On Monday the 9th of November, our Year 11 VCAL and Year 10 students participated in Mock Interviews with Glenelg & Southern Grampians Shire Council members Tiana Richardson, Lilija Sigurpals and Scott Taylor. The lead up to the Mock Interview day was unusual this year due to students not being able to participate in work experience or work placements due to COVID-19. Students also found it difficult to prepare and gather evidence while working remotely from home for the majority of Term 3. Well done to all the HDSC students who took the opportunity to step out of their comfort zones and come professionally dressed. You now have the opportunity to draw on feedback given during the mock interview process when pursuing future career pathways. Feedback “I was nervous at the start but the interviewer was really nice. I received feedback from my answers regarding how I can improve in the future…” Mikayla “The Mock Interviews were a good but nerve-racking experience. It helped me to see how things worked.” Tamzyn “Scoot was really helpful and encouraged me to fix my mistakes and make my resume more professional” Kade “Great feedback and they talked and explained things really clearly and were really nice” Max ‘Going in wasn’t nerve racking but a little intimidating, after you talked a little about yourself it was a lot easier” Makybe We would like to thank Lilja, Tiana and Scott for giving up their time to interview the students and provide them with constructive feedback. Kerrie Smith and Andrew Prentice, HDSC

Heywood & District Secondary College

PO Box 180

Heywood VIC 3304

Ph: 5527 1303

Email: heywood.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au

www. heywoodsc.vic.edu.au

School Council President: Sue Lovett

Heywood Consolidated School

PO Box 21

Heywood VIC 3304

Ph: 5527 1200

Email: heywood.cs@edumail.vic.gov.au

www.heywoodconsolidated.vic.edu.au

School Council President: Anja Croft

The fortnightly combined newsletter of Heywood Consolidated School and Heywood & District Secondary College

Edition 17, November 12th 2020

Mock Interviews

The past fortnight has absolutely flown by. We are now on the downhill run towards the end of 2020. With just five weeks remaining of this term, I assume that things are only going to fly by faster. Last week, Heywood Consolidated School staff

participated in the Positive Schools Conference online for two days. This was a very interesting and informative event. It covered many areas of education and wellbeing including the impact of COVID-19, staff and student wellbeing, future possibilities in education, the Berry Street Education Model, Positive Education, Restorative Practices, Mindfulness, having a sense of adventure, learning from other people’s experiences, friendships and peer relationships, learning to flourish, cyber safety, hope, resilience, anxiety and confidence, vulnerability, wonder, and social media. Staff have discussed the learnings from these two days and we are now putting into place the actions from our learning. As 2020 comes to an end, we are asked to reflect on the year and what learnings and development we can take from this year. As a school, it has been one of the more challenging years as we needed to adapt to the coronavirus pandemic. This resulted in students learning from home, in different ways. We have seen some students thrive, some struggle to engage and others who have fluctuated between the two. Regardless, their education has continued to be our priority. Since returning to school, our staff have focused on students’ educational outcomes, wellbeing, connection to peers and positive mindset. I am mindful also that staff have needed to focus on their own wellbeing. I am hopeful that we will continue to make improvements and take one step further forward every day. Please continue to encourage your child to have a good night’s sleep, eat well and drink lots of water every day. Students quickly become very tired at this end of the year and hectic weekends or after school activities will mean that they are less able to cope with the challenges of the busy school day. Ann Hawker, Principal, HeyCon

Good luck to our Year 12 students who started their exams this week. Next week (17th-19th November) is Year 10 and Year 11 Exam Week and Year 7-9 Assessment Week. I encourage you to please take this experience seriously and make time to study. If you find that you are unsure about any aspect of your work, arrange to meet with your relevant teacher to ask for help.

For families of students unfamiliar with exams and assessments, you may experience a little stress. What does exam stress look like? Feeling confused, losing touch with friends, feeling moody and low, having trouble making decisions, feeling overwhelmed, a lack of motivation to do anything, trouble sleeping or getting out of bed, tense muscles or headaches, an upset stomach or feeling sick, fidgeting, nail biting or teeth grinding.

Why do people experience exam stress? The worry that they might fail, don't feel prepared, want to do really well, don’t have much time to study, need to get a certain result, don’t think they will do well, find it hard to understand what they’re studying, feel pressure from family to get good marks, feel they need to compete with others or have other things happening in their life. It’s never too late to set up good study habits. Here are some helpful ideas: Find a quiet place to study without distractions. Set-up your study space (make sure it’s not too cluttered and has everything you might need). Find out as much as you can about the exam so you can prepare. Ask your teacher if you’re unsure of what will be tested. Learn to make mind maps and use them to collect ideas and thoughts by using bright colours to help you remember important links. Make a plan of what you want to work on in each study session. Break each session down into small tasks and work on one task at a time. Take regular, short breaks – use this time to have a drink, get something to eat or be active. Ask for help - If you’re having trouble with something, ask a teacher, friend, sibling or parent to help. This year we will be running two weeks of Head Start. It is vital that all students are present each day. Head Start is the beginning of the 2021 curriculum and senior students will be given, and expected to complete, homework over the school holidays. This will count towards their attendance in these subjects. If you have any concerns or questions about Head Start please contact Mr Prevett for Senior Students and Ms Latham for Junior students. Kelly Webster, Principal, HDSC

From The Principals

Assessment Week

Years 7, 8 and 9 will have an Assessment Week, this coming week (16th-20th of November). During this week, students will complete assessments in every one of their core subjects. This week gives students the excellent opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned and their knowledge in each subject area. Assessments like these help us to celebrate individual growth and achievement, and to tailor programs to the needs of each student. It is also a quiet introduction into what exams are like in later years, allowing students to practise their skills and prepare for the future. The below timetables show when each Year level will have their scheduled assessment. It is expected that all students be at school on Monday (16/11) through to Thursday (19/11). There is an Assessment Catch Up Day on Friday the 20th of November, which is only for students that unexpectedly miss a day earlier in the week. All other students are not required on the Catch Up Day and there will be no normal classes running. I wish all of our junior students the best of luck in their revision and assessments. Megan Latham, Junior School Teaching & Learning Leader, HDSC

Year 7 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

P1

Humanities Health

Language and Culture

Normal Classes Catch Up Day

Attendance is not required

P2 Normal Classes Normal Classes

P3 Food Technology

Science English

P4 Normal Classes Mathematics

P5 Normal Classes Vis Com Normal Classes Normal Classes

P6 Indonesian

Year 8 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

P1 Language and Culture

Normal Classes English Normal Classes

Catch Up Day

Attendance is not required

P2 Science Mathematics

P3 Normal Classes Normal Classes Vis Com Material Studies

P4 Indonesian

P5

Normal Classes Humanities Normal Classes Normal Classes

P6 ICT

Year 9 Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

P1 Humanities

Mathematics English Normal Classes

Catch Up Day

Attendance is not required

P2

Normal Classes

P3 Normal Classes

Normal Classes

Science

P4 Normal Classes

P5 ICT

Design & Technology

P6 Normal Classes Normal Classes

Assistant Principal’s Report Sun Smart As we start to move closer to summer and the sun is beaming, it is wise to be sun smart. If you are going to be outside please apply sunscreen as per the school’s policy as well as a HDSC wide brimmed or bucket hat. Sun hats must be worn at all times whilst outside. If you do not have the appropriate hat, please contact the office ASAP where you can purchase one. Uniform Please remember that hoodies, non-school beanies, track suit pants, and other non school uniform items are not permitted at school. Students will be asked to remove them and change into school uniform. Please see the school’s uniform policy, which is located on the school’s website, http://www.heywoodsc.vic.edu.au. Attendance The single most important part of your child’s education, is going to school every day. Being physically present in school is one of the most basic conditions for a student’s success. As we approach the end of year, the challenge now is for students to power through and maintain or further improve their attendance. Just remember that every day you’re at school, is an opportunity to learn and a step towards achieving your goals. Positive Behaviours for learning Throughout this year HDSC has seen the school wide approach to positive behaviours embedded into the school. This creates a positive, safe and supportive school climate in which students can learn and develop their social and emotional wellbeing. There are many aspects to this approach and one way to build positive behaviours for learning is to ensure consistency in all that we do as a school and as a community. Mobile Phone Policy I would like to remind everyone about the mobile phone policy. Mobile phones must remain switched off, on silent or on airplane mode and placed in the mobile phone lockers whilst at school. This is to ensure that students are not distracted by their phones, while engaged in class learning new concepts, consolidating their learning or extending their learning to new heights. Brenton Schintler, Assistant Principal, HDSC

HeyCon Book Fair HeyCon will be holding a Book Fair from Monday the 30th of November until Wednesday the 2nd of December between the hours of 8:30am-9:00am only. We expect the range and quality of books to be just as fantastic as in previous years. Students will be able to preview the Book Fair with their teachers on Friday the 27th of November. They will then be able to take home a wish list of books and prices. The Book Fair will only be open to students this year (due to COVID-19) unless restrictions change. When sending money with students to purchase books, please ensure it is placed in a sealed and named envelope. Please contact Sharyn Uebergang at HeyCon with any queries.

Kinder Transition Now Underway With changes to the schools operations guide we are now jumping into kinder transition sessions with a mix of visits to the kinder and onsite sessions for small groups. Kinder students will be visiting the kinder on two occasions in small groups of 10 children. The first visit on Friday the 20th of November will be for one hour which is a familiarisation visit of the school and classrooms. The second visit on Friday the 27th of November will be for two hours. This extension of time starts to prepare students for the Statewide Transition day on Tuesday the 8th of December. There are two groups operating on these days and parents must book their child in via phone or email to the school heywood.cs@education.vic.gov.au This week we announced our Foundation teachers for 2021, Miss Sallie Field (right) and Maddie Goddard, as pictured. They visited each of the kindergartens this week and will visit again next Tuesday the 17th of November. Heywood Consolidated is using its online learning platform, SeeSaw, to provide additional information for 2021 Foundation parents with videos, Big Book stories about school readiness and messaging between families and the school. Parents were sent login details this week for accessing SeeSaw. Parents may like to view the transition video, prepared last term, which is on our school website at heywoodconsolidated.vic.edu.au and also on SeeSaw. All resources for school readiness will be added to SeeSaw as they are available. Maddie Goddard has asked the Kinder students what they are most looking forward to at school and suggesting families may like to add their comments to the SeeSaw page.

Year 6 Class of 2020

Things are heating up in grade 6! Students are busily preparing their speeches for graduation which will take place in only a few weeks time. How time flies! It hasn’t been a ‘normal’ year for anyone, but for Year 6 it has been especially hard, knowing it is their last year together. They will be transitioning to at least five different high schools and starting their journeys as teenagers in entirely new settings. The HeyCon Year 6 teachers are doing all they can to prepare them for the journey ahead. New topics are being taught, concepts being introduced and discussions being had. Now is definitely not the time to be away if you are in Year 6! In a normal year, all our Year 6 students would have had the chance to visit their new high school and get to know some of their new classmates. Unfortunately, due to COVID-19 this has not be able to happen as yet. Secondary schools are trying to make arrangements for some sort of a transition day or visit to take place. Hopefully the Year 6 students will get a chance to take part in this. Transitioning to high school can be both exciting and frightening at the same time. It is normal for students to be anxious, frightened and apprehensive around this time, but we ask that you help to encourage them to stay positive and talk through any worries. Their teachers are here to help support them through this time and are available if they would like to chat. Graduation We are all looking forward to graduation. At the moment we are planning a ‘drive-in’ style evening so as to abide by all COVID-19 restrictions. However, if restrictions ease we hope we will all be able to mingle more freely. Graduation invitations will be sent home very soon. Please keep the night of Monday the 14th of December free. Laura Hodges and Rebecca Siddall, Year 6 Classroom Teachers, HeyCon

Week MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

7 16 NOVEMBER

17 NOVEMBER 18 NOVEMBER

19 NOVEMBER 20 NOVEMBER

8 23 NOVEMBER 24 NOVEMBER

25 NOVEMBER 26 NOVEMBER

27 NOVEMBER

9 30 NOVEMBER 1 DECEMBER 2 DECEMBER 3 DECEMBER 4 DECEMBER

10 7 DECEMBER 8 DECEMBER

9 DECEMBER 10 DECEMBER

11 DECEMBER

11 14 DECEMBER Year 6 Graduation Night

15 DECEMBER HeyCon Concert Night

16 DECEMBER Picnic Day

17 DECEMBER Last Day of Learning HeyCon

18 DECEMBER

Calendar Term 4, 2020 HeyCon HDSC Both

Year 7-11 Essential Assessments

Head Start Week 1

Activities Week

Newsletter Ed. 18

Newsletter Ed. 19

Year 10 Last Day Tabloid Sports

HeyCon Book Fair

Kinder Transition 1

Kinder Transition 2

Head Start Week 2

Community Notices

Portland Little Athletics Every Thursday afternoon for Term 4 of 2020 and Term 1 of 2021 from 5pm until 6:30pm at Nelson Park, Portland. Cost $110 first child, $105 second child, $100 third child. Under 6-Under 16. To register go to www.lavic.com.au. Contact Denis Belden (Secretary) on 0417 316 084 or email portland@lavic.com.au. Junior Tennis Coaching Half hour tennis coaching lessons with a professional coach from Warrnambool Indoor Tennis. All equipment is supplied. Saturdays 21/11, 28/11, 5/12, 12/12 at Broadwater Tennis Courts, commencing at 9am. 5-7 year olds, 8-9 year olds and 10 years plus. $35/child for four weeks. Contact Leonie Dyson ljdyson@optusnet.com.au or 0438586762 by 16/11.

Child Safety

Heywood and District Secondary College and Heywood Consolidated School consider the safety of children as being of paramount importance. Both schools have zero tolerance of child abuse.

HDSC Student Free Day/Catch Up Day

Year 11 Last Day

Year 2/3 Excursion

Bridgewater Day TBC State-wide Transition Day Both Schools