Highlights

In Year 9, students were given the opportunity to select Fit for Life as one of their electives. In this class, they have taken part in a variety of physical activity experiences including social, health and fitness, cathartic, aesthetic, competitive, recreational, vertiginous and ascetic activities.

Students had the opportunity to leave the classroom and explore these different types of activities. As a class, they went for a walk (social), attended a Body Balance class at the gym (health and fitness), participated in boxing (cathartic) and played competitive games (competitive).

Most recently, they headed to Melbourne Cable Park to take on the High Ropes course (vertiginous).

Meanwhile, the Duke of Edinburgh class has returned from an overnight practice hike at Phillip Island. This activity is designed to help students develop the bushcraft skills they’ll need for their Adventurous Journey camp at Wilson’s Prom at the end of the year. Student Reflections and more photos will come in the next PE newsletter article; however, by all reports they had an amazing time. (See Maree Clark’s report below).

In order to help Year 10 students meet their Physical Activity Guidelines, students have been participating in a range of recreational activities that, in adult life, require very little planning, equipment or cost. Embracing the enablers in our physical environment has been a focus, with classes walking down to Mentone Beach for some ‘Ultimate Frisbee’ or even sandcastle building competitions, as well as taking the bus to Mordialloc Beach to participate in some beach volleyball. Much fun was had by all!

Duke of Edinburgh Practice Hike

Last week the Duke of Edinburgh class completed their practice journey at Phillip Island. As part of the award, they need to sleep in a tent, cook a meal on a Trangia stove, carry a pack and participate in purposeful activity.

The girls completed three walks over the two days. The first walk was on the old rail trail from Anderson to Kilcunda (4kms). After a short break looking out over the ocean at Kilcunda, they then walked along the Bass Coast towards Punchbowl Road (8kms). We had a short stay at Half Moon Bay beach for a lunch break. The girls all walked at an incredible pace. They were very chatty with each other and very encouraging.

They cooked some great meals on their Trangia stoves. Some may have not been that delicious, but it was all part of the “practice” to see if they would cook this again at the end of the year when they participate in the Adventurous Journey. It was a very calm night (no wind) and they all seemed to sleep well.

The final day saw us complete the Cape Woolamai circuit walk (7.5kms). There were quite a few birds, wallabies, lizards and even a snake spotted during this walk. It was a great sense of achievement when they finished.

Maree Clark

Duke of Edinburgh Coordinator

Student Reflection

VET Sport and Recreation Bike Camp

Earlier this term, our small but mighty VET Sports and Recreation class had the privilege of participating in an enriching and thrilling three-day bike riding camp to Queenscliff!

Over the course of the three days, we rode a total of 80km across many scenic trails with coastal views, bush trails, busy and quiet roads, lots of hills and much more! On Day 2, we also got to participate in a super fun surfing lesson, where as a class, we enjoyed cheering each other on when we finally stood up on the board and just enjoyed being in the water!

Each and every one of us loved every aspect of this experience – from the beautiful beach sunsets we got to see just a minute’s walk from where we camped, to riding through amazing scenery, to connecting with peers (and teachers!) we hadn’t had the chance to connect with before. We also enjoyed a meal out as a class at a little restaurant in Queenscliff, listened to Mr. Brown’s facts (he has one for every location) and, most of all, shared many smiles and belly laughs (95% of the time – the other 5% from being hot and bothered after lots of riding)!

Overall, our whole class agrees that we will forever reflect on this camp as one we will never forget and one of the best school camps we’ve been a part of!

We are ever so grateful for the effort and work Ms Rogers, Mr Brown, Campbell and Derrek put in to make this amazing camp possible.

Leila Timms and Amy Pedrazzini

Year 11

Upcoming Events

Year 7 Physical Education and Health

Year 7 Physical Education swimming excursions will begin soon. Students will walk down to Mentone Girls’ Secondary College to take part in four sessions during class time, with the aim of earning their Victorian Water Safety certificate. This program includes learning safe water entry techniques and rescue methods.

In Year 7 Health, students will soon participate in an Elephant Ed session titled “Identity.” This session will introduce complex topics such as identity, sexuality and attraction. Through this, we aim to uphold our Brigidine values by promoting acceptance and equality for all people.

Year 8 Health

This term, Year 8 Health classes will engage in a session titled “Porn vs. Reality” as part of the Safety and Cyber Safety unit. Throughout this unit, students have been exploring e-safety, social media safety and the concept of sexting.

A significant component of the unit focuses on pornography (sexualised images), addressing students’ increased exposure to such content and examining the issues of violence and sexism often present in mainstream media. Understanding the harmful impact these images can have on sexual knowledge, attitudes and behaviours is vital for our young students.

The unit also emphasises what it means to be a good digital citizen. Students explore cyberbullying – its behaviours and impacts – and learn to make responsible decisions when using digital devices, particularly regarding sexting.

We strongly encourage parents to engage in open discussions with their daughters about this unit, supporting them as they navigate the challenges of today’s digital society.

Year 10 Health and Physical Education

Towards the end of the semester, as students balance exams and Futures Week, the PE department has organised three physical activity sessions to help them unwind and manage stress. These include guided classes in Body Pump, Body Balance, Spin, and – for a lucky few – Zumba, held at South Pacific Gym in Mentone.

Daniel Kelly

Learning Leader: Health and Physical Education