WELLINGTON JOURNAL – EDITION 4

International Student Awards – Victorian Global Learning Awards

On Friday May 22, I had the pleasure of attending the Victorian Global Learning Awards at the RACV City Club. Congratulations to three of our International Students on receiving a Victorian Global Learning Award.

• Chanmorodocpanda (Panha) Heng received the Year 11 Health and Sport Achievement Award
• Sihareach (Reach) Rong received the Year 12 Health and Sport Achievement Award
• Hengsodanin (Danin) Lim received the Student Leadership Commendation Award

These three students positively represent Wellington within the school and the wider community. We are very proud of their achievements.

Future Leaders Camp
Students in the Year 9 Future Leaders class attended the outdoor education camp at Torquay: along Victoria’s Surf Coast, earlier in the term.  The team enjoyed the daily hikes walking approximately 20,000 steps per person per day. They enjoyed each other’s company and liked seeing what the great outdoors has to offer. I thank the staff who attended for giving up their own time, to ensure that our students would have a memorable experience away from school.

Attitudes To School Student Survey

I wish to thank all the students who completed the survey. The data collected from students provides valuable information on the areas where we as a school community are doing well as well as informing us on the areas for focused improvement.

Winter Concert

The Winter Concert was held on the evening of Wednesday June 17. It was a wonderful opportunity for our music students to showcase their talent on a live stage. It was a great night and I’m looking forward to the Spring Concert later on this year.

Thank you to the Performing Arts team for their support of our students and also to the Community Voice Team for running the canteen and raffle.

Year 10 Information Night and Careers Expo

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to all parents, carers, and students who attended our Year 10 Information Night and Careers Expo for senior school students on Thursday June 18. The evening provided valuable opportunities for students and families to explore future pathways, gather information about VCE including VCE-VM, tertiary education, apprenticeships, traineeships, and employment opportunities. Students also had the opportunity to gain valuable information regarding subjects on offer in Year 11 and Year 12. This will assist students in making informed decisions about their future.

We would also like to thank our exhibitors and staff who contributed to the success of the event. Their expertise and willingness to share information helped create a highly informative and engaging experience for all involved.

End of Semester

The end of Semester is always a time to reflect on what has been, what could have been and what will be. I encourage all parents/carers to discuss the feedback provided by teachers with your child. I also encourage families to contact the Sub Schools if they wish to follow up any concerns with the learning of their children.

Reports are available to students and families (via Compass). These reports provide students, teachers and parents/carers with a clear and concise picture of a student’s achievement and progress at a point in time. Teachers make informed and consistent decisions about student progress against the Victorian Curriculum achievement standards (Years 7-10) or VCE outcomes (Year 11 & 12).

I encourage parents/carers to read the report and have a discussion with your child. It is great to read the positives in the report on what your child has achieved. It is also important to look for ways to improve and make the most of the educational opportunities. Students are encouraged to set goals for the remainder of the year and continue to focus on their growth.

Please be aware that some comments might be missing from reports.  This is due to the Industrial Action that took place during the semester.

I would like to wish you all a safe and relaxing term break. Take this time to rest, recharge, and enjoy time with your family and friends. I look forward to seeing you back in 2 weeks ready for Term 3!

Mr Chris Knight
Principal

Upcoming Dates

June

• Friday June 26 – Last Day of Term 2 (classes finish at 2:30pm)
• Saturday June 27 to Sunday July 12 – School Holidays

July

• Monday July 13 – First Day of Term 3
• Thursday July 16 – State Cross Country (selected students)
• Tuesday July 21 – Year 7 Immunisations
• Friday 31 July – Mount Buller Snow Trip (selected students)

August

• Friday August 7 – Year 12 Formal

Reminder

Please ensure you are checking Compass regularly for notifications and updates to events that are specific to your child, to avoid them missing out. It is how you are able to see, consent and pay for all events that affect your student.

If you miss consent and payment deadlines, your child will not be able to participate in the event.

Performing Arts Camp

The Performing Arts Camp runs annually at the end of May and is a highlight of the year for many students. It is offered to every student in the instrumental music program, and the school production. During the three days at camp, students practiced music, dancing, acting, and/or singing. I thoroughly enjoyed my time there; having spent time in each of my activities, getting to know existing friends, and making new ones along the way. It was also a pleasant surprise to see many of my friends performing solo or duo acts on the last night, alongside their ensemble ones. If anyone decides to learn an instrument or join the production next year, I highly recommend coming along, and for the students already in music or production, I hope to see you next year.

Katherine Eap
Performing Arts Captain

VCE Music – Recital Night

Our Unit 1 VCE Music Students performed their repertoire as part of their VCE Studies. Students were required to perform two pieces of music on their chosen instruments, with one final group performance performed by the whole class. Everyone played incredibly well, congratulations to our VCE Music Students!

Mr. Tray Driscoll-Plavins
Music Teacher

Winter Concert

On Wednesday June 17, we had our annual Winter concert. This year, we implemented a successful new ticketing system, still garnering a massive crowd. We had many students in the instrumental music program performing songs within their ensembles. For many students, they have performed multiple times, but it was amazing to see many new people on the stage. Many students also performed solo or trio acts, as well as some students from this year’s VCE music class performing in a band.

The members of our community voice hosted our usual raffle and fundraisers. They have recently funded a new technological project which will be showcased at the school production at the end of August. A massive thank you to Mr Oien and the performing arts staff for all of their hard work.

Katherine Eap
Performing Arts Captain

Dedication and preserverance always wins!

After much hard work and effort, the major prize offered by Miss D has been won! Each year Miss D hands out stickers in class, which students can exchange for prizes of different values. Stickers can be earned through completing classwork, completing speaking tasks in Chinese class, showing improvement in their work, etc. This year’s major prize was set at 100 stickers, the highest so far. Congratulations to Patrick Srey of 8I, who after much dedication (and maybe a few donated stickers from his friends) has decided to cash in his stickers for a bubble tea-panda plushie. Well done!

Miss Dickinson
Classroom Teacher

Team Building through Maths!

The Year 7s have been working together to solve some complex problems.

Problem-Based Learning: Students were asked to simulate (through playing chase) a common predator-prey relationship that is driving Indigenous Australian animals into extinction. They collected data and applied their knowledge of statistics to solve real problems. This was a fun and engaging way for them to see the relevance of what they were learning.

Group Problem Solving: They were asked to show their understanding of adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing negative integers. They had to collaborate to figure out the hands on puzzle. Each student had the chance to feel involved and share their solutions.

Pair and Share: The Year 7s went to the school’s community garden to find and draw examples of symmetry in natural objects such as leaves, pebbles, flowers and snail shells. They chose three objects to sketch on their worksheets, then worked in pairs to draw any line of symmetry for each drawing.

Bruna Amaral
Maths Teacher

Languages Week 2026: A Celebration of Language and Culture

Students explored French and Chinese culture through food, film, games, martial arts, and authentic language experiences

Languages Week 2026 was a vibrant celebration of culture, language, and learning across our school community. Students enthusiastically participated in a variety of exciting activities that gave them the opportunity to experience French and Chinese culture in authentic and engaging ways.

One of the highlights of the week was the Mandarin Club’s Chinese Dessert Making activity. Students enjoyed learning about traditional Chinese sweets while developing their cultural understanding through hands-on cooking experiences. The activity was both educational and delicious, with students showing great enthusiasm and teamwork throughout the session.

Students also enjoyed a special French Movie screening, where they were introduced to French language and cinema in a fun and immersive way. The movie experience allowed students to hear authentic spoken French while exploring aspects of French culture and storytelling.

A memorable moment during the week was the energetic Wushu demonstration presented by Ms. D. Students were fascinated by the skill, discipline, and athleticism involved in this traditional Chinese martial art and appreciated learning more about this important cultural practice.

French students also participated in the much-anticipated Croissant Event. As part of their classwork leading up to the event, students practised role-plays in French where they learned how to order croissants, ask for prices, say thank you, and say goodbye in French. During Languages Week, students then took part in a real-life French experience by visiting the canteen during class time and ordering their plain croissant or pain au chocolat entirely in French.

In addition, students explored French culture through traditional French games such as pétanque during class time. These activities provided students with insight into French lifestyle and leisure traditions while encouraging teamwork, communication, and cultural appreciation.

Languages Week was a wonderful success and highlighted the enthusiasm and curiosity of our students in learning languages and exploring cultures from around the world.

Student Reflections

Dwij Mehta (8J) – Languages Week was last week, and as a class we enjoyed delicious treats such as the French staple pastry, the croissant. After enjoying these delicacies, the class played the French sport of pétanque, in which players try to throw their boules as close as possible to a smaller ball called the jack. It was a lot of fun, and I can’t wait for next year!

Ben Hoang (8K) – I thought the experience was great. The pain au chocolat had a delicious chocolatey taste. The portion was also much larger than I expected, which meant I could enjoy it for longer. Playing pétanque was also great because it was an easy game to learn and enjoy with friends.

Thrinadh Kolli (7F) – Last Tuesday, May 19, we had a chocolate croissant from the canteen. In our French class, I have been learning how to order food and use simple French words, so I used my French when buying the croissant. I said ‘Bonjour’ and politely asked for a chocolate croissant, which helped me practise what I had learned in class in a real-life situation. The croissant looked fresh and golden brown, with crispy layers on the outside and warm chocolate inside. It tasted sweet, buttery, and soft in the middle. I really enjoyed the chocolate filling because it melted slightly and added lots of flavour. This experience helped me feel more confident using French outside the classroom. Overall, I enjoyed the chocolate croissant and was happy that I could use my French skills in the canteen.

Mr Bushan Sookhareea
Curriculum Area Leader – Languages

Community Garden

Being part of the school garden has been a wonderful experience. Our new seeds for celery, carrot, onion, and spring onion had been planted and had finally sprouted within the week.

Thanks to Ms. Amaral’s support, I’ve had the chance to work with the juniors. I’ve taught them basic skills like how to prepare seed pots and manage how to correctly seed. We worked on creating a fine, debris-free soil so the delicate vegetables roots wouldn’t split. We also kept the top layer light and damp for the spring onions to sprout. Seeing their hard work pay off with the vegetables coming up has really boosted their confidence. It encouraged them to take charge of gardening tasks like clearing areas for planting and managing weeds. Watching these tiny seeds break through the soil alongside a growing team has shown me that we aren’t just growing a thriving veggie patch. We are also building a lasting community where everyone learns to grow together.

Xavier Dean 10B

ResourceSmart Schools Award

Being apart of the finalist team for the ResourceSmart Schools Awards was an incredibly exciting and rewarding experience. As the captain of the Sustainability Champions, I felt proud to represent our school and showcase the sustainability initiatives we have worked so hard to implement.

One of the most memorable parts of the experience was our stall, where we highlighted our school’s sustainability achievements and shared the positive impact of our efforts. I also enjoyed exploring the event itself, especially the interactive passport activity where we visited different stalls and collected stamps while learning about various environmental initiatives at other schools—along with enjoying plenty of amazing food throughout the day. Beyond the fun and celebration, the experience was deeply inspiring, as it gave me an opportunity to learn about innovative sustainability strategies from other schools. Seeing the creativity and dedication of others motivated me to think about new initiatives we could bring back to our own school and strengthened my determination to work even harder toward making a greater impact.

Overall, this experience has left me feeling more motivated than ever to continue leading positive change and strive for even greater success for sustainability at Wellington.

Saanvi Shaker – Sustainability Captain

The ResourceSmart school event at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was a really valuable experience, especially as it was my last year participating.

It was rewarding to showcase our school’s sustainability initiatives in a creative way while seeing the different ideas and projects other schools had implemented. Learning from their approaches gave us inspiration for how we can continue improving our own sustainability efforts. It was a great opportunity to collaborate, share ideas, and reflect on how small changes can make a meaningful impact.

Ashley Vaid – Year 12

Attending the ResourceSmart School Awards on the 11th June was such a great experience. It felt really special to be surrounded by so many people who are passionate about the environment. It was the perfect chance to swap ideas, pick up some new tips, and just connect with a community that is genuinely out there making a difference. Plus, the food and morning tea there were absolutely delicious, a nice little bonus to a really inspiring day!

Terence Pham – Year 12

What a fantastic day to learn about how our world is being affected by our everyday actions, and if we can do something to reduce the negative ones.

We had the opportunity to be educated by professionals on the matter, and exclusively “Dirt-girl” from the TV series ‘Get Grubby’, where they taught us that we should be caring about our environment. Just being there was making a difference, as it demonstrated our efforts towards aiding to our environmental issues, no matter how impossible they may seem.

Additionally, we were supplied the delicious delicacies of morning tea and vegetarian lunch, where my favourite dish was the soft and fluffy cupcakes. Overall, this day was a major success, as we connected with other schools to implement some of their ideas at ours.

Since every school’s goal at this workshop wasn’t to be the best, even though it probably was, it was to gather information on how we can safeguard our school’s agriculture and ecosystem. As we all are living on the same planet, so we need to play our part in taking care of our world, before it’s too late.

Knight Touch – Year 9

Stay Well this Winter

Shelley Beasley
Adolescent Health Nurse (Wellbeing Team)