I hope that all members of the Geelong community had the opportunity to spend quality time with their families over the holidays and that Geelong supporters are proud of their team’s gallant efforts in the finals, even if the result wasn’t as hoped. With the weather warming up (fingers crossed), the days growing longer, and the arrival of spring, it’s refreshing to experience the change in seasons.

Please do not hesitate to contact teachers or coordinators with any concerns about your child’s progress. The college values a team approach to your child’s education and recognises the importance of parents' and guardians' knowledge and experience in supporting their success.

Term 4 is typically a busy year as the school wraps up 2024 and begins planning for 2025.

Term 4 Key Dates

Year 12 Final Days

The final days are approaching for our Year 12 students. Currently, VCE VM students conduct interviews and finalise their work to satisfy outcomes, while VCE-scored students attend revision classes, which will continue until their exams are completed. Uniquely, our students will remain engaged and attend classes even after Celebration Day, a practice exclusive to NGSC in Geelong. It’s also very pleasing to note that we had 100% attendance for the practice exams over the holidays, with the only absence due to confirmed illness.

I wish the Year 12 VCE students all the best with their upcoming examinations. Staff will be readily available to support them, and I encourage all students to take advantage of this assistance to aid in their preparation and success.

Finalising Subject Selection and Booklists

In the coming weeks, students will receive their 2025 subject selections and proceed to make their booklist choices. I encourage students to consult their Sub school Manager if any concerns arise with these selections. These selections must align with both career and curriculum requirements. While the college understands that interests may shift, students should discuss with staff, parents, and friends to ensure they choose subjects that best meet their needs and goals.

Multicultural Day

Last Friday was one of the most significant days on the College Calendar. Multicultural Day is a vibrant celebration of the school's diversity. Many students proudly wore their countries' traditional dress, and this year's theme, "Common Ground," highlighted the shared values among cultures. The day featured an exciting array of music, dance, workshops, arts and crafts, amusement rides, and delicious food from across the globe. A definite highlight was the visit by Richard Marles, the Acting Prime Minister, who is pictured below with the captains. I would like to acknowledge the hard work of all staff, students and the wider school community who made this day such a great success.

Exams 7-11

Year 7-11 students are now preparing for their end-of-year exams, which serve as staged preparation for their final Year 12 exams and/or university. These exams are carefully designed to help students focus on answering the questions while becoming accustomed to the exam environment and process, reducing anxiety and building confidence. The College has observed continuous improvement in VCE exam scores each year, which can be partly attributed to this well-structured preparatory process.

The New Connect Program and VCE-VM changes

Over the rest of the term, staff will be focused on finalising assessments and preparing for 2025. A key part of this preparation includes finalizing the new Pastoral Care program, "Connect," which will take place every Thursday for 25 minutes for Year 7-12 students. This program will replace the traditional Home Group, providing a dedicated time for student well-being and connection.

Next year, the VCE-VM program will also be adjusted, allowing students to spend one day a week in the workforce while benefiting from a more integrated approach to their subjects. These changes aim to enhance both academic and personal development for our students.

Year 12 Exam Holiday Practice

There was nearly 100% attendance at the Year 12 practice exams on the holidays. This shows our culture towards preparation for the final weeks. Recent statistics show that every practice exam completed and reviewed increases the percentage score by 3%. This is quite remarkable and we have in the past encouraged at least 5 practices. Teachers are well prepared and we support staff to be available for the students in the immediate lead up to the exam, by keeping their Year 12 class time free whilst the students are studying. This provides immediate available access to assistance for clarification on content as they are preparing.

Year 12 Exam Revision Timetable

As in previous years, Year 12 students will have a separate study timetable created for them in the lead up to exams. Each class will get at least three double sessions with their teacher focused on revising for their upcoming examination. These extra study sessions have been well received from teachers and students in the past, which has had an impact on results. Students are also encouraged to book in extra sessions with their teachers (if time permits) to work on specific questions they may have. We wish the best for our Year 12 cohort for the upcoming exams.

Vocational Major 2024

This week the Year 12 Vocational Major students began their formalised assessments. A fantastic part of this process in addition to producing a folio is being interviewed by staff and leadership. Each student is required to present their folio, answer some questions and reflect on their school experience. Students generally dress up and prepare really well for the interview. Ultimately, it is a great learning experience and in some instances the first interview they might encounter and as a result they would learn a great deal.

Vocational Major 2025

Planning for the new VM structure (Year 11 2025) has progressed with a coordinator being appointed to guide the planning for the remainder of the year. In consultation with leadership, the coordinator will assemble a team of teachers who have shown interest in the new program. 

During Term 3 holidays, the A block had 4 double sliding doors installed to make the space flexible for the VM students next year.

BBBH CELEBRATION FORUM

CAPTAINS’ ROOMS GMHBA STADIUM

An incredible 15 schools have been engaged with the BBBH program this year, including a school from the western suburbs of Melbourne. This equates to about 170 students actively participating in setting goals, taking action and inspiring change in their own school contexts. This forum was a celebration of the achievements of the teen girls who took part and the range of actions were inspiring.

The day began with an activity to identify inspirational women (internationally and locally) and had students working with others from different schools.

Following morning tea we were joined by 30+ guests who included community leaders and guest speakers who have been involved in BBBH in 2024. 

Before we launched into the student presentations we were blessed with a panel of three amazing speakers.

Justine Martin (left), who as a result of many challenges and turning points in her journey is now an award-winning speaker, resilience coach, artist and business owner all whilst having a disability. Justine embodies the idea of constantly moving forward, there are no barriers, just different directions. Whilst recovering from cancers and several other conditions that are all debilitating in themselves, she decided to take on a home renovation to build an art studio.

Jenny Robertson (Middle) is a Civil engineer, who whilst working her way up into leadership she was one of only 12% of the women represented in her workplace. She shared her insights into engaging men to lead them to get the work done and included her secret of speaking with a lower voice.

Ali Waight (Right) is a multiple business owner who became the first female president of the award winning Queenscliff Football and Netball club. Her philosophy is related to Theodore Roosevelt’s “man in the arena” quote where she is also prepared to get down and get her hands dirty. She cited a challenge that involved a difficult conversation to be had with both the footballers and netballers about rising to better expectations of behaviour. A woman said she could not speak to the footballers and suggested getting someone else to do it. Ali was shattered about this perception and, as president she delivered that message herself, as anyone in such a role should be able to do.

These women were incredibly inspiring and all stayed to hear most of the presentations from our students and were in awe of what these teens were doing in their schools. In fact, all the guests were so impressed that they shared their experiences with me so often that by the time I got to the lunch table I had to turn around and head back to get the final session started.

Some of the outcomes highlighted by the schools include:

• Reducing toxic behaviour through a new program called Flourish.

• Improving Year 10 and 11 relationships.

• More inclusive and body friendly uniforms.

• Fundraising for the homeless.

• Improve daily communication in the school.

• Increase awareness of the daily activities in the school.

• Women’s health sessions and sport psychology sessions for sports program students.

• Girls’ boxing club.

• Mentoring for Year 8 girls who are looking to come into the BBBH program in 2025.

I was so impressed by the manner in which the students presented, clearly their confidence in public speaking has improved and no doubt has occurred from the great support that staff are providing. It also takes significant bravery to speak up to staff, leaders, principals and other students to organise actions for change and they are all to be congratulated. I thank all staff for being involved in 2024. In particular Monica Godde (Belmont High) and Lana Ryder (Lara SC) who ran two of this year's forums. In addition to this, I wish to acknowledge the administration support of Leanne Scarlett and Susan Marin (North Geelong Secondary College).

Finally, to our sponsor Soroptimists International Geelong we say thank you and also to our Respectful Relationship champions Rachel Johnston and Raelene Newton.

I think all schools are keen for another BBBH in 2025, if your school is not yet and is keen to be a part of this please contact bradley.headlam@education.vic.gov.au .

Applied Pathways

On Fridays for the remainder of the term, students looking for an alternative pathway or inspiration to pursue an applied opportunity (work experience or apprenticeship) will be offered an opportunity to do further careers work to set themselves up for 2025. During the afternoon on that day they will meet with Brad Headlam and then external leaders in careers who will also bring in experts in various pathways to highlight how to get into that aspect of the workforce. The objective is to trigger the motivation in the individuals or outline how to take the next steps whatever they may be.

School Shoes

Towards the end of each year we find that the school uniform wains a little, students have grown too much, clothes are worn out etc. Recently there have been a number of students with requests to wear sports shoes on account of orthotics. Orthotics generally take some time to be worn into a point where it is comfortable in any shoe. They are designed to fit in all shoes. With this in mind and in an attempt to support students with this condition we are providing communication with podiatrists to help them identify a shoe that would be suitable for the feet and orthotics they are working with. We have a range of shoes that meet our uniform expectations and Athlete's Foot are also very supportive to help meet the needs. In addition to this, where it is not affordable the school will provide support to families who might have difficulty. See below the approved and not approved school shoes. Should you need to provide some guidance to a podiatrist please see one of the Assistant Principals.

The Junior School has been very busy over the last weeks. The students have been working to settle back into the term after their holiday and have done so successfully. In the coming weeks we have a few things on the agenda. Week 3 we had the Multicultural Day Festival on Friday 28th October. This is a great day for the school annually and is always an enjoyable one for the students. 

A few other things to keep our eyes out for are exams, activities, Awards night, STEM and Swimming.

Exams will be held in week 8 in the gym. Mainstream classes will do English and Maths with the SEAL students doing Science and Humanities as well.

Activities are a great finish to the year and we will look to have these published to the students soon. We offer a wide range of activities both off site and on site. Some students may not be allowed to attend off site activities due to concerns with refusal of instructions or safety concerns but this will be communicated via e-mail or a phone call.

Awards Night will be held on December 12th, the junior school students will need to attend the night. There will be more information in the coming weeks.

STEM and Swimming will be held in week 9 so consent forms must be signed as soon as they appear on Compass. These are great programs and will be incredibly enjoyable for the students.

Welcome to Term 4 for Year 9 and 10 Students!

As we dive into the last term of the year, it’s an exciting time for Year 9 and 10 students! This term presents a unique opportunity to reflect on the year so far, tackle new challenges, and finish the year on a high note.

Key Dates for the Middle Sub School

23/10- Geelong Cup Public Holiday

25/10- Multicultural Festival- Reminder that ride passes need to be pre-purchased from the main office before the day

Week 4 (28/10- 1/11) Testing Week- Students require a charged device for this week

Week 7 (18/11- 22/11) Year 10 Exams

• Required at school only during exam times
• Students completing Year 11 into 12 orientation will take preference over their exams
• Catch up exams to be held during the week

Week 8/9 Year 10 into 11 Orientation

Students must attend all of their orientation sessions. This is compulsory and important for their success beginning the school year in 2025. The last day of school for Year 10 students is 6th December.

Year 10 Leadership Camp

The Year 10 Leadership Camp was a great experience for all participants! Held at Rubicon Outdoor Education School, the camp focused on building essential leadership skills through team-building activities, workshops, and reflective sessions.

Students participated in a variety of challenges designed to enhance communication, collaboration, and problem-solving abilities.

The camp fostered a sense of community among students, encouraging them to support and inspire one another. By the end of the weekend, students left with new friendships, strengthened leadership skills, and a renewed sense of purpose as they prepare to take on future roles in their school and community.

School Holiday Practice Exams: A Step Towards Success

During the school holidays, our committed VCE students made the most of their break by coming into school to sit for practice exams. With their pencils sharpened and a serious caffeine boost, they tackled like-for-like assessments designed to mirror the real exam experience. This initiative not only helps build confidence but also allows students to identify areas for improvement before the big day. As they faced math problems and essay prompts, they proved that studying doesn’t have to mean sacrificing fun. After all, nothing says "holiday spirit" quite like a practice exam! Way to go, VCE warriors!

Graduation Update: Ticket and Seating Arrangements

Excitement is building for our graduation ceremony on November 27th at GMHBA Stadium! We’ve received the final ticket numbers, and our team is hard at work arranging seating to suit everyone’s preferences. This special day isn’t just about receiving your diploma; it’s also about celebrating your achievements with friends and family. Be prepared for a few surprises and memorable moments as we come together to mark this significant milestone.

Year 12 Camp 2025: Adventure Awaits!

Attention, Year 12s! The countdown to our camp at Ballarat University is on, and payment of $285 is due by November 15th. This camp isn’t just about academic enrichment; it’s a fantastic opportunity to bond with your classmates while engaging in activities designed to make your Year 12 journey smoother. From team-building exercises to some much-needed relaxation, we’ve got it all planned out. Plus, there’ll be fun social activities like ten-pin bowling—because what’s better than knocking down some pins after a long week of study? Grab your payment, and let’s get ready for an unforgettable experience!

Keep an Eye on the Calendar!

As we approach the end of the school year, it’s essential to keep track of these important dates. Whether it’s practicing for exams, gearing up for graduation, or preparing for our Year 12 camp, every moment counts. Stay organized, and don’t let those deadlines sneak up on you like that pop quiz you weren’t ready for! With a little planning and some good humour, we can finish strong. Remember, the only thing worse than a surprise assembly is not being prepared for the exciting events we have lined up. Let’s make the most of this school year together!

School Sport Victoria State Track and Field Championships

Three of our outstanding athletes qualified for this event on Monday 21^st October.

They are our only State representatives this year and they performed so well against very strong competitors. Congratulations on your amazing achievement –

Sienna Bilinski Gold – Long Jump + PB and Bronze – 400m

Xander Mitchell Silver – Javelin and 6^th – Discus

Asher Mitchell - 4^th Discus

Financial Support for 2025 Education Costs

Uniting Barwon provides eligible NGSC families with financial support for textbooks, uniforms, and education expenses.

Families that hold a current Health Care Card or are experiencing exceptional circumstances are eligible for support.

We encourage all eligible families to contact Uniting Barwon ASAP to book an appointment time.

Please call 4210 1100 between 9:30 -11:45 Monday – Friday.

Uniting Barwon is located at 270 Torquay Rd, Grovedale.

If transport is not available, please advise the Uniting Barwon worker when you call.

Doctors in Secondary Schools

Mental illness in younger people

Like all of us, teenagers can feel a bit down sometimes. Everyday frustrations, disappointments, problems at school or family troubles can cause this feeling. If the sadness or worry go on for more than two weeks and start to affect their daily life, though, this may be a symptom of a mental illness which needs medical assessment and treatment.

Please scan the QR code for more information or visit:

https://www.sane.org/information-and-resources/facts-and-guides/mental-illness-in-younger-people

This health content is brought to you by Doctors in Secondary School (DiSS).

For further discussions about this topic, or to make an appointment please contact the DiSS GP and Nurse at your school.

Secondary School Nurses

Secondary School Nurses support the school community in addressing contemporary health and social issues facing young people and their families. This is achieved through focusing on the following health priority areas:

• Physical Activity & Movement
• Prevention of Smoking, Vaping, Alcohol and Other Drugs
• Sexual Health & Wellbeing
• Healthy Eating & Oral Health
• Mental Health & Wellbeing
• Safe Environments

Secondary School Nurses focus on preventative health by using a whole-school approach and partnering with the school, families and community-based health services, to support the health and wellbeing of the school community. A Secondary School Nurse is allocated to North Geelong Secondary College for two days a week.

Days of Work:

• Tuesday - Student Wellbeing Hub
• Thursday - Junior Sub School Office

We are committing to health and wellbeing by joining the Achievement Program

We really care about health and wellbeing at our school and have signed up to work through the Achievement Program. The Achievement Program is a free State Government initiative that helps schools create healthier environments that benefit students, teachers, staff and families. The program looks at different health areas, including Healthy Eating and Oral Health; Physical Activity and Movement; Mental Health and Wellbeing; and more.

We are excited to start the program and will keep you updated with our progress. If you would like to read more, further information about the program can be found here.

Vaping Prevention:

Parents, carers, schools, and community all play an important role in protecting children and young people from, and educating them about, the harmful effects of smoking and vaping.

Research from the Royal Children’s Hospital shows many parents and carers are not aware of the harmful effects or how their views about smoking and vaping can impact the likelihood of a young person taking up smoking or vaping.

The Department of Education has developed resources to help you learn more about the health risks of smoking and vaping. The resources include advice about how to talk to children and young people about vaping, and where to get support. To access the resources, go to https://www.vic.gov.au/smoking-and-vaping-advice-parents

You can also view this video on smoking and vaping from experts at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne for health advice and tips for starting a conversation with young people.

The ‘smoking and vaping: advice for parents’ document is also available in different languages:

Active Schools:

North Geelong Secondary College is proud to be an Active School. The evidence is clear, active adolescents are happy, healthy and resilient adolescents. Active adolescents are also active learners. An active school encourages physical activity through a whole-school approach that goes beyond traditional physical education and sport to promote physical activity at every opportunity.

The core of the framework acknowledges the importance of schools, family and community as influences of a student's level of physical activity. Families and communities are crucial in supporting students to continue their participation in physical activity beyond the school environment.

The priorities of an active school are:

• quality physical education
• quality school sport
• active classrooms
• active travel
• active recreation

We will explore the key priorities of the Active Schools framework in more depth over the next few months. Click on the link for more information about Active schools | vic.gov.au (www.vic.gov.au)

Cultura Geelong has created "Let's Get Active Geelong" video clips in various languages. These videos aim to motivate women to adopt a healthier lifestyle by incorporating simple, daily physical activities and explore local areas for exercise and recreation. Click the links below to watch the video clips:

• Let's Get Active - Multilanguage + English subtitles (youtube.com)
• Let's Get Active - Arabic (youtube.com)
• Let's Get Active - Dari (youtube.com)
• Let's Get Active - Karen (youtube.com)
• Let's Get Active - Karenni (youtube.com)

Wear It Purple Day

On Wednesday, August 28th, North Geelong Secondary College celebrated WEAR IT PURPLE Day. ‘Wear It Purple’ aims to create supportive, safe, and inclusive environments for young people in the LGBTQIA+ community. The day empowers LGBTQIA+ youth to dream big and embrace "Your Passion, Your Pride". By wearing purple, staff and students showed their support for rainbow young people, letting them know that they are celebrated and respected. At North Geelong Secondary College we acknowledge that everyone has the right to be proud of who they are and who they are becoming.

We partnered with GASP (City of Greater Geelong), QHub (Drummond Street Services) and The Geelong Project to offer some fantastic Wear It Purple Day activities for our school community.

We would like to thank the Skittles Squad, SRC and Beauty students for working together to create an incredible, inclusive event.

The ‘Skittles Squad’ catches up every Tuesday at lunchtime in the Wellbeing area. We welcome all LGBTIQA+ students, staff and allies to attend this supportive and inclusive group.

Click on the links below for information about supporting a young person with diverse sexuality, as well as some translated information about understanding sexuality and sexual identity:

• How to support a young person with a diverse sexuality | headspace
• Punjabi - Understanding your sexuality and sexual identity (for young people)
• Vietnamese - Understanding your sexuality and sexual identity (for young people)

Multicultural Committee News

The week after the Multicultural Festival, we are still recovering—and still reflecting on what an epic week it has been! We hope many of you had the chance to enjoy last Friday’s grand celebration. North Geelong Secondary College Community is immensely grateful for your ongoing support in helping us make this year’s Festival a tremendous success.

Once again, the cake stall exceeded expectations, thanks to the incredible generosity of parents, staff, students, and the entire community. We are truly blown away by the support! This famous cake stall remains the best in Geelong, and who knows—next year, we may just aim for a world title!

A special thank you goes to Mrs. Dragana Skoric, parent and owner of “The Peach Cakes and Sweets,” who dedicated her day to sharing her craft and demonstrating how her signature peach biscuits are made. I am also deeply grateful to my cake stall team: Ms. Carolyn Kent, Mrs. Irene Walters, and Mrs. Soghra Mahtabi for their hard work and dedication, which helped make the cake stall a standout success.

A big thank you to Laura Hannan-Smith, who came in on her day off to add her decorative flair. She brought elegant cake stands that added a touch of class and made our stall truly shine.

We also owe a huge thank you to our amazing Food Tech department—Alison Costa, Geraldine Eales, and Bridgette Van Der Zee—who worked tirelessly behind the scenes for the festival, both before and during the event. They provided invaluable support to the staff and helped with all the cake stall needs, making everything run smoothly. They also created an impressive gourmet spread for our VIPs on the day.

Our Festival coordinator, Ms. Suzanne Henry, delivered a stellar effort this year, raising the bar once again and making this event unforgettable.

And, of course, we can’t forget “Prince Ravi Raja,” who was a true highlight of the celebration. As he expressed:

“A quick note to thank you for including 'Prince Ravi Raja' in the entertainment program—it is greatly appreciated! It was a grand day. The weather held up, and both adults and children were intrigued and entertained. There was so much fun, laughter, smiles, and plenty of photos taken.”

With the festival now behind us, we’re approaching the end of our Multicultural C committee meetings for 2024. To celebrate and reflect on this year’s accomplishments, we’ll hold our final meeting on Monday, November 4, at 12:45 pm. Please feel free to join us for this festive occasion.

Thank you all once again for making this year’s Multicultural Festival a remarkable success!

It has been such an amazing year to date for our International Students and Term 3 did not disappoint. Each Term the International Students get together and cook up a storm.....on the menu for Term 3 were pancakes.

The International Students were very creative with their pancakes but to top it off, their creations were absolutely delicious and enjoyed by all, even the Principal Team.

As this is the last lunchtime cooking session for the year, there is another exciting excursion scheduled for this Term, watch this space in the next newsletter which will contain the photos and details regarding their experiences during this time.

Year 9 Japanese Visit the Japanese Consulate-General in Melbourne

At the end of Term 3, our Year 9 Japanese class visited the Japanese Consulate-General in Melbourne to attend a technology seminar. Zilla from the Consulate-General presented an engaging session describing what is happening in the Japanese technology scene now and discussing how this connects to Australia. Many thanks to the Japanese Consulate-General and Zilla for welcoming our class and taking the time to answer our questions. Our students really enjoyed the experience. "I really liked learning about Japan's space technology and their farming technology.""I liked learning about the current projects happening in Japan (JAXA, Pepper and Paro [robots]). The quiz was fun too. "I liked learning about the technology of Japan. I especially liked the robot named pepper and the seal (Paro).We also enjoyed a Japanese lunch at Super Hiro.

“JFF+” rebrands to “JFF Theater”.

“JFF Theater” official website:  https://en.jff.jpf.go.jp/

Japanese Film Festival

The Japanese Film Festival returns in 2024, running in Melbourne from 21 October through 3 November. Films will be screened at The Kino (Palace Cinemas, 45 Collins Street), and at ACMI, Federation Square.

Films screened at The Kino and ACMI follow the attached schedule. Please check the website https://japanesefilmfestival.net/pdf-programs/ for classification ratings. Tickets start at $25 Adult, $19 Concession, $20 JPF or Palace Cinema Members, Palace Movie Club Student: $16.50.

Please check the movie rating before buying tickets.
JFF_2024_Program_Booklet.pdf 

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Onigiri Action

#onigiriaction is on for 2024 from 3 October to 16 November 2024.
Upload any kind of image that you have created of onigiri (rice balls) with the hashtag #onigiriaction and the sponsors will donate 5 school lunches to kids in need. You can upload your images to Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), Instagram or directly on the Table for Two or the Onigiri Action 2023 websites. https://onigiri-action.com/en/
You do not have to be in the picture. You can do a drawing. If you are making it, you only need cooked rice (short or medium grain works best) and maybe a little salt to bring out the umami of the rice. Nori (seaweed) is not necessary though it is very popular in Japan.
You can even crochet an onigiri amigurumi!
Alternatively, through freerice.com (https://freerice.com), the World Food Programme raises awareness and funds for providing food around the world to people in need through every question you answer correctly (ads sponsor the food).

Please check with your family adults about what you are posting online. Be Cyber Safe!

Alumni

Ourschool, a not-for-profit organisation that initiated the alumni program at North Geelong Secondary College, has published some data around its public school alumni programs.

I’m proud to be a part of this successful program, and I’m grateful to the alumni who have given back to our College over the past years. I look forward to involving more alumni in the future.

If you would like to be a part of this, please get in touch!

alumni@ngsc.com.au

https://www.facebook.com/north...

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ng...

Some Great Information Regarding Applying for an Apprenticeship or Traineeship

What are employers looking for in an apprentice or trainee?

There are the baseline traits that all employees look for:

• Punctuality
• Honesty
• Initiative
• Work ethic.
• Self-awareness and the desire for self-improvement – Curiosity is big thing all employers say they are looking for. They don’t expect you to know it all, but they want to see a drive to learn.

So how do you capture the attention of an employer?

Why are you unique? What can you offer that no one else can? We all have Unique Selling Points or USPs (in digital marketing terms). Name your top three strengths then ask a parent, friend or former employer to do the same. For example, you may be efficient, outgoing and driven. Think of examples in your personal life where you have illustrated these strengths and spell them out using examples.

YOU MUST have a Resume. Employers offering apprenticeships and traineeships accept that you may have very little paid work experience, but you do have skills. Perhaps you are the captain of your sporting club, or you are coach of a team, completed a pre-apprenticeship, studied tech or hospitality at school, worked at your dad’s company in the holidays or learned how to construct things. Include achievements such as awards or projects you managed at school. It could simply be that you worked part-time for a year to go on a school trip, which shows you have determination.

Be creative with your skill set.

Present well. Dress well and look clean and tidy even if you are in your school uniform. Presentation also includes ensuring there are no spelling or grammar mistakes in your resume. This is especially important to show you have a keen eye for attention to detail.

Be enthusiastic. Enthusiasm is so important in apprentices!

Someone who is enthusiastic, energetic and passionate creating products will get employed. Remember, while you may not have a lengthy resume, you might be surprised by how much you can truly offer.

Employers also value a young person’s initiative to pick up the phone (yes actually talking) and have a conversation with prospective employers.

Stay off your mobile during business hours!

Might be obvious, but Snapchat, Instagram, Tik Tok.... CAN ALL WAIT!

The one thing the Head Start Coordinators hear from frustrated employers; “They are always on their phone.”

Check it at appropriate times during breaks, but other times show some initiative during slow periods and clean, restack, clean a work vehicle – this is the thing that will impress.

What makes doing an apprenticeship so worthwhile?

Learning in a practical setting is invaluable. Not only do you get to develop skills in a practical environment, but you’re surrounded by experienced professionals that you can learn and draw inspiration from. An apprenticeship goes beyond the theory and provides you with skills and experience that will set you up for a career that you may have never been able to access otherwise.

Finding yourself the right apprenticeship isn’t always as difficult as you may think, talk to your Careers Teacher about how Head Start can help you present well to employers.

If you’re a student looking for a pathway into employment, a parent looking for a secure future for your child, or an employer looking for your next apprentice, contact the Careers and Pathways Team about the Head Start Program!

Healthy School News 

Faith Field - Secondary School Nurse | Health, Wellbeing and Specialist Services

Active Schools

Active Schools aims to ensure that all Victorian students have the skills, confidence, and motivation to be active in life. North Geelong Secondary College is an Active School and encourages all students, families, and staff to be active.

Summer Sport:

It's that time of year when local community-based sports clubs in Geelong are taking registrations for the summer season. Young people have plenty of opportunities to participate in various sporting activities. Take a look at some of the local sports clubs and consider getting involved in local sports: Sports Clubs

The Get Active Kids Voucher Program is now open!

The Get Active Kids Voucher Program is now open! Get in quick as applications will remain open until the allocation is exhausted. If your family or child has a Health Care Card or Pensioner Concession Card, you may be eligible for up to $200 to put towards the cost of your child’s participation in sport and active recreation activities.

Important Dates:

Round 8 open to apply for a voucher or reimbursement: 10:00 am Wednesday, 9 October 2024 and will remain open until the allocation is exhausted.

Reimbursement expenditure dates: from 1 July 2024 until submission of application

Vouchers expiry date: Tuesday, 29 April 2025.

The Get Active Kids Voucher Program helps eligible families get their kids involved in organised sport and active recreation activities by providing financial support for the cost of membership and registration fees. Eligible children may be able to receive up to $200 each.

Special consideration also applies for children residing in care services, as well as temporary or provisional visa holders, undocumented migrants, or international students.

To find out if you are eligible, how to apply, what costs are covered and more, visit www.getactive.vic.gov.au/vouchers

You can find translated information about the Get Active Kids Voucher Program below:

Arabic poster – PDF
Hindi poster – PDF
Punjabi poster – PDF
Somali poster (PDF)
Vietnamese poster – PDF
Mandarin poster – PDF

Vaping Prevention

Vaping Fast Facts

About Vapes:

• ‘vapes’, are electronic devices that use batteries. They work by heating a liquid until it becomes an aerosol that the user breathes in.

What’s in e-liquid?

• e-liquid contains many different chemicals, many known to cause cancer and lung damage
• e-liquid usually contains highly addictive nicotine and a mix of flavouring chemicals.

The statistics:

Your young person might feel like everyone is vaping and, as a result, may feel pressure to give vaping a go. Try asking them “How many young people do you think in Australia have tried vaping?”. Be ready with the stats - roughly 3 in 10 Australian secondary school students have ever vaped. The key message is that despite what it looks like at school or on social media, most young people do not vape.

Laws in Australia:

Under the new laws:

• the way Australians can access vapes has changed
• vapes can only be sold in pharmacies, regardless of whether they have nicotine in them or not
• non-pharmacy retailers, such as tobacconists, vape shops and convenience stores, cannot sell any type of vape
• flavours in vapes are restricted to mint, menthol and tobacco
• there is a ban on the advertising or promotion of vapes.

For Support to quit vaping:

• Be_Smokefree_Final.pdf (barwonhealth.org.au), Barwon Health - Be Smokefree Clinics
• Quit Smoking & Vaping: Get Expert Cessation Tips & Help | Quit

For more information about vaping facts go to:

• Get the facts | Quit Vaping Facts and What you need to know about vaping (health.gov.au)

The ‘What you need to know about vaping’ information sheet is also available in languages other than English:

• نشرة معلومات عن التدخين الإلكتروني بين الشباب للوالدين ومقدمي الرعاية | Youth vaping | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (Arabic)
• 电子烟：吞云吐雾背后的真相 | Youth vaping | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (Chinese Simplified)
• 青少年與電子煙-給家長與照顧者的資料單張 | Youth vaping | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (Chinese Traditional)
• Ενημερωτικό φυλλάδιο σχετικά με το άτμισμα των νέων για γονείς και φροντιστές | Youth vaping | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (Greek)
• 부모와 보호자들을 위한 청소년 베이핑 관련 정보지 | Youth vaping | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (Korean)
• เอกสารสรุปสาระสำคัญเกี่ยวกับการสูบบุหรี่ไฟฟ้าของเด็กวัยรุ่นสำหรับพ่อแม่และผู้ดูแล | Youth vaping | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (Thai)
• Tờ thông tin về giới trẻ hút thuốc lá điện tử dành cho cha mẹ và người chăm sóc | Youth vaping | Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care (Vietnamese)

Respectful Relationships

At North Geelong Secondary College, we are dedicated to promoting healthy and respectful relationships among students, families, and staff. We use the Victorian Respectful Relationships whole school approach, including the Resilience, Rights & Respectful Relationships 7-12 Resources to help students learn and practice social skills that can positively impact their learning, life, and relationships. These resources cover eight social and emotional learning topics to support the delivery of the respectful relationships program. Additionally, North Geelong Secondary College encourages the entire school community to adopt equal and respectful attitudes, behaviours, structures, and practices. For more information click on the link Respectful Relationships | schools.vic.gov.au

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

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