Year 8

Our Year 8 students have enjoyed the first uninterrupted year of on-site learning since they were in Grade 5!

Term 1 saw many achievements, including settling into new classes, establishing new friendships and consolidating existing ones, building ‘school fitness’ after Covid interruptions, adjusting to the academic expectations of Year 8, and showing empathy and solidarity when helping our Year 7 peers integrate into their new high school environment. A real highlight for Term 1 was the high number of Year 8s participating in the swimming carnival. Special congratulations go to the Year 8 Girls Champion (Summer Trask) and Boys Champion (Eric Kim).

Term 2 was replete with whole-school activities in which our Year 8s were prominent, such as IDAHOBIT Day, the school information evening, cross-country, intraschool basketball tournament, and interschool sport. Students also continued to uphold high academic and behavioural expectations, with 387 DARE value posts for the term. At our end of term assembly, Kara Ivancic and Loulou Lambel received DARE awards in all four categories. That is outrageously good!

The big highlight of Term 3 was our Year 8 Camp at Alexandra Adventure Resort, where students enjoyed a range of activities, including flying fox, high-ropes challenge, laser tag, and a wildlife show where some students became closely acquainted with a native Australian serpent! It was great to see our Year 8s enjoying themselves outdoors after being deprived of such opportunities during the lockdowns.

Our big focus for Term 4 was to finish our Year 8 journey with renewed energy, with a strong focus on consistent work completion and continuing to take ownership of our learning and organisation. It was very pleasing to see more and more students self-regulating their work submission, especially following up on Snapshot Tasks and revision for assessments. This increase in academic maturity and proactivity will hold us in good stead moving towards Year 9 Headstart.

I commend all of our Year 8s for their hard-earned academic and behavioural development throughout the year. Ms Cefai and I are proud to have guided such a vibrant and positive cohort and we look forward to seeing you continue to be your wonderful selves in future years.

On behalf of the Year 8 community, I would like to thank our student leaders for all their hard work throughout the year, especially their commitment to fostering collaboration and community: Brigitte Godfred-Spenning, Sophie Lei, Clancy McLaughlin and Nimalan Suresh.

Finally, we express our gratitude to our parent and carer community. Your engagement and attentiveness are truly admirable. We greatly appreciate the support you have given the Year 8 students and teachers throughout the year. You are an integral force in our school’s upward trajectory.

Liam Brooks

Year 8 Year Level Leader

Nola Cefai

Year 8 Assistant