Newsletter edition 5

LITFEST HEADS UP A MONTH WHERE

# BOOK CLUB GATHERS # ROTARY CLUB’S ANNUAL BOOK SALE # LIBRARY PREPARES FOR BOOK WEEK

BOOKS RULE AUGUST 2024

STAFF AND STUDENTS

IB STUDENTS GET CREATIVE

Our Year 11 IB students have begun their creativity pursuits as part of their CAS studies.

Students are required to engage in creativity, activity, and service to meet the core requirements of their IB Diploma.

Experienced IB and Visual Arts educator Michelle Luckman taught students how to create marble paper using special inks from Japan.

Students worked in groups to create stimulating patterns with great results.

DAISY POTTER SHOWS OFF HER WORK.

• IMPORTANT DATES MONDAY 5 AUGUST – FRIDAY 9 AUGUST Senior Snow Camp WEDNESDAY 7 AUGUST APC Book Club meeting Danks St Library 6pm-7pm WEDNESDAY 14 AUGUST Parent/Teacher/Student interviews, in person

FRIDAY 16 AUGUST Eurovision Gala Studio 120, Bay St From 7pm More details, P7

TUESDAY 20 AUGUST Year 12 Jump in the Bay

MONDAY 19 AUGUST – THURSDAY 22 AUGUST School Dental Health Visit

FRIDAY 23 AUGUST – SATURDAY 24 AUGUST LitFest Danks St Library From 6pm Friday and 10am Saturday

MONDAY 19 - FRIDAY 23 AUGUST Book Week Daily activities in Danks St Library

FRIDAY 23 AUGUST Year 10 Immunisations

FRIDAY 23 AUGUST – SATURDAY 24 AUGUST Albert Park Rotary Club Annual Book Fair Danks St Campus From 4pm on Friday and from 9am on Saturday MONDAY 26 – THURSDAY 29 AUGUST Junior Snow Camp

COVER: LIBERAL ARTS CAPTAIN LEAH OGUNSANYA AND LIBRARY LEADER CASH SLADE READ THE LASTEST NOVELS FROM OUR LITFEST AUTHORS. MORE DETAILS P4 83 DANKS ST ALBERT PARK MELBOURNE VICTORIA

T +61(3) 8695 9000 F +61(3) 8695 9099

WWW.ALBERTPARKCOLLEGE.VIC.EDU.AU ALBERT.PARK.CO@EDUCATION.GOV.AU

02

PRINCIPALS SAY

LOSE YOURSELF IN THE

MAGIC

OF READING

It’s mid-winter – one of the coldest and bleakest on record. It’s the business end of the academic year . . . there are exams looming . . . and maybe your football team isn’t doing well.

But there are consolations . . . It’s warm inside . . . you have some great slow-cooked recipes to work your way through . . . you’re stocked up on tea and coffee. . . and you have books!

At this time of year, the magic of reading can keep us going. Getting everyone reading more is one of our biggest priorities at APC.

back. If you haven’t been to LitFest before, I can tell you it’s a great way to spend your Friday evening or Saturday morning.

Not just because it’s such a pleasurable thing to do in its own right, but because students who read tend to succeed strongly at school.

Starting with champagne and finger food, you can hear APC literary-inclined students in discussion with Ella Baxter, Katherine Brabon and our own Dennis Glover. Join in, ask questions, be prepared to think!

These days there are lots of competitors to books, especially streaming services and of course the ubiquitous mobile phone.

The latter involves reading, but there’s something special about a book – something you can lose yourself in and gather deep knowledge from.

This month, we are therefore celebrating reading. LitFest is

You can read more about LitFest on the next page.

You can also buy books – new ones by our participating authors, but also secondhand books through the Albert Park Rotary Book Fair which is being held as part of the LitFest.

Even if you can’t make the festival itself, pop in over the weekend and pick up some pre-loved bargains.

We are so pleased to have Rotary as part of APC. Funds they raise help not just the college but the whole local community. Our eternal thanks go out to local Rotary supremo and tennis champion Ken Hall and his dedicated volunteer team.

And all this is being held in our Library at the Danks St campus … one of three libraries in our college, staffed by our fantastic book and poetry loving team who form the beating heart of our school.

The Library is among the brightest and most welcoming havens in

APC. It’s the perfect place to host our regular Book Club gatherings, with the next meeting on 7 August.

And the Library team have daily events planned during Book Week from 19-23 August.

If you’re looking for a good book, head to the Avenue Book Store.

Mention APC and they will give 10 per cent of the sale amount back to the college.

This is the month when books truly rule at APC and I, for one, couldn’t be happier.

Steven Cook Foundation Principal

03

APC COMMUNITY

AWARD WINNING AUTHOR HEADS

LITFEST LINE-UP

HEADLINE ACTS: AUTHORS ELLA BAXTER, KATHERINE BRAYBON, DENNIS GLOVER AND MUSICIAN RUBY GILL

Anticipation is building for LitFest 2024, and we have another great line-up of speakers ready to have their say.

These three will be interviewed by some of our senior students and writers who are also their great fans.

If you’re into fiction, there is Katherine Braybon, Vogel Literary Award winner (as well as other prizes) who will be discussing her growing body of work, including her novels The Memory Artist, The Shut Ins, and Body Friend.

We’ve got non-fiction covered also. Dennis Glover, APC’s very own communications officer, is a hugely successful political speechwriter and novelist (author of Thaw, Factory 19 and The Last Man in Europe).

Novelist Ella Baxter will be discussing her top selling novel New Animal as well as her awaited Woo Woo.

He will be talking with students about his newly released nonfiction book Repeat: A Warning from History, which asks the question: can the horrors of the 20th century happen again?

As always, the APC-based Rotary Club of Albert Park will have their great secondhand book fair in operation. Get some great bargains and contribute to APC and local charities.

LitFest kicks off on the Friday evening with champagne and finger food, and a bookshop will be provided.

Lit Fest 2024 begins on Friday, 23 August at 6pm and continues on Saturday from 9am at the Danks St campus.

Musician Ruby Gill will be discussing something of great interest to many students – songwriting. She’s a poet too – a genuinely creative allrounder.

Club of Albert Park

For details and tickets, scan the QR code

We are grateful for the support of Albert Park real estate agency Marshall White, which is the principal sponsor of APC’s major creative and performing arts events in 2024.

04

APC COMMUNITY

SELL OUT CROWDS GO CRAZY FOR OUR HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL

Can you believe it? Last week, APC managed to almost sell out the huge National Theatre in St Kilda not once but twice!

Word is getting around that APC performances aren’t just something you do as a parent, but something that guarantees an enjoyable evening out for everyone. Yes, they’re that good!

The show – High School Musical – was a joyous celebration of the lives of students that had the crowd cheering and screaming out for more.

Everyone will have recognised some of the senior performers from our Music Show at the end of Term 2, but also a host of others: Lilly Hall and Leif Weingott as the star-crossed lovers Gabriella Montez and Troy Bolton, Nina Buchler and Max Vucic as the nasty twins Sharpay and Ryan Evans (I’m told they’re really very nice in real life…), and who will ever forget Ivy Glenfield’s portrayal of Ms Darbus – no one will ever be able to look at APC’s literature and drama teachers the same way ever again.

Do Ms Darbus and Coach Bolton (played by Ben Jones) become

REVIEWER: Anonymous RATING: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ more than just staff room colleagues during the show?

Your reviewer leaves that up to you.

This is not to mention other stars Evie McGinley, Andy Starmatakis, Joshua Johnston, Talulla Bogusz, Mischa Jeffries, Julien BrownPaquier and Olivia Harvey, who played Ripper like a ripper indeed.

They were all backed up by our amazing dancers – always in danger of stealing every scene – plus our senior and junior ensembles – the latter members destined to be in the starring roles in musicals in the years to come.

Beneath the stage? The band – you will know them too from the

Music Show and our regular Battles of the Bands – performing live (we don’t cut corners at APC). And behind the stage? Our black-clad troupe of stagehands and producers who pulled the performances off without a hitch.

Of course, the show couldn’t have taken place without the great work of our music, drama, dance

and other teachers (yes, even mathematics got involved).

After last year’s absolute triumph with Working we thought they couldn't slay again. But they did.

They are brat!

We are grateful for the support of Albert Park real estate agency Marshall White, which is the principal sponsor of APC’s major creative and performing arts events in 2024.

05

PICTURES: RYAN BASILE

06

LAUREN RECEIVES “OUTSTANDING” VCE AWARD APC COMMUNITY

We are delighted to announce a second student from the Class of 2023 has received a Premier’s VCE Award for outstanding achievement.

YOU’RE INVITED TO CHAT ABOUT BOOKS

In the May newsletter we announced that Celina Safwan had won an award for her results in Arabic. But we have just learned that Year 12 student Lauren Reed (right) also received a Premier’s VCE Award for Food Studies.

What an achievement!

The next Book Club gathering will take place on Wednesday, August 7 in the Danks St library from 6pm-7pm.

Students, parents, teachers and the community are welcome to participate.

This term the club is reading Dirt Poor Islanders by Winnie Dunn.

For more information, including how to register your attendance, click on this link. We look forward to seeing you there.

APC COMMUNITY

GET YOUR TICKETS TO A EUROVISION PARTY Almost 150 people have so far grabbed tickets for APC’s Eurovision-themed gala event later this month.

It’s been organised by our fabulous parents group ALPACCA, so it’s sure to be a fantastic and fun-filled night.

Tickets are still available for the gala, which will be held on Friday, 16 August at the Studio 120 campus at 120 Bay St. Overseeing ceremonies will be none other than comedian Mike McLeish, a true professional (we only take the best) who will ensure plenty of laughs throughout the evening.

There will be a free cocktail on arrival, a bar, yummy food by APC parent Sally Thornton from Slow Cook Sisters, bands, a dancefloor, a photo booth, games and trivia.

So why not let your hair down and come along? Organise a table or, if you’re coming on your own, we’ll make sure you meet new people.

All are extremely welcome. It's not a formal sit down affair so there’s plenty of opportunity to mingle with everyone.

We have soooo many amazing door, silent auction, best dressed, raffle and other prizes valued at $17,000 to win on the night.

APPLICATIONS OPEN FOR COLLEGE CAPTAIN Applications for College Captain are now open for all Year 11 students.

The Premier’s VCE awards recognise the exceptional accomplishments of individual students and pay tribute to the teachers and the families who play a valuable role in supporting these students during their studies.

If you’re interested, fill out the expression of interest google form

by August 9.

One of the hottest auction items is a party for you and 24 friends at The Palace Hotel in South Melbourne.

OTHER ALPACCA EVENTS FOR YOUR DIARY

It includes loads of finger finger food and a $1000 bar tab. It’s valued at $2500.

Also up for bids is artwork, accommodation, restaurant meals, wine bar evenings and many more.

All money raised goes to APC. So jump online and grab your ticket for APC’s annual fundraising event to support our amazing school.

It's a golden opportunity to connect and build a strong community with fellow parents and carers.

So come join the fun and make some great memories together!

For more information please contact Isabel Hollingdale at: isabelhollingdale@ albertparkcollege.vic.edu.au

SUNDAY MORNING LAKESIDE GROUP WALKS AT THE BOATSHED CAFE, LAKESIDE DRIVE: • Sunday 18 August 9am • Sunday 15 September 9am • Sunday October 20 9am • Sunday November 17 9am • Sunday December 6 9am OUR COFFEE MORNINGS AT GASWORKS PARK: • Friday August 9 • Friday Sept 6 • Friday Oct 11 • FridayNovember 8 • Friday December 6 AND FOR YEAR 8 PARENTS: There will be drinks after the Da Vinci info night at the Cricketers Arms Hotel on Wednesday, 20 November.

07

always fun to come back and get hit with some nostalgia for previous years and to meet up with past teachers when I can.

I definitely recommend tutoring in general to anyone with a passion for a certain subject after finishing VCE (it also pays very nicely).

LOOKING BACK ON YOUR VCE YEAR, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE FUTURE VCE CL ASSES? Partake in as many events as you can in any capacity. APC has so many school events and some of the experiences I had going to them are what has undoubtedly stood out the most for me from the year.

APC ALUMNI

ALFIE FINDS A NEW GROOVE AT UNI

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING SINCE VCE? I’ve been studying at Melbourne University, working towards completing a bachelor of science, with a major in mathematical physics.

In terms of academic advice, it may seem obvious, but your biggest asset is the comparison between your answers in a practice paper and the solutions.

Sitting down after completing an exam and taking notes on your results is where you definitively find out what you don’t know, and hence what to research further / practise.

IT WAS A RELIEF FOR ALFIE BAND TO DISCOVER THAT THE WORKLOAD AT UNIVERSITY IS FAR MORE MANAGEABLE THAN YEAR 12

The choice to do music was driven purely by enjoyment. I played guitar all through high school and I think it made the year far more bearable by including a 'just for fun' subject.

WHAT YEAR DID YOU DO VCE?

WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF YOUR SCHOOL YEARS?

2022

Definitely the different communities I was a part of. I attribute most of my motivation and success in VCE to the competitive nature of my close friends, always pushing each other to do better.

And to perhaps give a sense of relief to some, I have found the workload far more manageable than in year 12.

DO YOU STAY IN TOUCH WITH APC ?

‘Friday 5’ with AROB and the spesh group was always a fitting end to the week. Happy Days =:)

Also, the whole music department was an awesome community; the music teachers, the music classes, the atmosphere in rehearsals, everything. A highlight for me was definitely the year 12 Band Fest.

Since starting uni, I have been working as a math tutor, both privately and through APC’s alumni program. I love teaching others my own passion very rewarding and, of course, it’s

JOIN OUR ALUMNI

WHAT DID YOU STUDY? I studied English Language, Physics, Chemistry, Math Methods, Spesh Maths, and Music Performance. I've always been a student who loves the sciences hence the STEM-heavy workload.

To me English Language was more analytic and ‘scientific' in a way, and this complemented my other subjects nicely.

I’ve been loving university life - the teaching format with the lectures and tutorials, the specialised content I can choose to suit my interests, and the uni’s vast array of clubs to choose from have made the experience one to never forget.

ANY THING EL SE YOU’D LIKE TO ADD? I can’t conclude without thanking my year 12 math teachers Ms Gore and Mr Robinson for propagating my passion for math into what it is now. The classes were always super enjoyable and expertly delivered.

08

STAFF AND STUDENTS

TONIC

FOR THE MIDWINTER BLUES We know APC is loaded with talented students. And so it proved when the college held a talent competition recently.

Given the weather has been so bleak, the show was a great way to lift spirits and, based on the enthusiastic applause that followed each act, it was a perfect mid-winter tonic.

STAFF AND STUDENTS

CALLING ALL ACTORS

After the success of High School Musical comes our play!

In typical APC ultra-creative style, we’ve written it ourselves – we want to encourage not just actors but playwrights too!

This year's school play is called 'Til The End Of Time and was written by the Year 10 Drama

class, working with our artist in residence, Ameila Evans.

The story follows Mary, a young girl who regularly visits her grandfather John in the nursing home, to document his life of love and heartache before his dementia takes hold.

The stories from Sunnyvale Nursing Home are weaved

together to tell a heart wrenching tale of long lost love, sprinkled with humour and lots of plot twists!

Good luck to all those auditioning for a role.

If you have any questions, please email Ms Sabatino.

09

APC COMMUNITY

FRENCH STUDENTS GIVE UP OLYMPIC VIBE FOR A MELBOURNE WINTER

You know students are serious about their studies when they give up their French summer and the excitement of the Olympics to head to Melbourne in the depths of winter.

Well, that’s exactly what eight students from our sister school Lycée Sainte Marie du Port have

done as part of our ongoing exchange program.

The students, who are mostly in Year 10 and Year 11, arrived during the term break have already enjoyed many outings from kangaroo spotting on the Great Ocean Road to footy matches at the MCG.

They will be us until 24 August.

So please make welcome Timéo Toulay, Lucie Trichet, Léonie Bouanaudet, Aubane Mahé, Joy Meunier-Richard, Axel Blanchard, Clémence Piton and Elvira Frenot.

A special thank you to all of the host families who have generously opened their homes to our visitors.

OUR FRENCH STUDENTS AND THEIR HOSTS (LEFT) AND CLÉMENCE PITON WITH ROMY SEKULICH (ABOVE) We know that we will be made welcome by our sister school at the end of the year when the senior APC students head to France to complete the exchange.

APC COMMUNITY

LISA SHARES HER EXPERIENCES WORKING WITH REFUGEES Students were enthralled as they listened to guest speaker and parent volunteer Lisa Jones share her experiences working with the United Nations to support refugees in conflict zones around the world.

Lisa, who was invited to APC last term as part of its Refugee Week program, worked with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in the Balkans and Rwanda.

In other roles with the UN, Lisa has also worked on issues of displacement in Uganda (child soldiers with the Lord’s Army) and Cyprus (negotiating a solution to the conflict).

Lisa was interviewed by student leaders Cash Slade and Shanni Cohen (left) and then answered questions.

APC is blessed to receive such wonderful support from parents such as Lisa.

10

APC COMMUNITY

JOIN THE SOUTH MELBOURNE LIFESAVING CLUB

SUMMER ACTION AT THE CLUB, AND LAST YEAR’S VCE CLASS PREPARE FOR THEIR MID WINTER BAY PLUNGE At APC we love our local community organisations, and we have a great bond with the South Melbourne Lifesaving Club (SMLSC).

And, in just a few weeks, our year 12 students will plunge into the water in front of the clubhouse to mark the countdown to the VCE and IB exam period.

How lucky are we to be able to share their excellent beachside facilities, which are only a hundred metres or so from our Danks St Campus.

The SMLSC is looking for new members and we want to encourage you to join. Lifesaving is a great activity and there’s no better way to make new friends and learn leadership skills.

From 13 onwards you can train for your entry level Surf Rescue Certificate, join in the beach patrol, gain a bronze medallion and undertake first aid courses that literally save lives and are extremely attractive to future employers.

competitions that can take you to some great beaches across Australia during the holidays.

Several APC students have been medalists in state and national competitions and love the experience. It’s a great thing to do.

Join with your friends.

Being a qualified lifesaver will also open doors to part-time jobs when you become a university student.

Then there’s our national

To find out how to join, click here.

11

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Student Drop-Off and Pick-Up Zones We would like to remind all parents and carers of the importance of student safety during morning drop-off and collecting them in the afternoon.

Please note: Vehicles double parking at Danks St and stopping in Pickles St may be fined by the City of Port Phillip Parking Officers.

Below are maps outlining student drop-off and pick-up areas for Danks and Pickles St campuses.

DANKS ST CAMPUS The “Kiss & Go” drop off & Pick Up zone is adjacent to Foote Street Park in Danks St.

PICKLES ST CAMPUS The drop-off and pick-up zone for students is on Richardson Street at Gasworks Arts Park (as indicated in green).

12

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Friday 16 August

13

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

14