The Crier - Term Three Edition 2022

Leaders announced

After a thorough selection process that spanned close to two weeks, our 2023 Student Leaders were formally confirmed at the end of Term Three Cadence Pang and Harrison Brooker will assume the prestigious role of School Captain come the start of next year, while Emily Orsida will be our Captain of Anglican Identity

In an exciting addition to our leadership structure, Caitlin Welch will be our inaugural Captain of Community Service!

To be selected, the students had to write a letter addressing the key selection criteria and then partake in an interview with Mr Willett, Mrs White and Ms Doyle. After finding out that they had been successful, Harrison, Cadence, Emily and Caitlin each told the Crier that they were hit by a wave of different emotions

“I went into the whole process pretty nervous but that was quickly eclipsed by excitement and a little bit of elation once I found out the news,” Harrison said.

"My initial reaction was just numbness because I’d mentally prepared myself that I wasn’t going to get it so it took a while to sink in once I got home Now I’m just really excited to be able to represent the cohort,” Cadence added

“I walked out of the interview room bouncing! I think once we walked back to class everybody knew what was going on, it was hard to keep a straight face,” Emily reflected.

Struck by a slight sense of nostalgia, Caitlin hoped her journey to become a Student Leader would inspire other students

"I’ve been here since Foundation so it’s nice to finish off on a strong note and be a role model for our younger students In my early days I wasn’t the best behaved student but I think I’ve turned out to be a decent person which hopefully shows others that you can always make something of yourself later on,” Caitlin said

Asked why they decided to apply for a leadership position, the quartet offered slightly different reasons which bodes well for their diversity and balance as a collective leadership group

Emily said she applied to gain leadership experience, while Harrison did so because he wanted to give something back to the School which he says has provided him with so many of great opportunities The fact he gets to observe the current School Captain Rory Brooker (his brother) at close quarters every day also helped ignite his interest in becoming an official leader

“It was something I’d been considering for a while and once Rory got School Captain this year, I thought it was really cool seeing all the good things he has been doing so it spurred me on to put myself forward for the role,” Harrison said

Asked what makes her a strong leader, Cadence replied that her kind and compassionate nature enables her to display empathy for students around the School Much like Cadence, Emily said her greatest leadership quality is being relatable and accessible to her peers

Although the quartet are yet to officially commence their leadership roles, they are already contemplating how they can make the School an even better place While she admits to being biased as a science loving student, Cadence would like to see Science Week become an even bigger celebration particularly in the Senior School

Both Caitlin and Emily believe there is further scope for the Junior and Senior School to become even more connected On the community service front, Harrison has considered an idea that would see students volunteer to pick up rubbish at the causeway between Cobram and Barooga after the summer holidays, noting that the rubbish left behind from campers gets washed into the Murray when it floods

We congratulate Harrison, Cadence, Emily and Caitlin on their selection as our Student Leaders. Each are fine young citizens and we look forward to seeing how they enact positive change within the School

The Newsletter of Cobram Anglican Grammar School

Introducing our new Heads of School

environment that gives students the best opportunity to succeed and achieve what they want for their futures More than anything, upon leaving our School, we want our students to be able to say Cobram AGS gave them the opportunity to grow as a person because of the pastoral care we provided,” Mr Thompson said.

Cobram Anglican Grammar School (Cobram AGS) is delighted to announce the dual appointment of Mr John Thompson as our new Head of Senior School and Mrs Fiona Clark as our new Head of Junior School, effective from 2023

Mr Thompson will join Cobram AGS from Cobram Secondary College, where he has predominately taught science subjects in the VCE setting. Mr Thompson has a clear vision of what he wants the secondary school journey to look like for students at Cobram AGS as they start Year 7 and move through to Year 12

"As a School, our primary duty is to provide a safe and inclusive learning

Charlotte is our cross country hero

Faced with a confronting situation at the Schools Victoria State Cross Country event in Melbourne, Year 8 student Charlotte Woosnam knew she had to act immediately

Why? Because during the event, Charlotte found herself in the middle of a tight pack of runners when she noticed a competitor in trouble on the side of the track As it turned out, the stricken runner was having a seizure.

This prompted Charlotte to sprint furiously to the nearest marshal so they could render assistance Charlotte recounted the events of the day, telling the Crier she simply did what came instinctively to her.

“One of the girls competing was on the ground and I thought she was having trouble breathing so I went and helped her because I thought she was having an asthma attack Then her eyes kind of rolled into the back of her head and her mouth started frothing which was obviously not a good sign so that’s when I ran to get help from one of the marshals,” Charlotte recalled.

When it comes to his academic philosophy, having taught in the secondary school setting for many years, Mr Thompson is a big believer in helping students establish good study habits before they begin their VCE years

“We need to recognise that there is no magic switch The skills students build in Years 9 and 10 are foundational to the success they are going to have in Years 11 and 12. As our students reach that pathway stage in Years 9 and 10, it is my objective to ensure they are able to select the subjects that align to what their goals and interests are, and what they feel most passionate about ”

Having spent the past 18 months teaching at Cobram AGS after crossing over from Cobram Primary School, Mrs Clark has already established a great connection with many students and families within the Junior School

In her short time at Cobram AGS, she has observed a safe, happy place, where everyone is known and valued, and where differing needs are acknowledged, accepted and met Mrs Clark told the Crier she is eager to continue building on the great work being carried out by our Junior School staff.

“Under my leadership, staff members, in partnership with parents and families, will be fully committed to empowering our students to meet current and future challenges, to develop social awareness, civic responsibility, and achieve personal growth "

She views key teaching practices such as focusing on high expectations, wellbeing, explicit teaching and the use of data to inform practice as being critical to what Cobram AGS provides as they have “proven to improve student outcomes”

Charlotte’s detour to find help meant her race had effectively ended not long after it had begun The fact she was willing to forgo her own personal gain for the betterment of a complete stranger was a tremendous example of leadership

“When it first happened, I thought it would be normal for somebody to help the person but since everyone just ran straight past her, I knew I had to do something,” she said.

Making the situation even scarier was the fact she had difficulty locating a marshal at first

“I couldn’t see them (marshals) on the track where I was, so I had to run back and I didn’t know how far it was going to be but I found one eventually Then I had to run back with them so they could provide medical assistance to the girl," she said

Charlotte explained that once they eventually reached the competitor in need, the marshals rolled her on her side as is common practice with a person having a seizure and then instructed her to complete her race.

Making the immediacy of her actions even more impressive was the fact Charlotte had never actually seen somebody having a seizure before

Despite this, she had the sage advice of her mother Kim (who is a nurse), ringing in her head.

”Mum has told me some things I can do in certain situations to help somebody who needs it Because I wasn’t exactly sure that it was a seizure, I didn’t want to touch the girl so I decided to seek out help Mum said I did the right thing ”

In a nice touch following an emotionally draining situation, the family of the girl Charlotte assisted approached her at the conclusion of the race to thank her for what she did.

Making grand plans for the Youth of Cobram

now the Cobram Community Cinema Perhaps it was no coincidence this forum was held at the cinema Seeing a tangible outcome of what can be achieved, our students were empowered by the prospect of this Youth Forum delivering real change to their local community.

the students of Cobram AGS have the opportunity to contribute to positive change within the community.

What would make Cobram a better place for its young people? That was the question posed to our Year 10 and Year 11 Student Leaders when they attended a Youth Forum headed up by Rob Morey from the Cobram Youth Op Shop

Joining forces with students from Cobram Secondary College, Caitlin Welch, Martin Kong, Cadence Pang, Emily Orsida, Harrison Brooker, Lachlan Rouse, Thomas Corso and Dru Munro had the opportunity to put forward their ideas for a new place of recreation that would best serve the youth of Cobram

Mixed into six groups with students from Cobram Secondary College, our young leaders debated the pros and cons for different recreation facilities The students didn’t have to look far for inspiration considering a previous iteration of this forum helped set the wheels in motion for what is

Some of the popular ideas canvassed by the students were a KFC, basketball court, outdoor gym with disabled access, and an arcade that includes bowling lanes, karaoke and gaming machines Street art around Cobram was another common suggestion

At the conclusion of the forum, the shortlist was whittled down to six projects, with the most common suggestion being a half size basketball court, as well as an arcade Year 11 student Caitlin Welch explained her group’s rationale behind choosing a basketball court

“It would become a good meeting place where kids could go to spend time with their friends in an outdoor setting One of the ideas attached to this was to have the street art on the basketball court,” Caitlin said.

While the Youth Forum was only the first step in a long journey that will involve further deliberation, cost analysis, community funding and buy in, Caitlin said it was pleasing to know

“Rob (Morey) said he is going to support us with whatever choice we make and back us as much as possible with our chosen project He explained that the Cobram Community Cinema came about because of young people just like us and he said we shouldn’t lose sight of the impact we can have on Cobram,” she said.

Speaking to the Crier, Rob Morey was full of praise for the students who participated in the Youth Forum.

“I must say, I was greatly impressed with the calibre, commitment and general level of engagement from the students There were some great ideas put foward, and even some of the ones that didn’t make the initial shortlist may be revisited when we meet again soon to discuss the logistics of each project,” he said.

Rob believes in the short term, ideas like the street art and basketball court would make the most sense and added that he has already scouted suitable locations for these

Not wanting to be too short sighted, Rob has also made some initial enquiries about an arcade and indoor go kart centre projects he considers as long term visions due the associated costs Rob is planning to continue meeting with our students in Term Four to nail down the desired project.

“I experienced a lot of writers block,” he reflected

Inspired by his love of reading novels, Year 7 student Cedric Pang decided he was going to try his hand at writing one

He knew that the best platform to do this was to enter the Furphy Literary Award The Furphy Literary Award is inspired by Joseph Furphy, an author widely regarded as the “father of the Australian novel”. The award has prizes for junior, youth and open entrants in short story and poetry competitions

The fact his sister Cadence (Year 11) had entered the competition previously alerted Cedric to the opportunity to showcase his writing to a wider audience

Tasked with writing a short story around 1,000 words, Cedric created ‘Heist’. He told the Crier that the plot for his adventurous tale stemmed from his love of reading genres such as action, fantasy, mystery and horror

“I like reading action books with heists in them so I thought I would try writing one "

Cedric said the process of writing his short story was split into three steps: planning, editing and writing It took him around two hours to complete this process from start to finish, with some creative thinking breaks wedged in between

Cedric credited his English teacher Mrs Hargreaves for helping him to expand his vocabulary which he said made the writing come easier not that it was completely smooth sailing though.

Cedric said he overcame these hurdles by taking a break and reading a book to source further inspiration Reading is a central part of Cedric’s life and something he does for around an hour each day. For the time being, Cedric doesn’t have any set ambitions to become a professional writer of some kind, viewing writing as more of a hobby and creative outlet.

After being shortlisted for a Furphy Literary Award, Cedric received a commendation for his work by a panel of judges at the awards ceremony at Shepparton Library on 24 July, 2022

Cedric said it was nice for his work to be recognised by the judges of the prestigious Shepparton based competition

He plans to enter the competition again next year and is eager to challenge himself by writing a different style of short story, most likely in a different genre

Cedric commended for his creative tale

Thomas and Manar take the plunge into the workforce

For one week each year, our Year 10 students are required to leave their textbooks at home and swap the classroom for the workforce. This is an important step in their discovery journey as it can either reinforce their interest in a particular area or dim their enthusiasm altogether, leading to a change of direction. In the case of two our students, their experiences were overwhelmingly positive

With the onus placed on the students to organise their own work experience at a company of their choosing, Thomas Corso opted to reach out to a friend of his dad at Cobram engineering company Recopak This was a perfect fit for Thomas as he hopes to one day become an engineer

Thomas enthused that undertaking work experience at Recopak had reaffirmed his desire to one day study some form of engineering and added that it would make his subject selections clearer

“It really helped me because I was stuck between two different pathways and doing the work experience has allowed me to narrow down my decision,” Thomas told the Crier.

He added that spending time at Recopak was a great introduction to seeing how large scale machinery is firstly designed, then constructed

“I was mainly helping one of the guys there build the conveyors for a big machine and then I ended up building my own little one. The coolest thing I learnt was seeing how they design everything on the computer, that was really interesting,” Thomas said

When asked how his tasks at Recopak differed from doing school work, Thomas pointed to the extra responsibility of ensuring a product was built to the highest

standard possible as the biggest lesson he can take back to school.

“You have to do everything properly and thoroughly because you are working on big machines and you don’t want to stuff up It was fine though because all the staff there were really chilled and I never felt nervous about asking them a question if I wasn’t quite sure about something "

It wasn’t just the practical side of the job that Thomas found informative and enjoyable He added that it was particularly eye opening seeing how much pre planning and negotiation goes into a company like Recopak securing contracts all over Australia, describing the process of firstly engaging the client to securing their business as long one, often containing months of meetings

Spending her week in a completely different work setting to Thomas, Manar Al Rekabey cut her teeth at Broadway Smiles dentistry clinic in Cobram Manar admitted that whilst dentistry isn’t her first preference in terms of a career pathway, her appreciation for the work evolved over the course of the week

“It taught me a lot At first I wasn’t really confident to talk to strangers because I didn’t know anybody working there but slowly I started gaining more confidence I learnt that while the dentist is obviously really important and has a lot of responsibility to do their job properly, without the dental nurses, nothing would function because they have to prepare everything That’s probably something I didn’t appreciate beforehand,” Manar reflected

Manar’s work duties at Broadway Smiles mainly involved observing different

procedures and assisting the dental nurses when required. She was quick to recall being somewhat caught off guard by the invasiveness of dentistry

“On my first day I actually saw a tooth extraction and it was so scary as they didn’t even tell me it was happening! I also saw how all the tools and machines are sterilised which was really interesting, plus how they track all the work they have done on a patient which seemed really complicated!”

Besides developing a higher tolerance to the trauma associated with a tooth extraction, Manar said the experience had highlighted important learnings around patience and organisation as there was always an accumulation of little things to do each day which she said was a notable difference from the classroom

“Overall, it was a really good experience and it did help with my subject selection and things like that,” she said

While the week at Broadway Smiles definitely broadened her horizons and sharpened her interest in dentistry, Manar said she is still keeping her options open, listing dermatology, urology and surgery as other areas of the medical industry that she holds an interest in and may choose to pursue once she graduates from school

Max, Abby and Jennifer forge their pathway

At Cobram Anglican Grammar School, there are several students currently undertaking a non traditional education pathway This year, Max Lebner (Year 10) decided to pursue a school based apprenticeship as a diesel mechanic at O'Loughlin Excavations in Muckatah This came about after doing work experience there and having a positive experience

Every Thursday, Max works at O'Loughlin’s from 7am to 4 30pm, servicing trucks, tractors and anything else that need to be done Max said having the opportunity to pursue a school based apprenticeship suited his skillset and desired career pathway

“Working on all the different equipment and machinery is great and I’m learning a fair bit out there being more of a hands on learner,” he said.

Max told the Crier he is excited about where his trade might take him once he completes his four year apprenticeship.

“As a diesel mechanic you can kind of go anywhere with it You can go and work on big boats out on the ocean or go and work in the mines which I think I will do eventually ”

On top of spending one day per week at O'Loughlin Excavations, Max attends TAFE in Shepparton each Wednesday to learn the theory behind his chosen trade. This will eventually see him attain a Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology Max said the process of applying to do a school based apprenticeship was made easy thanks to his career counselling sessions with Mrs Jade Drew.

“I had a few meetings with Jade who was really helpful and got it all sorted for me. Basically all I had to do was fill out the paperwork and show up for work Initially I had to do my own research into doing a school based apprenticeship but the School was happy to support me which was great,” Max said

Like Max, Year 11 students Abby Curnick and Jennifer Ackerley are also exploring a non traditional pathway

Through TAFE, where she is completing a Certificate III in Baking, Abby is currently undertaking a school based apprenticeship at the Numurkah Bakery Cafe where she works Monday and Tuesday mornings before coming to school

Working in the pastry section of the bakery, Abby said she really enjoys the creative side of decorating cakes While she admitted the 4am to 8am hours can be challenging at times, she is glad she has gone down this pathway.

‘’I’ve always enjoyed working which led to Jade (Drew) alerting me to the possibility of doing a school based apprenticeship and she explained to me that it would be like doing another subject at school but in the workplace instead,” Abby said.

“I’m glad that I’ve tried something like this while I’m at school as it has given me extra flexibility in the sense that if I didn’t like the job, I could have gone back to picking up an extra subject again It just gives you a better idea of what you might want to do after leaving school,” Abby added

For Jennifer Ackerley, her school based apprenticeship is a little closer to home,

working on her family grain farm in Berrigan. Each Wednesday she rotates between the farm and attending Wodonga TAFE in Shepparton (DECA) where she is working on obtaining a Certificate III in Agriculture

Jennifer said her chosen pathway had made her enjoy school more and she was confident it would give her plenty of options moving forward.

“I do four subjects now which means I have free periods to catch up on my study and I feel as if I’m enjoying school more because I’m doing subjects I really like and want to do well in It’s also great for my resume that I’ll leave school with two certificates that’s what attracted me most to doing a school based apprenticeship,” she said

Once she finishes her schooling, Jennifer said she plans to pursue an apprenticeship although she is unsure whether or not this will be on the farm.

This is a good reminder that the pathway a student initially decides on can change over time, it’s not necessarily a linear journey Cobram AGS students are encouraged to seek out the expertise of Mrs Jade Drew if they have any questions concerning their pathway and subject selection.

Dancing the night away with their best mates

After two years plagued by lockdowns and restrictions, “coming together and getting dressed up again” was the driving force behind School Captain Regan Fox deciding to organise a Senior School Formal, with the backing of Year 10 12 Year Level Coordinator, Mrs Carolyn White

“I’d had the idea for a while and last year I was thinking that we need to try and fit in as many events as we could once things returned to normal One of my main selling to points to Mrs White was the fact we haven’t been able to do anything like a formal for so long, which made coming together seem really significant,” Regan explained to the Crier.

Describing herself as an “extremely organised person”, Regan naturally decided to commence planning for the event as soon as she was given the green light of approval from Mrs White at the start of Term Two.

This involved securing a venue (Italian Social Club), hiring a DJ, organising catering through Pretty Platter and Co in Tocumwal, and perhaps most importantly, supplying donuts for everybody to enjoy thanks to Berrigan Bakery who even supplied the donut wall for free!

But did the night meet her own lofty expectations? The answer was a resounding yes

“The night was pretty much exactly what I wished and hoped for. Everybody came together, especially on the dancefloor I was really surprised to see so many people up dancing together and enjoying themselves I think everyone had a great night and our group were very sensible and respectful as well which is obviously important when you are representing the School

Following the event, Regan said she had received positive feedback from all corners, making the planning and effort all the more worthwhile

“I’m pretty sure the DJ actually told Mrs White we were the best behaved group he’s ever played to, and the person who owns the Italian Social Club actually came up to me and said we left the place looking really nice and neat and he was glad we had it there and enjoyed oursleves "

Regan was quick to point out that it wouldn’t have been possible to put on such a great event without the assistance of Mrs White, the staff members who attended and helped supervise, plus fellow Year 12 student Grace Damore who helped set up the room

Let's celebrate 100 and many more to come!

At the beginning of Term Three, our Foundation students celebrated a major milestone in their burgeoning education journey 100 days at school!

To commemorate this momentous occasion, the impressionable cohort dressed up as one hundred year olds

They certainly looked the part, with many decked out in wigs or beards, and carrying walking sticks for good measure! While the Foundation staff members offered a few suggestions in terms of props and outfits, they didn’t set a strict criteria of what the children had to wear, meaning they were free to use their creative licence!

Foundation A teacher, Ms Chloe Anthony, said there were a few memorable outfits on the day

“Aiden C had wonderful lipstick wrinkles, Maverick had his beautiful moccasins on and Grace did a great job with her wig,” Ms Anthony reflected

In the lead up to the celebratory day, the two Foundation classes completed a series of activities related to the number 100: for example, what they would do if they had $100 to spend

Ms Anthony, said it was special watching the children slowly come to the realisation of what they had achieved and learnt so far.

“They didn’t really understand the significance of the number until they got to the day and kind of put two and two together Since their first day here, as a class we had been counting up to whichever number day of school they were up to so it would always feel like this milestone was getting closer, naturally building a sense of excitement,” Ms Anthony said.

Considering the significant challenges this group of students have had to overcome at the beginning of their schooling journey due to the residual impacts of COVID 19 restrictions in Victoria, Ms Anthony said this milestone was an even greater cause for celebration than usual

“It’s really just a celebration of the kids’ achievements in their first 100 days of schooling and their growth in that time: especially considering so many of them missed out on three and four year old kindergarten meaning we really had to go back to basics, so just seeing their growth to now has been amazing,” Ms Anthony said

On the contrary to Regan’s experience, the process of Rory Brooker (also School Captain) receiving an early offer was a little more conventional. Rory said it was beneficial being able to talk with Cobram AGS Career Advisor Jade Drew about which universities had early offers and how to apply

“I already had a type of early application through the University of Melbourne’s Kwong Lee Dow Young Scholars Program but I’d been looking into a number of universities that offer early entry spots and I had applied for one at Swinburne University which was one of my first preferences and fortunately I was successful,” he said

Typically, early offers finish up by October and they mean applicants are guaranteed a place provided they meet the required ATAR which is typically lower than what is listed by the university in question.

Regan and Rory's early reward

Excitement levels reached fever pitch in the Fox household when School Captain Regan Fox found out she had received an early offer from Australian College of Applied Professions to undertake a Bachelor of Social Work

Regan told the Crier she was completely taken aback by the early offer considering she hadn’t lodged an application She said it came about after she submitted her university preferences through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC)

Regan recounted the memorable afternoon where she received an unexpected phone call and how it led to a flood of emotions

Get to know Mrs Carmen Shannon

Tell us three facts about yourself (interesting or otherwise)

I am a Mum of three daughters, Maya, Lylah and Tilly My favourite sport is netball myself and my three daughters all play I have worked in early childhood for 17 years

What does your new role at Cobram AGS entail?

I am working alongside Ms Anthony in the Foundation classroom I help support all students with their learning opportunities

Please tell our readers about your experience working in the education system and what has led you to Cobram AGS?

"I was lying in bed after school and I don’t usually answer calls from random numbers but I decided to take that one and they (Australian College of Applied Professions) basically just asked me a few questions and then told me they thought I’d be a great fit and would like to offer me a position to study there,” she said

Regan said the fact she will be the first Fox in her family to attend university created an extra level of emotion

“I ran out of my room to tell my mum and we were both crying and then I called my dad on FaceTime and he started crying! It was very emotional ”

I have worked in the early childhood industry with children aged three to four years old for 17 years Before starting here at Cobram AGS, I worked at Tocumwal Preschool as the four year old teacher for four years

I have thoroughly enjoyed helping prepare children to transition from early childhood to primary school To further my studies, I have enrolled in my Bachelor of Primary Teaching which commences next year I love working with children and their families to encourage the best possible outcomes

What is the one thing you enjoy most about working with young people?

I enjoy working with young children to help encourage them to find their strengths and independence, and assist with their overall development and learning Being a part of the learning journey with children and their families is something that I feel privileged to be involved in

In Rory’s case, the ATAR he originally needed to get into a Bachelor of Science was 85, but with the early offer, he now needs 75. At this stage, Rory intends to accept the offer from Swinburne University Eventually he intends to major in physics for his Bachelor with an end goal of working in the field of astrophysics or nuclear physics

At this point, Regan is undecided if she will accept the early offer from the Australian College of Applied Professions as she is still tossing up going to La Trobe University in Melbourne if she achieves the required ATAR.

Regan intends to be a counsellor but has opted to pursue a Bachelor of Social Work to widen her employment opportunities if she discovers she does not enjoy counselling

What qualities did you most admire in your favourite educator when you were a student? (Either secondary school or primary)

I remember when I was in Grade 3, I had a teacher called Mrs Kennedy She used to play the guitar and sing to the children. Mrs Kennedy always found individual strengths in her students

Has anything about Cobram AGS surprised you that you weren’t aware of before you started working here?

The welcoming staff and the kind and friendly students.

Community Corner

Winter Sleepout

In Term Three, our Year 12 students spent a night at school to help raise awareness for the homeless and the heightened challenges they face in winter The annual Winter Sleepout is a central part of our broader Winter Appeal and provides our most senior students with an important sense of perspective that can easily be lost in the hustle and bustle of preparing for VCE exams

The majority of students got to school around 6pm and a few brave ones slept outside in a swag as the temperature dropped close to 0 degrees, while others set up camp inside the VCE building The following morning, the students enjoyed soup for breakfast prepared by Mrs White and Ms Doyle which offered the cohort a chance to come together and reflect on what they had learned

Recalling how the night transpired, student Lucas Strawhorn told the Crier despite feeling uncomfortable and being unable to get much sleep, the sleepout had provided him with an invaluable experience.

“Being able to loosely replicate what many homeless people in Australia go through was definitely very awakening in our minds in terms of sleeping outside, being in the cold and waking up in the same clothes from the day before; it was a very unique experience and I’m glad I did it,” Lucas said.

Fellow Year 12 Connor Taylor echoed a similar sentiment to Lucas

"Not everyone is as privileged as we are to have a nice roof over our head with a heater and food on the table every night People are out there doing it rough and it’s pretty sad We were in a nice school with fences and no kind of riff raff but you can imagine getting into all kinds of bother if you were homeless and sleeping on the streets,” Connor said Following the long night, Lucas said it

really hit home just how many hardships the homeless in our community are forced to navigate during winter

“Just the basic commodities they don’t have easy access to, or even just basic hygiene needs like being able to have a shower or brush your teeth Then there’s having to pack up your stuff after being asked to move on which isn’t a quick task, especially when you’re exhausted and hungry ”

As part of the Winter Appeal, many of the Year 12 students kindly donated money to support the homeless while students from Foundation to Year 12 donated non perishable food items and basic amenities which were collected by Moira Foodshare These items will help make food hampers which will be spread between Foodshare’s eight distribution points across Moira Shire.

Rotary Club of Cobram Swap Meet

On 14 August 2022, several of our Senior School students volunteered their time to assist the Rotary Club of Cobram at the 14th Swap Meet and Shannons Show n Shine.

Riley Turra, Harrison Brooker, Rory Brooker, Regan Fox, Lujane Alsabti and Caitlin Welch helped cooked the barbeque and serve patrons over two shifts, supported by Principal Keith Willett and Year 10 12 Year Level Coordinator Carolyn White

It was wonderful to be able to assist Rotary and give back to our local community, especially considering the event has experienced a two year hiatus.

The group cooked a few hundred sausages, ensuring nobody went home hungry! Most importantly, we helped raise funds for Rotary which will be injected back into the community

Vietnam Memorial Service

A few days after the Swap Meet, Lewis Brown (Year 9), Emily Orsida (Year 11), School Captain Rory Brooker (Year 12) and Principal Willett attended the Vietnam Veterans' Day Memorial Service at the Cobram and District War Memorial.

They were joined by veterans and students from other local schools in commemorating those who served in the Vietnam War: a conflict that claimed the lives of 521 Australians and wounded a further 3,000 It was heartening that we were asked by former Vietnam Veteran Rob Brown (from the Cobram Barooga RSL) to participate in this important service which involved Emily reading the poem ‘A soldier’s Message’ and Lewis playing the Last Post on his trumpet.

Both students did a magnificent job carrying out their respective duties and represented the School superbly Having active involvement in this memorial service is a testament to the character of our Student Leaders and demonstrates a clear commitment that we are here to serve our community where we can.

The magic of Book Week

This year Book Week was back bigger then ever! Students and staff members were greeted by glorious sunshine as they took part in the Parade around the campus grounds, showing off their weird, wacky and wonderful outfits which were based on their favorite book character It was evident everybody went to great lengths with their costumes

At Assembly prior to the Parade, the children were greeted by a very angry and raucous bear and summoned for some tough questioning about their outfits!

Sharing a special figment of his own imagination, Year 7 student Cedric Pang was kind enough to narrate his short story ‘Heist’ to a very attentive audience.

It was fantastic to see our whole school community dive wholeheartedly into the spirit of Book Week and enjoy a magnificent celebration!

Cobram

Time to celebrate our favourite men

In week seven of Term Three, we convened bright and early at our annual Father’s Day Breakfast to celebrate the special men in our students' lives

It was wonderful seeing so many dads, grandpas uncles and male role models at our campus on a beautiful spring morning A massive thank you to Mrs White and our awesome Year 12 students for preparing over 300 egg and bacon rolls for guests to enjoy, plus Ms Doyle who made countless coffees from our barista machine

It was fantastic to conclude the morning by handing out several lucky door prizes, very generously donated by local businesses including Mentha’s Menswear, Amcal Pharmacy and Noonans Showcase Jewellers.

ASHEfest connects students to First Nations' traditions

Over several days in the second last week of term, students from Foundation to Year 10 journeyed to Shepparton to participate in ASHEfest a three day festival of traditional Indigenous games, arts and crafts, run by the students of ASHE for schools in the Great Shepparton area

Students from Foundation through to Year 6 were involved in ‘ASHEletics’, while students in Years 7 10 competed against other schools in Buroinjin a running and passing ball game originally played by the Kabi Kabi people of south Queensland In traditional Indigenous culture, the game was played with a ball made of kangaroo skin which was called a buroinjin

Year 8 student Charlotte Woosnam had the honour of being named the player of the tournament!

Over the course of the three day festival, the students also got to take part in storytime with Elders and were treated to special appearances by ASHEMan and RumbaGirl!

ASHEfest provided a unique experience outside of the classroom and it was fantastic to see our students fully engrossed in various elements of traditional Indigenous culture many of which they had never been previously exposed to

Students hit the road for new adventures in Term Three

Term Three will be remembered fondly by many of our students who had the opportunity to experience a different type of learning going on school camp or excursion!

Midway through the term, a small group of students from our Outdoor Education and Environmental Studies class braved the elements and headed to Mount Buffalo in the Alpine region as part of their Unit 2, Outcome 1 studies

Through a snowshoe hike the students were able to investigate the characteristics of various outdoor environments and even indulged in building a snowman before they hit the road for home!

Our Year 3/4 classes set off for Beechworth and stayed at the Old Priory This was a particularly special school camp as it was their very first!

The itinerary included panning for gold, a tour of the Beechworth Old Gaol and historic court house, plus a visit to Burke Museum where the students experienced the olden day shops and got to view some historical artefacts, cultural events and maps of the Gold Rush.

In the last week of term, our Year 8 cohort headed to Ovens where they participated in an adventure camp at Valley Homestead that involved various team building exercises

Not short of activities, the camp offered the students a great chance to brush up on their bush skills, such as how to make a proper fire and cook in a billy They also built a medical stretcher from bush resources and raced each other in teams, had a crack at rock climbing and hurtling down a vertical slide to fulfill their adrenaline quota for the camp

We thank our staff members and volunteers who helped ensure the students had a memorable experience whilst on camp!

Cows create fond memories for our Year 5/6 students

In late August, we sadly farewelled two special visitors who had spent three weeks living in our Agriculture Pen Cookies and Cream, a pair of calves, were kindly sent to our care by the Andrew family

Our Year 5/6 students were handed the big responsibility of caring for the calves during their stay, which meant feeding them every day at 8.30am and 2 30pm This was part of the Cows Create Careers project which feeds into our broader Agriculture program. The project seeks to introduce students to the dairy industry and provide a hands on experience.

Two students who fed the calves regularly were Adrian Jonker and Cassian Blower from Year 5/6 W

Anglican Identity With Ms Shea Doyle

Last term I wrote about the opportunity we have every day to share stories and practice our faith whilst at the same time welcoming, with a generous spirit, those of other faith traditions or those of no faith

Term Three provided our students with a variety of opportunities to do just that The term began with the Year 12 cohort attending the Anglican Schools Service held at St Paul’s Cathedral in Melbourne This event brings together students from Anglican schools across Victoria to celebrate and connect through worship The theme of this years’ service was “creating ripples”, and students were encouraged to consider how the small actions of one person could create something amazing.

Our students appreciated the opportunity to be a part of the thought provoking service, describing their experience as “magical” and “inspirational’

This theme was carried over into our Junior and Senior School chapel services this term Using readings from the Bible as prompts, the students were asked to think about how the actions of one

"We’d come into school and put on our lab coats so we didn’t get slobber on our clothes, make the milk, feed them and then we’d have to clean up, but the feeding was definitely the best part,” Adrian told the Crier

Cassian recommended others get involved in the dairy industry in some capacity even if they may be fearful of working with animals at first, describing the experience as "really fun"

person can cause ripples in both positive and negative ways

Our Junior School students were introduced to a science experiment to demonstrate just how easily ripple are createdl

Further to our school chapel services, our secondary cohort were welcomed at St Margaret’s Wednesday services this term, with each class visiting once during the term

The RAVE curriculum continued to engage and challenge our students this term with both the Year 8 and Year 10 cohorts spending time exploring other world religions The Year 10 class have been investigating the Holocaust and in doing so, have developed their understanding of the Jewish faith, whilst the Year 8 classes have spent time this term learning about Islam.

This group were fortunate enough to enjoy the company of a guest speaker who shared her experiences as a Muslim woman living in Australia As is tradition during Term Three at Cobram AGS, our Year 12 students participated in the annual Winter Sleepout.

This event coincides with the Anglicare Diocese of Wangaratta Winter Appeal and its purpose is to raise awareness of the heightened challenges homeless people face during the colder winter months

Thank you to the families of our Year 5/6 students for giving up their time on weekends to make sure Cookies and Cream didn’t go hungry!

Participating in this project wouldn't have been possible without the assistance of Mrs Carolyn White and her daughter Lauren as they coordinated the logistics and helped the Year 5/6 students feed the calves over the weekends

At this time, we also called on the wider school community to contribute non perishable food and toiletry items to our Winter Appeal donation day The generous donations received were passed onto Moira Foodshare for distribution to those in need in our local community

The Moira Live4Life program continued in Term Three, with our Year 8 and Year 11 students successfully completing their Teen Mental Health First Aid training

Our Live4Life crew presented information relating to R U OK Day at a recent Whole School Assembly. They shared tips for starting a conversation with someone who might be doing it tough and encouraged everyone to have the confidence to ask R U OK? They also hosted several activities on R U OK Day, ensuring the positive message around talking about mental health was being shared

Finally, as we move into spring and the Season of Creation and we look forward to the rest and rejuvenation that comes with a spring break, I ask that we all make a renewed commitment to taking urgent action to protect and care for God’s precious creation

Principal’s Message

From Mr Keith Willett

Dear families and guardians, Welcome to the Term Three edition of the Crier

I think I can speak for all members of our school community when I say there has been a positive hum of energy permeating through the corridors this term

The past nine weeks have been tremendously busy, punctuated by a whole host of major events such as Book Week, our Father’s Day Breakfast, ASHEfest in Shepparton and our Athletics Carnival just to name a few

I have been incredibly encouraged by the endeavour and application shown by our students over the course of this term in the various opportunities available to them; whether they be academic, cultural, on the sporting field, or out in our community serving others.

Just a few of the positive things I have noted over the course of this term include:

Live4Life sessions with Year 8 and Year 11 students

Business Report

With Mrs Narelle

Schreenan

Happy new financial year, as exciting as that may be for some This time of year, we are busy planning and budgeting for 2023 and beyond

The 2023 budget has been submitted to the Anglican Schools Commission (ASC) for approval and we are forecasting a successful and productive year

Families should expect a small increase in tuition fees of 3% The school camps program is being updated and expanded and most camps will see a price increase Full details will be sent to families at the end of November, but if you have concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me before then

The September holidays have been a

Over the first half of Term Three, our Year 8 and Year 11 students participated in the Moira Shire Live4Life Teen Mental Health First Aid (TMHFA) training

As a School, it is a real luxury that we are able to utilise an education service such as Moira Live4Life to impart knowledge on our students that will hopefully help them to identify concerning mental health signs in their friends

Thanks to these Live4Life sessions, the students who participated are now equipped with life tools such as how they can practise using the Action Plan (Look, Ask, Listen, Help Your Friend)

Year 10 Course Counselling interviews

During the term, our Year 10 students and families attended Course Counselling interviews with staff from our Senior School team and our Career Advisor, Mrs Jade Drew

These interviews are a hugely important step in our students' pathway planning as they get set to commence their VCE studies

We trust these interviews provided further clarity for our students as they begin to plot their career pathway and make elective choices geared toward their desired pathway

Importantly, our School is continuing to work towards being able to cater for all learning needs and pathways and Mrs Drew has been doing some excellent work in this space.

New Lunchtime Clubs

Our teachers have shown terrific initiative in establishing several new Lunch Time Clubs for our students to get involved in this term

These activities provide our students with additional opportunities to learn or practise skills in areas they are passionate about, as well as mingle with different friendship groups

These new clubs include Ukulele Club, Book Club, Languages Club and Chess Club.

busy time, with many small maintenance jobs completed

Weather permitting, the “D” at the front of the administration building will be resurfaced and the front access significantly repaired for the start of Term Four.

There have been some minor electrical upgrades, drainage added to the outdoor chess board area and five new split systems installed.

The Science Room is also set for major spring clean to ensure we are meeting all the required standards Along with routine cleaning and building maintenance, there will be a steady stream of activities

The new Whole School Master Plan has also been submitted to the ASC for approval

With the current trading conditions for the construction industry and tender prices and escalation costs out of of control, major capital developments are requiring thorough planning

For me, Term Three is always about planning and budgeting for the following year This is always an exciting time as I work closely with staff to plan and implement new initiatives for the following year

As enrolments and staffing are finalised over Term Four, 2023 will come sooner than we realise. Fingers crossed Term Four starts with warm sunning days

Sadly, on the morning I am finalising my report, we have received news of our monarch’s passing.

One of the saddest things I have done in my career is lower the flags to half mast on this day God bless you Queen Elizabeth II; may you rest in peace.

Junior School Report

With Mrs Rathbone, Ms Willmott and Mrs Clark

What a great term it has been in the Junior School! We have focused specifically on building consistent routines, learning strategies for emotional regulation and understanding how to build positive relationships, as well as engaging teaching and learning,

Term Three has seen lots of great events in the Junior School. The students had a wonderful opportunity to mix with other year levels and students during Science Week, where they participated in hands on activities, making everything from kazoos to bridges, and much more

The Year 5/6 students spent the term immersed in the Cows Create Careers project for their Ag Study lessons

For the first time in over two years, the students were able to participate in our House Athletics Carnival

Senior School Report

For many, it was their first experience throwing a discus, running 200m or having a go at the Fosbury Flop

Book Week followed, a joyous celebration where the School spends one glorious week celebrating books and Australian children's authors and illustrators Classroom teachers and education support staff created colourful displays, developed activities, ran competitions and told stories relating to a theme to highlight the importance of reading.

The students were lucky to hear from (and be read to) Kaitlyn Wheeler, author of ‘The Crafty Magpie’

The Father’s Day Breakfast coincided with the Book Parade which led to much merriment As always, the children loved seeing their dad at School and they were eager to give them their purchased (or crafted) present from the P&F stall.

Book Week ended with a parade where students dressed as their favourite book character.

The Year 3/4s spent three terrific and entertaining days traipsing around Beechworth, learning and visiting the historical sites of Beechworth such as the court house and gaol, while doing other fun things such as panning for gold, tasting Beechworth honey and dancing to a bush band!

To finish the term, the Foundation Year Two and Year 5/6 students went on excursions to ASHEFest in Shepparton for a day of fun filled Indigenous culture games.

We look forward to another busy term in Term Four!

With Mrs Carolyn White and Mr Jon O’Dwyer

Term Three has been full of learning opportunities in our Senior School

Our Year 10s participated in a career development information session, as well as intensive counselling sessions with family members in order to set them up for their subject selections at VCE level

The VCE Biology class headed to GTAC to learn about determining whether cows had been given one or two vaccinations

Our Year 8 cohort heard from a few guest speakers including nurse Matt Mills, who gave our students a talk on sexual health which featured information from both their science and health classes.

They were also visited by Fajer Hasan in RAVE, who answered pertinent questions related to their Islam unit of work.

Fajer also recapped information on the ‘Five Pillars of Islam’ which was well received by students

Our Year 7s went bush with Mr McConnell to discover what animals and insects live in various ecosystems within the Thompsons Beach area This wrapped up their ‘Habitats and Interactions’ science unit and also introduced them to the ‘Classification’ unit.

Book Week was a colourful event and started with a cooked breakfast for our dads and special male figures and their families before the official Book Week Assembly and Parade. Some year levels joined forces and turned up in matching or themed costumes including our Year 12 students as the Avengers.

Our Year 7 10 students spent a day in Shepparton at ASHEfest where they enjoyed story time with Indigenous Elders, played traditional indigenous games and had a go at traditional dancing.

The VCE Unit 3/4 students sat the General Achievement Task (GAT) in preparation for their VCE exams being held in October and November Our thoughts are with them as they finalise their learning in the lead up to the end of their schooling

We welcomed parents and students for interviews on Wednesday and Thursday night of the last week of term Our online and face to face interactions allowed teachers to discuss the academic, social and emotional wellbeing of their students

Our 2023 Captains were announced and our congratulations go to Cadence Pang and Harrison Brooker as School Captains, Emily Orsida as Captain of Anglican Identity and Caitlin Welch who will be our inaugural Captain of Community Service

Well done to all these deserving and well respected members of our school community.

Team Cobram AGS Sports Recap With Mr John O’Dwyer

Hello everyone,

Welcome to the sports wrap for a very busy Term Three, where, once again, our students excelled on the sporting front. Whether this was through school endorsed events or extra curricular activities, our students never cease to amaze and astound through what they are able to achieve Here is the Term Three snapshot:

School endorsed sporting events

Tennille Kautai (Year 6), Charlotte Woosnam (Year 8), Baden Riedell (Year 9) and James Hooper (Year 10) competed in the 2022 School Sports Victoria State Cross Country event, held on a tough, gruelling course at the Yarra Valley Racecourse Charlotte exemplified fantastic sportspersonship by assisting another competitor who had a medical episode on course, neglecting her own personal success to offer help and assistance

A number of teams represented the School at the Hume Region level These included: Senior Girls Badminton, Year 8 Girls Badminton, Year 8 Girls Netball and Senior Boys Table Tennis Our Senior Girls Badminton team conquered the Hume event and made State (see article), the netballers and table tennis team finished runners up and the Year 8 Girls Badminton finished fourth in a tightly contested regional final

The Year 5/6 cohort were involved in the North Eastern Schools Lightning Premiership and did extremely well (see article)

The Kautai sisters, Aroha (Year 4) and Tennille (Year 6) were selected in the 12 and Under School Sports Victoria Team Vic State Touch Football team (see article).

Lachlan Ross (Year 12) competed in the Victorian Clay Target North East Zone Student Clay Target Championships, held at the Echuca range on 11 August. This pitted Lachlan against the best shooters in the region and he shot consistently on the day.

Following our successful House Athletics Carnivals, 39 Senior School students represented us at the Goulburn Murray Secondary School Division Athletics Carnival. Unfortunately the team was decimated by injury (prior to the event and during) which had a detrimental effect on our final score Despite the injury carnage, our students did magnificently, with the following students excelling in their age divisions:

14 Boys: Age Champion: Rory Campbell (Year 8); 3rd: Sam Trembath (Year 8)

17 Boys: 3rd: Connor Taylor (Year 12)

18 20 Boys: 2nd: Riley Turra (Year 12); 3rd: Matthew Everingham (Year 12)

The team finished with the following placings: Girls: 6th position; Boys: 2nd position; combined overall: 4th position

Extracurricular sporting achievements

Baden Riedell (Year 9) debuted for the Cobram Roar Senior soccer team towards the final home and away games of the Albury Wodonga Football Association (AWFA) competition.

We had a number of students involved in their respective sporting clubs’ winter competition finals Helena Zito (Year 9), Holly Percy (Year 11), Baden Riedell (Year 9), Thomas Corso (Year 10) and Tully Kerr (Year 10) all represented the Cobram Roar Soccer Club and WON their respective AWFA grand finals in the Division Two Women and 16U Boys competitions!

Jeremy Packer (Year 8) and Sam Trembath (Year 8) were both selected to represent the Murray team (made up of Western Riverina and Albury players) for the Greater Western Sydney Giants Academy regional games in Canberra. The Murray team the boys played in had a fantastic win against the Western Sydney/ Central North/ Broken Hill combined side On the line was a spot in the GWS Academy Super Team made up of Murray and three other regions Riverina, ACT/South Coast and Western Sydney.

Both boys played extremely well, impressing the selectors enough to earn a spot in this GWS Super Team! Mr O’Dwyer will be Head Coach of the U14 GWS Super Team in their games against the Sydney Swans Academy equivalent during the second week of holidays in Albury

The Cobram and District Junior Football competition concluded their season with a number of students doing well Franklin’s Hawks (coached by parent, Ron) took on Verner’s Tigers (coached by parent, Michael) in the grand final with the Hawks prevailing The following students had fabulous seasons and received awards:

Franklin’s Hawks: Xavier Franklin (Year 6) Best and Fairest

St Peter’s Saints: Sebastian Pate (Year 5) runners up in the Best and Fairest

DJ’s Bombers: Chase Jarjoura (Year 4) Best and Fairest; Tom Nye (Year 5) Coaches Award

The Cobram Junior Soccer Competition held its Gala Day, where a number of students did magnificently Lyra Robbins (Year 3), Mia Hayward (Year 3) and Coen Pang (Year 4) all played in successful sides, taking out the Champions title in their respective division

Jean Marie Jonker (Year 4) did superbly at a recent regional gymnastics competition, coming away with a number of silver medals from the events she participated in. This has the potential to see her qualify for the State Titles, which will be held later this year

On the first weekend of school holidays, Rory Campbell and Kyden Rodda (both Year 8) became premiership players for the Cobram Football Club! Their U14 side took down Moama in a two point thriller, with the boys contributing strongly to the victory!

Over the past 10 months, Year 8 student Charlotte Woosnam has been in the midst of a JVBL basketball league campaign in Melbourne. Captain of the U14 Bushrangers team, Charlotte managed to win the grand final! She has now been selected for the Golden Nugget camp as part of the Basketball Victoria Academy, which is the top 100 country based U15 girls trialling for selection at the Southern Cross Championships in January to represent Country Vic against interstate sides and New Zealand!

What an amazing cache of wonderful achievements from some very talented sportspeople and I sincerely apologise if anyone has been overlooked

A trip to Wodonga ended in glory for our Senior Girls Badminton team as they swept all before them at the Hume Region Badminton Championships

Pitted against Victory Lutheran College, Myrtleford Secondary College and Alexandra Secondary College, Emily Orsida, Cadence Pang, Natasha Smith and Caitlin Welch dominated the Championships, losing only one of their combined 18 singles/doubles matches!

Just as pleasing as their dominance on the court was the girls’ sportspersonship, with the coach of Myrtleford praising our team for helping coach their players during one particular match that was rather lopsided. While competing hard is always important, doing so in the right spirit is just as important

In terms of the structure of the Championships, each player has a ranking from number one to number four based on their ability They then play the same ranking number from the opposition to ensure a fair contest in singles. In addition to playing singles, they also split into two doubles team where ranking one plays with two, and ranking three plays with four.

Kautai sisters have the golden touch

During the term, sisters Aroha (Year 4) and Tennille (Year 6) Kautai were both selected in the School Sports Victoria Team Vic 12 Years & Under Girls Touch Football team

To secure their place in the team, the two talented girls trained every Sunday for three weeks in Fawkner, Melbourne They were competing against a squad of 16 other girls which was nailed down to a final squad of 12 players.

The girls said the training involved a lot of physical testing such as measuring their speed and fitness, mixed in with three practice matches in which they were able to show off their skills under the heat of battle

In terms of the composition of the squad, the girls are outliers geographically They told the Crier that the majority of the players who tried out for the team are from Melbourne Both Tennille and Aroha said they were proud to represent the northern Victoria region

In terms of the pre work to eventually reach

The quartet said there was an element of entering the unknown in the lead up to the Hume Region event

“We didn’t know what to expect because we’d never played those teams before, they were all new schools,” Emily told the Crier.

To those within the School though, including Sport Faculty Leader, Mr Jon O’Dwyer, their performance came as no surprise

"These girls have mostly played together since the beginning of secondary school and actually finished second in the State Championships when they were in Year 7 so they’ve always been a very talented group,” he said

The four girls play every Friday night in the Badminton Victoria competition and frequently have a casual hit at Cobram Sports Stadium on Tuesdays to ensure their skills are as sharp as can be come tournament time

this high level of competition, Aroha started playing the sport at five years old and Tennille took it up when she was seven They certainly didn’t find their way into touch football by coincidence, with Tennille describing their dad Kaokao as an avid touch footy player At club level, they play for Moama in the Moama Echuca Touch Association

While they said the travel to Melbourne was tiring, they were fortunate they didn’t have to look far for a lift, with Kaokao tasked with coaching the Team Vic 12 Years & Under Boys team!

In touch football, there are six players on the field who are stationed in different areas links, middles and wings. Tennille said she plays in all three areas, while Aroha usually play in middles but sometimes spends time on the wings

The sisters admitted they have some slight trepidation about taking on the best teams in the country as “there are two teams that are really good” (New South Wales and Queensland), but they said they were ready for the challenge and have a plan to topple the powerful northern states who have far greater touch footy participation rate.

Making each competition a lot of fun and helping their synergy on the court is the fact the four students are all good friends

As reward for their brilliant display at the Hume Region event, the team travelled to Melbourne on 11 August to contest the 2022 School Sports Victoria State Badminton Finals at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre.

There, the girls faced much sterner opposition but still managed an incredible fourth place finish in a field of eight schools, making them the best performed country school in both the Senior Boys’ and Senior Girls’ competitions!

They won two of their three pool matches against Lara Secondary College and Marist College Bendigo, before falling to a very strong MacRobertson Girls High School team (eventual State Champions) in the semi finals.

Despite not getting the ultimate reward on the day, the girls gave a terrific account of themselves and represented the School with great pride

“There is this set play called the quickie: there is a line near the try line and you quickly dump it and pass it off and then you can score a try. Dad said if we can do that we might be able to beat them,” Aroha told the Crier

The girls will now set their sights on competing at the Touch Football Championships from 30 October to 4 November 2022 in Wagga Wagga, NSW We wish them every success!

The awesome foursome conquer the Hume and take on the best in state

After a couple of false starts, our F 2 students get their chance to shine

At the back end of Term Three, our Foundation to Year 2 students finally got the opportunity to experience their very first House Athletics Carnival having previously missed out due to COVID restrictions!

Not even the icy cold weather could damped the children's spirits as they competed for house glory at Barooga Recreation Reserve 2 Assisting our youngest students on the day were our wonderful Year 6s Such was their level of care and leadership, several received awards at our last Junior School Assembly.

The results for the day were:

5/6 year old Girls: Champion: Tavia Kautai (P) 2nd: Sarah Akidele (S) 3rd: Lily Hayward (P)

5/6 year old Boys: Champion: Veresa Cossar (S) 2nd: Isaac Dopper (P) 3rd: Jenson Mortlock (P)

7-year-old Girls: Champion: Ariana Gatcum (P) / Mylah Giblin Burrows (S) equal 2nd: Valerie Strauss (S) 3rd: Laney Eddy (F)

7 year old Boys: Champion: Xavyer Hyde (P) 2nd: Dylan Gillespie (C) 3rd: Frankie Lean (P)

8/9 year old Girls: Champion: Scarlett Lean (P) 2nd: Alice Lebner (C) 3rd: Estelle Duggan (P)

8/9 year old Boys: Champion: Carter Haddrell (C) 2nd: Jhett Ogilvie (F) / Levi Dopper (P) / Liam Murphy (S) equal

Key * C = Cowell, F = Farrer, P = Parkes, S = Stanyer)

Dress ups, laughs, and a need for speed

The day after our Foundation to Year Two students took to the track, a much larger group of students from Years 3 12 descended upon Barooga Recreation Reserve 2 to compete in a range of events such as triple jump, high jump, long jump, shot put, discus and multiple track events

The atmosphere on the day was terrific, elevated by the positive attitudes of our students and their willingness to have a go. Even the teachers got involved as they took part in a relay event against the students thankfully there were no torn hamstrings following this!

House points

F 2 and 3 12 house points calculated:

Following F-2 program:

1st: Parkes, 2nd: Cowell

3rd: Stanyer, 4th: Farrer

Following 3 12 program:

1st: Cowell, 2nd: Stanyer

3rd: Farrer, 4th: Parkes

OVERALL:

1ST: COWELL, 2ND: STANYER

3RD: PARKES , 4TH: FARRER

Students compete for lightning glory

At the end of July, our Year 5/6 students travelled to Yarrawonga to participate in the North Eastern Schools Lightning Premiership This tournament involves many schools from the surrounding area and it was our first year involved in the competition! Thank you to Strathmerton FNC for lending us your footy jumpers for the day, and to Danyelle Henderson for taking the awesome photographs below!

Football Review (provided by coach, Mr Kale Watkins)

Our first game was against Strathmerton Primary, where we came away victorious by one point! Xavier Franklin was on fire early as he kicked two goals, one a mercurial banana kick which had the boys pumped up In the second half Strathmerton were kicking with a strong breeze and attacking frequently, but our defence held strong, resulting in a win by the narrowest of margins.

Our second game was against St Joseph’s Numurkah, and after another very close game we came away victorious by three points The first half saw Numurkah kicking with a strong breeze and at half time they were leading by two goals The margin would have been more if not for Seb Tate’s fantastic work at full back At half time the boys were encouraged to attack and kick long with the breeze They ran the game out strongly which resulted in our second win.

Our third game was against Nathalia Primary and a win would see us playing off in the grand final

Once again we found ourselves behind at half time, but we utilised a strong breeze in the second half to dominate the contest and ran out eventual winners by four goals Kohen Haddrell’s ability to play on and create with his sweet left foot, Ryder Duhring providing a great contest in the ruck, Archie Patterson intercepting across half back and Dylan Henderson proving too strong and elusive roaming around the forward line were just a few of our major assets on the day.

The Lightning Premiership title was for grabs against Sacred Heart Yarrawonga In front of a big crowd with lots of cheering, the first half saw Sacred Heart jump out to a lead as they attacked with the breeze At half time the boys were determined that they could come back, just like they had done in the previous two games

We kicked a goal early in the second half and when Dylan Henderson kicked goal of the day from 40m out the boys could sense another come from behind victory However, Sacred Heart steadied with a goal of their own and after a tense last five minutes, we unfortunately went down by two goals

Overall it really was a fun, competitive experience Perhaps the most pleasing part of the day was that every single player contributed at some point and had ‘a moment’ Our teamwork was clearly evident as our boys helped each other out and celebrated goals with enthusiasm

Netball Review (provided by coach, Mrs Hayley Rathbone)

We had three teams entered for the netball competition, competing against local schools Strathmerton Primary, St Joseph’s Numurkah and Sacred Heart Yarrawonga Coached by Meg Denson, Mrs Rathbone and Ms Routledge, the three teams played between four and six games in a round robin format, where the games were split into two 10 minute halves. All the students participating put on a wonderful display of sportspersonship throughout their games

Our Year Five girls’ team won five out of six games despite only having two weekend players in the side! The Year Six girls’ team had some great competition in the grade one rotation and put forward their full efforts for each of their four games.

Our mixed team was made up of all new players to the sport but they still put in a great effort and won two games! The players’ effort, commitment and teamwork were all highlights the three coaches observed and acknowledged at the conclusion of a great day