Dear Parents, Guardians and Caregivers

Welcome to Term 4! I hope everyone managed to have a relaxing break over the holidays.

We thank you all again for your part in the Remote Learning program and your persistence, understanding and patience throughout this challenging year.

We have been really looking forward to welcoming the students back to school in person. The school is looking better than ever with the area between the soccer pitch and Senior Playground being asphalted and the completed 3/ 4 classrooms- a wonderful space has been created here thanks to Crosier Scott Architects and TS Constructions who have also been fantastic to work with. More gardening work has been completed- thanks to Shane Bertacco from Jim’s Mowing.

In the next few weeks we also hope to see some new playground markings and the basketball courts re -lined. We hope the students enjoy these improvements!

Bass Coast Young Leaders

Each year schools in Bass Coast select two students from both Year 6 and Year 11 to be the recipients of the Young Leaders Award. 

The Award recognises students who display qualities in one or more of the following areas:

• Respect
• Responsibility
• Friendship
• Team work
• Leadership
• Academic excellence
• Sporting excellence
• Outstanding improvement
• Arts and culture 

As part of the Young Leaders program, students participate in a Leadership Workshop and Lunch with the Mayor. This provides an excellent opportunity for the Young Leaders to get to know Councillors, learn more about how to contribute to Council decision making and build relationships with students across Bass Coast. As part of the program, students also participate in a filmed interview aimed at exploring and defining leadership.

Holly Carr and Maeve Wilkinson were the two students selected to participate in this program. Both students are particularly passionate about environmental issues in addition to being outstanding young leaders at our school, displaying many fine qualities. The following are their own recounts of the experience:  

Joanne Coldebella
Acting Principal

Phillip Island day

When Maeve and I went to Phillip Island, we did many fun and creative activities. Firstly, we started introducing ourselves to everyone else and speaking about what we are most passionate about in the environment. After a delicious morning tea, we all got given playdough to make something that represents the environment to ourselves. Some included trees, rubbish in a bin and many kinds of animals. 

Once we had done the introduction, the crew at Phillip Island started to talk about what they do to help the penguins and, more importantly, the world. Sometime later, everyone designed posters and almost an hour later, after lunch, we had a group photo while holding up our newly made signs bearing a message of change and hope.   

By Holly Carr

On Wednesday Holly and I had a google meet with Mick Green. We talked about the environment and local leadership. We did this because way back in Term 1 we went to a workshop with all the young leaders for the environment in the area. We learned so much and had lots of fun. We ate yummy food and made lots of friends. Also we talked about our environment, and how we as young leaders protect and create awareness about it. We also made protest signs and wrote a cool song with Mick while he videoed it. 

It was a great experience. There was going to be a Young Leaders event and he would showcase a little video about that day. Obviously we can’t do the event, but we are still using the footage from that day to make a cracking clip! 

Going back to Wednesday, he did a virtual meeting with us and asked us questions. Most of the questions were along the lines of current leadership and the environment. For example, why is the environment important? How do you show environmental leadership? Do you think young people are being listened to in this pandemic? We all had a great time and can't wait to see the movie.

By Maeve Wilkinson