Newcomb Secondary College Newsletter

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TUESDAY 11th August 2015 ISSUE: 24

Coming Events

Wednesday, 12th August Alternate Year 7 Hockey Girls. Thursday, 13th August Year 7 Sport: Basketball, Volleyball, Table Tennis. Girls Go Extreme, Period 2,3 and 4. HOL Horsemanship. Student, Parent, Teacher Conferences 4 pm to 7pm. Friday, 14th August GROW at Gordon Year 12 History Roadshow Hero Workshop, Period 2. Monday, 17th August Year 10 Thrive Workshops (Reach Foundation) - All Day. Wednesday, 19th August You Yangs/Serendip 10 Outdoor Ed Excursion. Thursday, 20th August Pupil Free Day. Council Meeting. Friday, 21st August Girls Go Extreme, All Day. GROW at Gordon. Monday, 24th August Senior Concert Band Tour. Tuesday, 25th August Senior Concert Band Tour.

Pathways to Technology College (PTech) Last Thursday’s visit from the Prime Minister to announce Newcomb Secondary College as the first stand-alone secondary school in Australia to pilot the PTech concept was a milestone moment in the College’s proud history. This pathways initiative was endorsed by President Obama in his State Of Union address in 2013 (http://www.ptech.org/#!/).

A more detailed report of the launch is found later in the newsletter.

Years 7 to 11 Student, Parent and Teacher Conferences These conferences will be taking place in the Language Centre on Thursday, 13th August. Students are to talk with their parents regarding suitable times and then schedule the conferences with their class teachers. Bookings should be made through the Parent Interview feature on your Xuno Homepage. The Booking Portal is open for bookings. Parents who are unable to access Xuno may still organise interview times through the school organiser. This is on page 15 in the Middle Years Organiser and page 23 in the Senior Years Organiser. Interviews will be from 4pm to 7pm. For further assistance please call the school on 5248 1400.

Newcomb Secondary College Phone APP If you are yet to do so, please take a moment to download the Newcomb Secondary College Phone App (available at your App store). The App is available for a range of platforms including iPhone, Android and iPad. It is proving to be a vital communication link between school and home and is useful for accessing information as well as the notifications and reminders sent from the school to community members. Please also encourage your children to download the Phone App if they are yet to do so.

Mr Phil Honeywell, Principal Mr Shane Elevato, Assistant Principal

Mrs Liz McNamara, Assistant Principal

College Council: Student Leaders: Student Leaders: President: Yvette Ramsay Mitchell Allen Toby France

Vice President: Vidas Kymantas Amanda Clydesdale Bailee Jones

Exec. Officer: Phil Honeywell

81-85 Bellarine Highway Newcomb VIC 3219 Phone: 03 5248 1400 Fax: 03 5248 3523

Email: newcomb.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au Website: www.newcombsc.vic.edu.au SMS student absences: 0416 907 351

HEAD LICE We have had a number of Head Lice cases recently. Please make sure you check hair regularly and if so treat hair thoroughly before returning to school.

40+ NSC participants for the 40th 40 Hour Famine (14th to 16th August)

2015 is the fortieth anniversary of the 40 Hour Famine (to help others in need in Australia and overseas). At Newcomb Secondary College we hope to have at least 40 participants who will give up “famine”) something for the 40 hours and gain sponsors for it. You may give up your mobile, furniture, food….whatever over the weekend of 14th to 16th August. Last College assembly one of the School Captains – Amanda – presented her reasons why a group of approximately 10 have already indicated they will “famine” something for the World Vision 40 Hour famine. She showed the videos of Sophia and what students around Australia are doing for this outstanding cause. Will you “famine” to?

Paul Kellett, SRC Teacher

Year/Group Excursion Date Cost Permission Slips &

Payment Due

Year 12 History Roadshow 2015, Matthew Flinders Friday, 14th August Nil -

Year 10 REACH Foundation Monday, 17th August Nil 15th August

Year 12 History Revision and Exam Prep, Matthew Flinders

Girls Secondary College Tuesday, 18th August Nil -

Year 9/10 Outdoor Ed

Serendip Sanctuary Wednesday, 19th August $125 (Sem 2

charge) -

Senior Concert Band Band Tour, Daylesford Friday, 21st August $280 $100 deposit by 25th May

Year 9/10 Outdoor Ed

Brisbane Ranges Enviro Work Wednesday, 26th August $125 (Sem 2

charge) -

Year 9 Just Think Forum, Geelong Football Club Wednesday, 9th September Nil 4th September

Year 12 Food & Tech VCE Exam Preparation, William Angliss

Melbourne Thursday, 10th September $30 14th August

Various V8 Super Cars ‘Students on Track’ Friday, 11th September $5.00 1st September

SCHOOL EXCURSIONS AND REMINDERS Students who don’t attend an excursion are expected to attend school as normal.

Parents are asked to not keep students at home.

REMINDER TO PLEASE NAME ALL

ITEMS OF UNIFORM

Arts Expo On Thursday, 30th July the Visual Arts and Performing Arts department once again came together to present an Arts Expo in the Language Centre. An exhibition of artwork from all year levels was on display with Cold Fusion band, Year 11 VCE Music band and individual VCE music soloist performing at various stages throughout the day. All Year 7 and 8 students visited the expo with Years 9 to 12 invited to visit during lunchtime and after school or during study periods.

We were pleased to host the grade 4/5 students from Newcomb Park Primary School and the grade 3/4/5 students from Whittington Primary School. The primary school students also took part in art workshops. Mrs Mahr’s Year 11 Art class and Mr Davis’ 9/10 2D Art classes participated and assisted in running the workshops with the primary schools.

Thank you to those students and the many more who assisted in creating the artworks, arranging and preparing for the displays and for the high quality entertaining performances on the day.

Ann Roberts Arts Learning Area Leader

Pathways in Technology (PTECH)

Images from the launch of the first PTech secondary school in Australia. Prime Minister Tony Abbott, together with Assistant Minister for Education and Training Simon Birmingham and Federal Member for Corangamite Sarah Henderson visited Newcomb Secondary College last Thursday.

They visited a Year 8 Science Classroom before returning to our library where the Prime Minister made the announcement that Newcomb Secondary College will be one of only two pilot sites in the whole of Australia for the development of a Pathways in Technology College. This is an initiative commenced at a school in New York, USA and is often shortened to PTECH to aid communication.

This type of educational environment places emphasis on supporting students towards qualifications that better prepare them for their futures in the real world of work. Pathways in Technology places emphasis on the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) skills that are recognised as being important within future growth industries. It does this in collaboration with many employers and with further and higher education institutions. Quite a number of major employers and key stakeholders in Geelong were also present for the announcement and showed their support for the initiative.

We know that students now and students in the future will require high levels of skill to be competitive in the emerging employment market. We know that these skills require formal learning after transitioning from school. That could include University, TAFE and Apprenticeships or a flexible pathway that includes more than one of these.

In this initiative we hope to partner with employers and further and higher education institutions to actively support our students’ prospects. This will be by enhancing their qualifications and real life work experiences so that they emerge into adult life with options for further study and/or attractive employment that leaves them advantaged in this competitive world.

The language of ‘pathways’ is something that is already embedded in our work here at Newcomb Secondary College. Our active links with the major tertiary institutions in Geelong is something that allows us the opportunity to build from a very well-known and valued program structure.

We expect to move into a planning phase that will allow us to develop the partnerships with major employers and develop the training programs that will allow Newcomb Secondary College students enhanced and unique opportunities to develop their own career and employment potential.

We will work to ensure that the community is regularly updated as we progress in this exciting initiative. Phil Honeywell

Aspire Excursion Victorian Space Education Centre in Strathmore

On Tuesday, 28th of July as part of the Deakin Aspire Program, Group 73 and Group 84 went to the Victorian Space Science Education Centre in Melbourne. The excursion was organised the Aspire Pre-service teachers from Deakin University.

Students from Group 84 participated in the scenario-based Mission to Mars Program. The students worked in Mission Control and as Astronauts. They donned spacesuits before stepping onto the Mars surface where they collect real soil, ice and rock samples. Students then analysed their samples and data in the VSSEC’s Research laboratory.

Students from Group 73 designed, built and launched water rockets, tracking energy transformations during the launch, flight and landing. This was a simple and fun way to explore Newton’s Laws of Motion. After lunch

the Year 7 students used an online game to gather data about stars and develop an understanding of their location in the universe, and the connection between the life of stars and the formation of elements from which we are all made.

Thank you to the Aspire Program pre-service teachers and Deakin University for making this day possible. Liz McNamara

Assistant Principal

Year 10 Leadership Camp Twelve students from Year 10 took part in a 3 day leadership camp at the Sailing School. They examined what qualities make a good leader, assessed themselves, then used the skill of sailing to develop their leadership skills. Given the cold weather they all demonstrated the skill of determination to ignore the cold and keep going for their team. We hope they progress to be school leaders in 2016.

Sue Hedley

Year 9 and 10 Team Leader

Music News

VCE Year 11 Ensemble – Congratulations to Taylor, Ebony, Adam and Lachlan on your musical performance for Mr Tony Abbott and official guests last Thursday morning for the announcement on P-Tech.

Senior Concert Band and Cold Fusion – Congratulations on your fantastic performances at the Geelong Schools Music and Movement Festival at Geelong Performing Arts Centre last Thursday afternoon. The music staff were extremely proud of everything you did on this day and your great teamwork to make it all happen in a short space of time. The musical standard of your playing was very high and I would like to sincerely thank the parents who came along to support us.

Senior Concert Band Tour – Final payments and return of all forms relevant to the Senior Concert Band Tour are now overdue. Please return all forms and final payments to the general office by the end of this week. If you have any concerns regarding your school fees and payment for this trip please contact Mrs Kris Hunter, Business Manager as soon as possible.

Compulsory Meeting for all students participating in the Senior Concert Band Tour will be held at school on Thursday August 13th at 1 pm in the Music Department (band room). Parents are most welcome to attend.

Junior Music Camp – Deposits for the Junior Music Camp are now overdue. All forms for this camp will be posted home this week. If you have any concerns regarding your school fees and payment for this camp please contact Mrs Kris Hunter, Business Manager as soon as possible. If your child is on the list to participate in this camp and is not attending please notify me as soon as possible.

If you have any concerns or queries regarding the Senior Concert Band Tour or Junior Music Camp please contact me by email: stabryla.cheryl.a@edumail.vic.gov.au

Cheryl Stabryla Music Co-ordinator

Senior Concert Band performing at GPAC for the Geelong Schools Music and Movement Festival

EARN and LEARN Fundraiser From Wednesday, 15th July to Tuesday, 8th September 2015, when you shop at Woolworths you can collect Woolworths Earn & Learn Stickers from the checkout

operator or through an online order and place them on a Woolworths Earn & Learn Sticker Sheet. There’ll be one Woolworths Earn & Learn Sticker for every $10 spent (excluding liquor, tobacco, and gift cards). Once completed, simply place the Sticker Sheet in the Collection Box, either at Newcomb Secondary College or at your local Woolworths. Or alternatively, hand the stickers to Newcomb Secondary College and we will stick them on the Sticker Sheets for you.

SCHOOL FUNDRAISER

Entertainment Books The College is selling Entertainment Books as part

of fundraising for 2015.

The books sell for $55 and are packed with hundreds of up to 50% off and 2-for-1 offers from

many of the region’s most popular restaurants, attractions, take-away chains, accommodation, and

much more! Available as a traditional Entertainment Book OR

the new Digital Membership for your Apple or Android device.

Entertainment Books can be ordered online at

www.entertainmentbook.com.au/orderbooks or by contacting the College office on 5248 1400.

Newcomb Secondary College

LAMINATING

SERVICE

$6 per metre trimmed

$4 per metre untrimmed

Lamination up to 800mm wide and

unlimited length

Contact: Jean at Newcomb Secondary

College for more information

5248 1400.