by Rosina Fotia, Principal

It is difficult to believe that this is the final newsletter for the 2016 school year. It has been a very busy year and December has been no exception. While the College is busy preparing for the 2017 school year, many programs and activities have continued to be prepared and delivered to students still at the College.

The class of 2016

Farewell to the class of 2016, your contribution to the College community whether it be in the academic, sporting, arts or performing arts fields throughout your time has been much appreciated. Whether you move on to employment, training on further studies, College staff and Council would like to take this opportunity to wish you every success for the future.

Orientation Day

On 6th December, we welcomed the 2017 Year 7 cohort to the College. Students and some nervous parents gathered in the Performing Arts Centre where they were formally welcomed before students were whisked away to meet teachers, familiarise themselves with the College grounds and, most importantly, begin to develop new lifelong relationships. Our new students were the first audience for the College Junior School Production; they were treated to an outstanding performance written by Mr Peter McKenzie and ably performed by junior school students. Congratulations and thank you to all students and staff who contributed to the success of the day.

Awards Night and Reports

This College night of excellence was held on December 8th. This evening is the pinnacle of the academic school year for students in Years 7 to 11. Awards are presented for academic distinction and merit to students who have worked well ahead of their expected levels. Congratulations to all award recipients, your commitment to personal excellence and outstanding achievements are a credit to you all. I encourage you all to continue to strive to be your best.

Reports

End of Semester Reports are now able to be accessed by parents/guardians online. The aim of the report is to indicate to parents/guardians the progress your student has made over the semester period. Reports will give you an indication of how well your student is progressing, reference their achievements and provide areas for future development. Please do not hesitate to contact the College if you are unable to access your child’s reports.

Year 8 Camp

The recent Year 8 Camp to Howqua was a wonderful success. The weather conditions were perfect for the staff and students; they spent their days undertaking a range of challenging and team building activities. Students completed a high and low ropes courses, archery and bush walking activities. Many thanks the Junior School Team, led by Mr Payne and Mr Smith for their contribution to making the experience such a great success.

Robotics

Early this month the pilot Robotics Program was held at the Yarra Ranges Tech. Year 8C students were selected to participate in this program. Students completed online modules in preparation for the day and, once on campus, worked with facilitators to program robots. The student brief was to design a sequence of robotic movements which would entertain ill children in a hospital. 8C rose to the challenge and produced very creative and technical movements in their robots. Well done! We look forward to consolidating our partnership with Yarra Ranges Tech in 2017.

I would like to wish you all a very safe and restful holiday period. I hope that you take the opportunity to spend time with family and friends and look forward to working with you during the 2017 school year.

First School Day 2017 The first day of school for students in 2017 is Tuesday January 31.