APC Newsletter - Edition 7 2024

Page 1


CHAMPS WE ARE THE

IB VISUAL ARTS SHOW A SMASH HIT

The year 12 Visual Arts class presented their final work at a special exhibition at Studio 120 at the end of last term.

As well as being a showcase of their work, it was also their final assessment.

• IMPORTANT DATES

TUESDAY 22 OCTOBER - MONDAY 11 NOVEMBER IB Exams

WEDNESDAY 23 OCTOBERTHURSDAY 24 OCTOBER

Drama Production Gasworks Arts Park

TUESDAY 29 OCTOBERWEDNESDAY 20 NOVEMBER VCE Exams

TUESDAY 29 OCTOBER

Parent/Teacher/Student Online interviews

Among the students exhibiting their work was Freeke De Jong (above left), who spent two days sewing a special outfit and then 5-6 hours preparing her hair and make-up for the photoshoot. The results were spectacular.

Special thanks goes to artist in residence Jeanné Brown who worked with the students throughout the year to help them develop their artworks and mount and frame almost every piece in the show.

A very proud visual art and design teacher Michelle Luckman described the whole class as “wonderfully talented”.

“In my opinion, they all get an A+,” Michelle said.

WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBERFRIDAY 1 NOVEMBER Year 11 Exams begin

MONDAY 4 NOVEMBER Professional Development Day

TUESDAY 5 NOVEMBER

Public Holiday - Melbourne Cup Day

WEDNESDAY 6 NOVEMBERFRIDAY 8 NOVEMBER Year 11 Exams continue

FRIDAY 8 NOVEMBER - FRIDAY 15 NOVEMBER Year 10 Exams

MONDAY 11 NOVEMBER - FRIDAY 22 NOVEMBER Year 11 into Year 12 Orientation

MONDAY 18 NOVEMBER - FRIDAY 22 NOVEMBER Year 10 into Year 11 Orientation

WEDNESDAY 20 NOVEMBER Da Vinci Launch 5.30pm, 40 Bay St Campus

FRIDAY 22 NOVEMBER Year 12 Presentation Evening

FRIDAY 22 NOVEMBER Year 10 & Year 11 Final Day

MONDAY 25 NOVEMBER - FRIDAY 29 NOVEMBER Year 10 Work Experience week

FRIDAY 29 NOVEMBER - SUNDAY 1 DECEMBER

APC Art Show, Studio 120

STUDENT LEADERSHIP IS AT THE HEART OF WHAT WE DO

Lead. Create. Inspire.

You see the APC school motto everywhere you look. On our school signs, our website, even our stationery.

You hear it at assemblies, and regularly in speeches delivered in the community.

And while the three words each have their own special power, there is a very good reason the word Lead was given first place.

We make no secret of the fact that we want our students to become global citizens who are driven by a genuine willingness to contribute to society.

In many cases that means being a leader, which is why we invest so much in our student leadership program.

APC boasts around 80 leadership positions. We have ambassador

roles for students at each year level, as well as portfolio leaders in every area of school life - from STEM, Mathematics, Humanities, Languages, Sports and Music to the environment and more.

And, at the top of the student leadership tree are our school captains and vice captains.

Together this group forms the Student Representative Committee, which meets regularly with senior teachers to offer up ideas for change.

Whatever title they may hold, these positions give students the chance to develop their leadership skills and serve their classmates and the broader student body. And, eventually, to take these skills into their future careers.

While leadership means different things to different people, for me good leaders are kind, and care about others. They have a sense of

curiosity and seek to improve what they see around them. And they are prepared to stand up for what they believe in.

School captains Sterling Baird and Agnes McCallum, and vice captains Phoenix Lachal and Aiden Sinclair have these qualities and have led APC with distinction. I’d like to thank them for what they have achieved this year.

But now they are preparing to hand over to our next leaders.

Last term, we put out the call to Year 11 students to consider applying to be School Captain next year, and 21 students put up their hands.

It was a record number of applicants and they all deserve our thanks for wanting to make a difference at APC.

Just before the end of term, our final six – Sophia Amin, Texa

Blanchy, Gali Cohen, James Keating, Oliver O'Conner, and Samay Mallya - stood up at assembly and made their pitch to lead APC in 2025.

Some spoke passionately, others quietly, but all spoke with confidence about their ability to make APC a better place. And, as they spoke, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride in the leadership qualities they all displayed.

As we prepare to announce our School Captains for 2025, I want to thank them all for the courage they have shown to submit to this public selection process.

With leaders such as these, we know APC will be in good hands.

Steven Cook Foundation Principal

OUR 2024 LEADERS AIDEN, STERLING, AGNES AND PHOENIX.

PARENTS OF YOUNG STUDENTS INVITED TO SPECIAL CYBER SAFETY SESSION

As young students begin to navigate the online world, APC is committed to ensuring they stay safe and make the right choices.

Parents, carers and students in Years 7 and 8 are invited to a special cyber safety session this Thursday (October 17) at the Danks St campus from 5.30pm6.30pm.

The session will be delivered by Sam Macaulay from Cyber Safety Project.

APC is working with the Cyber Safety Project to embed cyber safety and digital wellbeing education among our students, educators and families.

Parents and carers are encouraged to bring their child to this event as there will be opportunities for adult/child interaction during the session.

If you have yet to register your interest, please do so via the form linked below.

We look forward to working together with you in understanding and navigating the complexities of looking after young people in today’s digital world.

YEAR 7 STUDENTS ATTEND A CYBER SAFETY SESSION AT APC LAST WEEK.

STERLING BAIRD MAKES HIS POINT (ABOVE), MUCH TO THE DELIGHT OF THE YEAR 12S (BELOW).

STAFF AND STUDENTS

VERBAL WIN BY TEACHERS NOT UP FOR DEBATE

In the blue corner, five feisty Year 12 students ready to put teachers in their place after six years of being told what to do.

In the green corner, four fired up teachers used to getting their own way in any argument with students.

Yes, it was the annual Students v Teachers debate, and there was no give or take as the two teams fought over the question: Teachers are Better at Technology Than Students.

But there was a twist. Teachers had to argue that students were superior, and the students had to argue that teachers were tops at tech.

While personal attacks were plentiful from both sides, a vocal crowd of more than 50 students left the three-person judging panel in no doubt who they thought won.

But despite the intense pressure from the parochial crowd, judges Kate Osborne, Isabel Hollingdale and Year 12 student Mia Kachab stood firm and gave it to the teachers in a unanimous points decision.

A source very close to the judging panel later revealed that while they gave top debating marks to student leader Sterling Baird, the teachers actually answered the question.

Ouch!

STAFF AND STUDENTS

POWERHOUSE PERFORMANCES CREATE A SHOW TO REMEMBER

More than 350 people came to the Malthouse Theatre to see APC's dance show Ends of the Earth.

The performances – three shows over two days - were powerful and moving, and testament to the enormous hours of practice put in by the cast over many months.

Congratulations to artistic director Laura Macafee, artist in residence Jo Magliolo, the APC dancers and the crew behind the scenes who all worked so hard to make Ends of the Earth a show to remember.

Marshall White Port Phillip is the principal sponsor of APC’s major creative and performing arts events, which includes the Dance Show. We are grateful to directors Oliver Bruce and Ben Manolitsas for their support.

CREATIVE PASSION PAYS OFF

It has taken 15 weeks of hard work but the curtain will shortly go up on ‘Til The End Of Time.

The drama production process is a huge feature of the Year 10 Drama curriculum and it has been a true thrill to see the creativity, passion and excitement from our class as they created their original narrative and characters.

Our cast of 21 is made up of students from Years 7 to 12, and they have all delighted in bringing their peers’ vision to life.

EMOTIONS RUN HIGH IN POWERFUL DRAMA

YEAR 10 STUDENT MAX VUCIC EXPLAINS HOW THE YEAR 10 DRAMA CLASS DEVELOPED APC’S NEWEST PLAY

APC’s upcoming annual play, ‘Till The End of Time, features a dramatic love story set in Sunny Towers nursing home.

The play was written by the incredibly talented Year 10 drama class while being overseen by our amazing artist in residence Amelia Evans.

The early phases of the play came from discussing things that we found elicited a strong emotional reaction from us.

After some brainstorming, performing some scenes, and extensive talk about YA romance

novels we finally settled on our basic plot.

From there we constructed scenes and characters in groups and then presented them to the class with the general student consensus being that whoever’s idea was the loudest and saddest would be the one we go for.

Thankfully Amelia and our drama teacher Miss Sabatino made sure that we didn’t turn the play into an hour of tears and tissues, and guided us to create a fun, dramatic and pretty sad story of lovers separated by circumstance.

In the rehearsal process our actors truly gave it their all in delivering a phenomenal performance. It genuinely shocked me just how well my fellow students are able to embody their characters.

In my experience as assistant directing for this play I have truly gained an appreciation for the teachers.

In the few times where I’ve had to direct a scene without the help of Miss Sab or Miss Alers, I have found that directing a room full of students is much harder than they make it look.

I am honoured to be working with such talented people and I am really looking forward to seeing how this play develops.

‘Til The End Of Time will be performed at Gasworks Arts Park on October 23 and 24. Tickets are available on the Gasworks Arts Park website, or click the link below.

BUY TICKETS

STAFF AND STUDENTS

SOCCER TEAM WINS BIG

Some terrific news from the sporting field

First up – APC’s Year 7 Boys Soccer team won the state final.

The team defeated Catherine McCauley 2–0, Ballarat High School 8–1 and Brunswick 3–2 in the group stage to reach the final against Rowville.

The final was a sensational game, ending 0–0 after extra time before APC won the penalty shootout 4–2.

The squad consisted of: Maxim Bowring, Henrik Chrisafis, Hugo Clancy, Joshua Dingley, Kian Durcan, Michael Giannakis, Aarav Grover, Thomas Hastings, Felix Hessel, Reis Igdigul, Peter Kounelis, Geordie Kringoudis, Thomas Lawrence, Kai McClurg,

Ben Spencer, Olli Steinfort, William Trpcevski and Denni Vakrinos.

Our Year-7 Girls Soccer team also did the college proud finishing 2nd in their pool of four teams, missing out on a 1st finish only on goal difference.

They completed their season unbeaten across all three tournaments (Beachside, Southern Metro and State). An excellent achievement indeed.

The team was as follows: Kawther Abdelrahman, Hanon Box, Sarah Corcoran, India Fannon, Rosie Hazel, Leeloo Koman, Michaela Lam, Anna Lobley, Isla McInnes, Zara Mclean, Zoe Tadic, Salome Umbach, Heidi Wills, Melina Giannakis (Year 10 – assistant coach).

OUR CHAMPION BOYS TEAM AND OUR UNDEFEATED GIRLS TEAM (ABOVE) HAVE MADE APC PROUD.

DEBATE TEAM ARGUES ITS WAY TO THE TOP

Late last term, six students in Years 9 and 10 attended an inter-school British Parliamentary Debating competition.

The students worked in pairs to put together an argument on three secret topics in an entirely new and unfamiliar debating format. The students had 45 minutes to construct their case before presenting.

British Parliamentary Debating involves the extra challenge of addressing points of information made by opposing teams, designed to rattle and challenge them during their speeches.

All students demonstrated quick wits, sharp minds and a deep knowledge of economic and cultural issues as varied as the merits of destination weddings to the cashless economy.

A special congratulations to Jane Zorbas and Zamina Parker, who

finished an amazing second place overall in a competition with 64 teams from schools across the state. Jane ranked in the top 10 speakers of the day out of almost 130 speakers.

As a result, Jane and Zamina earned the right to compete in the grand final of the competition, going up against Camberwell Grammar, Melbourne Grammar and Melbourne Girls Grammar!

The topic was 'Employers should provide more health benefits for their employees - such as free meals and gym memberships.' And they came in third! What a magnificent performance.

Well done to all students who participated: Jane, Zamina, Finlay Grapes, Matilda Morgan, Alice Reid-Rodrigues and Louise Nguyen.

PARENT PORTAL RELAUNCHED WITH NEW FEATURES

APC has relaunched its Parent Portal with a range of important educational and support services for parents and carers. The portal is designed to provide parents with information necessary to help guide their child through their high school life.

KEY FEATURES OF THE NEW-LOOK PORTAL INCLUDE:

• APC TV: Parents will find a range of topics published monthly with comprehensive videos from leading specialists and organisations.

• Weekly updates on what students are learning in Positive Education classes with links to relevant resources for parents.

• Fortnightly updates from APC’s wellbeing team on the most relevant topics affecting our young people.

• Links to support services for students and parents.

You can find the Parent Portal on the APC website in the Community section. Or use this link to take a look now.

JANE (LEFT) AND ZAMINA ARE ALL SMILES AFTER FINISHING THIRD IN THE GRAND FINAL

STAFF AND STUDENTS

FOOD TEAMS HIT A YUM NOTE

Food Technology and Hospitality Club students had a busy Term 3.

The term included many excursions to Queen Vic Market, restaurants, butchers and cafes to learn new skills and experience first-hand the food culture in Melbourne.

Hospitality Club catered for a range of events including ‘Wear it Purple Day’ and a surprise morning tea for Education Support staff.

They had a master class in barista skills, filleting fish, gluten-free baking and other classes hosted by our own skilled staff.

In their Food in Australia unit, Year 7s explored the diverse cultures that shape Australian cuisine and created some amazing dishes based on scone recipes.

As part of their Exploration of Asia unit, Year 8 students prepared an impressive Asian Banquet using

a hero ingredient. The whole class was able to sit down to eat together and share their creations.

Year 10 students took on the challenge of running their own fine dining establishment – the Albert Restaurant. From designing multicourse menus to rotating through roles such as head chef and waiter, they gained valuable experience in professional kitchen operations.

They also made 12 teacher guests very happy to be served a delicious three-course lunch.

The Year 11 Vocational Major students started their own business and ran a café for staff and their APC community.

The menu featured freshly baked bagels, focaccia, cookies, and a lemon meringue pie. They raised money for charity and provided some delicious goods for our school community.

OUR BUDDING MASTERCHEFS AND THEIR DELICIOUS WORK.

MOCK INTERVIEWS DELIVER A TASTE OF THE REAL WORLD

Early last month, our Year 10 students participated in APC’s Work Ready program.

The event was a full day of careers-related activities for the students, starting with a presentation from guest speaker Roman MC, an award-winning artist, freestyle MC and storyteller.

Roman’s presentation was fun, interactive and inspirational, encouraging students to be both passionate and values-driven as they plan their future.

In the afternoon students participated in a series of workrelated workshops and the annual Mock Interview event.

Volunteers from the parent and local community conducted short, mock job interviews with students to help them prepare for the reallife interviews they will encounter as they enter the world of work.

The volunteers brought with them expertise from a wide range of industries, enabling students to gain valuable insight and skills for future job interviews.

The volunteers were very impressed with the engagement and professionalism shown by students in a situation that we can all find very daunting.

The college extends a heartfelt thank you to the volunteers, staff and students who participated in the Work Ready Program.

The day is a staple on the college calendar and helps ensure that our students are both ‘match fit’ and ‘job ready’ when they enter the world of work.

Kathryn Riosa, Alice Watson and Jessica Archer

APC Careers team

HIGH SCHOOL ISN’T FOR EVERYONE, BUT THERE IS A WHOLE WORLD TO EXPLORE ONCE YOU’VE GRADUATED, SAYS ISABELLA NOBLE.

WHAT YEAR DID YOU COMPLETE VCE?

I did VCE from 2020 - 2021, so COVID was definitely still around!

WHAT DID YOU STUDY IN VCE?

My VCE subjects were French, Literature, Visual Communication Design, History Revolutions, Further Maths and Psychology.

Strategically, I did most of the same subjects in Year 10, so I felt quite confident doing their VCE iterations. I enjoyed having a good variety of subjects which switched on different parts of my brain. gave me so many options on what to pursue in tertiary study.

WHAT WAS THE BEST PART OF LIFE AT APC?

I was very academic in high school (not so much now, though!) and I thoroughly appreciated all the dedication and support my teachers gave me.

In VCE I chose subjects that wouldn’t have huge class sizes, like Literature rather than English, and because of it I felt really invested in my learning, encouraged by my teachers.

WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING SINCE FINISHING VCE?

I’ve been doing a double degree in Design and Business at Monash University. It’s been a bit more difficult than expected, on the time organisation side of things, but also incredibly rewarding.

I felt a lot of freedom after graduating and have experienced a huge growth (and diversification) in my social life. I’m also working part-time in a restaurant, which is

ISABELLA HAS DESIGNS ON FURTHER TRAVEL

so beneficial to taking my mind off homework.

WHERE DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN 10 YEARS?

I hope to work in a small-medium graphic design firm, in whatever city that may be! I would like to travel extensively, live and work in different countries, and pick up bits of new languages in doing so.

DO YOU STAY IN TOUCH WITH APC?

I do! My Mum works at APC (hi Ms Flood!), so I often see my old teachers around (and yes, it is still a bit odd!). I also tried my hand at tutoring in 2023. Let me just say it’s not for the faint-hearted. Last year I also came in to speak to Year 12s about my post-APC life. I was very nervous!

LOOKING BACK ON YOUR VCE YEAR, WHAT ADVICE CAN YOU GIVE TO THIS YEAR’S VCE?

I strongly recommend talking to people you know about their careers and what they studied. Often, your uni course and your career look very different, meaning that your uni course is not the be-all and end-all.

Don’t discredit TAFE, and also remember that a three-year uni course is not the last learning experience you’ll have! There are so many options these days, explore them!

AND FINALLY .....

High school is a bit of a bizarre social environment, and although it wasn’t always easy, I truly value all the diverse experiences, friends and memories I made. High school isn’t for everyone, but there is a whole world to explore beyond its walls once you’ve graduated.

I’m very grateful to APC for giving me a great high school experience and education, which I’ll take with me wherever I go.

STAFF AND STUDENTS

WALL OF SOUND ROCKS DANKS ST CAMPUS

Danks St rocked and rolled when Bandfest took over the courtyard near the end of last term.

Mansplainers, Roxy Diamond, The Crushes, Spag Bol, Soultanas and The Petals gave it their all before a large crowd of appreciative students and teachers.

A special highlight was the debut performances by Distasteful Microwaves and Between The Girls and Me!

Having so many fine musicians doing their thing during recess and lunch was very, very cool!

$5,000

We invite entries across a range of mediums including: painting, photography, printmaking, watercolour, illustration, digital art , sculpture, ceramics and textiles.

ENTRIES OPEN 20 SEPTEMBER – 20 OCTOBER

(Exhibition: Friday 29 November – Sunday 1 December 2024)

ODYSSEY

ODYSSEY LITERARY FESTIVAL phases futures

FRIDAY, 25TH OCTOBER 2024

12PM-8PM

RMIT CAPITOL THEATRE SCAN QR CODE FOR TICKETS &

PROGRAM

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