Aspire News | October 2024 Edition

Welcome to Sam Steinkrug

New Relocatables

Our 3 new double storey relocatable buildings have been installed and are nearly ready to be handed over to us. The classrooms will be ready for use next year and add a decent amount of flexibility to our timetable for the 2025 school year.

Year 12 Exams

Another big milestone is passed for our school as a number of our Year 11 students complete their accelerated VCE Year 12 exams in Media and Psychology. The 33 enrolled students have completed their Units 1 – 4 across 2 years and are the first in the school to complete a VCE Exam. Congratulations! By completing an additional study a year early, these students will gain more overall units in the completion of their VCE and receive a sixth study boost in their ATAR at the end of Year 12.

Year 7 2025

It was great to meet and speak with so many new families to the school, who attended our Year 7 Transition evening on the 22^nd of October. Families and students were given a great summary of all of the required actions to get setup for Year 7 2025 as well as an opportunity to organise uniform fittings, camp, laptops and books.

A special thank you to Olivia Robb, Onanina Afram, Anushka Vaidya and Carina Saroop (Year 7 2024) who ran a symposium at the end of the evening and answered questions from Grade 6 students about the transition to secondary school. Also a special thanks to our student leaders in attendance on the night, Daksh Jaiswal, Denise Duenas, Alrianne Fuentes and Phoenix Lowe.

School Start Bonus

As mentioned in communication with you previously, parents and carers of every child enrolled in a Victorian government school in 2025 will receive the one-off School Saving Bonus $400 support. This is a great support for families right across the state.

In the coming months, the Department of Education will send you 2 email communications for each of your children enrolled in Victorian government schools.

The 2 emails from the Department of Education will:

1. Confirm your email address between mid-October and late-November.

2. Provide you with your unique $400 School Saving Bonus code by the end of November.

As more information comes to us we will communicate this directly with families.

A very important note to remember is that the vouchers provided with this bonus will expire by June 30 2025. This means that the best use of the vouchers is to use them early to support with the 2025 school year.

Colin Burke

Principal

Social Media and Teenagers

Social media can play both a positive and negative role with teenagers. We urge parents to have a conversation with their child around social media use and how to disconnect. We know that overuse of being online can lead to sleep deprivation, negative impacts on mood and behaviour, as well as a decline in face to face interpersonal skills. Teenagers may experience unwanted contact, cyberbullying and be exposed to content that is harmful. School aims to educate our students on factual information and how to respond, but home plays an vital role in values and being engaged with your child’s online self. Responsible social media use, especially under the age of 16, can involve parents having log in details and monitoring their child’s activity. Having a family space to charge phones in the kitchen, living room or similar also allows children (and adults) to get a more restful night’s sleep.

A 2021 research report by the eSafety Commissioner into The Digital lives of Aussie teens says that despite the negative experience “a large percentage of teens continue to ignore potentially harmful experiences or believe nothing will change”. As parents and educators we can put in boundaries and educate teenagers. The eSafety Commissioner site has a range of resources for parents.

Curriculum and Assessment

Elevation staff have high expectations of students and are instructing and supporting students towards a strong performance in their third and final Semester 2 Learning Tasks for the year. 

This year sees Elevation host its first state-wide Year 12 exams, as some of our Year 11 students are undertaking accelerated VCE in Units 3 and 4 Media and Psychology. We are very proud of the preparation we are seeing in our students and urge them to increase their revision and practice as the Year 12 exams approach on Monday 4 November (Psychology) and Wednesday 13 November (Media). 

Senior students will participate in the following curriculum and assessment programs this term:

Year 11

Important Dates	Assessment Program
Monday 18 November	Study Day – Year 11 students do not attend school and have a study day at home to prepare for exams
Tuesday 19 November – Friday 22 November	Year 11 Exams
	Curriculum Program
Monday 25 November – Thursday 28 November	Year 12 Orientation

Year 10

Important Dates	Assessment Program
Monday 25 November	Study Day – Year 10 students do not attend school and have a study day at home to prepare for exams
Tuesday 26 November – Monday 2 December	Year 10 Exams
	Curriculum Program
Tuesday 3 December – Friday 6 December	Year 11 Orientation

Exam timetables and behaviour expectations will be communicated via Compass soon.

Year 9 students will complete exams in their core subjects (English, Mathematics, Humanities and Science) Wednesday 11 to Friday 13 December.
With great determination and dedication, we work to prepare your child for these curriculum and assessment events. We invite and encourage you to read this article on how you can support your child during exam periods at home.

Angela Lane, Sam Steinkrug, Natalie Conboy Kyle Schutz & Andrew Stock

Assistant Principals

Year 7

Courtney Gorham

Year 7 Leading Teacher

Year 8

About the 2025 SSL Program

The SSL Program is an initiative by the The Victorian Department of Education and Training (DET) which offers an exciting residential program designed to provide students with a unique learning experience. Through hands-on learning projects, students develop their social skills, deepen their connection to the community, and gain valuable life skills. It’s a wonderful opportunity for personal growth and learning beyond the classroom. The 2025 program will run in Term 4 at the Dinner Plains campus. 

Spots are limited for this incredible program, with six places available for our school. Expressions of interest are now open. Students will then be shortlisted, interviewed and selected to represent our school at SSL camp, 2025. This is a wonderful opportunity for our students to grow, develop leadership skills, and make a positive impact on their communities.

Gulsen Tankir

Year 8 Leading Teacher

Year 9

Exam Preparation

Year 9 students are currently preparing for their upcoming exams, an important step as they continue to build their academic skills and resilience. We wish them all the best as they work hard in the lead-up to these assessments.

Work Experience in 2025

Looking ahead, Year 9 students have also been informed about their work experience week, scheduled for mid-2025. This is an invaluable opportunity for students to gain practical skills and workplace experience in a field of their choice. We encourage students to start discussions with family and teachers now to explore their interests and secure placements.

Party Safe Incursion with Victoria Police

In November, Year 9 students will attend a Party Safe incursion run by Victoria Police designed to help students make safe and informed decisions in social situations. This session is part of our commitment to equipping students with the knowledge and confidence to handle various life scenarios responsibly.

City Experience Program

Soon, families will receive information and consent forms for the highly anticipated City Experience. This program allows students to explore Melbourne through a variety of activities that encourage both personal growth and a deeper understanding of the city’s culture and history.

Activities for this year’s City Experience include:

• Visiting Melbourne Zoo
• Rock Climbing
• Old Melbourne Gaol tour
• Viewing films at IMAX and exploring the Melbourne Museum
• National Gallery of Victoria
• ACMI (Australian Centre for the Moving Image)
• The stunning views from Eureka Skydeck

The City Experience promises to be an exciting adventure, combining fun, learning, and memorable experiences for our Year 9 students.

Permission forms will be sent via Compass shortly.

Reminders

A few important reminders to help all students stay on track with expectations:

• Punctuality: Students must arrive on time to all classes. Consistent lateness will result in consequences:
  • 3+ Lates in a Week = Lunch Detention
  • 5+ Lates in a Week = After-School Detention
• Uniform Requirements: All students are required to wear the correct school uniform on designated days. If a uniform pass is needed, it must be collected from the Coordination Office or your Mentor Group Teacher.
  • Non-Uniform Items: Wearing items outside the school uniform policy will lead to an automatic lunch detention. Providing a note explaining the situation will support in not being given a detention.

These guidelines have been clearly communicated throughout 2024, and we appreciate everyone’s commitment to meeting these standards as we finish the school year strong. Thank you for your cooperation.

Matina Konstaninakos

Year 9 Leading Teacher

Year 10

Year 10’s will are going on excursion linking to Health and Humanities work that they have done this year. All families need to be aware that the excursion will take place based on Mentor Groups.

• A, B, C, D – 7^th November
• E, G, H – 11^th November

Students attending need to go straight to the front of the school (outside library) when the music starts. They do not go to mentor group. They need to be in full academic uniform on the day. They should bring a bag with lunch and water. 

The details for the excursion are below and on the compass event.

Part 1: Road to Zero (Melbourne Museum)

An education visit to Road to Zero comprises two experiences: the Road to Zero Experience Space – an immersive and exploratory gallery showcasing the latest in multi-sensory interactive technologies, and curriculum-linked programs in the purpose-built Learning Studios. Highlights from the Road to Zero Experience Space include a 3-minute virtual reality experience where students travel in a car from 1970 to 2055, an elevator simulation where students experience a dramatic ‘drop’ from the 11th floor of the Royal Exhibition Building, as well as a digital exploration of TAC’s well-known Graham sculpture.
Duration: 2 hours.
Curriculum: This event is linked to the Health and PE Curriculum (Year 9 and 10 band).

Part 2: Melbourne Museum Tour

Students will have time to explore the Melbourne Museum and its various themed exhibits.
Duration: 2 – 3 hours (teacher paced)
Curriculum: This event is linked to the Humanities Curriculum (Year 10).

Year 10 End of Year Timetable

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Week 6		Year 10 Assembly
Week 7	Exam Revision	Exam Revision	Exam Revision	Exam Revision	Exam Revision
Week 8	Year 10 SWOT VAC (students stay home to study)	Year 10 Exams	Year 10 Exams	Year 10 Exams	Curriculum Day (No students)
Week 9	English Exam  Year 10 Awards Assembly	Year 11 Orientation	Year 11 Orientation	Year 11 Orientation	Year 11 Orientation Last day of school for year 10 students

Further details around each exam will be given to students closer to the date and on compass news.

James Devlin

Year 10 Leading Teacher

VCE Update

Dear Families,

Our VCE students are officially in the final stretch of the year, and we are incredibly proud of their resilience and determination. Adjusting to VCAA policies can be challenging, but our students are rising to the occasion, making the Senior School community very proud.

I wanted to share some important updates from The Senior School.

Recently, Elevate Education visited our school to provide valuable skills and guidance for our VCE and My-VCE students as they prepare for their exams. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, with many students already implementing the strategies they learned. We understand that studying often involves a process of trial and error; what works for one student may not work for another. We encourage our students to explore various approaches to find what suits them best.

Our Year 11 students are currently engaged in subject selection for 2025. As VCE is a two-year program, students will drop one subject to ensure they have five subjects in Year 12. Each student will also have access to a Private Study Session throughout the week. We will distribute official letters confirming subject selections and booklists during PDM.

The Formal Committee is diligently planning Elevation’s inaugural Year 12 Formal, scheduled for Friday, June 20, 2025. More information will be shared in the upcoming year.

All VCE students will be completing end-of-year exams, and we are committed to adequately preparing them. The exams will follow the Year 12 style in terms of formatting, instructions, and timing. Please find the timetable attached below, and all exam events will also be available on Compass. Students are required to attend school only for their exams and may go home afterward.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all students and families who have ordered a Year 12 Jumper for 2025. We share in the excitement and look forward to receiving them at the beginning of next year.

Lastly, we will be holding a Senior School Teacher’s Assembly. Students have expressed their appreciation for their teachers by writing heartfelt cards and presenting thoughtful gifts. Our Senior School teachers have dedicated themselves to supporting our cohort, and it is wonderful to witness the strong relationships that have developed between students and staff. I am proud to say that every Year 11 student has a teacher they can turn to for support and guidance.

In closing, I would like to remind families to review the Administrative Dates for Year 11 students on the Assistant Principal’s Report. The last day of attendance for VCE and My-VCE students will be November 28 at 3pm.

Thank you always for your continued support. We truly appreciate it.

Asli Dugler

Senior School Leader

VCE:VM Update

Our VCE:VM students attending Melbourne Polytechnic and Kangan TAFE have just completed their first year studies. Some of the courses they have undertaken include VET Cert III in Building and Construction, VET Cert III in Allied Health, VET Cert III in Plumbing, and VET Cert III in Early Child Education and Care. Students have learnt a lot and enjoyed the practical nature of their learning. Many have started to investigate a pathway into these areas through a School Based Apprenticeship or Training (SBAT). 

Our VCE:VM students will complete their Unit 1 & 2 studies on November 28th 2024. Prior to this they will complete a Practice GAT exam and their Foundation Mathematics exam on Tuesday 19th November. They will then have their Year 12 Orientation Program on Wednesday 21st November and Thursday 22nd November. Following this students will complete a full week of Structured Workplace Learning (SWL). 

Over the years it has been amazing to see the growth in our VCE:VM students. A number have proactively sought and succeeded in gaining full time employment through apprenticeship or have decided to move full time to TAFE to continue their chosen pathways. This enables them to focus on learning the specific requirements and attaining the certifications they require for their careers. 

Construction Induction Training

On Tuesday 22nd October, all VCE:VM without their ‘White Card’ completed the Construction Induction Training program. This provides students with the required certification to work on commercial construction sites across Australia. All our VCE:VM students obtain this regardless of their chosen pathway as it is an additional certification they might use in the future. As part of the course they demonstrated the ability to quickly dress themselves in full PPE. They also had to complete an 85 question test. It is pleasing to say that all our students were successful.

Alex Connor

Vocational Leading Teacher

Year 12 VCE Unit 3-4 Exams

Students studying Units 3-4 Psychology and Media have their exams upcoming. We wish students studying these subjects the best of luck with this. The dates for these exams are:

Psychology – 9AM Monday 4th November

Media – 11.45AM Wednesday 13th November

Year 11 Exams

Year 11 exams are taking place from the 19th-22nd November. The timetable for these is below. VCE:VM students will also have a practice GAT and Foundation Exam, taking place on Tuesday 19th November. More information will follow regarding processes for students with clashes and what students will do when they do not have exam time.

Year 9 & 10 Exams

Year 10 exams will take place from 26th November to 2nd December. Year 9 exams will take place from 11th-13th December. More information will be distributed to students and families nearer to the time. 

Rory Henderson

Learning Specialist – Curriculum, Data and Assessment

Humanities

Year 7 Humanities and PE Excursion

Year 7 Humanities students visited Docklands to investigate livability factors and how they shape urban environments. The excursion offered insights into how spaces are designed to meet community needs, connecting their studies to a vibrant part of Melbourne. They then developed their coordination and balance skills at the Icehouse in Docklands. Students spent the afternoon skating around the ice with only a few tumbles.

Year 8 Humanities Excursion – Landscapes and Landforms

Year 8 Humanities students recently visited Organ Pipes National Park to study its unique geological rock formations firsthand. The excursion enhanced their understanding of natural landform processes and brought classroom learning to life in a stunning natural setting.

Meg Nicholas

Learning Specialist – Humanities and PLCs

Health and PE

This year in Health the students have been hard at work studying a variety of topics relating to Mental Health in Year 7, Outdoor safety in Year 8, First Aid in Year 9 and Community Health in Year 10. Our Year 11 students in Health and Human Development and Physical Education have completed all their SACs and are looking forward to the exam coming soon!

We’ve also been covering a wide range of field invasion sports ranging from Soccer and Rugby to Gaelic Football and Lacrosse. The Year 10s have had an excellent season at lunchtime with their soccer tournament with 10B coming away with the trophy, ready to face last year’s victors 11B. Students have also been enjoying our Monday lunchtime Badminton and Volleyball club, developing their net sports skills. We are looking forward to next year’s exciting developments in interschool sports with cricket and volleyball coming up in Term 1.

Brandon Isaac

Learning Specialist – Health and PE

Library News

Janina Tao

Library Literacy Officer

Frightfully Fun Reads

Halloween at Elevation is an exciting time. The library is covered in spooky decorations and there are a range of new horror books for students to enjoy. This year’s Halloween decorations include hidden Five Nights at Freddy’s characters (see if you can find them!) as well as cobwebs, hordes of spiders and bats. 

There are also Halloween activities running in the library including: 

• Guess how many lollies are in the jar!
• How many horror films can you name?
• Spooky colouring sheets, word searches and crossword puzzles

Horror books are the second most popular genre of fiction among Elevation students, with series like Five Nights at Freddy’s being in high demand. 

Come visit Kate in the library for horror book recommendations or to make a book request. 

Kate Richardson

Collections and Reader Services Librarian

End of Year Book Returns

As we come to the end of the year, it is even more important that library loans are returned on time.

• The standard borrowing period is 2 weeks: students should write library book due dates in their diaries, but can also check due dates by signing into the library website. Click here for a reminder on how to do this.
• When your books are overdue, you will receive an email reminder to return them. If books become significantly overdue, library staff will follow up via emails, then phone calls home to families.
• Families, please support our staff to ensure our collection remains accessible to all students by reminding your child to be prompt with their book returns.

All library books must be returned in time for Library stock take, which will take place on December 10.

Students who are returning to Elevation in 2025 may borrow books for holiday reading after stock take has been finalised.

Ellen Stephens

Manager Library and Information Services

Aspire Recognition Week

Aspire Recognition Week (ARW) is about taking the opportunity to reflect on the students that are demonstrating the school values of Aim High, Work Hard and Be Good in their everyday school life.

During ARW, students have the opportunity to use the Aspire points that they have earned this year and spend them at the Aspire Shop. The Aspire shop is constantly looking to update the prizes that are available to all students. Students are encouraged to come down to the front office to see what prizes are currently on display!

Aspire of the Month

Students can be recognised and nominated for demonstrated exceptional values of Aim High, Work Hard and Be Good within the school community. During ARW, the student that has achieved the greatest Aspire in each category is rewarded with an Aspire of the Month Certificate and an exclusive prize only available by achieving Aspire of the Month. There is a different prize for each School Value. Who will be the first student ever to collect the set?

Aspires of the Month – October

Aim High: Rayan 9G

Work Hard: Bhaveena Kaur 9G

Be Good: Melody 7E

Previous Aspire of the Month Winners!

Aim High	Work Hard	Be Good
Zeynep 11C Saviru 8F Daksh 8E Orion 9C	Malak 8B Morees 9B Ali Sina 9H Burhan 10H	Pavani 8C Thejashree 11AP Ridha 8D Melody 7E

Senior Discounted Items (Year 11 and 12)

For this Aspire Recognition Week we have introduced the Senior Discount Selection. These are a range of prizes that are discounted for our Seniors, so students can purchase items as well as exclusive prizes only available to the seniors.

This Aspire shop is mainly run through support and donations from local businesses. If you would like to offer something into the Aspire shop as a prize for students, please contact the school in regards to the Aspire Shop.

Bushfire At-Risk Register and the Category 4 List

School Preparations for the Bushfire Season

• No one will be on site on days where the school is closed due to a forecast Catastrophic day.
• All bus routes that travel through the Catastrophic area will be cancelled.
• School camps will be cancelled if a Catastrophic fire danger rating day is forecast for fire weather district in which the camp is located, or if the travel involves passing through areas that have Catastrophic fire danger, or on advice by Department of Education.

As part of preparing our school for the fire season, we have updated and completed our Emergency Management Plan and any maintenance works that may assist in preparing for the threat of fire.

What can Families and the School Community do to help us prepare?

• Ensure we have your current contact details, including your mobile phone numbers.  
• Keep in touch with us by regularly reading Compass notices, reading our newsletter, checking our website (https://www.elevationsc.vic.edu.au/) and talking to school staff.
• Make sure your family’s bushfire survival plan is up-to-date and includes alternative care arrangements if our school is closed due to Catastrophic fire danger. Further information can be found on the CFA’s website.
• Action your family’s bushfire survival plan if your own triggers are met.Your family’s safety is critical, so please let us know if you are actioning your bushfire survival plan and if your children will be absent on these days.
• If your child is old enough, talk to them about bushfires and your family’s bushfire survival plan. 

Families are encouraged to action their Bushfire Survival Plan on Catastrophic fire danger rating days in their district. The safest option is to leave the night before or early on the morning of the Catastrophic day. On such days, children should never be left at home alone or in the care of older children.

You can find more information on emergencies, warnings and preparedness actions here:

• VicEmergency app – that can be downloaded on your android and iOS mobile devices
• VicEmergency Hotline (1800 226 226)
• Website https://emergency.vic.gov.au
• Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/vicemergency)
• Twitter (https://twitter.com/vicemergency)
• ABC local radio, Sky News and other emergency broadcasters

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the department’s policy?

The Department of Education annually assesses the fire risk of all schools and early childhood services with the support of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). They are allocated a category of risk (categories 0 to 6). Schools and services that are Categories 0-3 are published on the Bushfire At-Risk Register (BARR). Schools at some risk of bushfire and grassfire are published on the Category 4 List. 

The department’s Bushfire and Grassfire Preparedness Policy requires all schools and early childhood services on the BARR and the Category 4 List to close when a Catastrophic fire danger rating day is forecast in their fire weather district. All school bus routes which travel in or through a district with Catastrophic fire danger must also be cancelled. 

The policy also requires that schools at the highest risk of bushfire (those in Categories 0, 1 and 2 of the Bushfire At-Risk Register) enact pre-emptive action plans based on the fire danger forecast for their Local Government Area (LGA).

Who issues fire danger forecasts?

The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) provides public fire danger rating forecasts each day of the fire danger period using fire weather district areas. In Victoria, there are 9 fire weather districts, which are based on Local Government Area boundaries. 

The department uses these forecasts when supporting schools to enact their pre-emptive bushfire actions plans. 

School Saver Bonus

The big news we are all talking about is the School Saver Bonus – SSB.  At the end of November all parent A of our students will receive an email from the Department of Education with your unique login codes to access the portal for each of your children. Only one parent will receive the email, so carefully check your emails, junk as well to ensure you receive the email. You will receive an email for each of your children.  If is very important to think carefully about how you wish to allocate these funds, vouchers for uniforms, vouchers for textbooks, or wish to allocate against future excursions in 2025.

Once you have locked in your request, this is fixed and cannot be changed.  So think and plan carefully.  You will have until June 30^th to spend the vouchers, after which time they will revert to the school to use for excursions. 

The staff at the College will endeavor to assist families where we can, but the system has been designed that parents are in charge of the decision making process and schools do not have access to the portal.

Further information is expected to become available around mid November and will be available in 14 different languages to assist our families where English is not their first language.  There will a helpline phone number and a dedicated email address at the Department for families who need additional help

2024 Parent Payments

The 2024 parent payments are still available on Compass under Payments Centre.  Parents are able to change the amounts listed to an amount they are comfortable to pay.  Currently we have received more funds than we have since our opening year, and almost reached our budgeted amount, we currently are at 91% for our other contributions, however, whatever parents can pay will add to our ability to resources our programs. 

2025 Parent Payments will be out sent home and published on Compass early December and not due for payment until the start of the 2025 school year.