aitken College NAPLAN mean scores for 2013, 2014 and 2015 and the Victorian mean for 2015. Some points to consider in relation to these graphs:

• School student cohort results are expected to vary slightly from year to year due to differences in student composition – because the number of student results included is relatively small, only a handful of particularly “stronger” or “weaker” students in a year level can have a significant impact on the mean results, particularly in Years 3 and 5 where fewer than 60 students have been tested;

• The NAPLAN test questions change from year to year so comparisons between scores from year to year can be useful in identifying general trends only;

• Because test questions change from year to year, the state mean also varies slightly from year to year. Consequently, in the graphs provided, the 2015 state mean is only significant when compared to the 2015 school mean;

• Although national mean results have not been provided, it is important to note that Victorian mean scores were higher than the national mean on every test category and year level;

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• The results shown are only a small part of the total NAPLAN data picture – there are many other useful facets to the data. For instance, the 2015 results indicate that students in the bottom 10% of the school cohort are performing considerably better than students in the bottom 10% of the state in every area in Years 3, 7 and 9;

• Perhaps most importantly, NAPLAN data is only one form of information about student achievement levels. Teacher observations, class and school-based assessments and other forms of standardised testing are equally valuable in identifying student learning needs and rates of progress.

• There has been a proliferation of NAPLAN preparation material made available since the publication of individual school NAPLAN results on the MySchool website. International experience over many decades shows that schools who “teach to the test” on high-stakes tests may increase their test scores on standardised tests such as NAPLAN, but that these increases are often made at the expense of a broad and rigorous curriculum. In particular, it has been demonstrated that when the format of a test changes, schools who have “taught to the test” often experience a significant decrease in test scores, demonstrating that the education of students has been too focused on questions of the type used in the standardised tests. Aitken College is committed to the delivery of a rigorous, broad and engaging curriculum, and is hence resisting the move towards having students spend weeks on completing “practice NAPLAN tests” in order to inflate our test scores.

Year 3

Year 5

380390400410420430440450460

Year 3 2013 mean

Year 3 2014 mean

Year 3 2015 mean

Year 3 State mean 2015

450460470480490500510520530

Year 5 2013 mean

Year 5 2014 mean

Year 5 2015 mean

Year 5 State mean 2015

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Year 7:

Year 9

VCE & VCAL Report All 129 eligible Year 12 students gained their VCE certificate and our 8 Year 12 VCAL students completed their Senior VCAL certificate. With 40 subjects on offer to our students in VCE as well as VCAL, our open entry policy, allowing all students to undertake the VCE or VCAL, offers a wide range of pathways for students.

There were 42 study scores greater than 40 which comprise 6.3% of all study scores with one student receiving a perfect score of 50 in Health and Human Development – an outstanding achievement. Subjects in which students achieved scores of 40 and above include: Business Management, Chemistry, Economics, English, Further Mathematics, Legal Studies, Health and Human Development, History, Literature, Media, Physical Education, Physics, Product Design and Technology, Psychology, Studio Arts, Visual Communication and Design, VET Business and VET Sport and Recreation.

There was an increase of ATAR results of 90 and above with 8.5% of students achieving this standard, as did the number greater than 95.

540550560570580590600610

Year 9 2013 mean

Year 9 2014 mean

Year 9 2015 mean

Year 9 State mean 2015

500510520530540550560570

Year 7 2013 mean

Year 7 2014 mean

Year 7 2015 mean

Year 7 State mean 2015

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Whilst the ATAR is one measure of education, we know that participation in a range of co-curricular, leadership and service activities are also valued. A broad education is important in society and for a balanced view of the world. It is these broader skills that employers seek.

Summary of VCE Results 2015 2015 2014 2013 % of ATAR > 95

3.1 1.6 5.1

% of ATAR > 90

8.5 7.1 14

% of ATAR > 80

16.3 23 23

% of ATAR > 70

31 42 42

% of ATAR > 60

53 60 62

% of ATAR < 60

47 40 38

Note: Median ATAR 61.05 Median Male ATAR 61.15

Median Female ATAR 60.75

VCAL Report The annual enrolment and number of VCAL certificates, Year 11 and 12 issued is shown below.

Year 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

Total certificates issued 13 18 11 9 16

Total number of students enrolled 13 21 12 9 17

No. of students who left during the year to pursue other pathways (back to VCE, work, apprenticeships)

0 3 1 0 1

VCAL - the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning – a head start into a career. VCAL suits students who are clear about their career direction and would like to go to TAFE, complete an apprenticeship, get a job after finishing school or complete a TAFE certificate before a university course. It is not only flexible and varied for all VCAL students; it also includes two VET courses, Structured Workplace Learning experiences and caters for the interests of individual students.

During 2015, there have been numerous highlights. These include various incursions and excursions; community and voluntary work, participating in the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award which includes the camping program, weekly fitness activities and extensive project work. The assessment tasks are project based and rely on student initiative and interest. All students completed tasks which cover: Literacy and Numeracy Skills; Work Related

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Skills (WRS); Personal Development Skills (PDS) and Industry Specific Skills. Students also complete ten days of Structured Workplace Learning.

Extensive Numeracy projects that students worked on included: students designing and building set constructions for the College musical ‘Annie’, constructing garden beds and a classroom couch. Students developed their skills in Literacy which included researching, analysing and debating social issues in the study of short stories, current news items and films. In WRS students studied units, such as Occupational Health and Safety and modules that help prepare them for employment such as occupational health and safety and essential job interview skills.

The Personal Development Skills (PDS) focus included: community engagement; social and cultural awareness and understanding; civic responsibility and active citizenship. The students organised and hosted an afternoon tea for the Pascoe Vale Gardens Retirement Village. The residents were invited to attend the dress rehearsal of the College musical and enjoy the lavish afternoon tea after the show. Feedback from the retirement village included a letter full of praise for how much the residents enjoyed the performance and how well the afternoon was organised.

VCAL students also organised a number of community based fundraising projects to support charities ‘Positive Aid’, and ‘Fareshare’. Two other events the students organised was the ‘VCAL/VCE Early Commencement Program’ celebration at the conclusion of the two-week program for all the Year 12 teachers involved with it. Students were also involved in setting up, packing up and waiting on the tables for the Year 10 Music Recital, held at the Speigeltent, Docklands. The Year 11 students also organised the VCAL Information Evening for interested students and parents and the Year 12 students organised the ‘Race Around Melbourne’ challenge for the Year 11 VCAL students. VCAL excursions included a visit to the Grand Prix Community Engagement Program and the Margoneet Prison. Both Year 11 and Year 12 classes helped organise and supervise the Cumberland Swimming and Athletics Carnival. Students also creative ‘Lolly Bags’ with a positive message for Well Being Week.

The Duke of Edinburgh Award incorporates a significant part of the VCAL program. To achieve the Award, students undertake activities in four sections: Adventurous Journey (camps); Physical Recreation; Skill (learning something new) and Community Service (voluntary work). This year, five students received their Duke of Edinburgh Silver Award and eight students received their Duke of Edinburgh Bronze Award.

Students enjoyed a six-day camp at the Northern Strathbogie Ranges, Benalla, travelling by public transport. Students completed challenging activities which included long exploration bush walks, mountain bike riding, abseiling, rock climbing, swimming in the creek and creating a camp fire. Students organised the campsite, including setting up the tents, packing up, organising their food for the week and cooking on trangia stoves. Some of the voluntary service the VCAL students participated in included helping with the PE, Environment and Primary Science Garden programs and the primary classes at the College.

As part of the PDS ‘Nutrition Unit’ the students have developed their skills of practical cooking. Students have been learning about healthy lifestyles, with a focus on healthy eating. They have been responsible for sourcing recipes, organising their own chosen culinary dish that caters for the class, organising a list of ingredients, preparing and demonstrating the meal including following safe food handling procedures. The students also evaluate their meal, in terms of adhering to healthy eating guidelines and general satisfaction with the meal and production process. VCAL students completed the weekly Physical Recreation component in normal class time at the College which is expertly conducted by Mr Jason Mackrell, who is a qualified fitness trainer. The VCAL student’s goal has been to keep fit by completing specialised fitness programs which included weight training, boxing, circuit training, basketball and indoor hockey. The students were challenged and motivated into seeing fitness as a necessary tool for everyday life.

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One Year 12 student and four Year 11 students also won the Hume Whittlesea VET/VCAL/SBAT Awards for Excellence and Encouragement; recognised for outstanding achievements and dedication in VCAL this year. Congratulations again to our students Daniel Charalambous and Paul Dickinson who were successful in obtaining a Hume Whittlesea VET/VCAL/SBAT Award.

Out of the 17 students, who enrolled in the VCAL program for 2015,16 obtained a VCAL certificate. One students left the College as he had an opportunity to begin an apprenticeship. All Year 11 students have decided to remain at the College to complete another VCAL certificate. The nine Year 12 students are pursuing full time TAFE courses, beginning an apprenticeship or have begun working.

Selling lolly bags for Well Being Week Individual projects

Northern Strathbogie Ranges Camp Construction of bunk beds for ‘Annie’, the musical

Hume Whittlesea VET/VCAL/SBAT Awards

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VET Report This year four VET (Vocational Educational Training) courses were delivered to more than 170 students across twelve different classes at the College; with another thirteen participating in external VET programmes. This is indicative of modern education evolving with the learning styles of young people to include a combination of academic learning, hands-on practice and actual workplace experience. VET courses are an excellent medium to offer students, who may not be aware of what an occupation actually entails in the real world, an opportunity to tick a box or shorten their list of ‘maybes.’ Always a good indication of a successful course is hearing from those who count and speaking to the Year 12 VET Music students recently, many of them mentioned that it is an ‘awesome’ opportunity to be able to do something they really love as part of their formal education. Music continued to be offered at Year 9 and 10 level enabling students to attain a Certificate I or II in Music as part of their elective program.

It was also possible to see these courses in action this year with staff attending a number of functions held by William Angliss for the Hospitality students. The occasions were run by the students studying Certificate I and II in Hospitality and it not only gave them the hands-on practice they needed but it added to their self-confidence when teachers could take a real-life interest in their courses. VET Music Technical Production allows students to obtain knowledge and skills that will enhance their employment prospects in music or music-related industries whether or not they have a specific musical talent. Technical Production course offered hands-on training at Aitken College by way of running the sound and technology desk for a number of assemblies. Again the testimony of students confirmed the importance of these courses.

There is an opportunity for everyone in VET courses to experience the work place in one form or another and the VET Business students, both from the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and the Victorian Certificate

‘Annie’ dress rehearsal afternoon

Helping with the Year 10 Musical Recital

Duke of Edinburgh Awards

FareShare voluntary work

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in Applied Learning (VCAL) programs took part in a one-week Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) Placement at the end of Term 2. This week gave them invaluable insight into the administrative operations of various businesses. The VET Sport and Recreation students spent one day of their holidays in a gymnasium setting, learning the ropes in that line of work. Students enjoyed their experiences and the employers shared some really positive comments about them.

2016 will no doubt continue to provide diversity and enjoyment to our students in the form of VET courses and I look forward to keeping you posted throughout the year.

Careers Education The Careers Office is located in B21 and has an open door policy. If a Careers staff member is available students are welcome to drop in during their study periods or at recess or lunchtime and they do not need an appointment. Appointments can also be made if the student prefers.

Year 10 tends to be the start of the career research and decision making process for our senior students and it is then we usually first meet the students. Careers and PE / Life Skills staff deliver a unit of work designed to encourage students to learn more about themselves, their interests, skills, strengths and values and to begin to look to a future beyond secondary school. The unit also teaches students how to undertake career research and provides them with valuable skills and resources which can be utilised throughout their working lives. As part of this unit of work in Term 3 Year 10 students listen to a Careers Speakers Panel made up of passionate and articulate past students who describe their pathways to their current course and employment and their hopes for the future. The past students are able to offer the Year 10s some excellent advice about subject selection, following your dream and undertaking career research, as well as being wonderful role models and ambassadors for the College. The event is timed to coincide with Year 10 students making decisions about whether to study the VCE or the VCAL and which subjects they should choose. Prior to finalising these decisions, all Year 10 students are interviewed by a member of the Careers team to ensure they are happy with their choices. This programme provides students with the skills, tools and knowledge to efficiently and effectively explore options for the future, beginning what is a lifelong process of career exploration, discovery and review.

During the VCE Early Commencement programme Year 11 students visited RMIT City campus. A location near public transport is chosen so that students can travel to and from the excursion independently. Students were able to tour the campus, talk to staff and learn about the courses and facilities available at RMIT. Students were also able to get a feel for the institution ‘through their own skin’; different campuses of each tertiary institution have a different feel and a different vibe and it is important for students to consider whether an institution is ‘a good fit’ for them. The excursion was designed to kick start their thinking for the following year so that they could begin to contemplate a life beyond Aitken and what that life might look like. The excursion also aims to give students the confidence to fully participate in Open Day events and activities the following year.

Careers staff are in touch with Year 12 students very early in the year. We recognise that big changes will take place for these students as they complete Year 12 and move to the next phase of their lives; whether it is further study at a university or TAFE, taking a gap year, commencing full time work or starting an apprenticeship. We talk to the students about the timeline for the year from a careers perspective and encourage them to make contact with us early to discuss their dreams and aspirations.

During Term 2 all Year 12 students attended TIS (Tertiary Information Service) at La Trobe University. This event provided students with an insight to university life, the VTAC processes, procedures and timeline and allowed them to collect information about most Victorian universities and TAFEs and to ask questions of tertiary staff. The event is seen as a springboard to the very important Term 3 where the Year 12s make some significant and very big decisions about their pathways and / or tertiary course preferences for the following year. Universities and TAFEs showcase their course options at Open Days which occur mostly on Sundays in August. We strongly encourage Brookhill students to attend Open Days to learn more about the study options available to them when they leave school, the enormous variety of institutions at which they are able to study and to

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discover for themselves the very different experience it is to be a tertiary student. To this end all students in Brookhill are provided with an Open Day calendar with excellent advice about making the most of Open Day activities. Hints and tips are given to ensure students obtain maximum benefit from the experience.

The fortnightly Career News and the Daily Bulletin provide students with up to date information about all things ‘career’ related. We encourage students to regularly visit us in B21. Our aim is for Aitken students to journey beyond the walls of the College with great hopes and excitement having been well prepared to research their future options and to optimistically cope with the challenges they will meet along the way. We hope, however, that they will always remain connected to the College as they navigate their future pathways.

The graphs below show the Class of 2015 destinations, field of study, and destination by institution.

2

9

22

21

22

93

4

Class of 2015 Destinations

Employed

Apprenticeship

Pre Apprenticeship

Defence Force

Study - other

Gap Year

TAFE

University

Unknown

3

82

19

21

14

723

21

510

Field of Study

Agriculture & AnimalScienceArchitecture, Building& PlanningArt & Design

Arts, Social Sciences &LawBusiness & Commerce

Education

Engineering

Film & Television

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Learning Centre Every student at Aitken College has the right to an inclusive education in an environment allowing them to reach their full potential. It is in this light that the Learning Centre operates to allow all students to work and achieve to the best of their ability. Over 150 students have access to Learning Support within the College, supported by a dedicated and skilled team of professionals. The programs these students access may be modified, accommodated, customised or extension programs. The Learning Centre and the staff allow all the students in their care to maximise opportunities in the school community.

The Learning Centre and staff provide the stage for students to take learning risks and develop skills in a quiet, small group environment. Support is also offered in the classroom for individuals and groups tailored to access the curriculum and develop the confidence to participate as part of the wider school community. We are very proud that our senior students go on to achieve excellent results in VCAL and VCE, and receive awards within the school for vital College community participation.

Support is offered in both Literacy and Numeracy and senior students are supported with all areas of the curriculum. The programs allow the students to remain a part of the classroom and social group but receive the appropriate level of support for their needs. We also offer listening skill training and for the senior student’s organisation and homework support. The Learning Centre is a space accessed and utilized by a large proportion of the school community and teachers use the resources and expertise as needed.

112

2

33

13

20

12

7

36

10

2

3

Class of 2015 destinations by InstitutionACU

CHISHOLM

DEAKIN UNIVERSITY

LA TROBE UNIVERSITY

MELBOURNE POLYTECHNIC

MONASH UNIVERSITY

RMIT UNIVERSITY

RMIT TAFE

SWINBURNE UNIVERSITY

SWINBURNE TAFE

UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

VICTORIA UNIVERSITY

VICTORIA UNIVERSITY TAFE

WILLIAM ANGLISS

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Learning Extension Extension opportunities are offered to students in the Cumberland, Dunhelen and Brookhill schools, to foster and develop the special abilities of high ability students at Aitken College. These provisions are available to selected students, both within the College and externally. Internally, the extension Maths programs are designed to allow mathematically able students to investigate advanced problem-solving tasks and to hone their

logical thought and reasoning skills. In May 2015, a number of Year 10, 11, and 12 students in the Senior School participated in the Gifted and Talented student conference. This focused on topics that could be approached from many disciplines, and students engaged with a wide range of topics; stimulating their thought and creativity about modern day issues.

The students were taken by the content of the conference, the complexity of ideas, and the clarity with which they were presented. One student summed up the experience with: “Topics varied dramatically, but all had a focus on the philosophy of the mind, and invited us to think differently about the world as we perceive it. Overall, I say I would speak for all those present that we were impressed at the intellectual discussions that took place, and were very happy to attend this prestigious event.” Aitken College participated in the Tournament of Minds at La Trobe University. The tournament was reintroduced into the College last year after a few years of absence. Tournament of Minds is a problem solving competition program held annually for teams of students to work collaboratively in solving demanding, open ended problems from a choice of disciplines. One of the main focuses is how the team solves the problem, from working through all the different rules, to writing a script and making props, rehearsing their dramatic performance; all whilst showing how they can work as a team. A team of Year 7 and 8 students presented their solution to the Long Term Challenge in the Social Science discipline to a panel of judges, and an audience consisting mainly of their family members. The team members worked together for six weeks on creating a way to communicate their solution to a complex, open-ended challenge. The team also participated in an unseen Spontaneous Challenge which required a rapid interchange of ideas, the ability to think creatively, and well developed group cooperation skills. It was a fabulous day, with the team producing their best efforts. The students worked tirelessly during training and throughout the challenge for two terms, both during school and after hours.

Student Composition, Attendance and Retention The total student enrolment at Census date was 1273. 50.6% of our student cohort are females and 49.4% are males. 0.23% of the student cohort are indigenous students and 45% of students have a language background other than English.

Parents are required to contact the College if a student is to be absent from school. If notification regarding student absence has not been received the parents are contacted by phone.

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Student Attendance 2015

Year Level Male Female All

1 94.7% 93.6% 94.1%

2 87.4% 91.4% 89.4%

3 92.7% 93.0% 92.8%

4 96.4% 90.7% 93.5%

5 89.6% 91.8% 90.7%

6 92.9% 92.9% 92.9%

7 92.3% 91.7% 92%

8 88.3% 92.2% 90.2%

9 89.0% 89.6% 89.3%

10 91.3% 87.8% 89.5%

Student Wellbeing and Student Satisfaction

• The Student Services team seeks to address the many needs presented by our large student, and indeed wider parent community. The four trained counsellors see an ever-changing list of students who struggle with a wide range of life issues. The support work which the counselling team undertakes is vital in relieving pressure on class teaches and enabling some members of the Aitken community to be assisted in difficult times. For students this often means the difference between coping and thriving, or being lost in a large community which by necessity presses on with its goals despite those members who struggle for a range of reasons. Counselling is also offered for staff and families. The work the counselling team undertakes is by nature generally unseen and not widely discussed.

• The Chaplaincy and Student Services team run programmes from time to time which address issues such as First Aid, Anger Management and Parenting and Listening skills. These cover such topics as, Bullying, Mental Health, Body Image, and Living with Teenagers.

• The Chaplaincy team is regularly called upon to meet the immediate needs of the Aitken community in regard of suffering and loss, via counselling, visitation and practical support. The Seasons Grief and Loss programme is run annually, often twice per year, and provides for a number of students and their families who have suffered significant loss.

• A Well Being week for all students and staff is run annually in the first week of Term 4. Many programmes are offered to the community which provides for wellbeing needs. Staff members are encouraged to volunteer their time to offer creative events which focus on student needs for attending to mental health issues. Such things as Creative Writing, Dance, Relaxation and Mediation as well as Massage for staff (to mention only a very few) combine to create practical ways of addressing wellbeing issues within the College.

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SCHOOL LIFE Aitken College is divided into four “Schools” each with a Head of School. The Schools are named Fairview, Cumberland, Dunhelen, and Brookhill.

Fairview (Preparatory School - Prep to Year 2) In Fairview our focus is on directing our young people to be learners within the fast moving 21st century of globalised experiences.

“Our Educational journey begins with: Exploring, Encouraging, Evolving, Embracing, Engaging, and arriving with a wealth of Experience and Eagerness!”

The children are inspirational and their pure innocence is portrayed in how they perceive and interact with their world. We identify how our society, technology and components of the community have changed; however, the virtues of our foundation are static. We model and teach the children that these virtues focus on ensuring we have a quality of goodness and we are able to gain and reach our greatest potential. It is not only the academic areas which have been a focus but the emotional, social, physical and spiritual growth of the children. How we care and interact with each other and our environment.

Fairview focuses on inviting their immediate and wider community to be a crucial component of our existence at Aitken College. The friendships amongst the children and parents grow as they network and establish strong connections.

The teachers’ interaction and sensitivity to the children’s overall needs provides an opportunity for all to be part of a very successful learning journey. An interactive element of the learning program is the children’s wellbeing, independence and resiliency.

Within Religion and Values Education; we had spent some time exploring the Fruit of the Holy Spirit. The children were very interested and receptive. It has been a wonderful blessing watching the children develop an understanding of the Christian Faith and connecting their learning and spiritual experience to their lives. They have shown great interest in the Fruit of the Spirit and how these virtues are characterised in how we live our lives.

Fairview focuses on celebrating the rich education programs the children have experienced and sharing a strong community of learning.

Peer Support The Year 6 Buddies and Peer Support Leaders are educational programs committed to improving the quality of life for young school students through positive peer group interaction and influence. They also focus on developing resiliency, independence and empowering young people to develop relationships which encourage friendship, respect, kindness and accept differences.

The program has key components which support the Prep students; these include: • Supporting the adjustment to a new school • Developing responsibility and self-confidence • Utilising strategies and skills on how to relate positively to others • Contributing to a spirit of community • Understanding the importance of values and morals, which relate to their daily lives.

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The Peer Support program is designed to provide support between groups of Prep students and trained Year 6 leaders. The empowerment of young people in this way encourages them to grow in confidence and responsibility. This year we trained 24 leaders who were involved in a two term program (once a fortnight) and focused on a structured Life Skills program. This supported the Buddy program, where each Prep child was allocated a Year 6 buddy. This relationship is special and significant for the Prep children; it develops into a very special friendship which is treasured through their future school years.

Cumberland (Junior School – Years 3-6) Students in Cumberland in 2015 were given many opportunities to develop skills of self-reflection and use these to develop a positive mindset based on growth and an ability to embrace change to achieve their best in all that they do.

Students in Years 3 and 4 thoroughly enjoyed the second year of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden program. The power of this program has enabled many students to push their taste buds and cooking skills to the limit. Students also enjoyed opportunities of growing, harvesting produce, and participating in small groups to take the responsibility in preparing and cooking food. The program has had a positive impact on student learning and developing their awareness and understanding of the importance of healthy food choices.

Major curriculum innovations for this year included a swimming program in Year 4 and a gymnastics program in Years 3 and 5. The Year 4 students enjoyed a 2 night stay at “Camp Weekaway”. The weather was good and the delicious food from camp certainly added to the experience. Year 5 Students had the opportunity to experience a day excursion to Sovereign Hill. Students were very enthusiastic in panning for their own gold and participating in historical activities. The hands on nature of the experiences certainly allowed students to make practical connections with the learning of historical content.

2015 was the transitional year in welcoming Year 6 into Cumberland School. Elected Year 6 Captains participated in a leadership induction day in Term 1, and the positive leadership of these student leaders and the Year 6 students as a whole impacted positively on the school. Aitken College provides many opportunities for student leadership. Many of our students were involved in this process, and were selected as student leaders. Seeing the students from Cumberland school interact with leaders from the senior school and older year levels was great to see. This mentorship is something that students at Aitken are very fortunate to have.

The Cumberland concert was again one of the highlights of the school year. It was great to see students and teachers using the skills of self-reflection and personal growth to reflect on their performances at practice and rehearsal and use these to improve and get better at performing in front of a live audience. One of many highlights was the combined Year 5 act that was about the students having a reunion in 20 years’ time.

Maths Week was again a major event and great emphasis was placed on class-based activities. As a learning community, the Cumberland students came together in the CPA and watched a ‘live’ competition of Snakes and Ladders, for each year level, as this was projected onto the large data screen. This was a great success and

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thoroughly enjoyed by all. The World of Maths travelling show joined us again and students worked in multi-aged groups and attended various rotational activities.

Three authors visited the College and provided an excellent platform for the launch of Book Week. Students used many aspects of these incursions to support the development and creation of their own Picture Story Book.

We are committed to provide the best education possible to our students. 2015 was a successful year of growth and learning and we believe this will continue into 2016 as we look to continue to build a learning community based on strong school – family partnerships, a culture of high expectations and a continual focus on learning and growth for all stakeholders.

Dunhelen (Middle School - Years 7-9) Once again, the school year commenced on a very busy note. During the second week of Term 1 the Year 7 students headed off to Phillip Island Adventure Resort for the annual Year 7 camp. Students were able to challenge themselves on the high ropes, giant swing, twin flying fox, raft making and canoeing. They were also able to enjoy a swim in the resort’s pool and a beautiful 15-minute walk to Smith’s Beach. The students also enjoyed a night visit to Amaze’n’Things and a Trivia night. The camp allowed students to get to know each other and have a taste of independence and responsibility.

The Peer Support program saw the Year 7 students assigned to various Year 11 students. The program allowed the younger students the opportunity to get to know an older student and together they completed activities and discussion sessions.

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The Royal Melbourne Zoo and Scienceworks were also places which the Year 7 students visited. These excursions tied in with their learning in Indonesian, Humanities and Science, in particular.

The Year 8 students enjoyed a Medieval Day at school. This incursion complemented their learning and work in Humanities. Students had the opportunity to dress in Medieval costume and take part in Medieval games and activities.

The Year 8 students were also involved in a Humanities, English and Maths expo. Students and teachers worked together on various projects over a series of weeks. The projects were integrated through the subjects. Students then conducted an exhibition for parents of the work they completed. Parents and guests were able to look at the work, conduct some experiments and ask questions of the Year 8 students.

All Year 8 students took part in the YLead program. This program is designed to empower students and allow them to begin to reflect on their qualities and leading themselves and others to achieve goals. The Year 9

students highlight was the City Experience. Students in Year 9 spent 2 days completing activities in the system in the city to help them reach various destinations. They took in wonderful views from the Eureka Skydeck and visited the Immigration Museum, amongst other things. Melbourne City District. They were required to make their way in and out of town and then learnt to use the tram ‘Start Smart’ was a program aimed at the Year 9 students. A representative from Commonwealth Bank visited 3 times during the year and conducted workshops about saving money, goals, budgeting, working, banking and financial choices.

All of Dunhelen attended a cyber-safety presentation by Susan McLean in the CPA. They heard about the cyber world and how great it can be, but Susan also passed on to them the importance of doing the right thing on-line and being safe. The students also attended a ‘Graffiti’ presentation. This program was run by the Hume City Council and was designed to develop a sense of community to help combat graffiti. The presentation also carried the themes of self-esteem, developing resilience and managing peer pressure.

Dunhelen was involved in a few community service projects in 2015. The Year 7 social raised money for the Luke Batty Foundation. Dunhelen participated in the ‘their calling on you’ mobile phone muster, 40 Hour famine, the giving tree and various fundraisers through the school.

This year the Middle School play was ‘Charlotte’s Web’. The students who participated in this had an absolutely great time. Students from Dunhelen were involved in all areas of the production, from being a cast member to working with props. A wonderful opportunity for the Middle School students.

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Dunhelen was led by School Captains, House Captains, Performing Arts Captains, Community Service Captains, Environment Captains and Class Captains. The Captains attended Altitude day in the city, where they listened to motivational and inspirational speakers. All Captains carried out their responsibilities very well and were eager to help out with all activities and events.

House spirit was demonstrated through participation in events such as the House Cross Country, House Swimming and House Athletics Carnivals. All house events culminated with the presentation of the House shield to the winning house at the final assembly, this was the Cameron House for 2015.

Once again Dunhelen tested more than 150 potential Year 7 students for 2016. An orientation day was held in November, where students enjoyed a barbeque lunch and had the opportunity to meet teachers and other Year 7 students. Whilst a lot of work, Orientation Day is a highly beneficial project helping to relieve anxiety for some students.

It was the first year that Dunhelen ran as a school of Year 7, 8 and 9. Whilst it was busy, it was a productive year and staff and students settled into the new structure very easily and eagerly.

Brookhill (Senior School - Years 10-12). In 2015, Brookhill leadership focussed on further enhancing the academic, cultural and service cultures of the Senior School. An area of innovation and change has been Student Leadership. The establishment of the Student Leader Captain roles signalled the beginning of the next phase of student leadership at Aitken College. As these roles develop and begin to positively affect student leadership at all levels, we will see student leadership taking a significant role in the distributive leadership framework of the College.

The year began with the annual Year 12 Student Learning Conference at Moonee Valley Racecourse. At this conference, Year 12 students heard an inspirational message from keynote speaker, high performance coach and mentor, Mark Dobson. The message from Mark was that success is available to anyone who is prepared to set goals, plan strategically, and obtain the required resources. They then attended seminars conducted by Elevate Education on effective study techniques and exam preparation, as well as sessions of welfare and stress management and VCE processes and procedures. The conference concluded with a sit-down dinner, at which past Aitken College students spoke about their experience of Year 12. The tone of the conference was highly professional, reflecting the high expectations Aitken College now has of its senior students and set the scene for the year of hard work and dedication which followed. A video, made by Preface Films, which shows the highlights from the conference can be viewed in the Senior School area of the College’s web site.

Research reported by University of Melbourne academic, Steve Dinham, in his 2008 book “How to get your School Moving and Improving” finds that teaching effective study skills can have a greater effect on student academic achievement than a student’s home and socio-economic environment. All Brookhill students now experience a full program of Study Skills education across the three years of Senior School. I encourage parents

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to talk to their children about these sessions and work with students in implementing some of the techniques taught.

The Annual Year 11 Presentation Ball was held at Moonee Valley on Saturday 29 August. This year’s event was the best attended Ball ever, which highlights the important role this event has taken on in the cultural landscape of the College as an important rite of passage ceremony.

All Year Ten students again participated in theory and practical driver education sessions, conducted by DECA driving school and METEC driver education facility. This program was piloted by DECA and Aitken College in 2011 and is now offered by DECA to schools state-wide. This program gives beginner drivers invaluable knowledge and practical skills, which will equip them for a lifetime of safe driving. This is part of the College’s ongoing commitment to driver education, which also includes the Year 11 Fit to Drive program.

e-Learning The world of eLearning is one of constant change. 2015 is no exception and it has been another busy eLearning year at Aitken with staff embedding new technologies and different ways of learning into their programs and students expertly using their iPads as tools for learning. The work produced by some of our Aitken students using their iPads and the variety of apps available to them is of such a high standard and would simply not have been possible analogue style!

Aitken students continue to benefit from some of the most up to date facilities and resources available. Our network is second to none; our IT facilities are amazing. We have Apple TV in all of our classrooms allowing staff to share the contents of their iPad with their students at the swipe of a finger. Our suites of desktop PCs and iMacs allow students to access industry standard programs to produce their work throughout the College. The College Wi-Fi network extends throughout the campus giving students super-fast access to the Internet and media rich resources. We have in excess of two thousand videos in our ClickView Digital Video Library available to both students and staff to enhance curriculum matter. Our Year 7 Maths students have benefitted from Maths Pathways and personalised learning programs, again made possible by the systems we have in place within the College for iPads.

Walking around the College to see how our students use iPads and technology always proves to be an interesting experience. iPads are being used in so many different ways from taking a photograph of a nucleus down the lens of a microscope, personalised Maths lessons with Maths Pathways, Quizlet language learning exercises, digital text books and movie making to mention just a few of the activities that are typically on show.

Although we still use paper and students will never lose their writing skills, Aitken continues to contribute to saving the planet, saving many trees and possibly even forests by reducing the amount of printing we do. The use of iPads, eLocker and electronic communications throughout the College has contributed enormously to our paperless environment.

2015 has seen the arrival of Paris! Paris is Aitken’s very own humanoid robot who can walk, talk and dance. Paris has proved to be a hit with all of the students who have so far encountered her. Paris (named after the city of her creation) is being used in Multimedia classes in Year 9 and she has also made numerous classroom visits and already has her very own fan club. Paris made a very special appearance at the end of year celebration at the Convention Centre in December. ‘She’ performed a sketch with Angus and Reverend Dickinson very well indeed, although her fear of the dark will probably mean she will not be invited for a repeat performance!

Aitken became an eSmart School in 2015 meaning that Aitken has been recognized as a school where the smart, safe and responsible use of information and communications technology is the norm. Aitken students, teachers and the wider College community are equipped to embrace the best these technologies can offer, while being savvy about the pitfalls.

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As always, planning technology for 2016 is already in hand with exciting developments ahead for Aitken staff and students along with further updates to facilities and equipment.

Performing Arts The 2015 Performing Arts Captains’ Concert once again aided The Royal Melbourne Hospital Neuroscience Foundation.

This year’s VCE Theatre Studies play was a stage adaptation of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novel, Crime and Punishment. Just short of 100 people appreciated the work undertaken by the class and was directed by Ms Jacqui Flood.

The Middle School Play, Charlotte’s Web brought to life this wonderful children’s story by EB White. The play featured a cast of almost 30 students from Years 8 and 9 and was seen by more than 500 people across its two performances. The Middle School Play also has great curriculum links with the management of the production being undertaken by the Year 10 Theatre craft class.

The Winter Music Soiree featured performances from some of our music ensembles, senior Music classes and some original compositions. The Year 7/8 Band and Year 3 Strings concerts rounded out the first semester.

The College Musical was the classic, much loved, Annie. It gave us an opportunity to include more primary students in the musical for the first time in a few years. This memorable production played to an audience of more than 1200 people. Ms Juanita Foreman and Mrs Christine Hutchinson stepped in to take responsibility for the orchestra during the final stages of the show.

Under the enthusiastic direction of Acting Primary Performing Arts Coordinator, Miss Claire Colthup and their class teachers, 360 Primary Students participated in the Cumberland (Reach for the Stars) and Fairview (I Like to Sing) Concerts. Four highly entertaining performances were presented to almost 2000 appreciative audience members.

Term 3 concluded with the VCE Theatre Studies and Music Performance Nights where students presented the work prepared for their performance examinations in a formal setting.

George Orwell’s famous novel 1984 was the basis of this year’s College Play which was presented in the round. Mr Mike Arthur directed our production which featured a large audio-visual component and was seen by 120 people.

The Twilight Music Concert was presented on the outdoor stage on the front lawn of the College in October. The following day, 420 students from Prep to Year 6 were part of the Music Count Us In event - an initiative involving students from schools all over Australia. The Director’s Choice Gala Concert allowed us to restage and celebrate some of the wonderful performances uncovered throughout the year. It was attended by 150 people.

Further Band and Strings Concerts were held along with a Primary Performing Arts Showcase Day. Performing Arts staff and students were heavily involved in Presentation Night and Carol Services.

My thanks to the Performing Arts staff; for the opportunities they have provided for the students.

Students once again benefited from the work of our Friends of the Arts through the provision of scholarships, canteen services, and catering work.

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Visual Arts The annual Visual Art and Design Exhibition was held over four days in late October/November. It coincided with the Twilight Open Evening at the College. With two late opening nights it was wonderful to see so many people attend the exhibition. Novel artworks this year included the Year 8 jewellery, the ceramic planter pots with cacti and the Year 12 final artworks. The Year 12 art works were displayed in the foyer of the CPA. Personal interpretations of the world around us were evident in the portrait shots by the Year 10 Photography students and the more in depth depictions of concepts seen in the senior artwork ranging from ‘phobias and body image’ to ‘the beauty of nature’. The energy and creativity of artworks by the Primary children was amazing. The Art program at Aitken College aims to build upon technical skills and to teach children to explore the way various media can produce effects and reflect mood or feelings. The diversity of the artwork on display in the exhibition and

throughout the year is always impressive and culminates in the Art and Design Exhibition, a sample of the best was shown in the College magazine.

Staff continued to teach course content based on The Australian Curriculum. In particular, including ICT, links to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia and sustainability. With the completion of the Victorian Curriculum we have begun to combine elements from both areas into our curriculum. Towards the end of the year teachers of Year 7 and Year 3 began designing rubrics for the pilot program in 2016. There has been an enormous amount of work done on this which will continue into the future.

During the year students attended a number of excursions for inspiration in their own artworks and to develop a deeper understanding of human expression through art. The blockbuster exhibition at the NGV was the Masterpieces from the Hermitage, the Legacy of Catherine the Great exhibition. Year 12 students studying Studio Arts attended an Art Industry Contexts lecture and forum where gallery staff involved with the production of this block buster talk and students were able to ask them questions. Year 12 students also did a tour of some commercial galleries in Fitzroy to learn about the roles and differences of commercial galleries and artist run spaces. Year 10 and 11 Art students attended the gallery to view the collection that was free to the public, and were thrilled to see some of the new contemporary artworks on display. All students completed research tasks based on what they saw. The Year 10 Photography students travelled to Werribee Park for an inspirational photo shoot using the buildings and grounds for portraits. Students who studied photography in Semester 1 did a photo shoot in the CPA to create imagery typical of the film noir genre. Hume Anglican Grammar hosted the Galway Art Program. Three of our Year 11 students were invited to attend a lecture and workshop by artist David Wong. He devised an interesting workshop for students using natural forms like plants and existing objects to be integrated into beautiful architectural designs. His experience as a teacher, graphic designer and landscape gardener has helped him to create sculptural installations of an environmental nature.

To support senior Art students in their study of drawing of portraits and the human form a one off life drawing class was held at school. It was a great success and students produced a range of drawings using different media and styles. Over all it was very worthwhile and many of the drawings were used for further ideas. Year 6 Art students learnt to fold and make origami cranes which were in celebration of World Peace Day. Students

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designed the intricate patterns for their paper. The folded cranes were sent to other participating schools, one in Pakistan and one in America. This was a lovely task for everyone involved.

Ms Inga Hanover was the Artist in Residence this year, she produced six beautiful finished artworks for the College incorporating work by Aitken students into the design. This collaborative project ran over four weeks during art classes. Inga taught students in Years 3, 6 and 7 to paint large splashes of paint and to take a print

from the paint. She demonstrated how to make the shape of a colourful butterfly and to then cut a fun looking body shape in black paper. Students from Years 8 to 11 were shown lots of inspirational images, after which they created a unique collage of a creature/human using beautiful papers and pictures found in magazines. Some students drew additional parts to combine the features in a seamless way. Placement of parts for the collaged creature and cutting of the forms using a penknife was challenging for some students. Each collaged creature was scanned and placed into a thematic background and arranged by Inga to make

a unified image using the computer program Photoshop. The six final works have been digitally printed onto canvas or composite board. Two of the prints are now displayed out of doors in front of the main office. The other four have been framed and hung around the College. The aim of this program is to involve as many students as possible and to create new and exciting artworks for the school. This program has been going for over 13 years.

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Sport The Aitken College Sports program is heavily connected with School Sports Victoria. This was our second year in SSV sports and we saw 64 teams compete in the division area with schools from the Hume area at years 7,8,9/10 and 11/12. Of those 64 teams, 22 progressed to the Northern Metropolitan Region and 5 teams and 3 individual students progressed through to the State finals.

This year we continued our traditional matches against Melbourne High and MacRoberston Girls in AFL Football & Soccer. Once again Aitken College were victors over Melbourne High in Boys AFL Football as well as Boys Soccer for 3 years in a row. The girls AFL team were narrowly defeated. The event was held at Melbourne High sporting grounds.

The College also conducts a House Sports competition during the year with major carnivals held for Swimming, Athletics, Cross Country, Junior House Orienteering and various lunchtime sports.

Highlights of the sporting year are the Senior AFL Boys Team making State Finals 2 years in a row and the Tennis teams who seem to dominate across all year levels. Swimming also has produced some individual athletes that went to State finals and our Athletics teams who dominated in field and relay events.

Overall, Aitken sports placings remained high across the majority of sports.

Languages Faculty 2015 was an eventful year for the Languages faculty. During the year the students participated in a variety of activities which enhanced their learning of languages. Once again, Year 7 went to the Parkville Zoo to learn about South-East Asian animals and use their language to complete a number of simple tasks. The students made full use of their iPads while at the zoo including the completion of an iBook task with imbedded listening activities. Some of our Year 9s also travelled to Geelong Christian College to participate in the Olimpiade Sekolah, an annual Indonesian language competition which involves students of the participating schools. The Aitken College team placed third overall. Our Year 10 students enjoyed a visit to the city taking in a movie at the Indonesian Film Festival followed up with a tasty Indonesian meal at one of the local restaurants. Back in the classroom students had the opportunity to try their hand at Indonesian cooking using ingredients purchased during the city tour.

Perhaps the highlight of the year was the Indonesian faculty’s trip to Indonesia. This was Aitken's sixth overseas trip and our third to Indonesia. We travelled to Jakarta, Bandung, Bogor and Jogjakarta on the Island of Java, and Ubud in Central Bali. These areas are regarded as significant historical and cultural centres in Indonesia and offered many opportunities for the students to immerse themselves in the local culture and practise their Bahasa Indonesia skills. The trip included a becak ride to the ancient city of Kota Gede where the students had lessons in Javanese dancing, batik making and gamelan playing. They impressed quite a few of the local market stall holders with their bargaining skills, learnt in Year 9 Indonesian. A highlight of our time in Jogja was a visit to a local school where the local students, despite being on holiday, came in to meet with our students. We very much enjoyed the warm hospitality offered by our hosts and look forward to further developing the relationship between our schools. Our last day in Ubud, Bali was spent riding bicycles through the villages and rice paddies of central Bali. The next day students cooled down at Waterbom Aquatic Park before retuning on the plane to wet and windy Melbourne.

We are also excited about continued interest in the Year 10 Indonesian program in 2016 with 30 of our 2015 Year 9 students choosing Indonesian as one of their electives for Year 10. It has been a real achievement of the Languages Faculty to steadily increase our post-compulsory numbers from just 15 in 2013 to 46 in 2016; this will be the largest cohort of senior school language students since the College’s establishment and indicative of the increasingly positive interest in language amongst our students. This success is a direct result of initiatives undertaken by the faculty made possible with the support of the College. These include the ongoing development of strategies for engaging student interest such as development of curriculum, the establishment

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of our Language Laboratory and, most significantly, the increased number of hours available for our Language Assistant.

In 2015 the Primary Languages Program continued with students in Grade 3 learning Italian and French; Grade 4s, Romanian and Greek; Grade 5s, Vietnamese and French; and the Grade 6s, German. During 2015 the Curriculum Committee considered several options in regards to the expansion of the primary Languages program at Aitken College. As of 2016 Grade 1-2 students will now learn French while Grades 3-6 will study Spanish. This allows for a more comprehensive language course to be delivered while helping us address the requirements of the Australian Curriculum.

We are continually developing the Languages curriculum and pedagogy in order to increase students’ enjoyment of the subject, and, hopefully, their interest in continuing with the study of the language beyond the compulsory years.

PARENTS

Parents and Friends Association The Parents and Friends Association is an active group of supportive parents who are excited to be a vital part of a growing and distinctive school community where individuals and families are valued and supported.

The group has great energy and vision and works closely with the school to determine the projects best supported by our fund raising. Parents and Friends run regular events with money raised going back into facilities for students. Previous activities have included;

• Community Business Directory • Preloved Uniform Sales • Trivia Night • Hot Cross Bun Drive • Father’s Day Breakfast • Mother’s Day Breakfast • Tea Towel Fundraiser • Umbrella Drive

Anyone from the school community is welcome to join the group which supports projects nominated by the Principal.

This year we completed a half-basketball court.

Friends of the Arts Association

The Friends of the Arts assist us with Performing Arts events at the College. The time commitment offered by many people, whether it is simply running students to performances and rehearsals, working in the canteen, building sets, making costumes or fundraising, is what really keeps the department alive. They have assisted this year with the external events and again provided opportunities for students through Friends of the Arts Scholarships. Recipients are able to utilise funds to assist them in taking short courses, further deepening their knowledge of their chosen field.

Parent Satisfaction

Parents continue to have the opportunity to provide feedback to the College through Information Evenings, Parent Teacher Interviews, Parent Morning Teas and via email or interview. Much feedback is positive and continues to focus on areas such as a sense of community, academic achievement, extra-curricular opportunities, dedication of staff and a willingness to promote the College to family and friends. Parents are

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encouraged to discuss concerns with Senior Management staff. Their comments provide specific areas to investigate further and this is useful as sometimes comments arise because of misinformation. In Term 3 2015 parents were invited to complete an ISV (Independent Schools Victoria) LEAD parent satisfaction survey. The survey is a mechanism for receiving feedback about the College.

• Academic Programs Academic Programs of the College generally meet the needs of students/parents but parents are expecting that students with special needs are well supported.

• Quality of Teaching

Quality of teaching highlights that parental expectations are that teachers understand the differing abilities of students and teach accordingly. This emphasises that work we are currently doing on differentiating the curriculum is worthwhile.

In general parents see that teachers are staying up to date with the things they teach and the school is open to new teaching strategies.

• Learning Outcomes

Parents see that students are being made responsible for their learning and that a good job is done at developing basic skills. More could be done to challenge students in their studies by developing higher order skills. The emphasis on differentiation of curriculum in the classroom and the new appointment of Head of Extension Programs should enable growth in this area. The parent survey highlighted that parents do want to be informed of their child’s academic performance relative to others.

• Pastoral Care

Parents are affirming that the College provides an inclusive and respectful learning environment for all children.

• Discipline and Safety

Parents see that the school is a safe place for children to learn but highlights parents in general are concerned about bullying. Parents are positive about the school administration taking action, following well established discipline procedures, and treating children fairly. Educational programs and the environment appear to be providing positive outcomes regarding information and knowledge concerning drug awareness and prevention, racism and behaviour.

• Parental Involvement

Parents believe that they have excellent opportunities for contact with teachers and that staff are approachable and that parents are encouraged to be involved in a large variety of ways at the school. Parents feel that a broad range of communication types are used to keep them informed. Parents wish to be kept better informed about the learning programs undertaken by students and there will be an opportunity for parents to engage with their child’s learning program through the new learning management system, MyAitken, and with more regular feedback being trialled in 2016 in Years 3 and 7.

• Resources

Parents believe that school buildings and the grounds are well maintained and attractive. Resources and use of ICT rated very highly with parents.

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• Year Transition Parents feel that students are well prepared in their transition from one year to the next.

• Global Satisfaction

Parents overall are satisfied with their decision to send their child to Aitken College and would recommend the school to other parents.

• Spiritual Focus

Parents were very positive about the spiritual focus of the College meeting their child’s needs and the consistency in the values expressed in the daily experience of families and students.

• Reasons for Choosing Aitken College

The top five reasons why parents choose the College were:

• The emphasis on development of sound morals, values, beliefs and attitudes • The school suiting their child’s needs • The school’s location • The school’s facilities and resources • The school’s reputation

• Other Parent Feedback

The College Registrar receives enquiries from prospective parents. All enquiries are logged and a College information pack is sent. The College holds an Open Day (March) and an Open Evening (October) with tours led by student leaders. The feedback from these tours is always positive, with prospective families getting an understanding of the school and its programs from the students.

The College teaching staff are engaged in interviewing all prospective families and feedback received provides information on community perceptions and what parents are seeking when looking for a school. Elements include an academic profile providing a range of pathways for students, co-education, a values based education (incorporating faith elements), a safe environment, a range of activities to engage students and an affordable independent education.

The engagement by parents in College events is high, demonstrating a commitment to the College. Parents are welcome to raise concerns with Senior Management and time is made to hear and provide feedback on concerns.

Communication to parents is through the fortnightly newsletter and the community portal. Parents are able to log into the portal to find information on their child’s attendance, classwork and contact teachers. Prospective families are kept in touch through a biannual newsletter.

Families exiting the College are provided with the opportunity to provide feedback through Senior Management. Reasons given include family matters, financial hardship, movement from the area, scholarship offers to selective schools and in some cases dissatisfaction with elements of programs not meeting their child’s needs or aligning with College values.

Alumni As in previous years, Aitken College hosted three Alumni functions during 2015.

In February members of the Class of 2014 had the opportunity to reunite for their one-year reunion. Gatherings were also held for the Class of 2010 (five-year reunion) and the ten-year reunion for the Class of 2005. These

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functions provided former students with an opportunity to tour the school, see the many changes to amenities and school-scape in addition to sharing memories and stories post Aitken. The one-year reunion (Class of 2013) was held in the foyer of the CPA and attended by a small number of ex-students. An observation is that the first year reunion tends to be less well patronised than celebrations marking the five and ten year milestones. This is perhaps because the students are largely still in touch with each other through social media. It may be that insufficient time has lapsed for there to be any significant news or developments to share given that the majority will have only just completed the first year of a tertiary programme. The scheduling of the event on a Friday evening is problematic for some. Many alumni having transitioned to tertiary studies, are heavily reliant upon casual work and Friday night shifts are common. There is no obvious solution to this timing dilemma as altering the scheduling of the event could well result in a net loss in attendance.

Support for the five and ten year reunions continues to grow.

The five-year reunion for the Class of 2010 held in September saw approximately 60 Alumni in attendance and was an outstanding success, with attendees reluctant to leave the gathering. Many took the opportunity to sit in their designated seats in the CPA reminiscing of assemblies attended in bygone days. As always there was great camaraderie and there is little doubt that the reunion could be described as a very happy event.

In November, approximately 40 Alumni from the Class of 2005 gathered in CR1 for an excellent reunion. Many of the group attended with partners or spouses to swell numbers further. This event too was extremely successful due largely to the initiative taken by one ex-student in particular who was an enthusiastic ‘driver’ of the event using social media as a means to establish contact and encourage attendance. The maturity of the group was further evidenced by the willingness of one alumni to act as master of ceremonies for the evening. For this gathering, several ex staff members were also in attendance delighting those alumni present.

Ex-students together with former and current staff certainly appreciate the opportunity to gather in a social setting and renew friendships. Careers staff welcome the opportunity to tap into the alumni network for purposes of securing guest speakers, updating industry knowledge and networking of a more general nature.

A number of alumni have kindly agreed to share their stories and something of their affection for Aitken in the ‘Beyond Aitken’ section of the College website which is accessed from the alumni link. In 2015 a new addition to the College yearbook ‘The Windmill’ was the ‘Where Are They Now?’ page which showcases a number of alumni illustrating their study and work pathways since departing Aitken. Together with the ‘Beyond Aitken’ stories these serve to display the breadth of curriculum offerings, the affirming culture of the College and the diversity of student outcomes in a most positive manner.

Interact Club The Aitken College Interact Club is run under the auspices of the Rotary Club of Tullamarine. Its purpose is to encourage students from Years 7 to 12 focus on self-development and contributing to both the school and the wider community. Interact is one of Rotary's fastest growing programs which fosters the development of young people.

In Term 1 a number of students participated in the ' Women in Rotary' breakfast at Crown Casino, where they heard a number of speakers from the business community such as reporter Geraldine Douge, Judge Frances Millane and Mary Barry, CEO of the Heart Foundation. Other students had the opportunity to help prepare food for the homeless and disadvantaged at Fareshare in Abbotsford. Some were inspired at being able to hear how Fareshare operates in the community.

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Brookhill Athletics Day Carnival saw students serve hot chocolate and sell drinks to raise money for an orphanage in Nepal. This was particularly timely as it was just after the earthquake which devastated a large proportion of the country. The money raised was used for clothing and books.

In Term 3 the whole school became involved in the now annual 'Team Colours Day’. Students and staff dressed up in their favourite sporting team's colours to help raise money for the 'Fight Cancer Foundation'. A presentation by Club President Julia Kerry and Treasurer Tishya Del Rosario was made to the Greenvale Rotary Club about the club and students participated in a barbeque run by the club at Bunnings.

Interact has made a difference to the students who became involved in the club and to the lives of the causes which they supported. It has allowed students with a range of interests to participate in community service in a fun and meaningful way.

Sustainability and Environment Ongoing sustainability initiatives in 2015 continued to shape the profile of environmental programs. The student Environment Monitors program was refined in order to make improvements. Monitors worked hard to educate and inform their classmates about ongoing recycling programs, as well as ways to save energy in the classroom, earning themselves their Environment Badges.

Aitken participated in the Bottle for Botol program which aims to reduce single-use plastics. We were partnered with a school in Indonesia and worked together throughout the year. The program began with a logo design competition, in which 3 of our students made it to the finals. We then sold over 100 reusable water bottles to the Aitken community. For each bottle we sold, another was donated to our partner school where they learned about the importance of reusing bottles, and minimising the use of disposable plastics. Being part of this program turned out to be a valuable learning experience for our students.

Year 5 and 6 Environment Monitors were asked to participate in a special program called Coastal Ambassadors, Kids Teaching Kids. Sofia Cofano 5MG, Anita Li 5B, Keisha Sadler 6L, Dominic Calafiore 6K, and Annalise Hunt 6L implemented an action plan towards improving the water quality at Aitken College. They conducted a water bug investigation to establish a starting point, followed by behaviour modifications such as litter reduction. The quality of water was monitored throughout their action plan to see if improvements emerged. When it came time for them to present the results of their action plan to other schools across Victoria, they really shined! Teachers and students across the state congratulated our students on the excellent job they did sharing their innovative ideas and strategies related to water quality.

Environment Week in Term 3 was an overwhelming success. The weather was amazing and the activities were a hit. Students from all year levels participated in a variety of games and programs, aimed at reminding students how easy it is to enjoy the environment in our own back-yard. Activities included water-bug experiments, rubbish sculpting, tree planting and a free-range BBQ.

Within the Environmental Programs curriculum department, the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen-Garden program continued its success in Year 3 and Year 4 classes. We expect the program to continue growing as it is now a permanent aspect of the Primary Curriculum.

Our efforts across the year were certainly recognised by the College community and beyond. In 2015, Aitken was named a finalist in the Resource Smart Biodiversity School of the Year category.

Each of our achievements was preceded with a challenge, and we were thrilled to tackle each challenge as they came.

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Faith Community and Development • All Aitken students attend a weekly age-appropriate half hour Christian Chapel service presented by the

College Chaplain or the Director of Chaplaincy. Faith issues and Christian values are recommended to the community via state of the art audio-visual presentations, guest speakers or others trained in this field. Faith Development is linked to the wider Religious Education and Life Skills programmes and students are encouraged to look beyond themselves to the needs of others, and the claims of God as revealed through Christian revelation.

• The Religion and Values Education programme complements the weekly Chapel presentations. This programme runs for Years Prep to 10, and as a VCE subject in Year 11 and 12. The programme is age appropriate. Whilst a main focus in on teaching the core precepts of the Christian faith, students are introduced to other Faiths and World views. Comparisons are encouraged so that students are able to make sensible decision based on a sound understanding of issues with Religious experience and Faith.

• The Reach Out Community (ROC) run by the Chaplaincy team meets on two Wednesday evenings a term for a children’s programme and one Sunday each month for informal Christian worship. ROC is always trying new ideas to encourage and build up those who come to explore issues of faith. The Monthly Kid’s ROC evenings are very popular with younger students and their parents, often seeing over 100 attending. ROC supports a range of activities within the College community. The Greenvale Community Choir commenced in late 2011 and has grown steadily in popularity, making important links to the wider community. ROC also hosts student evenings such as Aitken’s got Talent and Aitken can Dance, modelled on modern popular reality shows. These allow some students to explore their gifts and be affirmed in the process. ROC runs an annual Grief and Loss service which addresses specific needs within the community. Links with local community groups and Uniting church congregations is always being strengthened where possible.

• Aitken College employs a youth chaplain who works two days per week counselling, leading Seasons Grief and Loss classes, running the weekly lunchtime KickStart youth group for Year 7-9 students, and other initiatives from time to time. This appointment is funded by the Federal Government Chaplaincy and Student Welfare initiative. The KickStart group allows for Faith Development in an environment where students choose to attend and explore a deeper understanding of the Christian Faith.

Faith Community The definition of a Faith Community includes the idea of a group of people with a commitment to a faith (in the case of Aitken College, the Christian Faith), who seek to support each other, share their faith, and develop links between the faith and others within the community.

• ROC forms a central part of this idea at Aitken College. Now in its 13th year it continues to remain faithful to the concept given above. Participation is invited from the Aitken Community and those affiliated with the Uniting Church in the wider community.

• Links with local Uniting Churches have grown over the years and this allows the annual Baptism and Confirmation services to be offered, opening up opportunities within the student body for this important faith commitment.

• Over the past year a foundation has been laid to establish a regular worshipping community on-site at Aitken College which will be recognised by the Uniting Church Australia as a Faith Community in its own right. Local interest has been growing and this initiative will open up many possibilities for pastoral care and Christian ministry within the school and wider local community, as well as employing an extra chaplain to meet this need.

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• Staff, students and parents are encouraged to participate in chapel services and the annual Easter and Carols services which are important events within the College year in terms of religious observances. It is not uncommon to have over 40 parents and young children joining in with the junior Chapel services each week.

Finance 2015 Annual Report

INCOME $ % Tuition Fees 7,725,148 38.4% Federal Govt Funding 9,925,229 49.3% State Govt Funding 1,619,005 8.0% Other Income 851,890 4.2% Total Income 20,121,272 100.0% The major source of income for the College was Federal and State Government funding (57%) and tuition fees (38%).

38.4%

49.3%

8.0%

4.2%

Tuition Fees Federal Govt Funding State Govt Funding Other Income

67.6%

19.6%

4.2%8.6%

2015 Expenditure

Employment Costs

Education & General

Buildings & Grounds

Depreciation

2015 Income

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EXPENDITURE $ % Employment Costs 13,182,767 67.6% Education & General 3,819,769 19.6% Buildings & Grounds 818,334 4.2% Depreciation 1,666,833 8.6% Total Expenses 19,487,703 100.0%

The major expenditure item is employment costs (68%). Education and General costs includes faculty and administration expenses (20%).

Note: This excludes Capital expenditure of $2,385,928, mainly for the Food Technology Centre and the Environmental Barn. This expenditure being partially funded by borrowings.

Capital Works Projects and Property Management Report It is not often that schools manage to deliver more than one new facility in a year however this year saw the construction of two new buildings. We welcomed the Environment Barn and also the Food Technology Building. The introduction of these two facilities has generated much excitement and will provide staff and students with exceptional learning spaces.

The College has continued on its path of reducing its impact on the environment by replacing more of the old air conditioning units throughout the senior school areas. This replacement program is nearing its completion with only a handful of units remaining in small staff offices The College also managed to secure a deal to replace all of the fluorescent lighting to LED in all of its communal areas such as the Gymnasium, Senior school, Administration building, Library and Art rooms.

We also continued to invest in the recycling/waste program which will over the next two to three years see commingle bins in place internally and externally across the College. We have expanded this program by placing bins in the art rooms, science and senior school buildings.

Some of our existing buildings had some minor refurbishment completed. This included the Technology building and the Administration building. The Technology building had a renovation to the northern end of the building. We enlarged a small teaching space to fit a class of 20 students with PC’s. This has provided teaching staff with greater scope in providing students with a much larger design and folio work area.

The other refurbishment was to the staff facilities and first aid area within the Administration building. The modification allowed us to enlarge the staff toilets as well as create a larger first aid room. The first aid room was fitted out with greater storage capacity and a much more efficient treatment area.

Whilst we completed many internal projects we managed to also complete the landscaping to the parent car park and also the area around the Dunhelen classrooms in the South East corner of the school. This has seen the completion of our landscaping plans which began back in 2012. We look forward to seeing the culmination of the new plants as they mature and fill out. Other College funded capital projects undertaken included;

• Removal of old cyclone mesh fencing and construction of soccer field fencing • Modification to B1 entrance steps • Completion of levelling works to the south west corner of the College • Construction of a concrete pad to the waste area

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• Installation of the Salto lock system to the Administration building • Install of waste/commingle bins throughout senior school and science areas • Installation of new table tops to VCE 2 & 3 • New passive area furniture to CR1 and CR2

Maintenance works The Property Department has in place a cyclical maintenance program which includes the inspection of all essential services such as fire safety equipment, air-conditioning, emergency lighting, exit lighting, paths of travel and exit doors. Other areas that are considered an important part of cyclical maintenance include the test and tagging of all electrical appliances, thermal scanning of all switchboards, testing of fume cupboards, chemical waste disposal and annual inspections of trees by qualified arborists.

Our maintenance program also extends to the preventative maintenance of buildings and College grounds which include regular inspections of external timber work, decking, water tanks, playgrounds, irrigation systems and other minor internal items.

A Uniting Church School