Issue 3
28 Mar 2025

Well done on a successful Term 1

On behalf of the Leadership Team and staff, I would like to extend warm wishes to all students, parents, guardians, and members of the NGSC community for a safe and restful Easter break and school holidays.

This break provides a valuable opportunity for students to reflect on their achievements in Term One, celebrate their successes, and identify areas for growth. It has been a productive Term, with Compass Reports and other school data highlighting significant progress for most students.

I encourage all parents to schedule an appointment for this week’s Parent-Teacher Interviews with their child. These meetings offer an excellent opportunity to discuss academic progress, strengthen collaboration with teachers, and support students in their ongoing learning journey.

I hope everyone has a peaceful and enjoyable break, spending quality time with family and loved ones. Once again, I wish all students, staff, parents, guardians, and the NGSC community a safe and restful holiday.

Term 2 Key Dates

School Council Elections

This year, we had five parents, two DE employee vacancies and two student vacancies.

At the close of call for nominations in the Parent Category for School Council, there were five nominees for the six vacancies.

The following parents were elected:

• Mr Jared Shrimpton - two-year term.

• Ms Susan Davenport - two-year term.

• Ms Jacqueline Darling - two-year term

• Mr Aaron McArthur - two-year term.

• Ms Linda Cayzer - two-year term

Co-opted Community Member:  Mr David Milford

At the close of the nominations process in the Department of Education & Training DE Category of School Council, there were two nominees for two vacancies.

The following DE members were elected:

• Madison Hayes - two-year term.

• Bayan Zareiadl - one-year term.

At the close of the call for nominations in the Student Category of the School Council, there were four nominees for two vacancies. The following students were successful after an election, and were elected:

• Lucy Heitmann – one-year term (replacing Paris-Junnoel Mina)

• Caleb Stephenson - two-year term

Congratulations to all new members who have joined our School Council and thank you to all for showing interest in school governance. Working together makes a huge difference in improving student outcomes and students’ futures.

On behalf of the College community, I sincerely thank the outgoing council members (parents, students, and staff): Ms Meg Wyld, Ms Tania Marriot, Mr Mark O’Callaghan, Ms Suzanne Henry, Paris-Junnoel Mina, and Dean Smilevski. Their contributions have been paramount to the life of our College Community. I would like to especially acknowledge Dirk Heitmann, who has retired from the council after five years of service as the school council president.

2024 Annual Report

The Annual Report is a vital governance tool for all schools. It assists in the functioning of a school in the following ways:

• It keeps the school community informed

• Contributing to school accountability and meeting legislative requirements

• It maintains a connection between the planning and annual reporting processes

The College Principal prepares the Annual Report, which is presented to the College community to inform them of the College's activities, achievements and areas for improvement throughout the previous year.

Please take the time to read through the Annual Report, which will be published on the College website. It can be accessed on the College website via the following link: www.ngsc.vic.edu.au/about-us/policies-and-reports

The 2025 Annual Implementation Plan (AIP)

The 2024 Annual Implementation Plan is based on the 2024 - 2027 School Strategic Plan, which has been reviewed and is completed.

The Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) outlines the implementation and monitoring strategies for crucial improvement initiatives and significant projects in the school. It assists schools to:

• plan and communicate their work for the coming year and how this will lead to achieving their identified goals

• ensure efficient and effective allocation of resources to complete the work

• monitor progress and ensure success

It can also be accessed on the College website via the following link: www.ngsc.vic.edu.au/about-us/policies-and-reports

We are approaching the end of Term One and it is wonderful to see and celebrate all the learning that is taking place at our College. The Term has been filled with lots of extra-curricular activities that have promoted student engagement. We want to express our gratitude for the continued support from our families in our students’ education.

Athletics Day

What a fun day and it was great to see so many families join us at Landy Field to support students. Many records were broken and students enjoyed dressing in House colours.

SRC Updates

The Student Representative Council (SRC) Planning Day that was scheduled earlier this Term had to be postponed due to unforeseen circumstances. It has been moved to Tuesday next week (1st April). The day will include a leadership session run by YLead, followed by team area planning in the afternoon. It will be a great opportunity for our newly elected Year Level Captains to have their say on events and issues around the school. Our Year Level Captains were announced at the College assembly last week, they are as follows:

Year 7: Prisha Prisha and Jack Francis

Year 8: Chanel Fiorenza and Ehp’Saw DahDait

Year 9: Mia North and Gabriel Brown

Year 10: Rushneet Gill and Caleb Stephenson

Year 11: Sarah Ivey and Tanishka Negi

Harmony Day

To celebrate Harmony Day last week, the Year 12 Captains organised events on each day throughout the week. Harmony Day celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity and recognises the contributions all Australians make to this wonderful country. The students celebrated the week with activities such as a Spelling Bee competition, Mural Creation and a Casual Dress Day on Friday, with cupcakes on sale at lunchtime to raise money for Dolly’s Dream.

NGSC Climbing Mt Everest

This year, North Geelong has set a goal to climb Mt Everest using positive green Compass entries. Mt Everest stands at 8,849m tall and each green entry earned by a student will count towards 1m climbed. If the goal is met by Multicultural Day in Term 4 Week 3, the whole school will receive a reward. Currently, students are 33% of the way and tracking ahead of schedule. Good luck to the students!

Be Bold, Be Heard

We are on the way again to a massive year of the program. It kicked off with an awesome opportunity for us to speak on the Bankfirst website about International Women’s Day. Rushneet, Thoma and Sarah teamed up to discuss how Be Bold, Be Heard has helped young women in our school. Alongside this were the perspectives of Maddie Solly (BBBH Coordinator) and Brad Headlam. The girls have completed their analysis of the school data and now that a team has been formed, they will attend the first girls’ forum on Friday 28th March with 13 other schools.

https://www.bankfirst.com.au/about-us/articles/boldly-speaking-up

International Women's Day

As usual we celebrated this day in style, with a morning tea. Senior girls were invited to join staff in the staff room and two students spoke about the importance of the day. It was a great celebration. School captains, students (recipients of the SI Geelong scholarship), Sue Marin and Christine Scott attended the Soroptimists International breakfast held at GMHBA Stadium.

Soroptimists International of Geelong

For the last three years, Soroptimists International of Geelong have been a fantastic supporter of the BBBH program. They have made a commitment to send 10 students along to every forum for five years. Part of this partnership is to present to their committee the achievements gained from this wonderful program. On Tuesday 11th March, I was invited to present at the Geelong RSL. 

This was one of the most rewarding and enjoyable presentations I have done for some time. The alignment of our initiatives with the committee’s beliefs and motivations really resonated with me. I repeatedly shared stories that all were only too familiar with, and then hearing of our students’ actions really impressed and I think moved many of the members. I felt an immediate connection, and they responded with avenues of support and even offered time to participate in the BBBH committee. We are very appreciative of the support of this group and their efforts across our community and beyond.

Term 1 2025

The Junior Sub-School have settled into the College, which is pleasing to round out the first Term of 2025. We have welcomed the new Year 7 cohort to the College and hope they have enjoyed their time. Also, students have completed various tests, and NAPLAN has made sure that the start of the year has been a quick one.

Athletics Day

Our Athletics sports day was a fantastic day down at Landy Field where we saw a number of records and winners across the Junior School. The main idea of the day is participation and enjoyment, and I think we ticked both of those boxes for this year's edition. Well done to everyone that participated.

Camp Alexandra Adventure Resort 2025

The camp for our students has been released on Compass for parents to consent and pay. The students will be going to Camp Alexandra Adventure Resort for the 2025 Camp from the 4th to the 6th of June. After going there last year, it was a fantastic experience and thoroughly enjoyed by all students who attended. If your child has Asthma or Allergies, you must provide an Asthma or ASCIA Allergy Plan completed by a doctor, to the school if you haven't already, so your child can attend camp. Can I please ask that this happens as quickly as possible, and please contact the school with any enquiries.  

If you won't be sending your child to camp, please decline the camp on Compass. This will aid us in making sure we have an accurate number of students attending camp.

Again, if you have any questions or queries, please do not hesitate to call the Sub-School team.

School Captains

Congratulations to our Year Level Captains this year. We look forward to hearing all your great ideas and working with you to implement them throughout the year!

Year 9 - Mia North and Gabriel Brown

Year 10 - Caleb Stephenson and Rushneet Gill

Morrisby

Morrisby Testing is being undertaken in Week 9. This activity will identify students' interests, strengths and help them identify a potential range of job fields they may be interested in investigating in the future. In Term 2, week 2, students will have a 30-minute interview with a qualified careers practitioner to go through their results. All students in Victorian Government schools are provided with this opportunity, and we are excited to hear about some of the interesting pathways our students are looking to undertake.

NAPLAN

Well done to all Year 9 students who completed the NAPLAN testing. I want to congratulate you on your behaviour and effort over the testing week. It was great to see so many of you putting in your best effort and providing your peers with a positive learning environment in the gym. We look forward to getting the results so we can continue to support you all within the classroom.

Parent Teacher Conferences

Parent Teacher Conferences are open for bookings on Compass. They will be on Wednesday, 2nd of April (11.30am - 6.30pm). We encourage parents and students to attend Conferences to get feedback about your child's progress so far this year. They provide a great opportunity for parents to connect with classroom teachers on progression and strategies being used within the classroom to support each student. If you would like to organise a meeting with a Year Level Coordinator or myself, please email, and we will book you in for an interview on the day/afternoon/evening.

Athletics Day

Well done to all students who participated in Athletics Day this year. It was great to see so many students giving it their all and supporting their peers. Some fantastic results, with records being broken by many students and great participation rates in all events from the Middle Sub-School.

Progress Reports

The second round of progress reports have been released, and Year Level Coordinators will be in the process of organising meetings for students who have achieved a low result in their second round of reports. We continue to stress the importance of attendance and being here at school to assist your learning. Well done to all those students who once again received a high score in your reports. We will look to acknowledge your achievements soon with a rewards excursion towards the end of Term 2.

Athletics Carnival – A Parade of Champions (and Costumes)

Move over Olympics, because the School Athletics Carnival was an absolute showstopper! Students brought their A-game, not just in athleticism, but in epic costumes. From gorillas and dinosaurs to bananas in pyjamas and lifeguards, the creativity was off the charts. Not only did our students run, jump, and throw with gusto, they also showcased their school pride and leadership in the best way possible, through fun, unity, and a little bit of friendly competition. Well-done, team!

VCE SAC Season – Time to Channel Your Inner Study Warrior

We’ve officially entered the End-of-Term Silly Season, also known as SAC-palooza. Assessments are coming thick and fast, and our students are balancing study with their social lives (and possibly the occasional nap).

Now is the time to plan wisely, study smart, and look after yourselves. Yes, you can still go out on the weekend, but maybe finish that revision first, yeah! Balance is key!

Parents, stock up on snacks, encourage regular breaks, and be ready with a pep talk if needed. Or just offer food. That usually works. 

Uniform Reminder – Hoodies Are for Home, Not School

As the warm weather begins to fade (slowly... please?), a quick reminder that school uniform expectations still apply. While we all love a comfy hoodie or a sneaky long-sleeve under the shirt, they’re not part of the uniform.

Let’s set the example for the rest of the school:

• Clean-shaven
• Correct school shoes (not black runners)
• Uniform worn with pride

Looking sharp = performing sharp. It’s science.

Senior School Catch-Up Sessions – We’ve Got You Covered

Missed a SAC? Behind on work? No stress—we’ve got a plan.
Catch-up classes run every Tuesday from 3:20pm to 4:30pm for students needing to:

• Sit redemptions
• Make up missed SACs
• Catch up on outstanding work

Your friendly YLC will let you know if you need to attend. Think of it as your personal academic pit-stop.

Attendance & Progress Reports – Keeping on Track

Our next round of progress reports is just around the corner! It’s a great time to reflect on how things have gone over the past month.

Senior students, just a reminder:

• You must maintain 80% attendance

• Being in class helps you meet outcomes, complete tasks, and keep up with assessments

• Netflix and naps don’t count as study (sorry)

Let’s stay focused and make the most of the last week of term!

Here’s to the final stretch of Term 1-full of progress, pride, and maybe a few bananas in pyjamas.

As always, thanks for your support!

Connect Program

This term, our Connect Program has been buzzing with energy as students across all year levels have engaged in meaningful activities and discussions that celebrate our diverse community and personal growth.

Recently, we came together as a whole school to celebrate two significant days: International Women’s Day and Harmony Day. These celebrations provided an opportunity to recognise the unique strengths and contributions of our students, staff, and families. Through engaging activities and heartfelt conversations, we embraced the importance of respect and diversity, values that are at the core of our school community.

As we look ahead to the remainder of the Term, students will continue exploring key life skills through the Connect Program. Year 7 will focus on building personal strengths, to identify their unique talents and develop their own skill set.

Year 8 and 11 will focus on resilience and confidence. These lessons encourage students to develop a growth mindset and aim to help students bounce back from setbacks, embrace challenges, and believe in their abilities.

Year 9 students will learn strategies for managing conflict, including effective communication, empathy, and problem-solving techniques.

Year 10 will cover the importance of sleep, highlighting how rest impacts mental health and wellbeing, concentration, and overall functioning within the day.

Year 12 students will be practicing positive self-talk to empower them to replace negative thoughts with encouraging affirmations, fostering a healthier self-image, boosting emotional resilience and giving them skills for overcoming challenging situations that may arise.

We are incredibly proud of both our teachers and students for their enthusiasm and engagement in these lessons, and we look forward to seeing them continue to grow and celebrate their strengths in the weeks to come.

2025 ATHLETICS SPORTS RESULTS

A very successful Athletics Sports Day ran this year due to perfect weather, the commitment of our staff to organize students and run events and the positive and enthusiastic involvement by students.

Many students also embraced the wearing of team colours in some fun and creative costumes! A special mention must be made of Sienna Bilinski’s outstanding effort in breaking the record in every event she entered in.

The next level of competition will be in Term 2 against other schools in the Bellarine Division in Week 2 on Friday, May 2nd. The school team will be posted in the Gym foyer windows and on Compass.

New Records

Overall Results                                           

PURPLE 606

ORANGE 527

AQUA 448

SILVER 359

Highest Participation Award - Silver

Most improved from 2024 – Aqua

Intermediate Volleyball – Geelong Championships

Boys Team

Luke Cero, Bwe Nay Soe Po, Tee Moo Kai Ti, Dylan Panugrug, Eh Dah Htoo,

Krystoff Iskierka, Theams Munga, Faisal Hedari, David Mercado, Ozone Chaipanya

Girls Team

Nori Htoo, Bronte Pagram, Blanzhe Bermundo, Alexia Dimkopoulos, Yawshoe

Poneha, Gianna Lway, Tina Pham, Thu Meh Casiroo, Anna Beh, Ken Blut Paw Lan

On Friday, 7th March, our two Intermediate Volleyball teams headed to the Corio Leisure Centre for the Geelong Championships. The Boys team made it to the semi-final against Northern Bay. The opposition was too strong and continued to win the Geelong Final.

In the Girls' section, we played Northern Bay in a very close Final match and were just ahead when the whistle went for the end of play. The girls now play in the Western Metro Championships next Term, Week 3, Wednesday, 7th May. Great job, girls, on becoming the 2025 Geelong Champions.

Alumni return for Harmony Day

Harmony Week was celebrated at NGSC with various activities around the school at lunchtimes and a whole school assembly on Wednesday 19th March. Mayor of the City of Greater Geelong and North Geelong High School alum, Srechko Kontelj (1979) was in attendance to introduce the Mayor of the Youth Council, Ayush Singh, to the rest of the school. 

The guest speaker for the assembly was Adamo DiBiase (1999). He reflected on how thrilled he was when, on leaving another school, he realised there were others with different-sounding names and different cultures at NGSC. He spoke of his time at NGSC with great fondness, flourishing in the diversity of his friendship group. He loved learning about Thai celebrations; he tried Hungarian dancing; he developed a love of food from many parts of the world and he learnt 'important' words in many different languages.

We are in a privileged position to be one of the most culturally diverse schools in the Geelong region and, as such, Adamo encouraged everyone to embrace and support the differences at the College - it's what makes our community so special!

We thank both alumni for giving up their time to give back to North Geelong - it is much appreciated. 

If you would like to become a part of the ever-growing alumni community, or would like more information about the program, please get in touch (alumni@ngsc.com.au) or check out our socials on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/north...) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ng...)

Vape Prevention Project Update

North Geelong Secondary College is partnering with the City of Greater Geelong, CatholicCare Victoria, and the Secondary School Nurse to implement a Vape Prevention Project. A select group of Year 12 students are participating in this initiative by developing their project ideas in small groups.

On Wednesday, March 26, these groups delivered their project pitches to the Student Representative Council (SRC), school leadership, staff representatives, and City of Greater Geelong representatives.

Five groups presented their ideas, showcasing a variety of creative approaches to vape prevention, including posters, videos, classroom presentations, and social groups. After the presentations, the audience voted for their favourite pitch. Following the vote count, our College Principal, Mr. Paul Dawson, announced the winner: Zain Syed. Zain’s project pitch involves a vape prevention session to be held during Health classes.

These Year 12 students will now spend time further developing this project idea, which will be implemented in time for World No Tobacco Day, to be recognized at North Geelong Secondary College on Friday, May 30.

We would like to thank VicHealth for funding this project and the City of Greater Geelong Youth Team for their support in delivering the project at North Geelong Secondary College.

Congratulations to all the Year 12 students involved in the project! We are very proud of your dedicated and creative efforts in relation to vape prevention.

Healthy School News

Mental Health Supports for Students over the Holidays

The Victorian Government has developed mental health support, resources and advice for students and families to access over the school holidays. Two fact sheets for students and families have been developed in 19 different languages to:

• support positive mental health and wellbeing of students
• identify signs students may need mental health support
• access available support.

Please visit the link for more information Mental health supports for students over school holidays | vic.gov.au

Headspace Support over the School Holidays

headspace Geelong, Corio and Armstrong Creek are still available for support – Brief intervention, sexual health, physical health, Alcohol & Other Drugs, Work and study. You can call (03) 5222 6690 or use the headspace Referral Form | Mental Health Referral. You can also walk in to make an appointment.

headspace Regular Opening Hours:

• Corio Tues, Wed, Thurs - 9am – 5pm
• Geelong Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri - 9am - 5pm, Thurs - 9am - 7pm
• Armstrong Creek Mon-Fri - 9am-5pm
• Ocean Grove Mon-Wed 9am – 5pm, Thurs – 11am – 7pm

Year 9 Careers

Year nine students will complete the Morrisby Careers Profile in week 9 from Monday 24th to Friday 28th March. This is an activity that will identify student’s interests, strengths to help students to begin identifying a potential range of job fields they may be interested in investigating in the future. Each class will have three sessions to complete the online profiling. If students were away or sick, there will be a catch-up session.

Term two, week two, on the 28th April, Year 9 students will have the opportunity to meet with a Careers Practitioner. The Careers Practitioner will discuss with the students their results and suggest potential areas of interest and potential pathways. All students in Government schools in Victoria have the opportunity to complete this program.

Pathway
Google classroom code: srfvqdk
Careers 2025
classwork
Year 9 Careers
Morrisby Profiling 2025

Japanese Excursion to Yayoi Kusama: KUSAMA

On March 11, the combined Year 9 – 10 Japanese class visited the National Gallery of Victoria to experience the immersive world of Yayoi Kusama. Kusama’s career spans nine decades at this point and has been a significant influence on the art world over that time. Kusama’s identity as an artist is also influenced by her mental health challenges, as she uses her art to help her manage her mental health.

Our students viewed and considered various artworks in the exhibition and have used this pop culture icon, with her bright red hair, polka dots and pumpkins everywhere, as a stimulus for discussion and extension of our learning.

Primary School Visits

Recently, our College was privileged to have had nine Primary Schools with over 800 students from our area, visit our College and experience a “taste” of what North Geelong Secondary College can offer these students in the future and beyond.

There were so many excited students as they all participated in a range of interactive activities ranging from VR Goggles, Music, Art (decorating a flowerpot and given seeds to grow some amazing flowers), Food Technology (decorating cupcakes), Science (making high bounce balls), and PE. The smiles on their faces and the sharing of their experiences made these morning/afternoon sessions such a pleasure to be a part of.

So many memorable moments of increased knowledge, teamwork, creative activities and letting the instruments of music do the talking was a highlight. The students learned how to play “We will Rock You” and they all surely did this to a “T”!

Multicultural Committee News

This Term has been filled with exciting events, and we are now approaching the final week of Term 1!

Our second Multicultural Committee meeting took place on Monday, 24th March, and it was a highly informative session. We were pleased to welcome our special guest speaker, Mr. Webster Chimanga, a lawyer from Barwon Community Legal Service. His work focuses on supporting young people with legal issues, and NGSC students can access his services when needed.

The meeting also included updates on recent events such as Harmony Day and Athletics Day. A key highlight was the discussion around this year’s Multicultural Festival, scheduled for Friday, 24th October. The festival’s theme will be revealed soon, allowing us to begin planning activities that align with it.

The Multicultural Committee welcomes parents, friends, service providers, and school community members to join us. Our next scheduled meeting is:

Date:          Monday, 5th May
Time:         12:45 PM – 1:30 PM
Location:   NGSC

For more details, stay tuned, and feel free to contact Vera Dudas via the College Administration Office.

Wishing you all a safe and restful school holiday!

Year 10 Ceramics.

A magnificent coil pot being carefully created by Ishag Abdulkadir Maalim with the help of his classmates. Let's hope it survives the kiln! Stay tuned to see the finished result in all its glory!

Year 11 Outdoor Ed: An Unforgettable Adventure: Our Great Ocean Walk Experience

In late March, a group of our adventurous students and staff embarked on an incredible two-night hike along the breathtaking Great Ocean Walk. Beginning in Apollo Bay and concluding at Blanket Bay, this journey was nothing short of extraordinary, filled with stunning scenery, personal achievements, and unforgettable moments.

From the moment we set foot on the trail, we were greeted by towering cliffs, lush forests, and the vast expanse of the Southern Ocean. The first day’s hike took us through picturesque coastal landscapes, where we witnessed diverse wildlife, including wallabies, koalas, and an array of native bird species.

The second day challenged and rewarded us in equal measure. Traversing rugged terrain and steep inclines, our determination never wavered, and the spectacular ocean views served as the perfect motivation. The camaraderie among the group was inspiring, with everyone supporting and encouraging one another every step of the way.

Our final stretch to Blanket Bay was a moment of triumph. Tired but exhilarated, we arrived at our destination with a newfound appreciation for the beauty of the Australian coastline and the power of perseverance. The journey was more than just a hike; it was an experience that fostered resilience, teamwork, and a deep connection with nature.

A huge thank you to our dedicated staff and students for making this adventure so memorable. We look forward to many more outdoor experiences in the future!

The 2025 Geelong Youth Survey can be filled out by students, teachers, parents and guardians.

There is also over $2000 worth of prizes to be won

North Geelong Centre

Located at

North Geelong Secondary College

Just a quick update on the situation with VSL / LOTE learning. Many of our students attend school on a Saturday morning to learn a language. The VSL is running all classes through on-line learning, as are day-schools; the lessons are running at the usual time on a Saturday. The VSL teachers contacted each class member prior to the commencement of this term in regard to the electronic platform being used and instructions to access those. If any of our students or their parents/guardians have questions about this, please contact the class teacher first (if possible) and then make all enquiries through the VSL head-office.

The Victorian School of Languages is a specialist Government school offering complementary language instruction outside of regular school hours. It enrols students in Years 1 to 12, who are unable to study their language of choice in their mainstream school. Students from all educational sectors (Government, Independent and Catholic) are eligible to enrol.

The Victorian School of Languages offers quality courses aligned with Government curriculum standards, based on communication skills, that include speaking, reading, writing and listening. Its VCE Program is fully accredited and can advantage students in the calculation of their University entrance score.

The school`s Language Program is delivered through online teaching in over 40 Language Centres situated in government Secondary Schools across the state, and through Distance Education mode.

In North Geelong, classes are held on Saturday mornings between 9:00 am and 12:15 pm online.

Languages offered:

Croatian, Karen, Vietnamese, Dari, Persian, Polish, Macedonian, Bosnian, Turkish and Russian

*New languages may be offered subject to demand*

For enquiries Telephone: 5277 9833

Further details and enrolment are available online at our website: www.vsl.vic.edu.au

Discover the World of Languages!