Campus News - Mentone Grammar

No 3 2014
Campus News
Bayview—Mr Cameron Lancaster
Beginning of the Year
Having completed our first full cycle of lessons, I would like to take this opportunity to
pass on my thanks and congratulations to all students, staff and also families on a wonderful beginning to the school year.
Students have returned with great energy and enthusiasm, which they are directing
towards their lessons and other activities; staff have returned refreshed and eager to
establish learning partnerships with students and parents; and families have returned,
taking an active interest in their son or daughter’s learning.
While we regularly praise our staff and students for their wonderful work,
parents may at times feel they are undervalued within the education process. However,
the following article, which appeared in The Age a couple of years ago spoke about the
value of parents and the role they can play in their child’s schooling. It acknowledged the
value of parents and as we look to the year ahead I thought it pertinent to revisit its message and strategies, which are still relevant today.
Meet the most important person in your child's schooling - you - Elisabeth Tarica
The Age Newspaper, February 7, 2011
The best teacher...
The research is clear: it's not just about class sizes, the state of the school buildings or
whether you're born on the right side of the tracks. The biggest factor in whether students succeed in school is the attitude of their parents. So when parents are told they
hold the key, what does that mean? What role do they need to play and what steps can
they take to give their child the best chance of shining? Elisabeth Tarica asked the experts.
Term 1
21 February 2014
www.mentonegrammar.net
Key Dates
Monday 24 February
Year 6A departs for Shoreham
Tuesday 25 February
Years 7&8 Sport Training
Wednesday 26 February
Year 5A departs for Shoreham
Year 6A return from Shoreham
Read to Your Children
Friday 28 February
Words are like brain food for babies, says Parenting Research Centre chief executive
Warren Cann, and it's never too early to start reading to them.
Student Photographs – Catch up Day
"One of the most practical things a parent can do is introduce their children to reading,
as there is quite a lot of evidence that early exposure to books and written material is
important for development of reading skills," he says.
Sunday 2 March
Reading to your child should continue well into primary school, says Melbourne University early childhood expert Kay Margetts.
Year 5B departs for Shoreham
"It should become part of everyday regular routine and shouldn't be limited to just
books — it could be catalogues, recipes and so on," she says.
Years 7&8 Sport Training
Setting aside a relaxed, quiet time to read stories together, to talk about what's on the
pages, and to look for words and letters is invaluable.
Wednesday 5 March
Choosing stories beyond the children's reading level allows them to focus on the magic
of the story rather than having to struggle to understand every word.
Year 5C departs for Shoreham
Year 5A returns from Shoreham
Old Mentonian’s Shoreham Picnic
Monday 3 March
Tuesday 4 March
Parent Teach Interviews (4 – 8pm)
Bayview Student-free Day
Year 5B returns from Shoreham
Parent Teacher Interviews (1 – 8pm)
Friday 7 March
Year 5C returns from Shoreham
Build Self-Confidence and Encourage
Confidence, says Andrew Fuller, family psychologist and author of the book Help Your Child Succeed at School, is one of the most
powerful, and one of the most elusive, qualities behind success in life.
Confident children with well-developed organisational skills, resilience, independence and social skills will thrive in the classroom.
Mr Fuller, who specialises in the wellbeing of young people, says families that work well seem to praise one another a lot — compliments are made and positive efforts are commented on.
Parents should also try to treat mistakes as opportunities to learn and look for the best in themselves and their children by focusing on success, skills and abilities. Encouragement is a powerful confidence-building tool.
"When children make comments like 'I'm no good at maths', acknowledge their feelings and help them to express them. Ask them
what makes them feel that way. Accept their fears or insecurities as genuine but don't agree with their self-assessment. You might
say, 'I get it that you are struggling at maths, how can we work on it to make it easier?' "
Building social and emotional skills in young children is also vital, says Associate Professor Margetts, whose research has shown
that preschool children without such skills find it difficult to cope with the general demands of school.
Set High but Realistic Expectations
A successful academic journey starts in the child's home and is built on a number of factors, says psychologist and bullying expert
Evelyn Field. Parents who value education, set expectations and encourage learning at home are the most effective advocates for
their child.
Her views are supported by new research showing that students start engaging with the idea of going to university in primary
school, far earlier than first thought.
An Australian Council for Educational Research survey — of 55,000 students at 55 tertiary institutions — found about 40 per cent
of the students first considered university study while in primary school.
Show Your Support and Enthusiasm
Academic success is as much about fostering a dedicated partnership between children and parents as providing the basics of good
food, enough sleep and exercise, says Ms Field.
"When parents value education, they encourage their children to do well. Pay for them to have coaching, the equipment needed, a
nice desk, and children know they are being supported at school," she says.
Parents also need to stay in tune with their children's friends, interests and activities.
"Children need to be part of an involved family where they are not only going shopping together and driving in the car together,
but they are talking, laughing, arguing, so the family is engaged and connected with what the children are doing."
Family rituals, however mundane, help build self-esteem. These simple things contribute to academic achievement by helping children build inner strength to cope with the ups and downs of life. "The best way to build self-esteem is to have a good social support network — to have friends at home, friends at school, to go to sleepovers — because the child who is isolated is not going to
get the same self-confidence and support."
Create a Study Space, Stay Organised
Create a homework routine and organise a quiet study space for your child.
It is also important not to nag children about doing their homework or to compare their results with siblings, says clinical and educational psychologist Vanda Brink.
"Be accepting of your child's best efforts and encourage them not to be deterred with a result they may feel disappointed in. Never allow your child to feel that their efforts are not good enough."
Developing effective research skills and good study habits in the early years will also help later.
Dr Brink says the environment needed for success at school is both physical and emotional.
"The emotional environment needs to be positive and encouraging, and emotionally safe so that your child feels at ease to explore
their academic potential."
Children depend on their parents to enable them to achieve their best, particularly in the early years of schooling. "As the child
progresses through to Year 12, the responsibility takes a subtle shift from parents driving their child's success to children being in
charge of their own academic [progress]," she says. "How this shift is attained can greatly influence a child's success at school as
parents no longer have the role of being the primary 'building blocks' that determine a child's success, but rather take on the role
of scaffolding, where their role is to support their children to succeed."
Stay Involved, Parent-Teacher Associations are Powerful
Education is most successful when parents and schools work together. One of the strongest predictors of how well children will do
at primary school is the extent to which parents become engaged, says Warren Cann. "Evidence shows that parenting is the single
most important influence on a child's early learning and development," he says.
"Parents are the first and most important teachers that children will have and the quality of the home learning environment has
the biggest single impact on how well children will do academically at school, especially in the early years."
This is why it is vital that parents are seen as partners in their children's education and welcomed into the school. "When we recognise them as such and engage them, not by trying to turn them into teachers but as genuine partners, we will improve educational outcomes for all children, because children stand to gain the most when they have an enriched home environment combined with stimulating education."
It is important to stay connected to your child's school by reading newsletters, volunteering and forming a relationship with teachers.
Encourage Learning at Home
Education experts agree one of the most valuable ways to become involved in your child's education is to provide a rich learning
environment at home by finding ways to turn everyday experiences into learning opportunities.
"The first three years of a child's life are a time of enormous learning and development — during this time the way that parents
interact with their child and the stimulation they provide in the home environment are crucial to shaping the child's early learning,
especially the development of language," says Warren Cann.
It is the quality of everyday interactions — when feeding, dressing or bathing — that promote learning. For older children, learning
can happen and be supported at home even if it doesn't seem like what's being done at school.
A stimulating home learning environment includes access to books, shared reading, rhymes and songs. Things as simple as frequent conversation, tuning in to and responding to the child's needs, and following their interests can have huge benefits on development.
The ZZZZ Factor
When nana said "Early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise" she wasn't far off the mark. Researchers have
found solid proof linking a good night's sleep to progress in school.
In a study of children starting school, the Murdoch Children's Research Institute found that the more severe the sleep problem, the
worse the child's health, behaviour and learning. It shows the link between rest and school success is apparent from the day children first walk through the school gates — as children with sleep problems were poorer in their communication skills, language
and literacy, and mathematical thinking.
Andrew Fuller says teenagers need more than nine hours' sleep a night, as much as young children, partly because their brains are
in development overdrive. He says a minimum of eight hours' sleep is essential for optimal brain functioning at school.
Those who don't get enough sleep have to work harder to do well at school and are more prone to feelings of sadness, which can
seem so obvious to parents dealing with teenagers' chaotic sleep patterns.
Limit Television, Social Networking Sites and Electronic Games
Here is another bugbear for parents — the time teenagers spend watching television, playing computer games and on social networking sites.
Forget the threat of becoming square-eyed; there are more serious issues at play when it comes to television. According to a University of Bristol study, children who spend more than two hours a day at a screen have a 60 per cent higher risk of psychological
problems than children who clock up fewer viewing hours.
While there is growing evidence to suggest that any TV viewing for children under the age of two impairs their ability to concentrate, Andrew Fuller says that, as children develop, a small amount of television viewing can be positively associated with academic
achievement.
He recommends a limit of 90 minutes for a nine-year-old, while a 13-year-old shouldn't watch more than an hour a day.
"At 17 years of age the optimal amount of TV viewing is half an hour per day," he says.
If your child is having trouble falling asleep, turn off electronics at least an hour before bed. Computer screens at close range are
telling the body clock that it is not yet dark.
Melbourne University educational psychologist Erica Frydenberg warns older students not to waste valuable study time by getting
sucked into the social networking vortex. "Students entering Years 11 and 12 may feel particularly anxious about the workload
ahead," she says. "While it's important to have activities you enjoy, such as listening to music or outings, students should be cautious about social networking, as this can often 'suck' time and increase stress through the pressure to reply to messages."
____________________________________________________
Parent/Teacher Interviews
A reminder that Parent-Teacher Interviews for Years 5-12 will be conducted on Tuesday 4 March 4pm - 8pm and Wednesday 5
March 1pm - 8pm.
Bookings can be made via the School website:
Bookings Open 9am Monday 24 February
Bookings Close 12pm Monday 3 March
A reminder that Wednesday 5 March is a student free day.
Students are required to attend interviews and in full school uniform.
Bayview students have been involved in goal-setting activities to commence the year and both the established goals, and strategies
to achieve those goals, will form the basis of these interviews. Letters have been distributed outlining information regarding the P/
T interviews, including how to book online for these interviews. If you have not received this letter, please contact Bayview Reception.
If you have misplaced your login details, or are encountering difficulty in accessing the system, please email our technicians at
[email protected] with your enquiry.
Catch Up Photographs
On Friday 28 February a catch up photo day is scheduled in Greenways Café. There is a family photo option and forms have been
emailed to Bayview parents. If you are interested in a family photo, please return the form by Tuesday 25 February to Bayview
Reception.
The photographs that will be taken on the day will include:

6C group and individual photos

Student and staff absentee photos, these students will be informed by their mentors.

Family Photos
All students are required to wear full school uniform, including the blazer.
Boys: shorts, blazer, no school jumper.
Girls: Summer uniform, blazer, no school jumper. Students are asked to ensure that their uniform is neat, worn correctly and
shoes are polished. Boys should ensure ties are correctly fastened, top button done up, and hair is neatly brushed. Girls please
have hair neat and tied back with a white ribbon please. Hair, makeup and jewellery to be in accordance with school policy (see
page 127 of the 2014 School Diary).
The Village Square
In 2013 the School launched “The Village Square”, the online learning portal through which students can access a variety of resources associated with their learning programs.
Staff continue to utilise The Village Square in a variety of ways, yet these can be quickly categorised under one of four
headings: to present course content, to remind students of homework, to provide a repository of revision materials or
to inform students as to their achievement through the Gradebook function. It’s also a place where students and staff can communicate through blogs and discussion boards. The Village Square should be one of the key resources for your child when they are
engaged in their learning as it provides resources, support, feedback, direction – all the things that will assist our students to move
towards becoming successful, independent learners.
Students can all access The Village Square via MG Online-Quicklinks, or by accessing https://lms.mentonegrammar.net/ .
I encourage you to log on with your child, explore the structures and layouts of this wonderful learning resource and familiarise
yourself with what’s available to support your child’s learning.
New Staff
Having welcomed our new staff into the Bayview Community in last week’s edition of the Messenger, I’ll leave it to them to tell
you a little bit about themselves this week:
Jacqui Cartwright
I am thrilled to be teaching grade 6C at Mentone Grammar this year. I am very much looking forward to working closely with the boys
and their families. I have extensive teaching experience and began my career in Special Education settings and moved to mainstream
schools after 10 years at the Victorian College for the Deaf. My most recent work place was Beaumaris Primary School where I taught
across year levels and fulfilled the role of leading teacher. I am passionate about teaching and will constantly plan to challenge and extend the students I teach. Keeping fit is important to me and in my spare time I particularly love to run, go to the gym and attend Pilates classes.
Looking forward to becoming an active member of the Mentone Grammar school community.
Lauren Kanton
I am very excited to be commencing at Mentone Grammar as a Year 7 Mentor and Year 7, 10 and 11 English teacher. Previously, I have
been employed as an English and Psychology teacher at Glen Waverley Secondary College. I enjoy all kinds of reading and writing and
have recently completed an Honours Degree in Education, with a research focus on English Education at a secondary level. I like travelling
and spending time with my family and friends- especially when we are discussing good books!
Amy Messer
Prior to commencing at Mentone Grammar I ran French conversation classes at Camberwell Girls’ Grammar School, teaching phrases and
grammar to Year 9 students. I have a strong interest in swimming and was an Aquatic Education Teacher for four years throughout my
time at Monash University where I majored in English and French. I really love snorkelling, languages (I speak 3!) and travelling, and my
favourite place in the world is Apollo Bay on the Great Ocean Road. I already feel at home at Mentone thanks to the wonderful staff and
students at this school, and I look forward to an exciting and challenging year ahead!
Kate Leneghan
This is my first year of teaching as I have spent the last two years completing a Master of Teaching at Australian Catholic University. I
have also completed a Bachelor of Arts (Media and Communications) at the University of Melbourne. I have a strong interest in literacy
education, particularly with regards to engaging boys in literacy through the use of visual literacy and multi-literacies. Outside of school,
I work as a sports trainer for the Old Mentonians Football Club, am a passionate member of the North Melbourne Football Club, and you
can usually find a Stephen King book in my bag at all times. I am very much looking forward to working with Mentone Grammar students in 2014
and becoming part of the school community.
Wei-Sern Loh
My academic background is Computer Science from Melbourne University. Mentone Grammar is my first appointment for teaching Mathematics, although I have previously worked in the RAN from 2006 to 2012 as an avionics technician on Seahawk helicopters. I have a passion for helping people learn new skills, such as in Mathematics or sport. My interests include badminton, chess, general fitness, and figure painting. I strongly believe in upholding the school values and fostering the correct positive attitudes of team work and caring in our
students and I look forward to making a positive influence at Mentone this year.
Academic Awards 2013
As we did not have the opportunity to list our Academic Award recipients in the newsletter at the end of last year, I would like to
take this chance to recognise those students who received Semester 2 Academic Awards. (please note, this is taken from 2013,
so year levels given are as for 2013). We congratulate each of these students.
Academic Awards
Year 5
Jenna Binmore
Lilyana Gorringe
Adam Halliday
Sophie Hennig
Euan Hood
Jamieson Howe
Nelson Jaden
Luca Jeffs
Alexander Jones
Emily Kerr
Adam Laws
Jake O'Brien
Indy Oliver
Tomas O
Oskar Phillips
Ethan Prabaharan
Madeline Rickard
Angus Rimanic
Callum Roberts
Blake Rosenberg
Akul Saigal
Oliver Straw
Year 6
Torey Bernamoff
Ayannah Blazek
Sienna Bolton
Charlotte Bratuskins
Michael Byrne
Joshua Cooley
Isabella Daddo
Karly Georgantis
James Gold
Alanah Heidecker
Mackenzie Howe
Blake Ibrhaim
Alana Jones
Declan Latchford
Abby Leonard
Dekota Mark
Lachlan Milburn
Elyssa Osianlis
Benjamin Pertich
Samuel Pritchard
Bronte Reark
Finnbar Reinehr
Alexandra Richards
Damon Rimanic
Samasidh Siva Ram
Tarn Smith
Ethan Staggs
Vincent Thai-Chan
Jesse Turner
Year 7
Holly Adams
Nina Alston
James Bouwmeester
Bradley Chick
Academic Achievement
Academic Effort
Academic Excellence
Academic Effort
Academic Effort
Academic Excellence
Academic Excellence
Academic Effort
Academic Excellence
Academic Excellence
Academic Excellence
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Effort
Academic Excellence
Academic Achievement
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Excellence
Academic Excellence
Academic Excellence
Academic Achievement
Academic Achievement
Academic Excellence
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Excellence
Academic Achievement
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Effort
Academic Excellence
Academic Effort
Academic Effort
Academic Excellence
Academic Effort
Academic Effort
Academic Excellence
Academic Excellence
Academic Effort
Academic Excellence
Academic Achievement
Academic Excellence
Academic Achievement
Academic Excellence
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Achievement
Academic Effort
Academic Effort
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Achievement
Year 7 cont.
Timothy Edwards
Jessica Ewart-McTigue
Angus Goodwin
David Helmerson
Lachlan Howe
Lotus Jeffs
Belle Leonard
Harry Littleford
Callum Matthew
Tyler Milburn
Joshua Miller
Lachlan Newman
Luke Shi
Alexandra Siedle
Megan Siedle
Thomas So
Peter Varsamis
Year 8
Jacob Althoff-Dowell
Joel Amartey
Fraser Angus
Harry Austin
Lauren Bartlett
Sarah Bryant
Ryan Buckler
William Burmeister
Leina Cato
Anna Daly
Victor Dobre
Jeffrey Fong
Jasmine Grey
Alexander Harris
Paul Holland
Austin Hollingsworth
Joshua Jaden
Isabelle Koh
Bianca Malby-Luke
Jamieson McKinnon
Joshua Nung
Ranjith Prasannan
Piper Rausz
Johanna Sawford
Zac Scherger
Daisy Shurlin
Thomas Siedle
Timothy Silvester
Sahishnu Siva Ram
Brannan Smith
Harrison Smyth
Callum Strack
Kelvin Sun
Charlotte Sutton
Aidan Taylor
Michael Todd
Sophie van Vliet
Stephanie Wilson
Tom Zallmann
Academic Excellence
Academic Achievement
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Achievement
Academic Effort
Academic Effort
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Achievement
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Achievement
Academic Excellence
Academic Excellence
Academic Achievement
Academic Excellence
Academic Effort
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Excellence
Academic Effort
Academic Effort
Academic Excellence
Academic Excellence
Academic Achievement
Academic Excellence
Academic Achievement
Academic Achievement
Academic Excellence
Academic Excellence
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Excellence
Academic Achievement
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Excellence
Academic Effort
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Excellence
Academic Achievement
Academic Excellence
Academic Achievement
Academic Effort
Academic Effort
Academic Achievement
Academic Excellence
Academic Effort
Academic Excellence
Academic Excellence
Academic Effort
Academic Excellence
Parents and Friends
Many thanks to the P&F for the wonderful sausage sizzle that was provided for our Year 5 and Year 7
families. It was a great opportunity for parents to meet each other and their child’s Mentors, as well
as provide the students with another opportunity to spend time together and get to know each other. Particular thanks to Renee Rimanic for her work with organising these events.
I do commend the P&F to you as a fantastic friend raising group. If you do have time to assist at some
of the different functions that they do run for our Community, please contact Renee Rimanic via
Bayview Reception.
Years 5&6
Welcome to all students and parents in the Years 5&6 community in Bayview.
The year has started extremely well with our Year 6s getting to know each other and participating in an excellent Life Saving and
First Aid program at our Shoreham Camp. With our school nurse Jodie Campain along with Rob Smith and his staff from Peninsula
Outdoor Adventure, the students have enjoyed and learnt many worthwhile, lifelong skills. The Year 6s have reported that they
really enjoyed the specific camp focus this year.
I’d like to extend a special welcome to our two, new Year 6 teachers Jacqui Cartwright and Kate Leneghan. Both teachers come the
school with myriad skills and talents and have already made major contributions to our curriculum and team dynamics.
Planning is already underway for the Year 6 Learning Journey to Canberra where the Year 6s will be flying to our nation’s capital for
the very first time.
Congratulations to our Year 5 students who have made the adjustment to life in Bayview very well and who have taken on all their
new subjects with excitement and energy. Some of the Year 5 students’ early feedback is outlined below:
“I notice other students in my class have been working hard and helping me to be a better learner.”
“The best thing so far for me was being in a dance mob and stagecraft.”
“We are really stuck into the Mentone Grammar values and I like that.”
“A standout moment for me this year was being chosen for the swimming at Trinity Grammar because it gave me a sense of purpose.”
“Having a learning intention each lesson shows me what I should be learning in the lesson and if I’m stuck on what to do I can see
what I have to do.”
“The best thing that happened to me so far this year is doing experiments in science.”
Mr Wayne Essing, Years 5&6 Pastoral Care Coordinator
6C Shoreham Camp
The Year 6C camp was one not to forget! We started our day as normal with roll call and then we started to get very excited. On the
bus there was singing, laughing and some fun games.
When we arrived we met two helpers and they showed us around and explained some rules. We walked on the oval and found ourselves challenged by the Year 6B students, who were still at Shoreham, to a huge class vs class cricket game. In the end we got to a
super over and the other class won by a wicket. Boo!!
When the other class left we started experimenting with building huts and carving sticks into weapons. Ms Fuerst had organised a
fun art class for us. It involved us playing with clay and creating different textures with shells collected from the beach earlier. After
the art class we got changed into our bathers, in a hurry to get down to the beach to catch some waves on our boogie boards.
When we were there we participated in a 100m Run Swim Run practice; it was a challenge but everyone enjoyed it.
The food is always excellent at camps thanks to Greg our wonderful chef who successfully managed to cook for 30 students and
adults.
This is something special, after our yummy meal we all gathered in the classroom to learn about CPR and resuscitation. We all got
our chance to practise on a dummy not a human!! Also at this time we were being wrapped in bandages by our friends.
Then it was game on with ‘Capture the Flag’. We were separated from our friends into two teams and got changed into dark outfits
for us to blend in and some people were silly enough to wear vibrant sheets over themselves. All in all it ended in a boring draw!!
The next day we woke up bright and early at 7am which for some was too early! We had some free time and then had a continental
breakfast including toast and cereal. After breakfast we had some free time including hut building, soccer and exploring the
campsite.
For lunch we had D.I.Y rolls they were the best because we made it ourselves!! After lunch we went down to the beach and competed in a 100m Run Swim Run Swim time trail in our cabins. Cabin 8 won in the end. Then for some fun we caught some great
waves and then we came back for dinner.
After our scrumptious meal we played a round robin of table tennis. Then we headed over to the classroom to learn more about
asthma and epipens. We had some fun injecting fake epipens into each other. Then we played a newer version of capture the flag.
After this we got to bed at 9.30pm. We woke up and packed our bags and cleaned our rooms. When we went to breakfast in the
dormitory we saw some snorkelling gear lying outside. We soon forgot about the snorkelling gear because we got some fabulous
pancakes.
After we ate our pancakes we were split into two groups; one to snorkel and one to play some free time. When an hour had
passed, we swapped. Many people saw different types of fishes and some even saw a blue-ringed octopus and a banjo shark.
We then ate our last meal of hot dogs and donuts and felt a bit sad because we were leaving soon. Our meal was still yum anyway. Lucky for us the bus was late so we got to have our last cricket game, stick wars, sap mining and to shoot some hoops in netball. Eventually the bus arrived and we packed the bus with our luggage for our long journey home. On the ride home there were
some sad faces but still were heaps of games, laughing and fun.
When we arrived at school many people were tired but when we were reunited with our families the sad faces changed into happy smiles. This was an awesome 6C Learning Journey.
By Jeremy Di Rosato and Blake Rosenberg from 6C
Year 7
I would like to take opportunity in my first Messenger article for 2014 to welcome all our Year 7 students and families. We are
now well and truly into the swing of things. The honeymoon period of no homework is over and we are beginning to find routines
and habits that work for us.
During Mentor periods we are exploring the concept of being organised and identifying ways that we can manage our time and
work spaces in order to be productive and achieve the outcomes we desire. For most of us this doesn’t happen straight away and
for some of us it takes some weeks to feel like we are able to keep on top of our commitments in a sustainable way.
Please feel free to communicate with your child’s subject teacher (for questions about specific subjects) or Mentor (for wellbeing
concerns or questions).
I know some families find the managing of devices at home a challenge and this is something we grapple with every day at school
as well. We approach the use of devices in the classroom from a position of trust and it is important to acknowledge that, once
broken, trust is notoriously difficult to regain. Devices in the classroom are to be used as a learning tool only and the privilege of
being able to use such a valuable resource will be taken from those students who do not follow the acceptable ICT Usage Policy. I
would be pleased to offer support to those families who would like some further information regarding living with devices at
home.
I have asked two of our students to share with us what they have learned about organisation, their workspaces and themselves
over the past few weeks:
Organisation in Year 7 is vital to keep you on track with your schoolwork and other activities you may do.
When you are organised physically this can also help you to be organised mentally, with a clearer mind to complete your tasks ahead, without feeling overwhelmed. Organisational skills can be used in everything we do,
and allow the day ahead to be fun and stress free.
Organisation is very useful, when it comes to homework, completing tasks and getting ready for a test. Year 7s
are expected to do an hour (at least) of homework each night, so being organised can mean they will do their
homework easily and thoroughly without any distractions, and still have time to do other leisure activities.
In Year 7 this year, we have also learnt about keeping an organised locker and home learning space. Having a
distraction free study area allows you to do homework and study without any added stress, and also makes
things easier to find. Having an organised locker will also guarantee that you will not forget all your subject
books and you will be ready to commence learning in class with little fuss.
Overall, organisation is the key to life, and being organised will benefit you in every way.
Karly Georgantis, 7C
A person who is organised is neat, systematic and they have clearly set goals. People who are organised are
also ready for what is going to happen next, they know where everything is and they always know where they
are going. An organised person is a person who strives to overcome the obstacles that stop them from doing
what they need to do.
However, does being organised help you?
Some of the more subtle benefits of organisation are that it calms you down after a long tiring day. Don't you
get frustrated when you come to your messy locker or room? I do. When I get home and sit down to do my
homework there is nothing else but what I need on my desk. This lets me get started on my homework straight
away instead of having to clear all of the unwanted things and wasting time.
Organisation, is the act of planning, arranging and managing your life.
Samasidh Sivaram 7D
Mrs Tracey Pate, Year 7 Coordinator
Year 7 Curriculum News and Student Work Samples
This year the Year 7 team is adding a column to the Messenger that will showcase student work. This week Ellinor Humphries is
sharing the Quick Write she developed during English last week. Ask your own children about their Quick Writes. All Year 7 students have produced one and many of you will have the opportunity to see them during Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews.
On The Other Side Of The Street...
It was six in the morning and I couldn't sleep, not very surprising since I sleep on a rusty old mattress with the rest of my family.
So, in the hope of finding peace in the early hours of the morning, I decided to go for a walk. The sky was grey and dull like a
thick blanket of ash had settled upon it after an eruption, the air smelt like petrol and smoke and it was so thick you could barely
see ten feet in front of you. It wasn't the best scenery to wake up to, but I was used to it.
The wind played with my long dirty hair as it danced in wispy strands. I sighed as I kicked up the rubbish amongst my feet and
coughed when I inhaled the horrid smell of Rendae, a burnable substance that we discovered in 2081. Rendae was said to make
cars fly and the planet healthier; it was half liquid and half solid, a weird substance to hold, it's green and brown making it disgusting to look at.
When they started replacing it for fuel for anything they could find, everything went wrong. People were over using it and soon
our air, animals and planet started dying from the pollution. Other countries wanted their share of this newly found substance,
unaware of its disastrous outcome.
When we refused to offer Rendae to other countries they saw it as a threat and that's when all the wars happened, ruining our
planet.
I looked around me with distaste, the buildings were crumbling and their colours had faded with age. No matter how many times
I walked down here, I always felt sad by how we managed to ruin our planet so easily over something so stupid.
My eyes scanned the street and I froze when I spotted something. My eyes widened and my heart seemed to stop. I felt goosebumps cover my skin and a smile broke onto my face as I ran the other side of the street.
I fell to my knees and shed a tear as I caressed the precious petals of a flower, it was yellow and had just started to bloom, I
laughed and licked my dry lips.
"It's a miracle, a sign, that maybe we can save this disaster and be happy again."
Year 8
Mentors would like to extend a warm welcome to all Year 8 parents and students of 2014. We have another action-packed year
ahead filled with many opportunities for the students to challenge and extend themselves. Students are encouraged to be organised, resilient and become independent learners as they journey through their final year of Bayview, ready for their transition
into Greenways.
Leadership
Leadership is certainly a focus for the students. All students are leaders in one-way or another. Many
opportunities exist for students to be leaders of their peers as well as the younger students of Bayview. Our Leadership Teams:
Bayview Captains, Academic and Cocurricular, Community Service, House and Sport and Performing Arts/
Public speaking (with Miss Moore).
On Wednesday we had Daniel and Selina from the STRIDE organisation visit and run a leadership
workshop for our Year 8 leaders. The following is an account of the day written by Quayd Duffin and Eliza
Hollingsworth.
Last week we had a meeting regarding leadership. We learnt what it takes to be a leader using different activities and strategies. We started by using mind maps and posters, figuring out what we can do to improve
Bayview and add to the leadership roles of this school.
First we all started to throw ideas at each other to get an understanding of what leadership is. We came up
with all the basic words like, helpful, caring, fun but then we were asked to identify four words to define leadership. After discussing the options we were left with: resilient, proactive, approachable and confident. We
took these words into consideration and thought of ways to become a resilient, proactive, approachable and
confident leader.
We then thought of what expectations the School would expect us to live up to, which were to be interactive
and act responsibly. We then thought about struggles we might face that could affect our ability to lead
properly. We believed that sporting commitments, peer pressure and social media could affect this.
So we know what obstacles we have to face and overcome. We know what good leaders do. We know what
it takes to be a leader and now all we have to do is apply it. We came away from that day with a goal and
now we just have to reach it. I hope that when you get to Year 8 you will be a leader because we thought that
day was rewarding.”
Congratulations to all the students who took part in this course and we look forward to seeing some great
initiatives being implemented over the course of the year.
Whilst on the topic of leaders, I would like to congratulate each of the following students on their appointment of Class Captain,
Class Vice Captain or Class Co-Captain, as is the case for some classes.
8A
8B
8C
8D
8E
8F
8G
8H
Imogen Schwarz –
Pamela Bardis –
Emma Maggio –
Anna Lofthouse –
Sasha Widelski –
Stephanie Kelly –
Co-Captain
Co-Captain
Co-Captain
Co-Captain
Captain
Vice Captain
Harrison Houlahan - Captain
Jack McGindle –
Vice Captain
Kai Lindsay –
Class Captain
Luke Shi –
Vice-Captain
James Bouwmeester - Captain
Noah Brookes –
Vice Captain
Sean Enright Captain
Ben Sheridan –
Vice Captain
Quayd Duffin –
Captain
James Rickard –
Vice Captain
Parent Conferences – Tuesday 4 March and Wednesday 5 March
We are encouraging the students to take more of a primary role in the conferences by giving them the responsibility of
leading them. It is an expectation that the students attend these sessions to go through their goals for their core subjects.
Year 8 International Learning Journey
Preparations for this exciting Learning journey are taking place behind the scenes and shortly we will be sending home
the equipment list and a link to a form for World Expeditions for completion.
Staff attending the Learning Journeys will begin meeting with each of the groups early in Term 2 to work on expectations, cultural differences, learning some basic greetings and numbers and so forth to make the journey more meaningful.
Ms Joanne Kamp, Year 8 Coordinator
Sport
A reminder that fixtures are published on the School website and can be accessed via the following link:
http://mentonegrammar.net/cocurricular/sport/sporting-fixtures
Should you have any questions regarding sport then please address those via team coaches, Ms Heidi Gilmour:
[email protected] or Mr Tim Welsford: [email protected] or 0433 354 696.
Years 7&8 AGSV Summer Sport Results
Girls’ Sport
Softball
Junior A:
Mentone 17 v Caulfield 7
Junior B/C: Mentone 15 v Wesley 12
Touch Rugby
Junior Blue: Mentone 9 v Mentone 32
Junior White: Bye
Junior Gold: Mentone 5 v Haileybury 0
Junior Red: Mentone 3 v Haileybury 3
Tennis
Junior B:
Mentone 7-73 v Haileybury 5-54
Junior C:
Mentone 10-68 v Geelong 2-38
Volleyball
Junior A:
Bye
Junior B:
Mentone 1 v Haileybury 2
Boys’ Sport
Basketball
Year 8A: Mentone 16 v Camberwell 50
Year 8B: Mentone Blue 30 v Ivanhoe 49
Year 8B: Mentone White 26 v Camberwell 26
Year 8C: Mentone 13 v Ivanhoe GS 27
Year 7A: Mentone 32 v Camberwell 19
Year 7B: Mentone Blue 20 v Ivanhoe 15
Year 7B: Mentone White 27 v Camberwell 39
Year 7C: Mentone 2 v Trinity 52
Cricket
Year 8A: Mentone - 6/128 v Camberwell - 6/130
Year 8B: Mentone - 6/57 v Camberwell - 1/163
Year 7A: Mentone - 6/127 v Trinity - 6/104
Year 7B: Mentone v Assumption - cancelled
Table Tennis
Year 7&8: Mentone 1 - 12/24 v Camberwell - 0/0
Year 7&8: Mentone 2 - 7/14 v Trinity 1 - 5/10
Tennis
Year 8A: Mentone - 7/65 v Camberwell - 5/54
Year 8B: Mentone - 3 v Camberwell - 9
Year 7A: Mentone - 8/57 v PEGS - 4/46
Year 7B: Mentone - 9/64 v PEGS - 3/21
Volleyball
Years 7&8: Mentone Blue 3/75 v Ivanhoe White 0/36
Sailing
On Monday 17 February, six Year 7 and Year 8 Bayview students represented Mentone Grammar
at the First Victorian Junior Schools’ Sailing Teams Regatta, held at Albert Park Lake. Nicholas
Berry, Hugo Gill, Patrick Distefano, Lachlan Hughes, Patrick Myles and Captain, Brandon Demura all sailed and competed in Optimist sailing boats. Some of us were introduced to teams
racing for the first time. This involved students learning about tactics, protesting and blocking
boats from the other team to enable their own team members to get to the finish line first.
Brandon led the team with confidence and shared his knowledge of team racing, guiding us
through the initial races. We sailed eight races in two rounds. After some very close competition,
we achieved second place behind Haileybury who came first.
We received a silver medal each, a certificate made out of a sail and a plaque for the School.
It was a great day of sailing and it was excellent that we learnt more about teams racing.
Hugo Gill 7D
Surf Lifesaving
On Australia Day, the Regional Lifesaving Championships were held at Hampton Lifesaving club, featuring
many Mentone Grammar students. The championships were to qualify teams for the State Championships in March 2014.
Bronte Reark and Grace Phillips, both of Year 7, received a Silver and Bronze medal for the Surf (swim)
team and Board team. The Mentone Grammar girls from the Under 13 (Years 7/8) age group who qualified to compete in the State Championships include Bronte Reark, Grace Phillips, Isabella Mikac, Phoebe
Wearne, Jessica Ewart-McTigue and Natalie Clucas.
Qualified teams include Surf (swim) Team, Surf Board Relay, Aqua Cameron Relay, Beach Relay, Board
Rescue, Iron Woman and Belt and Reel.
Chloe Garifalakis and Lily Gorringe, both of Year 6, also competed, representing the Mordialloc LSC.
Chloe won three Gold medals and Lily picked up a Gold, a Silver and a Bronze medal, which means both
girls are now able to compete for their club at States in March.
Congratulations girls!
Athletics
Mentone Grammar students also achieved success in Athletics during the Summer break.
Lachlan Newman (Year 8), Mitchell Newman (Year 7) and Cassandra Newman (Year 5) all competed in a State Little Athletics Multi-Event in Bendigo over the first weekend in February. This event involved athletes competing in five events in one day, or six in
the case of Lachlan given his age group, with points being awarded for each event. The 100m, 80m hurdles, long jump and 800m
formed the basis of the competition, with Mitchell adding the discus, Cassie competing in the shot put and Lachlan including high
jump as well as the discus.
Given the level of competition, as this was a State event, they all achieved outstanding results: Cassie finished 3rd - Under 10 Girls,
Lachlan 6th - Under 14 Boys and Mitchell 10th -Under 12 Boys.
Patrick Myles competed in Athletics Victoria Junior State Championships last weekend, where he won the U/15 Long Jump and
came third in U/15 100m sprint. Patrick also made the final for the 200m, but was unfortunately unable to compete due to injury.
Patrick will now compete in the 2014 Australian Junior Athletics Championships in March at Sydney Olympic Park.
Congratulations to all on their wonderful achievements.
Lorne Pier to Pub Ocean Swim
The Lorne Pier to Pub swim is the largest open water ocean swim in the
world. This year was the event’s 34th year with 5000 competitors. The
course is 1.2km from the Lorne Pier to the foreshore. Bronte Reark and
Grace Phillips (both Year 7) raced in this year’s Pier to Pub swim and were
amongst the youngest competitors in 2014. The swim is a family affair for
both girls. Bronte’s father, Zac (an Old Mentonian), began swimming the
P2P several years ago and Grace’s grandfather has been swimming the race
for well over 10 years and is now 83 years old (he continues to swim it each
year).
After getting over some initial competition nerves and trying to avoid being put off by the shark caught that morning just off the
pier (which hung close to the start line), they jumped into the ocean for the long swim ahead.
Both girls finished in just over 18 minutes. Well done, girls!
Froggers on Tour! - Saturday 22 February 2014
Come along and see Mentone Grammar’s own Froggers perform at this year’s Big Band Sunsets in Mordialloc!
The Big Band Sunset Festival is a free event held on each Saturday afternoon and evening in February in the Hazel Pierce Park adjacent to the beautiful Mordialloc Creek. Entertainment commences at 4.30pm and continues right through until the evening swing
dance by MoJO which concludes at 9pm. Venue: Hazel Pierce Park, adjacent to Mordialloc Creek
DonateLife Week
What is DonateLife Week?
DonateLife Week is Australia's national awareness week to promote organ and tissue donation. In 2014, DonateLife Week will be held from Sunday 23 February to
Sunday 2 March.
DonateLife Week is a key part of the Australian Government's national reform programme to increase organ and tissue donation for transplantation and is led by
the Organ and Tissue Authority (OTA).
Events will be taking place across Australia during DonateLife Week to encourage all Australians to have the chat with their loved ones about their decision to
become an organ and tissue donor.
Why is this important?
Organ and tissue donation saves lives. One donor can transform the lives of up to 10 people and significantly improve the lives of many more.
People of any age regardless of gender, ethnicity or religion can one day need a life-transforming or life-saving transplant. Around 1,500 people are on Australian
organ transplant waiting lists at any one time.
Very few people – less than 1 per cent – will die in hospital in the specific circumstances where organ donation is possible. Many more have the opportunity to
donate tissue.
The majority of Australians are both willing to become organ and tissue donors and know that family confirmation is required for donation to take place.
To optimise every potential organ and tissue donor, every Australian family needs to ask and know their loved ones' donation decisions.
Although three in four Australians have discussed the subject with family members, only 53% of people know their loved ones' donation decisions.
Importantly, 96% of those who do know their loved ones' donation decision say they would uphold their decision.
The DonateLife Week Tool Kit
The DonateLife Week Tool Kit is a free resource to help you promote DonateLife Week and its key messages in your workplace, local media, on your Facebook and
Twitter pages, local schools, hospitals and in your community.
You can access the DonateLife Week Tool Kit here or download DonateLife Week tool kit (416KB) P
Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)
The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) is provided by the Victorian
Government to lower -income families to help with education-related costs.
If you have a child under 16, and you hold a valid Health Care Card, Pension
Card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible to receive the
EMA. The allowance is paid in two instalments, one in March and one in
August.
The payment is intended to assist with education-related costs such as; uniforms, excursions, textbooks, and stationery. You can elect to have your EMA
paid in one of the following ways:

Paid by direct deposit (Electronic Funds Transfer) into your own
nominated bank account; or

Paid to the school to be held as credit which you can use towards
education expenses; or

Paid by cheque which will be posted to the school for collection.
In 2014, the annual EMA amount per student is:

$200 for prep students

$150 for students in years 1 – 6.

$300 for year 7 students

$250 for students in year 8 – until age 16*.
A pro-rata amount is payable for students turning 16 in 2014.
How to Apply: Contact Main Reception to obtain an EMA application form.
Closing Date: You need to obtain an EMA application form from Main Reception and return by 28 February 2014.
For more information about the EMA, visit
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/parents/financial/Pages/default.aspx