Stone Curtis

CURTIS STONE

VICE PRINCIPAL | HEAD OF MORNINGTON YEAR 10-12 CAMPUS

As we now are on the cusp of ending term 3, it has again become apparent that Padua continues to provide outstanding educational opportunities and experiences for all students and most importantly, that students continue to make the most of these opportunities. These gains made in term 3, will play a significant role in providing a great platform for term 4 and for the graduating Class of 2022, a renewed energy for life after Padua as their time at the College nears completion.

The 2023 School Captain process has begun and once the shortlisting has been completed, those students will present their speeches early in term 4. The calibre of applications was, yet again, outstanding and a reflection of the meaningful and special role this has in the College. Whilst those who were not shortlisted will be disappointed, I encourage them to continue their leadership journey and apply for House Captain roles in term 4. The 2023 school captains will be announced at the College assembly in term 4 as part of celebrating the graduation of the 2022 Year 12 cohort.

Outside of the classroom, the campus has been full of life. The Year 12 Catholic Action Program Trivia Night which supports St. Vincent De Paul, the Herald Sun Shield Champions, SIS Sport, Snow Camps, Year 11 eXcel day, Fit to Drive, Unpacking the Man Box, the exciting announcement of the 2023 School Production, VCAL Business Initiatives to name a few, have provided so many students with a range of opportunities to be involved in the life of the College and showcase their talents. Again, this is what makes Padua College a great community where learning is found outside the classroom as much as inside.

Specific details around the Year 12 rites of passage assemblies and celebrations are being finalised and will be communicated to all Year 12 students and parents as soon as possible. This is a most exciting time for the students and families and one in which we as a College look forward to sharing as a community.

As always, I encourage all parents to continue to be active members of the Padua community, engaging in conversation about what topics are being studied in class, keeping abreast of upcoming events and making contact with a subject teacher as needed.

VCE Outdoor & Environmental Studies

Winter is often considered a time to stay indoors due to the cold, snow, and freezing conditions, but for our VCE Outdoor & Environmental Studies Classes, this is exactly what we are after!

The Year 11 VCE Outdoor & Environmental Studies classes were blessed with perfect winter conditions and the beauty of Mount Stirling, with most groups getting significant amounts of snowfall during their trip. Mount Stirling is the most challenging camp at Padua, as it involves hiking in the snow and camping in tents. There is no escaping the freezing conditions. Students embraced the challenge to hike to the summit of Stirling, with opportunities to reflect on the amazing views, and they spoke of the rewarding experience as they hiked.

Our Year 12 Outdoor & Environmental Studies classes were also rewarded with significant snow fall last week as they attended their final camp at Mount Baw Baw. A lot of fun was had skiing and snowboarding, with snowball fights lasting hours. Students also participated in a Baw Baw education session to support their understanding of sustainable outdoor relationships. The Outdoor & Environmental Studies camps at Padua are a great way for students to build long-lasting relationships, and grow connections with our natural world.

Adam Cooper
Outdoor Education Convenor

VCAL Fundraising Fun

On Tuesday 23 August, Year 12 VCAL PDS ran a student-led fundraiser for two of Padua College’s partner charities, St. Vincent de Paul, and the local mental health charity Speak & Share.

After a tumultuous two years of COVID-enforced lockdowns, our class had long discussions and decided that a focus on mental health would greatly benefit the Peninsula and Padua communities. This led to a partnership with Speak & Share, a mental health charity organisation led by two former Padua students, Ben Farish and Nathan Scagliarini. Through their preventative approach, Speak and Share encourage tough conversations and challenge mental health stigma.

To raise money for these two great causes, Padua’s Year 12 VCAL PDS class organised a sausage sizzle, a raffle with prizes donated by Speak and Share, and entertainment including a chocolate coin toss game and music performed by Year 12 Padua students.

The turnout for the fundraiser was incredible. The support that we received from both staff and students was amazing to see, especially given that there has been a lack of positive events like this in recent times. We were able to raise over $700 in profits to donate to Vinnies and Speak and Share!

This was a wonderful learning experience for the students. They thoroughly enjoyed creating a positive atmosphere and were very proud to showcase what VCAL students can achieve.

Kaiden Forsyth
VCAL Teacher

Year 11 Philosophy Excursion

On 15 August, our Year 11 Philosophy students visited the Melbourne Zoo as part of their study into Normative Ethics. The focus of the visit was to answer the question ‘Are zoos ethical in the twenty-first century?’ Students collected evidence and information to help inform their views, and then returned to the classroom to test various philosophical arguments.

10 VCD Designs

Our Year 10 Visual Communication Design (VCD) students created a logo design for a selected client and then applied their designs to a range of different contexts. A talented group of young designers!

Christine Blake
Learning Leader - Visual Arts

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