Beaconhills College

Beaconhills has notched up its solar power again this week, switching on a new 100kW system at the Pakenham Campus Junior School. The College is one of the largest solar-powered schools in Australia, with 330kW now operating at Pakenham (on the roof of Year 9, Human Movement Centre and Junior School) and 300kW at Berwick (Senior School and Technology building).

See how much solar power we are soaking up each day! You can get live updates on the Sunny Portal, just click on this link and type ‘Beaconhills’ into the PV system name box.

Our French exchange programs are well underway now with Beaconhills students staying and studying in Laval and Chinon. The group has already enjoyed a brilliant city tour of Paris, visiting the famous Louvre museum and of course trying the local foods. Apparently some students have already forgotten they are Australian and are speaking French the entire time!

The Warragul-based Cruizers Rod and Custom Club have donated $1000 to help buy solar lights for children in the Hatolia district of East Timor, thanks to the initiative of our Food Services Assistant Carol Fletcher.

Carol, a Cruizers club member, was inspired after listening to Beaconhills’ Head of Citizenship and Service, Clare Tuohy, talk at the mid-year Staff Board Dinner about the many charities the College supports. One of those is Solar Buddy, which helps fights energy poverty by distributing solar-powered lights to children in developing countries like East Timor.

“I was so impressed listening to Clare speak of the many charities Beaconhills supports,” Carol said. “Clare’s care, enthusiasm and passion just shone through.”

After approaching the club, Carol said the Cruizers were only too happy to donate proceeds from the annual swap meet to help buy solar lights. Year 10 students from the Pakenham Campus distributed the lights during their trip to East Timor in September.

Food Services Assistant Carol Fletcher (left) presents the cheque from the car club to Head of Citizenship and Service Clare Tuohy

Beaconhills Year 10 students with East Timorese children and their Solar Buddy lights

A picnic in the fresh air and a healthy serve of salad sandwiches last week was a great way for the Little Beacons community to celebrate completing the State Government’s Achievement Program.

Little Beacons is one of just a few early learning centres in the region to complete the six health priority benchmarks; Safe Environments, Sun Protection, Tobacco Control, Physical Activity and Health Eating and Oral Health.

Congratulations to our Pakenham Campus Junior School All Stars basketballers, who made it to a nail-biting grand final game of the Hoop Time state finals at Dandenong.

They lost by just three points with the last shot on the buzzer! We are very proud of their sportsmanship and determination.

Year 10 student Ella Carson’s snap of a Tasmanian Devil made the finals of the 2018 Photography Studies College School Photography Competition, with the theme ‘Home is where the heart is’. Ella’s image was one of 17 selected from 64 entries. Congratulations Ella!

Beaconhills College has joined a Victorian Government initiative called ResourceSmart Schools.

The program will help us further build on our sustainability achievements, by embedding sustainability in everything we do. This includes reducing use of resources like electricity and waste water plus supporting indigenous plants and animals.

Sustainability Co-ordinator Jack Donkers will work with CERES Environment Park to implement the initiative. He said one of the College’s challenges was to reduce the amount of landfill items contaminating our recycling and organics waste.

Next year he will urge the entire College community to join the ‘Take 3 for the Sea’ initiative. Every time you leave the house or office, pick up three pieces of rubbish so they don’t end up in the oceans.

The land adjoining our new Pakenham Campus Year 9 centre (pictured) is already supporting indigenous plants and features a learning circle, small pond and a ‘lizard lounge’ for local invertebrates and reptiles.

Seven bright Pakenham Year 7 students have put their name on the map in the Cardinia Shire, after receiving High Distinctions in the 2018 MapIt! Challenge.

Austin Mills, Joel Carter Ramadge, Tasnia Mostofa, Eva Stickland, Sheridan Poole, Emily Hotchkin and Morgan Stone were among the 20 Beaconhills College students presented with the challenge to improve the liveability of the Cardinia Shire. Student suggestions for the three pronged approach required included building new playgrounds and homeless shelters, improving existing fencing and expanding parkland.