This semester has begun with a rollover of topics for our Year 7 to 9 students, all of whom are moving from Geography into History. They will be examining and analysing rock art sources from our First Nations cultures, working through the story of the Bayeux Tapestry in Year 8, and getting to grip with pivotal changes in the human story via the Industrial Revolution in Year 9. We also have new students beginning to explore potential VCE subjects, as they undertake studies at Year 10 introducing Global Politics, Business Management and Legal Studies.

We are preparing our students to start a journey towards responsible stewardship of our world. The students of Year 10 Introduction to Global Politics are participating in a full day Model UN program at Mentone Grammar where they will be representing various UN nations, debating other schools, and trying to pass a resolution to do with Sustainable Cities and Communities, one of the Millennium Development Goals. More to come on their success in subsequent newsletters.

Climate is the topic for the Year 11 Australian and Global Politics course this term, particularly looking at the Australian government’s new position regarding the Paris Agreement. The Australian government has recently submitted an updated version of our Nationally Determined Contribution, which commits Australia to reducing its emissions to 43% below 2005 levels by 2030. Our students will be debating our actions based on our place as responsible global leaders, particularly in the Asia Pacific region.

Our Business Studies students are discussing ethical and socially responsible marketing practices in business and also working towards better understandings around concepts such as target marketing and new product development and change management in Australian businesses such as Wesfarmers. The Year 10 Introduction to Business Management class is focussing on the place of Australian female entrepreneurs.

Students of Legal Studies and politics will also be following the preparations for a referendum on the issue of an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders’ voice within our Australian Constitution. Undoubtedly, they will soon realise the extreme difficulties in achieving a change to this document in this manner. They have also watched with interest the opening of the new Federal Parliament, noting the growth in numbers of women MP’s, 57% in the Senate and 38% in the House of Representatives. They also followed the emphasis given to the Uluru Statement from the Heart https://ulurustatement.org/the-statement/view-the-statement/by our new Prime Minister in the opening ceremonies of the Parliament.

I know that in the future, we will assuredly be watching some of our amazing students doing similar inspirational deeds in fields of Law, Accounting, Business, Politics and History.

Jacinta Nampijinpa Price begins her career as a senator this week, supported by her grandmother Tess Napaljarri Ross.

Carolyn Callaghan
Learning Leader: Humanities

Photo Credit – James Blackwood