Hilltop News DIMBOOLA MEMORIAL SECONDARY COLLEGE

“DEEDS NOT WORDS”

Dimboola Memorial Secondary College would like to acknowledge the Traditional Owners of the Wimmera Mallee area: the Wotjobaluk, Jaadwa, Jadawadjali, Wergaia and Jupagalk peoples,

and pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging.

Phone: 53891460 www.dmsc.vic.edu.au dimboola.memorial.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au Fax: 53891981

Anne Gawith – Principal

President – Teresa Smith, Vice President – Lynley Robinson

Treasurer - Sally Klinge (DET), Parent Reps – Neil Zippel, Kellie Laverty, Kylie Barry, Alastair Griffiths

Community Rep - Tony Schneider, Charles Rees (RSL)

DET Rep – Charlotte Pyers, Student Rep – Amy Zippel and Tess Robinson

Secretary – Gaynor Baker (staff member)

September 12th 2019

“DMSC is a Child Safe School”

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Respect Honesty Excellence Care Freedom

IMPORTANT DATES Sep 20 Year 11/12 VCAL – Independent living excursion

Sep 16 Year 12 Elevate Session - Warracknabeal Sep 20 German Afternoon activities

Sep 16 GWR Athletics - Ballarat Sep 20 Last day Term 3 2.30pm Exit

Sep 17 Year 7 Halls Gap Zoo Oct 7 Term 4 Starts

Sep 18 Grade 6 Transition 1:10pm – 2.35pm Oct 7 -9 October tests for Year 12

Sep 18 Parent Teacher Interviews 3.30pm – 6.00pm Oct 11 DMSC Trivia Night 7pm in the Hall

A message from our Principal…

RUOK? Day Today is RUOK? Day across Australia. R U OK?Day is our national day of action dedicated to reminding everyone that every day is the day to ask, “Are you ok?” and support those struggling with life's ups and down. All staff and students will receive a little blue heart chocolate, as a reminder that we care – but also to trigger in them, the prompt to ask friends and family if they are okay. Dress Up Fun! Well done to the staff and students who participated in the dress-up frivolities last Friday. There were some extraordinary costumes, with several students banding together to come as ensembles from the same film or book. Thank you to our Teaching and Learning Coordinator and Literacy Leader, Mrs Charlotte Pyers, who oversees the event each year. Year 12 VCAL student, Bradley Walker, was also involved in the organisation of the day, including the judging of the best costumes. Please see later in the newsletter for more photos.

Health and PE Day Thank you to our Physical Education department for arranging some fun and healthy activities on Tuesday. Students and staff were encouraged to attend school in their sporting attire, or wearing items that showed their support for their favourite team. I must confess that it was very relaxing being at work in a tracksuit for the day! Thank you to Helen for arranging fresh fruit as well as our regular “Free soup Tuesday” for the day. Maintenance Blitz! The Victorian Government has recently announced a $515 million dollars for maintenance and safety works in schools. DMSC has been allocated a total of $208,484.00 – which has been earmarked for fire safety works and other maintenance areas around the school. DMSC is on the Bushfire at Risk Register (BARR) which means we have a higher level of compliance regarding fire safety, than other schools who are not deemed at such high risk. In the coming weeks, we will work through some priority areas that will increase our fire preparedness. Bushfire Season While it is difficult to imagine in the midst of our cold and wet winter and spring, the weather will soon change and the bushfire risk will rise. Queensland and NSW are already battling wildfires and it is never too early to prepare you home and outbuildings for the fire risk that our summer brings. Attached to today’s newsletter is a document that outlines the school’s response to a Code Red Day. We will continue to publish this document (and it’s on our website) for the duration of the fire season. Year 12 Graduation Dinner This year, the formal end of year event will be on Friday November 22. All Year 12 students will be able to bring a maximum of four guests. Invitations will be sent home with the students in the first week of next term and tickets will be available for purchase from the general office at a cost of $25 per head.

Staff Survey Results It is the season of results, and last Friday, our Staff Survey data was released. Once again, the staff at DMSC report that we have a wonderful school, with all areas showing an overwhelmingly positive result. Below are a few highlights and please note that while the figures are just short of 100% positive endorsement, the residual amount is when a staff member responded, agree, rather than strongly agree.

Staff trust in colleagues 96%

Collective responsibility 98%

Collective focus on student learning 97% Our staff love coming to work each day – teachers and education support staff and we all have a strong sense that we need to work together to improve the outcomes for our students. I would like to acknowledge the tireless efforts of our staff and congratulate them on their professionalism – it makes coming to work every day a pleasure!

Reports and Parent Teacher Interviews Term Three reports will be distributed to all students this Friday, September 13. Please take the time to discuss your child’s progress and encourage them to reflect honestly on their attitude, effort and achievement. Parent teacher interviews for students in all year levels will be held next Wednesday afternoon and evening. A link has been sent home enabling you to book your interview times online and it would be great if each one of our students had a parent, grandparent or carer here to discuss their progress. Staff Profiles This week, we are featuring staff member, Naomi Kuhnell and Year 9 students, Paige Glover and Jordy Laverty. I hope you are enjoying reading about some of our DMSC family each week. Anne Gawith Principal

Staff and Student Profiles

Naomi Kuhnell Name: Naomi Kuhnell

Role: Year 9 coordinator; Head of Humanities

Years at DMSC: 2 years as a teacher and many as a student

Highlight from time at DMSC: Going on camps, as it is great to see the students outside of a class environment

challenging themselves.

Subjects taught/area you work in: German, Humanities & English

Why you chose teaching/role at DMSC: I love the atmosphere of the school and the genuine care for the students.

Best thing about your job: Helping students learn and see their improvements.

Favourite subject when you were at school/uni: History & Criminology

Favourite pastime: Travelling and seeing new places.

Something you like to collect: Coins (foreign currency and novelty ones)

Favourite food: Pad Thai

Pets/favourite animal: Cat called Marmalade & a dog called Nelson

Advice to your younger self: It’s okay to make mistakes.

Advice to our students: Always try your best.

Something we may find surprising to know about you: I am terrible at doing accents.

Something on your “bucket list”: To travel to Asia and Africa

…………………………………………………………….. Paige Glover Year 9 Highlight of your time at DMSC so far? Attending the 2019 Rubicon Camp.

Paige continued… Favourite subject and why? Math and Science, because I am interested in learning them. Hopes for the future? (Study/Career/Travel/etc?) I hope to find a career that I will enjoy. Favourite pastime: Playing sport. Favourite food: Oranges and Pasta Favourite animal: Fish and Chickens

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Jordy Laverty

Year 9 Highlight of your time at DMSC so far? Rubicon Favourite subject and why? Maths because it is interesting and can be challenging. Advice for younger students: Do your homework! Hopes for the future? (Study/Career/Travel/etc?) To travel around the world. Favourite pastime: Play sport with friends. Favourite food: Chicken Schnitzel Favourite animal: Dog

DMSC HATS

Just an early reminder that all students must wear a DMSC wide brimmed hat in Term Four. It is expected that all students will have their hats ready to wear from day one, which will be Monday October 7. Only DMSC hats are acceptable, no caps can be worn. Hats are available to purchase from the DMSC office and they are $12 each.

ENGLISH Dress Up Day

Friday 6th September

Mean Girls – Year 11 Mean Girls – Year 8

Year 7 – Lilly Schorback and Ava Clark Year 8 – Alicia Murphy and Logan Marlow Year 9 – Evan Barber and Tonnis Wolthuis Year 10 – Kefira Southgate (absent) and Beth Porter Year 11 – Emily Gartlan and Bryce Day, Year 12 – Yasmin Harradine and Jonty Hunter Noah Campbell and Jay Hughes (absent)

PARENT-TEACHER INTERVIEWS

Parent-teacher interviews are next Wednesday, 18th September from 3:30PM to 6:00PM.

Please book your interview, with the relevant teachers, at www.schoolinterviews.com.au by

clicking “MAKE A BOOKING” and entering the code qw6j7

Interviews will be for 5 minutes (with no time for movement between appointments).

If you require more time, please contact the teacher to make further arrangements. You can change your

interview bookings at any time by re-visiting www.schoolinterviews.com.au. Please use the same

name and email address you provided when you made your original booking. Alternatively, you can ring the

school on 03-53891460.

VET BUS PICK-UP LOCATION CHANGES

For all VET Bus students in Dimboola Please Note: Due to the works taking place behind the library, as of next week the 18th September, the new pick up and drop off point for the VET bus on Wednesday’s will be on the corner of Lloyd and Lochiel street, at the old National Bank. Thank you

September 2nd – September 6th - Science relay - Egg in a bottle

- exploding watermelon

- Vocab test

- Robot Wars

Science Week

Monday 2nd September, Wednesday 4th September and

Friday 6th September.

with the Dimboola Primary School students…

- Bubbles - Candle Windmills - Lava lamp in a cup

We welcomed the Dimboola Primary School students here at Dimboola Memorial Secondary College for the three

days of Science week. Thank you to Year 9M and Year 10s, who helped out on Monday and Wednesday. Year 8D

helped out with the Grade 2s and Grade 3s on Friday.

Hands on Learning

Progress is well underway at the Police Station with the very dedicated Hands on Learning team. On Wednesday we put in wooden sleepers to make a division between plants and a memorial seat. It’s great to see the local community drive past and have a look. The work that we have done so far makes the Police Station look so much better, a credit to the hard work and effort the students have put in. Whilst we were at the IGA supermarket, the boys were thanked by an IGA staff member for their lovely manners. Donna Baldock

Year 8 German Meister Koch classes

This term, Year 8 students have been studying the topic of food and drink in their German classes. As part of this unit of work, students participate in a Master Chef cook off in which they prepare a German food of their choice for all of the class to sample. Students researched the type of recipe that they wished to try and the food had to be an authentic German recipe that could be prepared and ready to serve within the allocated time. Several teachers assisted the students in both Year 8 classes when making their dishes and each student invited a special guest to sample the foods that had been made. Danke schön to Helen in particular, for organising the ingredients, and to the invited the guests - parents and staff who assisted with the taste testing, cooking and cleaning up. Frau Klinge und Frau Kuhnell

Homework

Year Subject Homework due

7 HPE Work on ‘Rock and Water’ project

8D & M English Persuasive Piece 4 13th Sept

8D Maths Weekly MathMates (SQUIZYA) and any unfinished tasks

8 HPE Work on ‘Humour’ project

8M German Vocab test 13th Sept

9 English Ads paragraphs 19th Sept

9M German Vocab test 13th Sept

10D Maths Any unfinished questions from class and Mathletics tasks

11D Biology Big Questions, Weekly Edrolo videos, Chapter Summaries and Glossary words.

11 Psychology Complete LAs 10.22 Qs 1ac, 2, 3ab, 4a, 5 10.24 Qs 1-3 10.26 Qs 1, 2a, 3a 10.28 Q1 10.10 Q1,3

11 English Prepare for comparative SAC

11 PE Respiratory System worksheet

11 Computer Studies Chapter 8 Test your knowledge 7th October

11 VCAL Lit Finish road safety – OVERDUE Prepare for Mock interview on Friday 13th September Good copy of work placement recounts

12D English Oral Presentation and Statement of Intention

12D Physics Chapter Questions, Weekly Edrolo videos. Add rules to cheat sheet, Chapter Summaries and Glossy words.

12 Media Focus questions and Activity 6.1 17th Sept

12 VCAL Lit Finish Road Safety – OVERDUE Prepare for Mock interview Friday 13th September

Smart Sessions

Where: Library

Time: 3.20 - 4.30pm

When: Monday and Wednesday

See you there!

Fruit and Biscuits provided

VCAL Update Last week on Friday, the VCAL group had a talk about being “Party Safe” from Kate at Uniting Wimmera. Some of the topics she talked about included: peer pressure, violence, registering parties, the harm of social media, drinking and the risk of drink spiking, knowing when things have gone wrong and what to do in those situation, drugs and overdosing. It was an interesting day and was a great understanding on what to do in those different situations. On Monday, the VCAL group had Di Dent from the LLEN to talk about how to do a job interview. Some of the topics she talked about included, the “elevator pitch”, the hand shake, body language, and how to answer certain questions. This session was very important because it will help us on how to do an interview properly. On Tuesday afternoon, the Year 11 VCAL literacy class joined with the VCE Business Management students. Both classes are studying Job Interviews, but the VCE students were conducting the interviews as future employers and the VCAL students were using this as a practice run for our formal Mock Interviews which are being held later this week. Noah Krelle

At 1.20pm On the 16th of September the Owners of

Jarl’s Bakery will be putting up stalls outside of the

DMSC hall. We will be selling sweet rolls for $2.50

each and raffle tickets for 50c each, you can buy

multiple of each product.

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CHICKEN TENDERS

Time: 1:10pm

Cost: $1.00

Date: 19/09/2019

Location: the foyer of the hall

Curry on the munching

17th September

Near the canteen

$2.50 a piece

Naan bread with curry

Bushfire At-Risk Register - Schools

2019 - 2020 Fire Season

School procedures for the bushfire season

Fire danger ratings and warnings are used in Victoria to provide clear direction on the safest options for preserving life.

Schools and children’s services listed on the DET Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR) will be closed when a Code Red fire danger

rating day is determined in their Bureau of Meteorology district. Our school has been identified as being one of those at high

bushfire risk and is listed on the BARR.

Where possible, we will provide parents with up to four days’ notice of a potential Code Red day closure by letter and SMS

message. A Code Red day will be determined by the Emergency Management Commissioner no later than 1.00 pm the day

before the potential closure. Once we are advised of the confirmation of the Code Red day we will provide you with advice

before the end of the school day.

Once confirmed, the decision to close will not change, regardless of improvements in the weather forecast. This is to avoid

confusion and help your family plan alternative care arrangements for your child. It is also important to note that:

No staff will be on site on days where the school is closed due to a forecast Code Red day.

School camps will be cancelled if a Code Red fire danger rating day is determined for the Bureau of Meteorology district in which the camp is located.

As a bus co-ordinating school all bus routes will be cancelled.

On these Code Red days families are encouraged to enact their Bushfire Survival Plan – on such days children should never be

left at home or in the care of older children.

For those of us living in a bushfire prone area, the Country Fire Authority (CFA) advises that when Code Red days are forecast,

the safest option is to leave the night before or early on the morning of the Code Red day.

As part of preparing our school for potential hazards such as fire, we have updated and completed our Emergency Management

Plan, and reprioritised any maintenance works that may assist in preparing for the threat of fire and cleared our facility’s

grounds and gutters.

What can parents do?

Make sure your family’s bushfire survival plan is up-to-date and includes alternative care arrangements in the event that our school is closed.

Ensure we have your current contact details, including your mobile phone numbers. Keep in touch with us by reading our newsletters and by checking our website. http://www.dmsc.vic.edu.au/

If you have any further concerns, please contact either Anne Gawith (Principal) or Sally Klinge (Assistant Principal) at the college. 5389 1460

Most importantly at this time of year, if you’re planning a holiday or short stay in the bush or in a coastal area, you

should check warnings in advance of travel and remain vigilant during your stay.

If your child is old enough, talk to them about bushfires and your family’s bushfire survival plan.

You can access more information about children’s services closures on the Department of Education and Training website – see http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/programs/health/pages/closures.aspx

For up-to-date information on this year’s fire season see:

https://emergency.vic.gov.au

Facebook (facebook.com/cfavic)

Twitter (twitter.com/CFA_Updates)

ABC local radio, Sky News and other emergency broadcasters

VicEmergency Hotline (1800 226 226)

Important End of Year Dates – 2019

Please see below the finishing dates for the various year levels. If you have any questions, please call the school and speak with the relevant Year Level Coordinator.

Year 12

Start Term 4 Oct 7 (Mon) October Tests for Year 12 Oct 7 - 9 (Mon – Wed) VCAL Exam Day Oct 18 (Fri) Last Day VET Oct 23 (Wed) Last Day for Year 12 and final assembly Oct 25 (Fri) Last day to submit work for S /N Oct 29 (Tues) Year 12 English Exam Oct 30 (Wed) Year 12 Graduation Dinner Nov 22 (Fri)

Year 11

Last Day VET Oct 23 (Wed) Last day to submit work for S/N Nov 6 (Wed) Last day of classes Nov 19 (Tues) Year 11 Exams Nov 20 - 22 (Wed – Fri) O’Week for Year 12 2020 Nov 25 – 29 (Mon-Fri) Last day for Year 11 Nov 29 (Fri) Year 10

Last Day VET Oct 23 (Wed) Last day of classes Nov 26 (Tues) Year 10 Exams Nov 27 – Nov 29 (Wed – Fri) O‘Week for Year 11 2020 Dec 2 - 6 (Mon-Fri) Last day Year 10 * Dec 6

Year 9

Last day of classes Nov 26 (Tues) Year 9 exams Nov 27 - Nov 29 (Wed – Fri) “Step up”– Year 10 Orientation Dec 2 - 13 Activities Dec 16-17 Clean up at school Dec 18 - 20

Year 8

Last day of classes Nov 29 “Step up” to Year 9 Dec 2 - 13 Activities Dec 16 - 17 Clean up at school Dec 18 - 20

Year 7 Last day of classes Nov 29 “Step up” to Year 8 Dec 2 - 13 Activities Dec 16 - 17 Clean up at school Dec 18 - 20

ALL STUDENTS AWARDS NIGHT DECEMBER 17th (Tues) at 7.00pm

* Please note that Year 10s must have a note from home to enable them to leave on Dec 6th