Principal’s Report

Vermont College News Excellence Integrity Responsibility Respect Tolerance

DIARY DATES 17/10 Year 12 BBQ & Concert Region Intermediate Boys & Girls Basketball SSV State Athletics 20/10 Valedictory Dinner 6.30 - 11.00pm 21-23/10 Year 9 DTO91 Camp 21/10 Year 7 & 9 Immunisations College Council Meeting 7.00pm 22/10 Year 11 Geography Excursion - Melbourne CBD Year 12 English Revision Day - Period 1 - 3 24/10 Year 7 & 8 EMR Girls Basketball 26/10 WORKING BEE 27/10 Year 8 EMR Girls Volleyball Year 10 Leisure Education Excursion Phillip Island Unit 2 Music Performance Concert 28-30/10 Year 9 DTO92 Camp 28/10 Year 7 EMR Boys Baseball 29/10 Year 12 Exams Begin 29/10 Year 7 & 8 EMR Boys Cricket 31/10 Year 11 Final Classes & Dress Up Day SSV State Junior Golf 3/11 Year 10 & 11 Exam Revision Day 4/11 MELBOURNE CUP DAY 5-12/11 Year 10 Duke of Edinburgh Camp - Great South West Walk 5/11 Year 11 Exams Begin Year 9 & 10 English & Maths Exams

CRICOS Code 00861K

Jayden MacDowall

Tiffany Cooper

Principal: Tony Jacobs

Assistant Principals: Mike Stevens,

Harry Ruff, Joanna Alexander

School Captains:

Jayden MacDowall

Tiffany Cooper

Phone: 9873 1077

Student Absence: 8872 6338

Postal Address: PO Box 138,

Vermont Vic 3133

Website: www.vermontsc.vic.edu.au

WELCOME BACK I hope that all students enjoyed a relaxing and enjoyable break with their friends and family. Term 4 is traditionally a very busy time in schools as we complete our College programs, continue learning and teaching in the classroom, attend presentation ceremonies, write reports and undertake planning and preparation for the 2015 school year. Over the coming weeks students (particularly Year 11 & 12 students) need to be

focused on maximising opportunities for attaining their best results during this important stage of the year. Feedback from Interim Reports (available on line via the Parent Portal) and third term ‘Student Progress Conferences’ (held on Wednesday 8 October) should be taken on board and acted upon. Remember that classroom teachers and Student Managers are there for advice and support! On Monday 13 October, we had our final Senior Assembly for our Year 12 students where they were formally farewelled by fellow College students (Years 10 & 11). The last day of official attendance for Year 12 is tomorrow, Friday 17 October; when our students will enjoy a breakfast prepared by staff at Vermont and then go on to participate in their Annual End of Year Concert for the enjoyment of other students and staff. If any ex-students wish to attend please note that the College has right of refusal and that a ticket for the afternoon will need to be purchased on the day directly from the General Office at a cost of $5.00 each. In past years the College has been immensely pleased with the maturity of our students during this time which has been marked by a balance of fun, celebration, good behaviour and respect. This expectation has ensured that all students and staff can enjoy this special occasion and that our students leave positive memories for our College community. With Year 12 exams rapidly approaching a full copy of the 2014 VCE Examination Timetable is available at the VCAA (Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority) website and ALL students need to be clear as to when each of their exams are scheduled – do not rely on word of mouth! The Valedictory Dinner for Year 12 students, parents, guardians and family members will be held at The Grand on Cathies Lane, Wantirna on Monday 20 October with a 6:30pm arrival time for a 6:45pm start. Our Year 12 students are about to enter a vitally important stage of their secondary schooling and if they have worked consistently throughout the year they will be well placed to perform at their best during the exam period. It was pleasing to note that many Year 12 students took advantage of opportunities provided by their teachers over the Term 3 study break to complete set work and begin the revision process. These students are giving themselves the best chance of VCE success. Thank you to our Year 12 teachers for giving up their vacation time to assist their VCE students. We wish all our VCE students well during this important and often demanding time. MELBOURNE CUP DAY – TUESDAY 4 NOVEMBER Parents please note that Monday 3 November will be a normal school day for Years 7, 8 & 9 under DEECD guidelines, however we will run an alternate timetable, which will collapse classes, if required on the day. Years 10, 11 & 12 will have this day as a study day in preparation for exams and for the completion of set work.

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REGIONAL ATHLETICS On Friday the Regional Athletics were held at Knox Athletics track. Vermont sent along a large team of students competing in a wide range of events. Congratulations to the following students who won through to the State finals being held Friday at Albert Park: Emily Harvey, Ben Macdonald, Hannah Duncan, Alan Vernal, Kaleb McKay and Corey Bruhn. Well done to all students that competed and thanks to the staff who attended on the day – Carmela Clarke, Peter Henderson, Karin Hubble and Cara Macfarlane. For a full report go to the ‘Sports Report’ on page 18 of this newsletter. YEAR 10 CENTRAL AUSTRALIA TRIP RETURNS The Year 10 Central Australia trip has now returned safe and sound. Now in its sixth year and well established as an annual Year 10 event, this year there were 86 Year 10 students attending and 9 staff travelling in two coaches. I would like to personally thank all staff involved for their time, effort and dedication towards a trip that contains plenty of fun, but also a lot of responsibility - 24 hours a day! Thanks to Matt Cullen, Carmela Clarke, Jan Hindmarsh, Laura Gerbing, Kylie Natoli, Gabi Adrien, Aidan Message, Harry Amos and Eileen Kaiser. Special thanks to Laura Gerbing for her organisation of this great annual trip! Thank you also to the students involved for the responsibility they showed throughout the trip and to the parents/guardians for supporting such a worthwhile trip. A full report and photos are on pages 9 - 12 of this newsletter. WELCOME BACK TO THE ANNUAL HESSEN EXCHANGE Students and staff from Vermont Secondary College and Heathmont College participating in the annual Hessen Exchange (running since 1996) arrived home safely last Thursday night after leaving our shores on Friday 12 September 2014. Over the past four weeks the nine students from Vermont Secondary College and two students from Heathmont College were able to spend time sightseeing throughout Germany and beyond and attending school with the host students from the township of Kaufungen in Hessen, Germany. The students of Kaufungen visited our shores earlier this year. The students on the exchange were accompanied by Brigitte Ankenbrand and myself. Thank you to Brigitte for all the hard work on the trip in terms of the daily organisation and helping so much with the language! Thanks also to Brigitte, Harry Ruff and Lynette Tonkin from Heathmont for all the initial planning for such an extensive trip. All the students are to be commended on how well they conducted themselves over the four weeks and for many this exchange was the trip of a lifetime. Well done to all involved and particular thanks to the staff for giving up so much of their personal time and thanks also to the parents for supporting such a worthwhile program! For a further report on the exchange, by Brigitte, go to page 13 of this newsletter. UPCOMING VSC SPRING WORKING BEE – SUNDAY 26 OCTOBER, 2014 We would love to see as many parents/guardians as possible come along to our Spring Working Bee on Sunday the 26 October. Those of you who have attended previously know that the Working Bee is a very well organised event thanks to the careful planning of Mike Stevens and Tony Thomas. This means that your time is well utilised and that there is a nice balance of work, rest and play! A sumptuous brunch with plenty of refreshments is

provided. The Working Bee is a very social event and provides an opportunity to meet other members of the College community while supporting the College and your child’s education. If you are able to attend or have any queries please contact Mike Stevens. An information sheet/attendance form is included on the last page of this newsletter. We look forward to seeing you there!

Tony Jacobs Principal

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Mrs Joanna Alexander

Mr Harry Ruff

Mr Mike Stevens

.Semester 2 Student Progress Conferences Thank you to the students and parents who attended the Years 7-11 Student Progress Conferences on Wednesday 8 October. The conferences provided teachers with an opportunity to celebrate student achievement and discuss improvement strategies with the students and their parents. Parents and students who have not yet accessed the Semester 2 Interim Reports are encouraged to do so using their unique ID and password. If you have questions relating to the ID and password, please contact the General Office on 9873 1077. If your query is of a general nature in relation to the reporting process, contact the Assistant Principal, Joanna Alexander on 9873 1077.

Sick students Unfortunately, many students are contacting home directly and asking to be collected from school; the first we know about it is when parents present at the General Office. Please remind your child to go to Sickbay if they are unwell, and we will contact you for them!

German Exchange 2015 Planning has commenced for our 20th annual exchange! More information is provided in this newsletter. The exchange is open to all VSC student and families for hosting, with a preference for students studying German at Years 10 & 11 (and possibly Year 9) for travel to Germany. Why not consider broadening your family’s and your child’s horizons by hosting a child from Kaufungen? Please refer to the notice attached to page 28 of this newsletter; an information evening will be held on Wednesday 5 November at 7pm here at VSC.

High Resolves – Term 4 Wellbeing Week Our Year 9 High Resolves team is introducing the VSC community to a 'Wellbeing Week', which will be held in Week 6 of Term 4. The 'Wellbeing Week' is targeting the junior school, and will include organised sports at lunch times, inspiring speakers and documentaries being shown during lunch hours, a healthy food market on the Friday at lunchtime and motivational speakers to come and talk to students about their own experiences around keeping fit and healthy (both physically and mentally).

Term 4 – there’s more to come! Please note the key dates and timelines. Week 2:

final week of Year 12 classes (and lots of Year 12 celebrations), culminating in the Year 12 breakfast and concerts on Friday 17 October – Years 7-11 classes will all run.

Week 3: Monday 20 October - Year 12 Valedictory Dinner; Tuesday 21 October - Years 7 & 9 immunisations (final ones for the year!)

Week 4: Sunday 26 October - Working Bee; Wednesday 29 October – Year 12 exams commence; Friday 31 October - final day of Year 11 classes;

Week 5: Monday 03 November (Cup Eve) – YearS 10-12 classes have exams or SWOT Vac. YearS 7-9 classes will run as usual; Wednesday 05 November - Year 11 exams commence.

Week 6: High Resolves Wellbeing Week (a relatively quiet week!)

Week 7: Year 10 exams commence in class time; Wednesday 19 November – final day of all Year 7-10 2014 classes; Thursday 20 November – 2015 Transition Planning Day – no classes will run on this day; Friday 21 November – Assessment & Reporting Day – no classes will run on this day.

Weeks 8 & 9: ‘Transition 2015’ weeks – 2015 classes commence for all year levels – ALL STUDENTS MUST ATTEND THE TWO FULL WEEKS OF REGULAR CLASS INSTRUCTION

Week 10: Year 9 Transition camp at PIAR – all Year 9 students must attend; Monday 08 December - Year 7 & 8 Summer Program commences; Tuesday 09 December – Year 7, 2015 Orientation Day

Week 11: Wednesday 17 December – Years 7-9 Summer Program concludes; Thursday 18 December – Junior House Presentation Assemblies (Period 2 only).

Harry Ruff, Mike Stevens & Joanna Alexander Assistant Principals

Year 7 & 9 Immunisations

Tuesday 21 October

The third and final batch of immunisations will be conducted by the City of

Whitehorse team on Tuesday 21 October.

Please ensure that your Years 7 and/or 9 child is

at school on that day.

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The annual ‘Vision 2014’ Art & Technology Exhibition showcases excellent student work from Years 7 - 12. The work covers art, textiles, ceramics, wood, metal and visual communication design. Fifty-two students received certificates and prizes for outstanding work in two or more subject areas and one hundred and twenty students received certificates for outstanding work in one subject area. Congratulations to all, and well done.

Heather Aeschlimann Visual Arts & Materials Technology Leader

Congratulations to all our award winners for their excellent academic performance during Term 3. All Year 7s are reminded to set goals for themselves now for what they would like to achieve in each subject at the end of the year. Those goals should be:

realistic

take into account a student’s strengths and weaknesses.

Adel Jobbagy (7.6) has been involved in Taekwondo for nearly four years and has competed in many competitions including the three National Championships in Canberra, Sydney and Brisbane. In 2014, Adel successfully competed in the World Championships in South Korea and achieved one gold and one silver medal. Adel has enjoyed the discipline needed to succeed and the sparring element of Taekwondo. She also believes that it provides great self-defence for both girls and boys. Adel is a red belt with three stripes and she’s going to undertake grading for her black belt in December. The school community congratulates Adel for her great achievement.

YEAR 7

Lauren Seymour

Alex Scott

Andrea Freeman Kylie Angland

Hotham 7.1 - Kelly T & Preet P 7.2 - Kara M & Tom N 7.3 – Jonathan G & Keely E

Macedon 7.4 – Imojean P & Alyson S 7.5 – Megan G & Nelson X 7.6 – Rebecca L & Trent C

Stirling 7.7 - Ashlee T & Tristan R 7.8 - Sharni K & Daniel P 7.9 - Grace C & Lachlan J

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Ashley Dunlop

Ines Lehmann

Bill Duiveman

YEAR 8

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SEL (Social Emotional Learning) During Terms 3 & 4 Year 8 Student Managers have been conducting further SEL sessions in their classes. The recent sessions have been slightly different, with students breaking into smaller focus groups. The session gives an opportunity to meet with students and provide further opportunity to build relationships and assist students with any issues that might arise. The feedback from students so far has been great. The smaller groups of around 6-8 students rather than 24-26 students allowed them to have more of a say and felt more confident to speak up and give their opinion or thoughts on an issue. Another focus was to look at the strengths of each student and focus on the positive impact they can have within their class and within the school community. YEAR 8 BOYS SOCCER LEAGUE This week marks the beginning of season 2 of the Test Eagles Cup. A soccer league created by quite a few of the Year 8 boys. The league consists of 4 teams: The Beasts – Captain Mali Moore The Dogz – Captain Alistair Chiodo The Cassowaries – Captain Cameron Gat The Tanks – Captain Stephen Fragias The boys involved have organised absolutely everything themselves, including the umpiring, scoring, votes for best and fairest, and even keeping a ladder and stats on each player. The brains behind the league are Harry Moschetti, Alistair Chiodo, Dylan Smith, Liam Brown and Dillon McDonald who have shown leadership and teamwork in organising the league and games. There are so many others involved but too many of you to name individually, you should all be very proud of what you have created and what you are a part of. The boys play every Tuesday and Thursday at VSC and have done since mid Term 3 this year. Season 1 was a great success. The Cassowaries beat The Dogz in the Grand Final 3-1 and The Tanks and The Beasts finished 3rd and 4th respectively. The top goal scorers for Season 1 were Mali Moore and Lars Kaminski on 7 goals each. The best and fairest players as voted each game by the umpires were Harry Moschetti and Ryan Mugnier. Congratulations boys, keep up the great work!

Miss Dunlop

Hotham Student Manager REMINDERS Students are not allowed to eat in the gym foyer area. Students are not allowed in the gym during recess or lunchtimes without direct teacher supervision.

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ADF Long Tan Youth Leadership and Teamwork Awards

“The ADF Long Tan Youth Leadership and Teamwork Awards started in 2006 to recognise students who demonstrate leadership and teamwork within both the school and the broader local community. At the same time, they recognise those who display strong values, such as doing one’s best, respect for others and “mateship”, characteristics that are integral to Australian society.” “The awards are an important initiative by the Australian Government in conjunction with the Australian Defence Force designed to encourage senior students – tomorrow’s leaders – to actively participate in the life of their schools and local communities. In 2007 some 2100 schools participated. The number of schools participating today is over 2250.“ (From the ADF website)

This year’s winner at Vermont Secondary College are:

Jack Morrison of Year 10 Tom Saloumi of Year 12

Congratulations to both these students who have demonstrated high integrity and excellent involvement in both school and the wider community. They provide leadership in our school by their outstanding example and their willingness to think of others before themselves. We are very proud of you both!

Matt Cullen Kerryn Lacey

Seamus Billings Karin Hubble

Brigette Kerrie Shearer Ankenbrand

Jack Morrison of Year 10 (left) and Thomas Saloumi of Year 12, Longtan Award winners with the Principal Tony Jacobs

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Greg Cowan - Hotham

Peter Henderson - Macedon

Kay Bird - Stirling

Year 12s of 2014 – Farewell from the House Teams As Week 2 of Term 4 draws to a close, The House Senior Management Team take this time to farewell the Year 12 class of 2014. It felt like only yesterday that this group started in Year 7, and here we are saying goodbye to them! The House teams would like to thank all the students for their contribution to the college over the years and hope they remember their time here fondly. The three Heads of House, Kay Bird, Peter Henderson and Greg Cowan would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Senior Managers, Senior Program Managers, Senior Provision and Pathways team for their extraordinary work this year (and the previous years) with this cohort. Each and everyone of the Senior team do an amazing job with the Year 12 students each year, and this year is no exception. I would also like to take the opportunity to thank you as the parents and families of Year 12 students for your support of them, and of the school. It is great to have such a strong partnership with students, parents and families and the school. It is what makes Vermont Secondary College such a great school community. We wish them all the very best in their upcoming Exams. If I can ‘steal’ some advice shared with the Year 12s at this week’s Senior School Assembly by former student and Dux of 2013 James Mistarz – and that is to ensure that each student studies hard, but doesn’t stress over things and gives themselves something each day of swot vac to look forward to. Timely advice that may help them through the challenging exam period.

End-of-Year Locker Clean Up and Tidy – VCE (Year 11 & 12s)

Be aware that the Year 12 students have been reminded to vacate their LOCKERS by the end of their formal exams. We would be grateful for a general clean prior to this, with the essentials for exams left in the lockers to be removed following exams. All Year 11 students will be required to have their lockers cleaned out and organized before their Year 12 transition program starts on the 24 November. Year 10 students will be notified of a time prior to the transition program in which lockers must be cleaned. Please note that students will still have access to their Lockers DURING the 2 week Transition program and are required to have the essentials (stationery, equipment) they will need. These essentials can be stored in their lockers, and completely vacated on the last day of the Transition program. We will be organizing a crew to ensure all lockers are clean, tidy and ready for the students next year, following exams for Year 12s and the Transition program for Year 11s and 10s. We will not be held responsible for books and equipment left in lockers AFTER the exams have been completed.

Macedon House Report On Tuesday 7 October during the House assemblies, our student leaders had an opportunity to reflect on the past year and celebrate and acknowledge the outstanding effort and achievement of the Macedon students. At the Senior Macedon House Assembly, a past student Alex Morgan, who is a three time world champion in the track cycling team pursuit gave an inspirational talk about the road to success. He is now currently training in Melbourne and was available to address the Macedon students. Well done Alex on your achievements and for making the time to come back and speak to the students at Vermont Secondary College.

Greg Cowan, Peter Henderson & Kay Bird Heads of House

Peter Henderson, Alex Morgan & Karin Hubble

Principal Tony Jacobs, James Mistarz, Linda Cabble

In the early hours of Saturday 13 September, 86 students and 9 staff set off on a road trip towards Central Australia. In no time we’d become a little family, playing our card games, listening to the chants, taking our selfies or involving ourselves in general chit chat with whoever was around. It took us three days to get to Uluru, but it was worth it! From there, the scenery and experiences just got better. The most loved walks on the trip were at Kata Tjuta, Uluru and Kings Canyon. We learnt a lot about Indigenous culture during the Cultural Centre talk at Uluru and the Aboriginal Dreamtime and Bushtucker Tour in Alice Springs. We had our little problems along the way, but they helped to develop our resilience and were character building! A huge thank-you to all the staff who came on the trip (Ms Adrien, Mr Amos, Ms Clarke, Mr Cullen, Mr Message, Ms Natoli, Ms Hindmarsh & Ms Kaiser). And to the students, you were absolutely amazing! We definitely could have taken that 3-month trip around Australia with you! I hope that you have many lasting memories of your time spent discovering the Australian Outback and building relationships with fellow classmates and the teachers. J

Laura Gerbing Senior Program Manager

I found the Coober Pedy Opal Mine the most interesting part of the trip. It was really cool in the mine, especially staying underground. A lot of people were scared or jumpy but it was just really interesting.

Sharma Arthur What a marvellous trip! Getting to explore the different landmarks with my best mates was a sensational experience. Meeting some new people along the way made it an even better experience. Getting to know the teachers more and seeing them in ‘out-of-school’ mode was great. Overall, a ripper camp! Ben Joseph

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At the border

Underground in Coober Pedy

South Australia/ Northern Territory border

Pushing the bus and trailer over the border

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Staff enjoying the sunset at Uluru

First night setting up the tents at Uluru

All the tents stayed up except Mr Cullen’s tent. Maybe he should get some pointers in future.

On the Kata Tjuta Walpa Gorge walk

Viewing platform in Walpa Gorge

Walking around Uluru

Rock Art

CENTRAL AUSTRALIA TRIP

Uluru Resort Caravan Park

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Our cooks Geraldine & Cynthia (81 years old) Two of our drivers Geoffrey & Ned (Kelly)

The steep climb to start the King’ Canyon Rim Walk

My favourite part of the trip was the Kings Canyon walk, even though the start of the walk was challenging, it was well worth it to see the breathtaking and spectacular view from the top. Alannah Faulkner

Kings Canyon

CENTRAL AUSTRALIA TRIP

I enjoyed the Dreamtime Tour and meeting big Phil and looking after Marilyn.

Will Robinson

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Salt Lake at Mount Connor lookout

Camel riding at Stuarts Well

Phillip

Marilyn

Ben eating a Witchetty Grub

Will getting Marilyn a drink

Dreamtime Tour

The Snake Man with his python

The dry Todd River at Alice Springs

Alice Springs Lookout

Awesome time and experience. Uluru was definitely a highlight of the trip.

Matt Stewart

CENTRAL AUSTRALIA TRIP

‘Sounds of Starlight’ Theatre performance

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Last Thursday, eleven students participating in the annual German Hessen Exchange program returned home after spending four exciting weeks in Kaufungen (Hesse). The students from VSC and Heathmont SC stayed with their exchange partners and host families from 13 September until 8 October. The students visited the sister school in Kaufungen and participated in activities. The group also went on excursions by train to different cities in Germany, Berlin being one of the highlights of the trip. On the weekends, the host families took their guests to very different places and our students enjoyed further sightseeing across Germany from the North Sea down to Austria and even going to France. The opportunity to live with a German family for some time enhances the students’ knowledge of German and the German culture, which is an extremely valuable experience in understanding the everyday life in a European country. Since the start of the exchange program 19 years ago, many long lasting friendships have developed over the years and it is not surprising that the 2014 exchange participants have already made plans to visit each other in the near future. Visit our blog http://vscgermanexchange.edublogs.org/ for more pictures of our trip. My time in Germany is very beneficial for my future German studies, creating valuable friendships and memories that will stay with me forever- Celeste While I was in Germany, I experienced the beautiful culture ad way of life. It was very mind opening and I am glad I had the opportunity to go on such a life changing trip- Sierra The exchange trip was one of the best things I have ever done, it ‘s so fun and interesting to experience a different culture, plus Germany is so beautiful-Anja Travelling to Germany on exchange was the best trip ever! It gave me heaps of exposure to the German culture and language. The country is so beautiful and I have made life long friends-Emily I really enjoyed the German exchange trip; it was one of the best experiences of my life. It’s such a different culture. It’s so amazing to experience it by living in it. I’ve made friends in another country, which is amazing and I can’t wait to go back!-Sarah

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Congratulations to all students who competed in Vemont’s Got Talent 2014. This years winners were:

Thanks to our judge, tech crew and music support! It wouldn’t happen without you!

Ms Bird Stirling Head of House

Senior Competition: 1st place Imone M - voice (Macedon) 2nd place Rowan S - musical theatre (Stirling) 2nd place Mica F & Zac V - voice and guitar (Macedon/Stirling) 3rd place Kyan F & Tyler M - voice and guitar (Hotham/

Junior Competition: 1st place Jackson Z - piano (Macedon) 2nd place Bailey O - rap (Hotham) 3rd place Brooke R - voice (Stirling)

Vermont’s Got Talent winners: Rowan, Zachary, Michaela and

Imone with Principal Tony Jacobs

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Year 8 Patrick Fitzgerald Dwin Castellino Mary Chan Bethany Kerwin Xuan-Jhe Low Ben MacDonald Heman Punithan Zili Tan Monisha Thenakaran Emily Tran Clement Wong Year 10 Stephan Bottrell Thomas Dore Luke Newbegin

Year 11 Michael Leask

Year 8 Annabelle Tran Arran Van Zuylen Kelly Zhou

Year 12 Chengeng Wei Sophia Zhou

ICAS Maths Competition One hundred and ten students from Years 7-12 sat the ICAS University of New South Wales Mathematics Competition this year. Each year, the organisers of the competition award medals to students who have achieved the highest score in their year level in the state and judged to be sufficiently meritorious. It is with great pleasure that I can announce this year’s Victorian Mathematics Medalist for Year 7 is Preet Patel. Preet will be presented with his medal at a special awards ceremony to celebrate and honour academic achievement at the highest levels. On behalf of the Vermont Secondary School community, I would like to congratulate Preet on this outstanding achievement. Congratulations to the following students on obtaining the best results in the school:

High Distinctions These students were ranked in the top 1% in Victoria Year 7 Preet Patel Billie Bennett

Distinctions These students were ranked in the top 10% in Victoria Year 7 Tanya Hammill Leka Sekar Kelly Tan Finn Van Zuylen Daniela Vougiouclis Lindy Leow Matthew Siegenthaler Eshaan Patel Niya Chalil Ivan Chan Felicia Hendrianto Sean Holschier Vivienne Mu Flynn Phillips Year 9 TimothyDempsey Kevin Pan Julian Yeoh

Well done to everyone who took part.

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Year 8 Patrick Fitzgerald Zili Tan Annabelle Tran Freya Jones Dwin Castellino Xuan-Jhe Low Year 9 Timothy Dempsey Julian Yeoh Year 10 Kiran Castellino

Year 12 Sophia Zhao

Year 12 Chengeng Wei

Year 8 Kelly Zhou

The Mathematics Challenge for Young Australians The Maths Challenge for Young Australians is a major problem solving event run by the Australian Mathematics Trust whose mission is to enable students to achieve their full potential in Mathematics. Students that accept the Challenge are given 3 weeks to solve 6 mathematical problems. To achieve success students must demonstrate higher order thinking skills and be able to communicate their results in both a logical and mathematical sense. Eight students from Vermont Secondary College took up the challenge this year. Congratulations to Arran Van Zuylen of Year 8 who received a High Distinction, putting him in the top 10% of the State. Julien Yeoh and Alex Leask received Credit awards, putting them in the top 50% of the State.

Prizes These students were ranked in the top 0.3% in Victoria Year 8 Arran Van Zuylen

High Distinctions These students were ranked in the top 2% in Victoria Year 7 Ivan Chan Dylan Truong Preet Patel

These students are ranked in the top 5% in Victoria Year 11 Ignatius Lee

Distinctions These students were ranked in the top 15% in Victoria Year 7 Billie Bennett Niya Chalil Ben Davies Tanya Hammill Felicia Hendrianto Leka Sekar Kelly Tan Finn Van Zuylen Lindy Leow Jamie Davidson

These students were ranked in the top 25% in Victoria Year 11 Michael Leask Tyler MacKay Wenjie Ding

Australian Maths Competition This year, forty-eight of our keenest mathematicians from Years 7 - 12 sat the Australian Mathematics Competition. It is the biggest Maths competition open to all students, attracting well over 400,000 students from all around Australia and neighbouring countries. Special congratulations to Arran Van Zuylen of Year 8 who was awarded a prize in this competition, putting him in the top 0.3% of the State. Further congratulations to the following students:

A further 14 students were awarded certificates of Credit, 3 certificates of Proficiency and 1 Participation.

University of Melbourne Maths Competetion Twenty-seven Year 7 & 8 students entered the University of Melbourne Maths Competition this year. This competition is only open to Victorian students. Those that enter have 2 hours to complete 10 problem solving questions of a demanding standard, designed to identify real mathematical talent. About 4000 students from years 7 to 12 enter the competition and 150 prizes are awarded. On Saturday, three of our students attended a Prize Giving Ceremony at the University of Melbourne where the best performances in the state in this year’s competition were celebrated. Congratulations to both Arran Van Zuylen of Year 8 and Preet Patel of Year 7 who were presented with Outstanding Awards at this ceremony. They were two of only 24 students in the State who were presented with these awards. Congratulations also to Billie Bennett of Year 7, who was one of only 35 students in the State to receive a Certificate of Merit at the ceremony.

Games Days During Term 3 Vermont participated in the Statewide Mathematics Games Days organised by the Mathematical Association of Victoria. I would like to thank our Year 9 team consisting of Matthew Chen, Kevin Pan, James Wang and Matthew Lee; our Year 8 team consisting of Xuan-Jhe Low, Thomas Aeschlimann, Arran Van Zuylen and Jason Doan; and our Year 7 team consisting of Preet Patel, Billie Bennett, Ben Davies and Leka Sekar for participating in the events. All teams found the experience both enjoyable and rewarding and all members should be proud of their achievements. A huge congratulations and thank you to all students who took part in all of the mathematics competitions and activities this year.

Laura Churcher Mathematics Program Manager

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Earlier this year some of our keen English students completed the University of New South Wales ICAS English competition. This competition tests reading comprehension using a variety of texts and multiple choice answers. This year our students achieved 5 Merits (top 35%), 21 Credits (top 25%), and 13 Distinctions (top 10 %). All certificates were handed out by classroom English teachers in the last week. You should all be very proud of your achievements in this competition and we look forwards to some more fantastic results next year. Congratulations! Please keep an eye out for the entry form in the newsletter early next year.

Ms Mills and Mr Dixon

Year 7 Kelly Tan – Distinction Felicia Hendrianto – Distinction Ben Davies – Distinction Lindy Leow – Distinction Romahn Mesfin – Distinction Annika Ahren – Distinction Billie Bennett – Distinction Daniela Vougiouclis – Credit Preet Patel – Credit Claire Davidson – Credit Spencer Macleod-Finke – Credit Jonathon Gong – Credit Jing Xuan Yong – Credit Sean Holschier – Credit Riona White – Credit Leka Sekar – Merit Jessica Vosinthavong – Merit Anna Huynh - Merit

Year 8 Heman Punithan - Distinction Natalie Koay – Distinction Xuan-Jhe Low – Distinction Nathaniel Diong – Distinction Kelly Zhou – Distinction Zi Li Tan – Credit Arran Van Zuylen – Credit Mary Chan – Credit Henry Ye – Credit Katia Vougiouclis – Credit Annabelle Tran – Credit Monisha Thenakeran – Credit Mavis Wong – Credit Michael Bottrell – Credit Tayelle Johnson – Credit Adorel Ng – Credit Ashley Lau – Merit Madeleine Ferris - Merit

Year 9 Matthew Lee – Distinction Kevin Pan – Credit Julian Yeoh - Credit

Upcoming Sports Dates Friday 17 October Region Intermediate Boys & Girls Basketball State Athletics Friday 24 October Region Year 7 & 8 Girls Basketball Monday 27 October Region Year 8 Girls Volleyball Tuesday 28 October Region Year 7 Boys Baseball Wednesday 28 October Region Year 7 Boys & Year 8 Boys Cricket Friday 31 October SSV State Golf Friday 7 November Region Year 7 Girls Tennis Monday 10 November Region Year 7 & 8 Girls Cricket

Regional Athletics Last Friday the Regional Athletics were held at Knox Athletics track. Vermont had a massive team representing the College in most events across the program. Eastern Region is a very strong Region, so the sports competition was fierce and it is a credit to our students how well they did. Team members were: Romanie Barnes, Katelyn Brien, Corey Bruhn, Mikayla Callen, Rebecca Casey, Kate Castersen, Tiffany Cooper, Casidee Cullen,James Currie, Blake Dobay, Hannah Duncan, Josiah Duncan, Georgia Dunstan, Claire Dyett, Maddie Ferris, Ash Finlayson, Juliet Fisher, Ella Garrett, Jordan Hansen, Emily Harvey, Amy Henwood – Jones, Harry Hocking, Sophie Holliday, Maddie Johns, Lars Kaminski, Annie Kerr, Louise Kohlman, Christina Lambris, Delfie Lim, Ben Macdonald, Vimbainashe Makono, Peter MAntzounis, Kaleb McKay, Harry Morgan, Kara Morrison, Caelan Murrihy, Tom Niehof, Hayley O’Neill, Lachie Purkis, Tess Reed, Ciara Reid, Jack Riddle, Ben Riddle, Justin Ridley, Madeline Robertson, Zoe Rohrlach, Shaun Scullin, Bridget Shanks, Fraser Smith, Sam Stewart, Amy Syer, Rachel Toose, Brooke Tumes, Alan Vernal and Rebecca Xu. Thanks to student helpers Jordan Martin, Alysha Kovacs, Xanthia Wright and Annabel Deerbon. Thanks to the staff who came to help supervise and run events, Peter Henderson, Karin Hubble and Carmela Clarke. A fantastic effort by all students, with special mention to the following students who won their events and will be competing at State this Friday at Albert Park: Emily Harvey – Javelin and Shot Put Ben Macdonald – High Jump Hannah Duncan – Triple Jump Alan Vernal – 800m and 1500m Kaleb McKay – Shot Put Corey Bruhn – 1500m For a full list of results from the Regional competition please check the SSV website.

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University of Northumbria

Research Trial – Cyber Safety We are very pleased to announce that during Term 4 Vermont Secondary College will be participating in an international Cyber Safety Research Trial in conjunction with the University of Northumbria, England. The focus of the research will be on the manner in which Cyber incidents are viewed and reported by female teenagers. All participants will remain anonymous. Participants can opt out at any time. The study hopes to find ways to encourage children to report cyberbullying. The University and VSC are asking for girls in Year 7 or 8 to volunteer one lunchtime to participate in the trial. Volunteers will be asked to attend a Lunchtime session in L2 to view watch six cyberbullying animations via a secure website. After watching each animation there will be a questionnaire you will be asked to answer. Students will not be asked to discuss anything personal and responses will be kept anonymous. The questions include; ‘How severely do you rate these messages? On a scale of 1-7 how likely they would be to report this situation if it happened to you or if you saw it happen to a friend?’ The scenarios do vary in severity and some may be viewed as uncomfortable. You can opt out at any time if you don’t want to continue with viewing or trial. Your data and responses to questions will not be kept if you opt out. The session will be supervised by VSC staff at all times. This study has received full ethical approval from the Faculty of Health and Life Sciences Committee at Northumbria University and The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development, Victoria. Any interested students please see Ms Simpson.

Bully Stoppers: Speak Up Against Cyberbullying

Students achieve their best at school in safe and supportive environments, where they are free from bullying and disruptive behaviour. We put a big emphasis on preventing bullying at school – through education in the classroom, intervention in the playground and a focus on promoting positive behaviours. However, with the rise of social media, bullying now occurs online, as well as in person. Cyberbullying is just as harmful as face-to-face bullying, and it can occur at any time of the day. Cyberbullying is an increasing issue in the wider community – and the best way to tackle it is for schools, students and parents to work in partnership. Vermont Secondary College is supporting the Victorian Government’s Bully Stoppers campaign – which has just launched a new series of tools and resources for parents and students to support students in preventing cyberbullying. These resources, called Bully Stoppers: Speak Up Against Cyberbullying, are available on the Bully Stoppers website, at www.education.vic.gov.au/bullystoppers - visit the site to find out more.

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On 5 October, the 181st Oktoberfest ended in Munich, the capital and largest city of the German state of Bavaria. The Oktoberfest began with the wedding of Crown Prince Ludwig, later to become King Ludwig I, and Princess Therese of Saxony-Hildburghausen on 12 October 1810 which was celebrated with a big horse race. The festivities took place on the fields in front of the city gates which have been named Theresienwiese ("Theresa's fields") in honour of the Crown Princess ever since, although the locals have since abbreviated the name simply to the "Wies'n". The decision to repeat the horse races in the following year gave rise to the tradition of the Oktoberfest. Today, the Oktoberfest or Wies'n is the largest festival in the world and attracts around 6 million visitors from all around the world each year. The all-day event is held between late September and the beginning of October and lasts between 16 and 18 days. The festivities are accompanied by a program of events, including the Grand Entry of the Oktoberfest Landlords and Breweries and the Costume and Riflemen's Procession. People eat, sway and dance to pop music and traditional Bavarian folk music played by brass bands and have a drink in one of the fourteen beer tents. The largest tents, such as the Hofbräu festival tent, can accommodate up to 12,000 people. The beer is traditionally served in one-litre size mugs and called a „Maß“. Bavarian specialities such as chicken,

pretzels, Bavarian cheese, knuckle of pork, veal sausages and gingerbread hearts are very popular with the visitors. The traditional Bavarian costumes that most people wear for Oktoberfest are dirndl dresses for women and leather trousers which vary in length for men and also women. The huge Oktoberfest grounds also provide carousels, roller coasters and other rides. In fact the festival was home to Germany’s first ever rollercoaster in 1908. Last week some of the Year 9 German classes did some research on the Oktoberfest. At Livingstone Primary School we are even going to have an Oktoberfest for the Foundation to Year 2 students later this month. I will tell the students a bit about the history of the Oktoberfest and the way it is celebrated nowadays and they will also learn to dance to a popular Oktoberfest song. At the end of term 3 I had my last

speaking practices with the Year 12 German students as they had their oral examinations on 8 October. I hope that all the students could benefit from our practices and that they were satisfied with their performance. Servus (greeting in Bavaria, Austria and the German speaking part of northern Italy that can be used either as "hi" or as "goodbye")

Eileen Kaiser (German language assistant)

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food @ vsc DAILY LUNCH SPECIALS DAILY RECESS SPECIAL Monday Hot Wraps $4.50 At least one of the following items: Chicken strips $1.50 Tuesday Sushi $2.50 BBQ Subs $2.00 Nachos $3.00 Toasted Sandwiches $2.50 Wednesday Mini Pizza $2.50 Pizza slice $2.50 Snack Box $3.50 Warm Choc Chip Cookies $1.50 Thursday Cold Ceaser Wrap $3.50 Chocolate Brownie $1.50

Burger $4.50 Potato Cakes $1.00 Friday Hot Dogs $3.00 Chef’s Special $4.00-$5.00 ****GLUTEN FREE ITEMS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

SANDWICHES, WRAPS & ROLLS - Please see daily display for varieties $3.00/$4.50

SALAD OF THE DAY - Please see daily display board and order options

HOT GOURMET FOCCACIAS, HOT WRAP or COLD WRAP – ONLY AVAILABLE IF ORDERED BY RECESS (changes are allowed) $6.00

1) Chicken Tender, Tomato, Cheese, Spinach, Sun Dried Tomato, Roasted Capsicum 2) Roasted Pumpkin, Roasted Capsicum, Feta, Spinach, Sundried Tomato 3) Salami, Cheese, Sundried Tomato, Spinach, Olives, Red Onion 4) Chicken, Cheese, Avocado, Spinach, Red Onion, Sweet Chilli Sauce 5) Roast Beef, Onion Jam, Cheese, Spinach

HOT FOOD AVAILABLE RECESS & LUNCH Steamed Dim Sims (2) $1.50 Sausage Rolls $2.50 Meat Pie $3.50 Shepherd’s Pie $4.00 Vegetable Roll $4.00 Spinach & Cheese Roll $4.00 Focaccia of the Day $4.00 Special Pies check board $3.50/$4.00

SNACKS Muffins $1.50 Berry/Passionfruit Yoghurt $2.50 Half Apple Scroll $1.00 Fruit Salad $3.00 Small Potato Chips $1.00 Large Potato Chips $2.00

DRINKS ICYPOLES Iced Tea 500ml $3.50 Big M 600ml $3.50 Mini Calippo/Icy Twist $1.00 Prima $1.50 Big M 300ml $2.50 Paddle Pop $1.50 Water $2.50/$3.00 Up & Go $2.00 Paddle Pop Thick Shake $2.50 LOL $2.00 Iced Tea 355ml $2.50 Frozen Yoghurt $2.00 Long Life Juice $3.20 Fresh Juice $3.50 Coke Zero 600ml $3.50 TERM 4 2014

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CANTEEN VOLUNTEERS

WANTED

At Vermont Secondary College we are very proud to have our own College Canteen, but this means

that it is dependent on the voluntary help of parents. Without this help it would be impossible to

operate the Canteen and provide fresh, healthy food for our kids. Profits from the Canteen are

returned directly to the school for the benefit of all students.

We would like to hear from parents (mums, dads and grandparents) who can spare some of their time

to come and join us. We’re sure you will enjoy your time with us and find it a very rewarding way to

contribute to your child’s school.

Duty times are: Recess from 11.00am until 11.50am, then Lunch from 12.45pm until 1.55pm.

Duties may include window service and washing of dishes but no longer involve money handling.

PLEASE NOTE: A “Working With Children Check” is compulsory.

This is free for all volunteers and will need to be completed before you join us.

Application forms are available from any Post Office.

If you already have a current WWCC card, just bring it along to be photocopied.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact

Sue or Shirley on 8872 6330.

Vermont secondary College

Canteen Volunteers

Name: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Email Address: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Please note that you will receive your roster via email so ensure email address is written

clearly and accurately

Phone: ……………………………………………….…… Mobile: …………………………………………………………………………….

Day preferred: ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Weekly Fortnightly Monthly (please circle)

All day Recess only Lunch only (please circle)

I already have a working with children check YES/ NO

(If yes this needs to be sighted by the school.)

Are you available for emergency roster, if so what day:

………………………………………………………..

Please complete and return to the

GENERAL OFFICE OR TO THE CANTEEN VIA EMAIL

canteen@vermontsc.vic.edu.au

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MONDAY 20 OCT to FRIDAY 24 OCT

Monday Mandy Gange (A), Alex O'Reilly (A), Jenny Hansen (R), Julie Morris (A) Tuesday Renate Hardman (A), Kim Lane (A), Stephanie White (A), Donna Davies (L) Wednesday Rhonda Caddaye (A), Sonja Aherns (R), Andrea Phillips (L), Kerrily Jose (L), Karen Smith (R) Virginia Teese (L) Thursday Robyn Nash (A), Sandra Spendlove (R), Sandra Weissel (L), Helen Smith (L), Wei Li (R), Nicole Vernal (R) Friday Jane Leask (L), Deb Mynott (A), Rick Durra (L), Amy Tai (A), Nadia Nailer (A)

MONDAY 27 OCT to FRIDAY 31 OCT

Monday Jenny Hansen (R), Angeline Cheng (A), Kate Riddle (L), Toni Morrison (L), Michelle McDonald (R) Tuesday Alessandra Vougiouclis (L), Marg Buchanan (L), Jo Cambareri (L), Leah McDornan (A) Wednesday Mary-Anne Austin (A), Alli Carr (L), Cornelia Dorfer (A), Helene Renner (A), Sandra Sievwright (L) Thursday Helen Turley (R), Deborah Gislingham (R), Jenny Smith (A), Kristy Foster (L), Celestina Del Medico (A) Friday Nicole Joseph (A), Nikki Ferris (A), Changpeng Yang (A), Peta-Maree McCormick (L)

IF YOU ARE NOT AVAILABLE FOR YOUR DUTY PLEASE CONTACT SUE OR SHIRLEY IN THE CANTEEN ON 8872 6330

(A) All Day (R) Recess Only (L) Lunch Only 11.00am - 11.45 am & 12.45 pm - 1.55 pm 11.00 am - 11.45 am 12.45 pm - 1.55 pm

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VSC Ritchies IGA Community Benefit Card Program Please do not forget to use your Ritchie’s Card. Cards can be obtained from the General Office.

VSC Bakers Delight – ‘Dough Raiser’ Present your card at Bakers Delight in Brentford Square each time you make a purchase.

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German Exchange 2015 October, 2014 In 2015, we celebrate the 20th annual exchange with our sister school, the IGS Kaufungen, in Germany! We are now seeking families and students, to either:

Participate in the full program, including hosting a German exchange student for 4 weeks in March/April 2015 and travel to Germany in September 2015 (open to senior German students only – Years 10 or 11)

Or, host a German exchange student for 4 weeks in March/April 2015 (open to all VSC families, with a preference to students of German)

The exchange program is shared jointly with Heathmont College. It offers an excellent opportunity to experience German family life and culture first-hand, and to improve language skills, and all at a very reasonable cost: our four week home-stay experience cost around $4,000 in 2013; by comparison, a commercial GET ‘Germany by rail’ nine day school tour cost around $3,275. The full program involves a direct exchange (reciprocal hosting) for four weeks with students from the Integrierte Gesamtschule (IGS = comprehensive school) Kaufungen. The German student stays with your family for four weeks in March/April 2015, and your child returns to Kaufungen, Germany in September/October 2015. Alternately, you can just host a German student. A number of families have done this in the past, especially as a precursor to full participation the following year, and it’s a great experience in itself! There is then no requirement for your child to be learning Senior German. An information evening will be held at VSC at 7pm on Wednesday 5 November. Staff from the two Colleges and past participants will present the advantages and requirements of such an exchange. A commitment to participate will be required not long after that meeting, as our German guests will need to book flights in late November. Please note that in order to take part, your child must have a positive academic and behavioural record, and all members of the household over the age of 18 at the time of hosting, (i.e. March 2015) will be required to complete the ‘Working with Children Check’ application process by early December 2014. To indicate your interest, please return the reply slip below. Should you have any questions, please contact Harry Ruff at the college. Harry Ruff Tony Jacobs Assistant Principal Principal

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------- EXPRESSION OF INTEREST - GERMAN EXCHANGE 2015

* Please return to Mr Ruff, your German teacher or the General Office by Friday 31 October 2014

Yes, we are interested in participating in the German Exchange, 2015.

Please circle: Hosting only Full exchange

My child intends to study German in Year 10, 11 or 12 in 2015.

My child studied German to Year 9, but will not in 2015.

Student’s name: ……………………………………………………………………….

Form Group: ………… 2014 (or past) German Teacher: ..............................................................

Parent’s name & signature: ………………………………………………………………………..

Home Telephone: ……………………………….. Mobile: ……………………………

Date: ……………….………………. 28

Come and join us in a day of social interaction and enjoy a delicious brunch. Working Bees save the College thousands of dollars in maintenance costs. The major aims of this Working Bee will be general gardening, construction of box seating, retaining walls, cleaning and painting.

9am Sign in at the General Office 9am - 11am Work! Work! Work! Work! 11am - 11.30am BRUNCH 11.30am - 1pm Work! Work! Work! Work!

NOTES: Please wear appropriate protective clothing If possible, please bring equipment to assist in your choice of jobs Some equipment will be provided at the school Additional trailers and wheelbarrows would be greatly appreciated.

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Gardening - please bring secateurs, spade, rake ( ) Place tick in preference

Cleaning Stormwater drains and/or guttering * ( ) Minor carpentry/repairs ( ) Tree Lopping ** ( ) Brunch Preparation ( ) Prepared to do any jobs ( ) Painting ( ) Seating Construction in the Year 7 Area ( ) * Low Level guttering only ** Significant prior experience is required if using chainsaw

Number of persons attending .................... Number requiring Brunch .................... Names of people attending ......................................................................... (Include family name)

......................................................................... Your youngest child’s name ......................................................................... Form ......................

If you are unable to attend you may wish to make a donation to help defray expenses. Please circle the amount you wish to donate and return it with this form. Donations would be greatly appreciated.

$10 $15 $20 $25 $30 $35 $40 $45 $50

Please return this form to the General Office as soon as possible, preferably by

Wednesday 22 October 2014

Mike Stevens - Assistant Principal Overseeing Facilities