www.gleneagles.vic.edu.au / Reema Boulevard, Endeavour Hills VIC 3802 / T: 9708 1319 F: 9708 1324

Issue 299, 29th July 2016

IMPORTANT DATES TO NOTE

Tuesday 2nd

August - UNSW English Competition (selected

students) - Year 11 and 12 Studio Arts Excursion

Tuesday 16th

August - Year 12 Physics Excursion

Wednesday 17th

August

- Free Dress Day, $2.00 Donation, Olympic theme

- Variety Night, the Shed, 7.00p, $5.00

Wednesday 3rd

August - Year 12 English/EAL Incursion, Summer

17th

Doll, the Shed Friday 19

th August

- Professional Development Day, Student Free Day (no students)

Thursday 4th

August - Year 9 English Incursion, Romeo and Juliet,

P1 & 2, the Shed Monday 22

nd August - PFA Meeting, 3.30pm, College Staff room

Monday 8th

August

- Year 9, 2016 → Year 10, 2017 Course Counselling Interviews, 1.00pm-8.00pm by appointment, (No Year 9 classes)

- Year 12, 2016 Parent and Student Information Night, 6.00pm, Study Centre

Thursday 25th

August - Year 9 Wellbeing Day

Friday 26th

August - Year 7 Basketball, Hockey

- Year 10 Ski Trip (selected students)

Tuesday 9th

August - VCE Special Programs Day (no VCE classes) Monday 29th

August - School Production Week, full dress rehearsal

Thursday 11th

August - Whole School Assembly, P1, High Achievers

Recognition Tuesday 30

th August

- Intermediate Basketball, Hockey (selected Year 8 & 9 students)

- School Production (30/8-01/09), $10.00 - Booking System open for Parent/Teacher

Interview Bookings Friday 12

th August - Year 8 Baseball, Hockey

Monday 15th

August - Compass Parent Portal Opens Thursday 1st

September - Year 7 Immunisation - Year 12 Studio Arts Excursion

COLLEGE PRINCIPAL’S REPORT

COMPASS PARENT PORTAL IS COMING! Compass School Manager is a management system that Gleneagles Secondary College utilises to form a crucial educational partnership between home and the College. Our student and teacher community have been using Compass since the beginning of 2016 and now it is time for parents to come aboard.

Through a personal secure online parent/guardian Compass account you will be able to receive important communication and be kept informed about your son/daughter’s learning. By logging on to any device that is connected to the internet parents will be able to:-

Access information regarding upcoming events

View your child’s timetable

View and update class and school attendance information

Approve or enter upcoming or past absences for your child

Email your child/children’s teacher(s)

View comments from teachers about your child’s

behaviour and achievements

A letter will be sent home in the mail by the end of next week. That letter will contain your logon and password details (note: parents should ensure they protect their password so that it cannot be used by the child to approve absences etc) and information about some Compass orientation sessions that are being run at the College. The parent portal will open on Monday 15

th August 2016.

YEAR 10, 2016 → YEAR 11, 2017 COURSE INTERVIEWS

Our Year 10, 2016 students recently completed Course Counselling for their provisional Year 11, 2017 Programs. Students were well supported in this process by the “Taster Program,” accessing the online course selection software and receiving individual counselling. It is important that all Year 10, 2016 students work consistently until the end of the year so that their reports confirm they are ready for the rigours of Year 11, 2017. Students are not guaranteed access to Year 11, here or at any Alliance school if they cannot demonstrate they have the appropriate work ethic and skills. Where we currently have concerns, students will be advised and parents will receive a letter to attend an interview with a Principal. YEAR 8, 2016 → YEAR 9, 2017 At the recent Year 8, 2016 Assembly held on Wednesday 27

th

July 2016, all students attended a presentation regarding the Year 9, 2017 Elective Program. Students were provided with a letter detailing their individual Username and Password to access the Year 9, 2017 Online Subject Selection Program which is linked to the College website. To access this Link go to the Gleneagles website, click on the Quicklinks on the Homepage, then click on Year 8, 2016→Year 9, 2017 tab. All the presentations and documents from the Assembly are located on the College website, Homepage, Quicklinks, together with the Year 9, 2017 Online Subject Selection Program Link, which is now activated.

TERM 3, STAFF CHANGES The start of Term 3, 2016 has brought with it some staff changes due to retirements, travel and additions to families. We would like to welcome Nicole Lourensz who is replacing Rob Tunks (English and Humanities), Tim Pearson replacing Lucie Turner (Science), Sibila Rodriguez replacing Christina Krebs (Art), Stephen Walsh who has replaced Georgia Evans (PE & Health) and Yinji Zhang replacing Joyce Xiao (LOTE). Late in Term 2, 2016 Chris Blatmann replaced Jess Ferguson (PE/Health) and Des Potts replaced Leokardia Lilikakis in Humanities/Legal Studies. Congratulations to Jess Ferguson, Georgia Evans and Leokardia Lilikakis who have all recently had baby boys. Welcome back Juanita O’Dowd who was on Leave for Term 2 and Jess Kinnersley who has returned from Family Leave. Following the Retirement of Rosemary Retzlaff and Chris Ryan (Education Support staff who worked with many of our students in the integration area for many years) we welcome Elisa Miller and Beth Wallace. Jackie Batson has replaced Chris Peers in the VCE Sub School office.

YEAR 12, 2016 INFORMATION NIGHT MONDAY, 8

TH AUGUST 2016, 6.00PM, VCE STUDY CENTRE

On Monday 8th

August 2016, Gleneagles will be conducting a Year 12, 2016 Information Night starting at 6.00pm in the VCE Study Centre. As Year 12 students enter the final stage of their VCE journey, Gleneagles aims to continue to guide and support them through this exciting yet sometimes confusing period. As part of this ongoing support we will be delivering an Information Evening focusing on VTAC applications, SEAS (Special Entry Access Scheme) Applications, ATAR calculations and results. Senior School Gleneagles staff and a member from Monash University will be on hand to answer any questions that arise throughout the Information Night.

Mr Neal Year 11 & 12 Sub-School Leader

YEAR 9, 2016 → YEAR 10, 2017 COURSE COUNSELLING INTERVIEWS MONDAY 8

TH AUGUST 2016, 1.00PM-8.00PM

The Year 9, 2016 Course Counselling Interviews will be held on Monday 8

th August 2016, 1.00pm-8.00pm in the Shed. There

will be no scheduled classes for Year 9 students on the day. All Year 9, 2016 students with their parent/guardian are required to attend a Course Counselling Interview session to confirm the student’s elective selections for 2017 (school uniform not required). To access the online booking system for Course Counselling Interviews for parents to make appointments themselves with their child’s Course Counsellor, parents need to go to the Gleneagles website, click on the Quicklinks on the Homepage, then click on Year 9, 2016→Year 10, 2017 tab. The online booking system was activated on Wednesday 20

th July 2016.

Even if your child is considering going to Hallam or another school they must have a Course Counselling Interview to secure a program for next year.

WHOLE SCHOOL ASSEMBLY, HIGH ACHIEVERS RECOGNITION WEDNESDAY 11

TH AUGUST 2016, PERIOD 1

On Wednesday, 11th

August 2016 during Period 1 at the High Achiever’s School Assembly, we will recognise the achievements of students who performed above their Year level or have shown improvement in their studies based on the Semester 1 Reports. Parents of these students have been invited to the presentation of certificates and to share in a special Morning Tea as part of this celebration.

FREE DRESS DAY, OLYMPIC THEME,$2.00 DONATION WEDNESDAY 17

TH AUGUST 2016

Wednesday 17th

August 2016 is the next Free Dress Day for all students. Students are encouraged to come in free dress, Olympics themed outfits. Students that come in free dress make a $2.00 donation. All money raised will go to the State Schools' Relief Appeal. PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT DAY (NO STUDENTS) FRIDAY 19

TH AUGUST 2016

Friday 19th

August 2016 is a Professional Development Day. Gleneagles staff will use this day for attending workshops and seminars by guest presenters at the college. There will be no students attending on this day PFA MEETING, MONDAY 22

ND AUGUST 2016, 3.30PM

The next PFA meeting will be held on Monday, 22nd

August 2016, 3.30pm, Gleneagles staff room. Everyone welcome. HOW TO GIVE YOUR CHILD THE BEST CHANCE AT SCHOOL Make sure they attend school every day and arrive on time! Some absences are impossible to avoid – genuine illness, bereavement, etc. are examples of the acceptable reasons for absence. However, every time your child is late or absent from school, his/her learning is disrupted. Most teaching is sequential – what is taught and learned today is a foundation which enables children to understand and master what is taught tomorrow.

It is usually harder for a child to catch up on work missed than to master it when it is being taught in class. To avoid making it hard for your child, parents should minimise absences by:-

Arranging doctor and dentist appointments out of school hours.

Developing in your child the habit of being on time to school each day.

Not allowing children to remain at home for minor/frivolous reasons.

Arranging birthday celebrations etc to occur out of school hours.

Contacting the Homegroup Teacher or Mentor immediately if there is any concern which might influence attendance.

Asking your child would they stay home if this was their paid employment – if the answer is no, they should be at school.

Sue Peddlesden, Adele Duffy, Kathie Toth, Rhonda Greelish

YEAR 7 SCIENCE INCURSION, PROFESSOR BUNSEN On Thursday, 21

st July 2016, Professor Bunsen, a Chemical

Scientist came to visit our school. He showed us many experiments. Some were calm and the others were explosive. The experiments ranged from all sorts of different things from

things catching on fire and blowing up a balloon. All of them were entertaining and interesting. All the Year 7 students enjoyed Professor Bunsen’s visit very much.

Pictured: Professor Bunsen

Article by Krish Rajavel and Gita Santosa, 7E students

GLENEAGLES VARIETY NIGHT WEDNESDAY 17

TH AUGUST 2016, 7.00PM,

The Gleneagles Performing Arts Department proudly presents the Gleneagles Variety Night, to be held on Wednesday 17

th August 2016. The event

will be held in the Shed at the College, commencing at 7.00pm. All tickets cost $5.00 and can be purchased from the College Bursar. Refer to Page 4 of this Newsletter for further details. GLENEAGLES PRODUCTION, BABYSITTER WANTED The Gleneagles Performing Arts Department proudly presents the College Production, Babysitter Wanted will hold three performances: -

Tuesday 30th

August 2016

Wednesday 31st

August 2016

Thursday 1st

September 2016

The Production will be held at Hallam Senior College, Frawley Road, Hallam commencing at 7.30pm. All tickets cost $10.00 and can be purchased from the College Bursar. Refer to Page 4 of this Newsletter for further details. HOMEWORK CLUB, THURSDAYS, 3.00PM - 4.30PM Our very popular weekly Homework Club is held on Thursdays, from 3.00pm-4.30pm in the Library. This is supervised by a number of staff and volunteer tutors from the community

through our links with the Centre for Multicultural Youth, City of Casey and Monash University. Embrace Tutoring. All students attending are required to sign in at the library desk.

It is important to note that students should only be attending if they want help with work or a place to study/attend to complete homework and assignments. Parents/Guardians and students please note that the Homework Club is not just a place to wait and catch up with friends until you get collected after school; if you are there you need to be focused on your work and understand that other students around you need you to be working quietly.

Maxine Foster, Student Wellbeing Co-ordinator

CAREERS NEWS

Tertiary Open Days, July and August 2016 VCE and Year 10 students are encouraged to attend University and TAFE Open Days. Forthcoming Open Days and information sessions:

- Saturday 30th

July 2016: JMC Academy (Information Session 10.30am, Bank Street, South Melbourne).

- Sunday 31st

July 2016: Swinburne University, Hawthorn Open Day (John St, Hawthorn) 10.00am to 4.00pm.

- Saturday 6th

August 2016: Monash University Open Day, Peninsula Campus, 10.00am to 3.00pm.

- Sunday 7th

August 2016: Monash University Open Day, Clayton and Caulfield Campuses, 10.00am to 3.00pm.

- Sunday 7th

August 2016: La Trobe University Open Day, Bundoora Campus 10.00am to 3.00pm.

For the full list, please refer to the List on Compass or contact the Careers Centre. We will publish the forthcoming Open Days each week. Berwick Campus News Federation University will be offering Degree Courses at the Berwick campus from next year and in 2018 will take over the campus from Monash University completely. There will be an Information Session on Wednesday 17

th August 2016, from

4.00pm-8.00pm. Year 10 Work Experience Here are some more photos of Year 10 students on Work Experience: -

- Antonia at Western Hospital (in the production kitchen)

- Naomi at Pet Care Vet in Endeavour Hills.

- Aaron and John Paul at Academy of Interactive Entertainment

Chris Wood, Careers Co-ordinator Catherine Oldham, Careers Assistant