91自拍

Activities Week

The last week of Term 2 hosts a number of alternative programs at each year level. It is pleasing to see the variety of options that are offered to our young people with your support as parents/carers. We can offer this special program week due to the generosity of our staff and I thank, in advance, all who have committed additional time to this week, especially given that we continue to manage high levels of absenteeism due to sickness. With pressure on schools to try and reduce the after hours commitments for teachers, I am conscious that the ongoing viability of camps relies on significant goodwill. Those who remain behind at the College will also have additional responsibilities to ensure that our co-curricular programs at school are rich and engaging and staffed accordingly.

GAT Arrangements

The General Achievement Test on Thursday, June 15 is compulsory for all students completing a Year 12 subject. At Aquinas, we will have over 400 students sitting this exam, which is in two parts. The arrangements for the day are as follows:

• Years 7 to 9 - normal timetabled classes
• Year 10 - English exam in morning, no scheduled classes in afternoon
• Year 11, 12 - GAT, no scheduled classes

The Senior Year Level Leaders will send out more specific instructions to students so that they are aware of their program for the day.

The Long Walk

Last Tuesday, we conducted The Long Walk as part of our Reconciliation Week activities. Stopping our usual activities to take The Long Walk reinforces the message to our students and community that we are committed to working towards reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our special guests, Leanne, Uriah and Mikaela from the Long Walk Foundation, commented on the vibrant spirit of the occasion and its ongoing significance, especially in a year in which there is a referendum on the Voice to Parliament. Thanks to Ms Grace, the Catholic Life Team and our FIRE Carriers.

Winter Sleepout

Congratulations to the students and staff who participated in our winter sleepout last week to raise awareness for homelessness, and thank you to Mrs Martha Mugamu, Justice and Outreach Coordinator, for creating this opportunity. We continue to seek support for the Vinnies Winter Appeal and students are encouraged to bring two cans to be collected in Homeroom for distribution to those in our community who are in need.

Aquinas Sports and Multifunctional Project

I am pleased to update you on this exciting development and announce that a start-up meeting with the building contractor occurred this week in preparation for works to commence during the upcoming holidays. As the contractors take over the site of the new hardcourts development on our Great Ryrie Street boundary, there will be some unavoidable restrictions put in place to limit student access to this area in the interests of everyone鈥檚 safety. We expect that buses will continue to access their drop off zone and parents/carers will also be largely unaffected in their access to the car drop off zone. However, it is likely that there will be times during the build, especially when large infrastructure is being delivered, that we may need to limit access. We have asked the building contractor for notice so that we can provide warning to you in regards to unavoidable inconvenience. Special thanks at this time to Luke Russ, Director of Compliance and Infrastructure Development, for his work to bring the project to this point where we will start to see changes on the ground. As the project progresses, we will provide flyovers so that you can see what is happening on the site.

Performing Arts

It has been a great privilege to be able to attend our theatre and witness the development of our performing arts students over the last couple of weeks. A number are performing publicly for the first time and are understandably very nervous. Very appreciative audiences have helped, and I want to thank those who have attended to support their young people. Thank you, also, to our talented performing arts staff who are encouraging their students to rise to the occasion. Finally, well done to our young performers for putting in the time and effort to prepare. I hope you have found it very rewarding.

Year 7 Enrolment Reminder

A reminder to our families that applications for enrolment in Year 7 for 2025 close on Friday, August 19 and that we will not presume that you wish to enrol your Year 5 child just because you have an older child currently enrolled at the College. Please contact the College Registrar, Ms Madeleine Kalla on 9259 3008, should you have any questions.

National Review on Education

Jason Clare MP, Minister for Education, is inviting you to contribute to the National Review of Education by completing this . The survey asks for your views on matters relating to improving education outcomes, supporting student health and wellbeing and teacher retention. The survey is open until June 23.

Advance Notice

Term 3 commences for all students on Tuesday, July 11.  Monday, July 10 is a Staff Professional Learning Day on building collective efficacy through small group collaborative projects to improve student learning outcomes.

Darren Atkinson

Principal

In the last few months, I have been participating in some extended discussions, with other educators, about generative Artificial Intelligence. We are at the early stages of a new technology in schools (and, like the other technologies that have been part of schools, the wider world), allowing widespread accessibility and use of automation. Artificial intelligence and machine learning*, has become part of everyday life, from Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant, recommendations from streaming services, chatbots that act as virtual assistants on webpages (sorry, that isn鈥檛 a real person even if they have a name and reply immediately!), fraud detection in banks, facial recognition systems, voice assistants, and automatic tagging of photos on social media platforms. 

What is changing is the access that we have to AI as everyday, non-specialised users and that AI is able to generate copy, code, images and slides. The generative AI is the new part. And it is proliferating. In May alone, more than 1000 AI tools were released and a general observation is that once the momentum begins these numbers will only grow. I suspect you can imagine the range of viewpoints about AI that are offered in these discussion groups I attend; they range from 鈥�鈥�  to "this will solve problems of knowledge and creativity that we have never imagined.鈥� We need to use our experience as parents and teachers to recognise what happens in education when large scale technological changes are implemented. It usually runs something like this; implementation brings the promise of transformative change, the expectations of that promise are tempered by the associated problems and pitfalls that arise, and after a period of use, some of the features are incorporated into everyday life. An example of this is that in the early 2010s, the technology debate started with, are personal devices needed? Then, what types? But these debates, while they are never completely resolved, have transformed into, how do we teach and learn better with the existing resources?

What we do know from way before the tech wars is that the students who best understand the fundamentals are the ones most likely to develop expertise, and we know it from music, to maths, to sport, to communication. AI might be helpful (we are not sure yet) but if it is used as a shortcut that prevents mastery, it is not helpful in improving learning.

*I asked an AI app to define these, 鈥淎rtificial Intelligence (AI) refers to the development of computer systems or machines that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence. It involves the creation of intelligent systems that can reason, learn, perceive, and solve problems autonomously.

Machine Learning (ML) is a subset of AI that focuses on the development of algorithms and statistical models that enable computers to learn from and make predictions or decisions based on data, without being explicitly programmed. ML algorithms analyse large amounts of data, identify patterns, and use them to make informed predictions or take actions.鈥�

Michael Box

Deputy Principal Learning

Responsible and acceptable use of mobile devices at Aquinas

Dr Michael Carr-Greg, renowned psychologist, provides a very good explanation about the impact of mobile phone addiction on the development of students. Please find his thoughts below.

91自拍 believes that all students have the capacity to learn from their experiences and that the learning enhances their decision making. For this reason, our Acceptable Use of Mobile Devices Policy prohibits students from using their phones or mobile accessories during school time. At times, however, students may access their phones for educational purposes under the direction of staff. It is important that you discuss with your child the importance of adhering to school expectations regarding their use of technology, particularly mobile devices. The College is committed to working with your child in improving their decision making and use of technology in safe and responsible ways. I encourage you to support this.

Please ensure not to call or text your child during school hours. If there is an emergency, please contact the school reception and we will endeavour to have your child contact you. Students who use their devices despite warnings may have the devices confiscated and you may be required to meet with their pastoral leaders to address the defiance. 

Now to the thoughts of Dr Carr-Gregg and a video link explaining the challenges, the research and his suggestions for you as parents to overcome the problem of separation anxiety when young people become addicted to their phones:

Mobile Phone Separation Anxiety

The use of mobile phones and technology in schools has been a highly debated topic internationally, including in Australia. Almost all states and territories in Australia, have implemented full bans on mobile phones during class, recess, and lunch times, while allowing students to carry their phones during travel to and from school.

Critics argue that there is no evidence supporting the effectiveness of such bans, but this is a mischaracterisation. Studies have shown the positive impacts of mobile phone bans in schools. One study conducted in 2016, found that banning mobile phones led to an increase in student performance, with test scores improving by 6.4% of a standard deviation. Similar studies from Spain and Norway also supported these findings.

For parents concerned about mobile phone separation anxiety in their children, it is important to acknowledge it as a real issue and discuss the negative effects of phone addiction, such as sleep problems and mental health issues. Gradually introducing phone-free periods at home, setting clear expectations and boundaries and modelling healthy behaviours can help your child cope. It is also crucial to establish a support network and seek professional help if needed. Implementing mobile phone bans in schools allows for better focus on teaching and learning, minimising distractions and interruptions.

This Special Report will help address mobile phone separation anxiety and provide guidance on supporting your child鈥檚 wellbeing during this transition period. We hope you take a moment to reflect on the information offered, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you, a loved one or the wellbeing of your child, please consider seeking medical or professional help.

Click on this  to view the Special Report

Nap Rodezno

Deputy Principal

"Mercy is what pleases me, not sacrifice" Mt 9:13

This Sunday鈥檚 reading tells the story of the Pharisees' disbelief at Jesus associating and eating with tax collectors and sinners. In reply, he tells them to go and learn the meaning of mercy and to not focus on sacrifice. For the Pharisees, this is difficult as they see the more sacrifice, fasting and suffering they endured for their faith, the more God would be pleased.

Sacrifice and fasting can lead to empathy as you can experience the needs of others less fortunate than you. An example of this is the Winter Sleepout, which is run by St Vincent de Paul. Aquinas also participated in this event, as students involved experienced sleeping on the floor, having no phones and eating simple food. It is a small taste of some aspects of homelessness.

Mercy comes from the deepest respect for the dignity of another. It involves compassion, forgiveness and the ability to try and understand the experiences of others. In Harper Lee鈥檚 To Kill a Mockingbird, Atticus attempts to explain this to a judgemental Scout by having her imagine 鈥渨alking in their shoes鈥�. 

At Aquinas, we try to provide many opportunities to develop mercy in our community through education and experience. It would be wonderful if you could encourage your children to participate in such activities at some point in their time at Aquinas, giving you and your family a chance to discuss their experiences and help develop their sense of mercy and compassion.

Tania Grace

Assistant Principal Mission

Senior Years Report

Across the next two weeks, there will be a lot of different requirements and movement for students, starting today with Year 11 exams. The College calendar has broad dates for Year 10 and 11 exams and activities and specific year level information has been sent home via the College Registrar email address.

The General Achievement Test (GAT), takes place all day in the school gymnasium, O鈥橠riscoll Room and Year 12 corridor on Thursday, June 15. It is important that students and visitors to the school are aware that access around these designated areas and through the Theatre Foyer is restricted for the day. 

There will be signs posted on the perimeter of the restricted areas to inform you of the quiet zones and external exam supervisors will be present to manage the areas. If you wish to access the Senior School office and Cafe N9ne on this day, please be aware that you will be required to walk a slightly further distance. Access to the Senior Years building will be via the external doors located behind the oval grandstand. 

With activities week starting as early as next weekend, June 17 and 18, we say farewell to the Year 11 students and staff travelling to Northern Australia in what is the first time this trip has taken place since 2019. We wish the group all the best and safe travels. The tour returns in the middle of the holidays, and we thank the staff who will dedicate a week of their holiday time to being with our students. 

A reminder to Year 10 parents and guardians that the parent information session with Darren Pierra from Success Integrated will take place in the Mahon Theatre, Monday June 19 at 7.30pm. The evening will compliment the student sessions held throughout the day, focusing on future thinking and goal setting. This will help parents/guardians to hold conversations at home regarding future directions and choices your young person will be facing throughout the last years of school and beyond.

Rachel Crawley

Head Senior Years

Middle Years Report

This week meet... Samara Langsdon

In a recent Year 9 self defence class, I was left holding the kick pad while student Samara Langsdon was on the other end. I realised quickly this wasn鈥檛 Samara鈥檚 first rodeo! We were told to keep a broad base to absorb the impact, but I very quickly needed to call in for reinforcements to give me a break!

Samara has had a passion for karate from a very young age. This was largely due to her dad and sister, who both did karate. Samara started training as soon as she could at the age of five. She remembers going on road trips to compete in places like Ballarat, Bendigo, and Warrnambool. 

This week, I spoke to Samara about her time in karate and how this has shaped her life so far, as well as discussing her future goals.

What are some of the things about martial arts that you love?

I love the community I鈥檓 surrounded by in my sport and being able to help others to do and be their best. I love the culture behind the sport and being able to learn about where martial arts all started.

Were you amazing at martial arts from the start?

I was very flexible and very motivated when I started. As I鈥檝e got older, I鈥檝e become stronger and worked on my technique a lot. I train three times a week in the karate dojo, working on all aspects of karate, and I also stretch and train at home several times a week. (And beats up her teacher in self-defence every now and then)

Describe some of the challenges or setbacks that you have had along the way.

My biggest challenge would鈥檝e been COVID lockdowns. During the pandemic, I was preparing for my black belt and doing Zoom calls three times a week. It was challenging not having face-to-face training, but I got through it with my mentor helping me through a year of hard work. (Samara passed her black belt grading at the age of 12!)

What are some of your greatest memories from karate? 

I have travelled all around Victoria for local tournaments and to Queensland and Tasmania for the Annual National Titles. I was also very fortunate to train in Japan this year. My greatest memory is my recent trip to Japan. I travelled to four cities across two weeks, training with local karate masters. I visited the island of Okinawa, which is the traditional home of karate. There I trained in specialist facilities called a Budokan, which hosts international competitions. I also got to visit many Japanese castles and temples during the trip. In 2019 I won a state championship in karate, which I am very proud of. I also got the opportunity to make the Victorian karate team and competed at the National Championships twice, where I won a bronze medal, also in 2019.  I hope to continue to travel and maybe return to Japan again in the future. 

Is there a person/people that you look up to in the sport that have inspired you? If so, in what way?

I look up to my coaches/Sensei who are very senior and respected within the martial arts community. It inspires me to continue my passion and strive to do my very best.

What characteristics have you taken away from Martial Arts that help you in your life away from the dojo? 

It's given me a strong sense of determination to accomplish my goals. It has also built my perseverance to overcome challenges and obstacles, and to not give up when things get tough. As I continue to develop, I want to be able to coach others to help them improve and also to enjoy the sport.

Is it challenging to maintain motivation? 

There are times when its hard to stay motivated, such as when you're sick or injured, because your goals can seem a long way away. But my teammates motivate me a lot and we all encourage each other to stay positive and keep moving forward.

After hearing all of this, I don鈥檛 feel as bad that Samara was always knocking me off my feet.

Phil Box

Head Middle Years

World Environment Week at Aquinas

This week, 91自拍 has celebrated World Environment Week. It was launched with World Environment Day on June 5. The 2023 World Environment Day campaign #BeatPlasticPollution calls for global solutions to combat plastic pollution.

Students have learnt about ways to reuse, repair and recycle by "using your voice and using your choice" during pastoral sessions and mentor. 

During the week, students engaged in activities such as: seed planting, photography competitions and an environmental movie screening as part of the program.

Karyn Myers

Environment & Sustainability Coordinator

For many, these next few weeks will be daunting and stressful. Year 12s completing their final SACs for the semester, 10s and 11s undertaking their semester one exams, and 7s to 9s wrapping up some of their elective subjects to transition into new subjects in semester two. 

However, there are many exciting events to look forward to once we all push through these tough weeks. These events include Year 12 retreat, the Kakadu trip, Futures Week, Global Green and the second rotation of SEB week. All of us students will be rewarded for the effort we put in these next two weeks, as long as we don鈥檛 give up and we keep our motivation levels up to reach the end.

 As well as trying to motivate ourselves, we must also look out for our peers, no one is on their own in these times and the Aquinas community is full of people who are there for each other and will assist each other to be their best selves. Don鈥檛 forget to also moderate yourselves, don鈥檛 spend every waking hour with your head in the books, make sure you keep some time for your own wellbeing.

Chloe North-Coombes and Matthew Azzopardi

College Captains

Do you find yourself gobsmacked that the contestants on Who Wants to be a Millionaire don't know the obvious answer?

Do you reach for Trivial Pursuit at the mere mention of a game night?

Do you have a brain full of random facts and don't quite know when or where to use them appropriately?

Do you have a group of friends/colleagues/acquaintances who know a lot about a little, but when put together are a trivia force to be reckoned with?

If you said YES to any of these questions, grab your calendar, gather your brains trust and save the date for the Annual Parents and Friends Trivia Night to raise funds for the 91自拍 community.

Prizes, raffles and laughs are promised...as well as trivia for all abilities. 

Congratulations to the 398 students who received commendations this past fortnight. We especially acknowledge:

• Jack Swaine and Joshua Ross for learning about caring for the earth and receiving Stewardship commendations.

• Keileigh O鈥橩eeffe, Efrosyni Kyriakos and many others for their Perseverance commendations as part of the Big Science Competition.

The Spirit of Aquinas section focuses on one core value from our mission statement and ways this value has been demonstrated at school.

This edition, our focus is on JUSTICE

Let's Dance showcase- student reflections

The dance showcase was really fun and exciting. It was so good to see everyone's pieces onstage and see the vision come to life! -Tilly Van Neuren

Our Let's Dance Showcase was such a fun experience. I loved everyone coming together to perform our dances that we all worked hard on throughout the semester. -Ava Di Gregorio

This dance showcase was an unforgettable experience. It was a time to show our talents as a class and individually by displaying our knowledge and skills. It was overall an amazing night and process!- Kayla Carusi

The dance showcase was a fun experience and it was inspiring to see all the other dancers' performances. It was a fun environment to be in, with everyone helping one another and supporting each other. -Katie Millstead

The dance showcase was a fun experience that allowed us all to watch and perform with our friends and see our dances come together over the last couple of months. -Indigo Meikle

The dance showcase was really exciting and filled with many great performances. There were a lot of different forms of dance throughout the night which made it enjoyable. -Zoe Vozzo

The dance showcase was a fun time for me to do what I love with my friends. Getting to perform my solo, which I have been working hard on, for an audience was a good way to end this semester of dance. -Jemma Hills

The Let's Dance showcase was a colourful and exciting event. The different dance styles and music made the concert even more enjoyable. This was a night to show off everyone's individual tricks and skills that they like to perform to an audience. Overall this was an amazing experience. -Lily Dwyer

The Let's Dance showcase was an experience for our Year 9, 10 and 11 Dance classes of 2023. The group dance that the Year 11s performed was an upbeat Jazz Funk dance, which incorporated a lot of high energy moves. The solos were a mix of Contemporary, Lyrical, Callisthenics, Jazz and Hip-hop. The solos all looked amazing and all had their own special feel to their own intentions. Overall the concert was a great success. -Breanna Ennor

The Dance Showcase was a great experience for all of us students to share our talents and show the audience all of the hard work we have put in this semester! -Lily Dent

I think my experience with dance this semester was really enjoyable and I liked learning different skills that I didn't know before. I found it really fun being able to perform with my friends and making up dances.-Year 9 Dance student

The dance performance night was super fun! We got to enjoy having pizza and getting ready together. I found performing to be a great experience and I learnt a lot from creating a dance, choosing a costume and getting to perform it at the end of the semester -Emma

The dance showcase last week was such an awesome night! It was really inspiring to see the older dance students' solos/group pieces, and to also have the opportunity to perform in costume with my classmates. -Samantha

Last Friday night, a group of students and staff gathered together in solidarity to help raise funds and awareness for homelessness. 

It was a night of action; hundreds of toiletry packs were put together, soup was cooked and eaten, games were enjoyed, and meaningful conversation was had following the viewing of a rather confronting film on homelessness.

We also managed to raise $935 on , which is a fantastic effort! Thank you to all of the family and friends who gave a donation. Your support and contribution to our Winter Appeal efforts is much appreciated.

And a special thank you to the wonderful group of students and teachers who gave up a night in their warm, comfortable beds to help others in need. 

Martha Mugamu

Justice & Outreach Coordinator

Student reflections

The Winter Sleepout was a great opportunity to reflect on our own situations and how we can be more aware of our privilege. We learnt more about the lives of people living in poverty, and we did activities like a night walk and serving dinner. I really enjoyed making soup for everyone in the Year 9 Cafe, and I am very happy that I signed up! 

Shaelee Donohue - Year 12

It was a really amazing experience. I loved doing it, and I'm sure we all did, but the main thing was raising money for the homeless and poor people and experiencing how they sleep and live. 

Adam Scott - Year 7

Taking part in this year's Winter Sleepout was a great experience. Sorting items to donate to those in need, watching the 'Oasis' documentary film, and making dinner (lentil soup) was a great way to get a picture of what it's like for a lot of people who aren't as fortunate as most of us. It's nice to know that I had a small hand in making someone's day a little less difficult by putting in some effort to help organise small essential toiletry packages, and while 'Oasis' covered some heavy themes, it was super interesting and insightful. My favourite part of the night would have to be cooking the soup at Cafe N9NE with my friends. All in all it was a great experience and I would definitely recommend others to take part in it next year.

Olivia Westaway - Year 11

Participating in the Winter Sleepout was a great experience. We got to learn about what it鈥檚 like to live as a homeless person, along with contributing to the community by packing care packages for those in need, getting tasty treats and spending time with our friends. I loved going on our night walk and watching the 鈥極asis鈥� documentary. It reminded us that there is no such thing as a homeless person, just a person without a home.

Mikaela Hood - Year 8

On Thursday, May 25, 30 Aquinas students competed at the EISM Champions Athletics carnival at Lakeside Stadium in Albert Park against the best competitors from all 21 EISM schools.

On a very cold and windy day, the conditions were not made for athletics, but the Aquinas students did very well.

Congratulations to these students who won medals (top three) in their events:

U13: Ben Campbell- 1st 800m, 2nd 1500m,

        Girls Relay 1st - Octavia McKrell- Bonacci, Naomi Mugamu, Emily Bruton, Grace Cameron 

U14: Gemma Settle- 1st 800m, 3rd 1500m

U15: Callum Settle- 1st 800m & 1500m 

        Lachlan Ghosn- 3rd 400m

        Chase Stone- 1st Shot Put

        Aleisha Harmer- 2nd 800m, 3rd 200m

        Tom King- 3rd Triple Jump

U16: Seb Horwood- 1st High Jump

         Emma Fabre- 3rd Discus

         Gabby Linton- 1st 100m

         Charlotte Hayes- 3rd 100m

         Eden Smith- 1st Shot Put & Discus

         Maddie Payne- 1st Shot Put, 3rd 200m

         Girls Relay 2nd - Maddie Payne, Georgia Kavanagh, Gabby Linton, Charlotte Hayes

Open: Elise Keeghan- 1st High Jump, Shot Put & Discus

           Isaac Ghosn- 2nd 800m

Congratulations to Callum Settle who broke the EISM and Aquinas U15 boys 1500m record of 4.26.02 (set by him three weeks ago) with a superb run of 4.20.00.

Well done to all students who have been involved with the Aquinas Athletics squad this year.

It has turned out to be an incredible year, with awesome results individually and as a team.

Look out next year, for even better performances.

Bernie Brummell

Sports Coordinator

Over the last couple of weeks, the VCE Environmental Science students participated in two excursions to expand their understanding of threatened species, conservation programs, and monitoring techniques. 

On May 17, the VCE Environmental Science students visited the Doveton Grey-headed Flying Fox colony to see the threatened species they鈥檝e been studying up close. The Grey-headed Flying Fox is an endemic species to Australia and, like other flying-foxes, is responsible for the long-range dispersal of pollen for Eucalyptus trees. They are an important species in maintaining the genetic diversity of these trees, so essentially, without flying-foxes, we won鈥檛 have gum trees or koalas. Unfortunately, the Grey-headed Flying Fox is now listed as a threatened species due to human activity and pressures, including increased urbanisation. Whilst there may seem like a lot of them, we perceive there to be more than there are because they live together and fly out at roughly the same time. 

Before enjoying the spectacular fly out (when the bats leave their colony to find food), students observed the bat behaviour, surveyed the environment, and tried to conduct a static count by counting the individual bats hanging in trees. This is harder than it sounds! Whilst watching the flyout, students also attempted to do a flyout count - counting the bats as they flew. This is also quite difficult, and the students started to appreciate the skill required in monitoring highly mobile species. These methods of population monitoring are no longer the sole approach - radar counts are now used and can be viewed on the Flying Fox Radar Monitor website. 

On June 2, students visited Werribee Open Range Zoo followed by Mt Rothwell. Here they examined the role and ethics of ex-situ and in-situ conservation methods, as well as the sustainability of these conservation methods. Zoos Victoria is a leading conservation organisation, running more captive-breeding and recovery programs than any other institution in Australia. Mt Rothwell is the largest feral predator-free ecosystem in Victoria. It has about 80 per cent of the mainland Eastern Barred Bandicoot (EBB) population which is currently recognised as the only stable self-sustaining population. Mt Rothwell also has extremely successful captive breeding programs for the Eastern Quoll and Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies.

At Werribee Open Range Zoo, students enjoyed the Safari Tour before finding evidence of biodiversity and sustainability within the Zoo. At Mt Rothwell, students were part of an ongoing trapping and monitoring program of Southern Brown Bandicoots, Eastern Barred Bandicoots, and Bettongs. Students set the traps in the late afternoon, did a spotlighting walk where they saw many different species, and returned to check the traps. Two Southern Brown Bandicoots were trapped and processed, including checking their body condition, microchip number, weight, and sex. A couple of Bettongs were also trapped, however released without processing, as the current monitoring program isn鈥檛 focussing on them. 

Both excursions have definitely been a highlight for our students, and I know they got a lot out of the experiences. Some have even stated that they want to follow this pathway into university! 

Ms Kate Chamberlain

VCE Environmental Science teacher

The day out to Mount Rothwell was an immensely valuable experience and will be a definitive highlight of my entire school career. The opportunity was one I looked forward to from Year 9, when I discovered it was an excursion in Year 12 Environmental Science. Getting the chance to spend time in Mount Rothwell, with so many protected species, and to be a part of it for the night was unbelievable. Seeing bandicoots, bettongs, possums, wallabies and so many more in the space of one night was amazing. 

In addition, I will treasure this experience because of the time spent with my classmates. Getting to experience something like this, getting to see microchipping and catching threatened species and also doing it with my peers was truly such a wonderful experience, which I will look back on for a very long time.

Isabelle Comerford

VCE Environmental Science student