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30-34 Toomuc Valley Rd, Pakenham VIC 3810
92 Kangan Dr, Berwick VIC 3806
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Learning that Matters
I am delighted to be launching a new scholarship program for senior students wishing to join our College in 2017 for Years 10 or 11.
The Senior School scholarship program is aimed at students who, up until now, may not have had an opportunity of a Beaconhills College education. We are seeking talented and committed students who want to build on their strengths and broaden their future opportunities.
Assessment for these scholarships is based on a portfolio submission and an interview, giving students a chance to highlight their academic achievements and contributions to school life and community. We hope to attract students who are eager to learn, embrace opportunity and demonstrate our core values of respect, compassion and integrity.
We look forward to your application.
Beaconhills College students are ready to set the world on fire with ROCK OUT @ BEACON, a winter concert celebrating rock and roll’s greatest hits.
The free concert will be held at the College’s Berwick Campus from 7pm on Thursday 11 August.
The repertoire will include well-known hits from the past 70 years, included pieces ranging from Lennon and McCartney to Bon Jovi, Queen and Pearl Jam. Students will perform classics such as Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Light My Fire, and Livin’ on a Prayer.
Artistic Director Drew Downing, who has an impressive background in live music and performance, is promising a professional-standard show featuring talented students from Years 5-12.
“Students also host the event, giving an opportunity for young performers to confidently engage with a live audience,” he said.
Mr Downing said all students had to research their allocated repertoire, learning about the composers, artists and cultural reflections in each piece performed.
The concert will feature all performing arts’ disciplines, including music, dance and drama.
“There will be 80 students and teachers on stage playing some of the biggest rock hits ever, with our best vocalists and dancers,” he said. “It should be a fantastic show.”
Doors open at 6.45pm. The venue is the Performing Arts Hall at the Beaconhills College Berwick Campus, 92 Kangan Drive, Berwick. Details: 1300 002 225.
Some ROCK OUT @ BEACON performers: (l-r) Micaela S, Riley T, Lucy R, Keown O, Chelsea R, Josh N, Sam E, Jesse B and Bridget L
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
Beaconhills College teachers have found a way to incorporate the current Pokémon Go craze into student learning.
Pokémon Go is a “location- based augmented reality game” where players use their mobile devices to ‘catch’ Pokémon characters.
Berwick Campus Middle School teacher Amanda Stefancic has come up with an ideal way to enhance Year 8 studies of landforms and landscapes using the popular game.
“Their task was to locate Pokémon on the school grounds using the app, note which landforms and vegetation were nearby each Pokémon, then transfer this information to an annotated map using geographical skills and language,” Ms Stefancic said.
Not surprisingly, the lessons have been a hit with students.
Ashley E from Year 8
Year 9 teacher David Knip found time to catch one during a break on City Experience with his students
Pakenham Campus School Captain Gemma S has earned the prestigious Pierre de Coubertin sporting award.
The awards recognise secondary school students who demonstrate attributes consistent with the Olympic movement through their sporting involvement.
Physical Education and Outdoor Education teacher Peter Ashmore said Gemma was chosen because of her outstanding performances for Beaconhills College, her commitment to training, upholding the Olympic values and helping inspire younger students.
Gemma has played netball both for the College and other teams and has also been a keen participant in the Cross-Country team for the past five years. She enjoys softball, football and other sports.
She said winning the award was a great honour.
“I have tried to achieve my best in sport at school and always participate in as many sports as I can,” said Gemma.
When she finishes school, she hopes to study Occupational Therapy at Monash University, then eventually work in rehabilitation.
She received her award at a presentation at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Gemma S (right) after receiving her certificate at the MCG, with teacher Peter Ashmore
We have some exciting developments in the area of environmental sustainability.
In September, we will install an extra 200kW solar system at the Berwick Campus. This will be in addition to the existing two 100 kWh systems in place at each campus.
Not only will these mean that Beaconhills College has one of the largest overall solar installations of any educational institution in Australia, but it’s great news for the environment.
The College has worked hard to achieve ambitious environmental goals and has rolled out a number of significant programs in recent years. These range from LED lighting upgrades to incorporating sustainability into all new building designs. More details about these initiatives will be released in coming weeks in our new environmental report.
The addition of a new solar system at Berwick alone will mean that just over half of all of the Berwick Campus power will now come from solar generation.
Overall, our initiatives across the College have led to a total savings of $81,000 in electricity costs since 2013.
I am proud of the fact we are well on the way to becoming a leading environmental champion in our community.
The current solar system at the Berwick Campus
Celebrating multiculturalism was the aim of Beaconhills College’s recent Cross-Cultural Week held at the Berwick Campus.
Junior School students enjoyed a Japanese puppet show called ‘Momotaro’ – a Japanese folk tale – while other activities included a capoeira (Brazilian martial art) class, African drumming, French films, calligraphy, a crepe van visit and sushi tasting.
Learning about the world and other cultures is one of the key pillars of the Beaconhills College curriculum.
Scary but fun: the Momotaro performance
Prep student Jesper K loved the puppet show
Two years ago Beaconhills College invited parents to participate in a survey, to help provide feedback to ensure we continue to offer the best education possible for your children.
Soon we will again invite parents, along with exiting Year 12 students, to take part in an anonymous survey – provided by Independent Schools Victoria (ISV). These surveys are conducted in independent schools across Victoria.
Among other things, the surveys help us with our strategic planning, school improvements and give us a deeper insight into our school community.
The questions are designed to rate parent satisfaction in areas such as student welfare, quality of teaching and overall school effectiveness.
The Year 12 exit survey will help us understand students’ perceptions regarding their educational experience with Beaconhills College.
The survey is completely anonymous and takes about 10 minutes to complete. All families will receive an invitation to participate in the week beginning 25 July. I hope you will take time to respond as we would greatly appreciate your input.
Three Beaconhills boys will take on the best runners in Victoria in the State Schools Victoria Combined Cross Country finals on Thursday 14 July at Bundoora Park.
Congratulations to Jaxon B (Year 6 Berwick Campus) and Pakenham Campus students Bailley M (Year 6) and William L (Year 4) for making it to the finals competition.
Bailley recently also placed fifth in the Under 14 boys’ division of the Victorian All Schools Cross Country Championships, running a time of 10:15.0.
Good luck on Thursday to our three competitors.
Jaxon B
Each year the St Vincent de Paul Society holds a Vinnies CEO Sleepout to help support Vinnies’ vital services for the homeless.
I was delighted recently to accompany our Head of Middle School at Berwick Campus, Clare Tuohy, to this event in Melbourne to help represent the Vinnies’ Berwick Soup Van team. Our job was to serve dinner to the CEOs taking part in this major fundraiser, which involves them ‘sleeping rough’ for one night so they can gain some degree of understanding of what it means to be homeless.
A number of Beaconhills College staff volunteer on the Vinnies Soup Van once a month on Tuesday evenings, helping serve food to people in need across the City of Casey. Taking part in the Vinnies CEO Sleepout gave us the opportunity to meet some of the CEOs and discuss the plight of people in need in our region, as well as helping raise awareness of the work of the Soup Vans.
I am proud our staff have so enthusiastically supported the Berwick Soup Van in recent years by volunteering their time for this valuable service. Our team will be back on the streets in the van on Tuesday 12 July.
I look forward the same day to also welcoming everyone back to Term 3 at Beaconhills College.
Head of Berwick Campus Middle School Clare Tuohy
Well done to students from Beaconhills College’s Tennis Program who qualified to play in the Australian Money Tournament (AMT) over the school holidays.
Wihan V (Year 7 Berwick Campus) and Simon Y (Year 9 Pakenham) played some great tennis in the high-standard tournament held in Bendigo. Both players made it through the first round of the Open Division singles.
Wihan V
Year 7 camp
Early Explorers site sod turned
College Facebook page temporarily unavailable.
Top Class Drama award
Lockdown Information
Headmaster concludes service in 2021
Paige is a Top Class Dancer
Emerging artists
Grant to help build ‘nature’s classroom’
Seetali’s solar farm
Staff Day focuses on renewal
Georgia’s Top Art
Get set for the new Community Arts and Recreation Centre
Vale Neville Clark
World Teachers’ Day
7 key questions to ask when choosing a school
The importance of regular school attendance
Combatting racism starts with education
Get ready for a return to school
Supporting our community through crisis
Term 2, with a difference
Online Learning to continue into term 2
Support for health care workers
From humble beginnings
Celebrating student leadership in 2021
1300 002 225 | Int: +613 5945 3001
reception@beaconhills.vic.edu.au
Pakenham Campus
Berwick Campus
Little Beacons
Gate C, Syme Rd, Pakenham VIC 3810