As we approach the end of Term 1, I am pleased to report that we have been very impressed with the commitment of our students this term. As a comparison, attendance data across the college is up above 91%, which is a terrific start and within the range of attendance before COVID. Strong attendance at school suggests that most students are happy and well-engaged with their learning

Extra-Curricular Activities

There have been a significant number of wonderful extracurricular activities this term. This is very pleasing to see and a testament to the commitment of our staff to deliver engaging and out-of-classroom experiences for students. These include several different camps, inter-school sports days, incursions such as Medieval day, guest speakers, including the Hon Ben Carroll, Deputy Premier and Minister for Education, career expos for our senior students, an excursion to the Bi-Annual Air Show, University Open Days, just to name a few. I am also extremely pleased to report that team Sapphire was successful during the swimming carnival. Well done to all the participants who earned points for their house on the day!

The interaction between students and staff and the opportunity to form rapport outside the classroom is an important focus of our Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) and aligns with our whole school BSEM training. These are important facets of education and help build strong working relationships for years to come.

This week began with two big events, firstly, Rosefest, which was a great success with approximately $4,000 raised for charity and secondly, Athletics Day - which was also strongly attended with many students participating across the many Track and Field events. The weather was kind to us on both days and the opportunity for our community to build rapport with shared experiences was invaluable.

Parent/Teacher Interviews

It was also very pleasing to see such a strong commitment and attendance with the parent teacher conferences last week. I had many conversations with parents and carers during the onsite sessions and can report an overwhelmingly strong positive experience for students and parents alike. Attending these meetings with your child sends a very strong message that you value education and that we are working as a team to ensure successful learning outcomes.

Sponsorship

Bendigo Bank East Keilor has kindly approved to sponsor the purchase of two new 3-D printers and a new split system air conditioner for H1. Bendigo Bank has sponsored our Awards night for many years. We are very grateful for Bendigo Bank’s generosity in helping provide essential equipment to our college community.

Staffing Update

Melissa Chapman will be taking maternity leave from the end of this term. We wish Melissa all the best for the pending birth of her first child. We have been fortunate to find a suitable replacement with Physics and Science qualifications, Tracy Guan, who has been working with us for a few weeks as a CRT helping cover other classes.

David McLeod will also commence with us next term teaching Product Design and Technology. David is a highly experienced teacher in this field.

We welcome back Valerie Chua (formerly Zivcic) from parental leave next term. Valerie is an experienced and wonderful maths teacher having taught senior and junior mathematics at Rosehill for many years.

Acting Principal

I will be a caretaker Principal during Term 2 at University High School whilst the substantive principal position is advertised in the next Principal Round on 2^nd May 2025. The application period will run for four weeks which will allow for the process to be completed in time for a Term 3 appointment following a successful recommendation. I will be returning to Rosehill Secondary College at the end of this process. During Term 2 Ms Frances Snow will be Acting Principal in my stead.

End of Term

Finally, I would like to wish our community and families a safe, healthy and happy term break. It’s a great opportunity to rejuvenate in readiness for Term 2. Happy Easter to all who celebrate and try not to eat too many chocolate eggs!

Arthur Soumalias

PRINCIPAL

School Policies have been updated in line with Department of Education and Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority requirements. Parents may review these on the school websitehttps://www.rosehillsc.vic.edu.au/under Our School > Policies > Minimum Standards Compliance – June 2022.

Recently our Year 11 VM class participated in White Card training. This training is designed to provide workers with the knowledge and skills necessary to work safely on construction sites. White card training is essential for all students, especially those entering industries related to construction, safety, and other physical labour fields. This training provides a basic understanding of workplace safety, ensuring that students are aware of potential hazards and how to respond appropriately.

Our students learnt how to identify risks, follow proper safety protocols, and promote a culture of safety, which ultimately helps reduce accidents and injuries. Our trainer Josh engaged the students with puzzles, role play, physical demonstrations, quizzes, and theory in his workshop. By fostering a strong understanding of workplace safety, it helps prevent accidents, supports responsible behaviour, and prepares students for successful careers in industries that prioritise health and safety.

White card training not only equips students with valuable knowledge but also enhances their employability and preparedness for real-world challenges.

Vicki Handris

VCE VM LEADER

The 14th of March is a day that every math enthusiast — and anyone who loves a good slice of pie — looks forward to: National Pi Day! Pi Day celebrates the mathematical constant π (pi), which is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. This fascinating number is approximately 3.14, which is why Pi Day is celebrated on March 14 (3/14).

This year, Pi Day was celebrated on the day as well as the week after considering NAPLAN was running at the same time. The Year 7s and 8s kicked it off. There were some very impressive recitations from 8D with Alessia Fortuna reciting 100 digits! From 7E, Arren Popovici stole the show recalling a SUPER impressive and RECORD BREAKING 311 digits!

Students were thrilled to receive RIL cards, candy, and a slice of jam pie for their enormous efforts. Students also enjoyed some Pi activities during the lesson while they continued to test each other. In 7E, some eager students stepped in to test their peers while Ms Barbaro tested the remainder of the class.

Well done to all students!

Stephanie Barbaro

VCE PSYCHOLOGY & MATHEMATICS TEACHER

The Year 8 students studying Humanities this semester, participated in an educational, entertaining and fun day exploring Medieval society. It was a fantastic opportunity for a hands-on learning experience.

Students took part in three program activities:

• Costume and Lifestyle: Students learnt about the day-to-day life of a medieval person. They were able to model a range of costumes including those of the kings, queens, nobles, peasants, and the clergy. The differentiation of the medieval classes was evident in the colour and fabric of the costumes.
• Music and Dance: Students were treated to a live demonstration of medieval instruments and dancing! They were taught a fun but simple medieval dance which they performed on stage in the brand-new auditorium. A group of volunteers formed a medieval band and were taught to play authentic instruments.
• Arms and Armour: The highlight of the day, however, was the Arms and Armour display and discussion. Students particularly enjoyed being given the opportunity to wear a variety of armour and helmets, and the opportunity to go into serious battle! They also listened attentively to the interesting stories about the use of medieval weapons, showing the evolution of the art of war.

Overall, the incursion was a worthwhile, informative, and engaging experience for our students. It gave them an appreciation of Medieval life and built on the knowledge learnt in the classroom.

Annabelle Ryan

HUMANITIES TEACHER

As an extension to our Consumer Literacy study, the Year 7 ‘Money and Markets’ class ventured to Keilor Road Niddrie, to investigate and observe the various marketing methods used by retailers to encourage consumers to purchase goods and services. In particular, students noted the methods used at Woolworths supermarket, including persuasive language and signage, product placement, specials tickets, limited edition collectibles and special in-store promotions, to name a few.

With the overarching learning goal ‘to understand that consumers have legal rights, but with that comes consumer responsibilities’, upon their return to school, students considered the steps they can take to be responsible consumers in order to avoid spending more than planned.

With the heat of the day, an ice-cold Slurpee at 7-11 was a welcome treat before the walk back to school.

Thank you to Ms Nellie Harbourd for joining the group on the excursion.

Abigail Abuacan

HUMANITIES TEACHER

On Monday 31st March, our school celebrated its annual Year 9 Fundraising Day, Rosefest. Students in the Year 9 ID program have been working over the last four weeks to plan, budget, advertise, and organise a food or activity stall. Highlights included the ever-popular Pie-the-Teacher Stall – thanks to Mr Ross for taking the long shift there – and the Milkshake and Ice Cream Brownie stalls bringing in over $300 each.

In total the students raised over $4,000 which will be donated to Yooralla Disability Services and The Salvation Army, both of whom support the Year 9 curriculum. Students also brought in a number of non-perishable goods for a food drive to be donated to Foodbank, who continue to support all our students by supplying delicious fruit and other brain food.

Thank you to all the students, teachers, and parents who worked hard to ensure a successful day!

Alex Vincent

MIDDLE SCHOOL LEADER

The 2025 School Aquila is now available for pre-purchase!

Don't miss your chance to secure a copy of the 2025 school magazine, which will be distributed to families in December 2025. Get ready for a sneak peek into the year's highlights and achievements, with every student featured!

If you wish to purchase the School Magazine, please accept the invitation on Compass and process your payment.

Please note if the event says ' Attending ' in Green, the school magazine has been paid for and you will not be able to process a payment

Stephanie Barbaro

VCE PSYCHOLOGY & MATHEMATICS TEACHER

Do you wish to feel better informed about the online environment your child negotiates in their daily life?

Please join us for an evening with CyberSafety Expert, Susan McLean: Growing Up Online.

Thursday 19^th June 6:00pm

Rosehill Secondary College Auditorium

Rosehill is proud to bring you this educational and empowering session for parents and carers of young people of all ages, presented by CyberSafety Expert, Susan McLean.

The session will cover the positive benefits of technology as well as what parents need to be aware of:

• Reality and risk
• What are kids doing online?
• Online grooming
• Cyberbullying
• Sharing nudes
• Problematic gaming
• Exposure to damaging content
• Top Tips for parents

There is no charge for this event.

Booking details will be advised closer to the date.

Please save the date and join us!

On Friday 14th March, 10 students from Year 9, 10 and 11 attended an excursion to the Gene Technology Access Centre (GTAC) in Parkville. We were introduced to stem cells, where they come from, and how they are used in cancer research. There were five young researchers from the Murdoch Children Research Institute (MCRI), who shared their experiences working with stem cells to help cure children suffering from cancer.

We got to experience a variety of laboratory activities in collaboration with students from other schools across Melbourne. The MCRI specialists explained and showcased the bioethics of stem cells, translocation and deletion of chromosomes, cures for cancer using stem cells, blood type analysis and microscopic examination of real brain tumour cells.

We learnt about the science behind stem cells and were given made up scenarios about patients which we then had to analyse or perform an experiment on to be able to conclude a solution. Some of them being, what kind of cancer they had, what kind of cure was needed, how would their treatment be decided, etc. The MCRI specialists guided us in our learning and were there to answer challenging questions and clear up any confusion.

This GTAC program gave our students the opportunity to learn about a new field of biology and was a great opportunity to acquire prior knowledge for more learning in the future. Students were able to feel involved and excited to be learning about such a fascinating topic. Being able to understand the MCRI specialists' careers and how they studied in their fields was a great way to open up to possible career paths. Overall, this experience left us with ambition to learn even more about stem cells and how they can really be used in cancer research.

Klea Danglli

YEAR 9E STUDENT

On Tuesday the 11th of March, my peers and I from years 9 and 10 visited the Quantum Forensic Investigation Workshop (QFI), with the aim of learning about forensic science and its real-world applications to solve criminal cases. We began with an introduction into forensic science, where we learnt about direct, circumstantial, and biological evidence, and the different branches of forensic science (e.g.: geology, pathology, etc). After a little background on forensic science, we were tasked with solving a case using forensic science ourselves. The case was as follows: dinosaur bones were stolen from Quantum Museum, and found dumped at a park 2 days later, and it was our job to determine the culprit based of the circumstantial and biological evidence that we acquired.

Leanne and I analysed the evidence gathered from the crime scenes, including fingerprints, footprints and traces of hair and blood. By determining the fact that the culprit had a key to the storeroom, it became obvious that the perpetrator worked at Quantum themselves. With this in mind, we analysed the roles and working hours of the staff at Quantum to narrow down the suspects, before listening in on their police interviews and determining their alibis and their validity. We then directly analysed the evidence from the crime scene using forensic investigatory techniques, such as analysing the shape of fingerprints, determining blood type, and analysing soil for its pH scale and presence of copper. Upon gathering this evidence, Leanne and I pieced together the clues to discover that the culprit owned a dog and had their phone ping around the park between 5:00pm and 6:30pm 2 days after they were stolen. By cross checking the pet registry and GPS data, we came to a collective agreement on who was responsible for stealing the bones.

Overall, the Quantum Forensic Workshop was an amazing experience, and I would love to go again in the future; I also recommend that if the opportunity comes up again, you should definitely go and check the workshop out.

I would like to thank Jake and Toni at Quantum Research, and Ms Anderson for organising the event.

Frankie Fortuna

YEAR 10E STUDENT

On the 11th of March, a group years 9 and 10 Students visited the Forensic Science Workshop at Quantum Victoria. We investigated a crime scene where we completed lab experiments (fingerprinting, blood type testing, soil pH testing, hair strand analysis under a microscope and shoe print comparison) to identify the suspects for the crime. The lab experiments we participated in were super fun and interesting to do as we learnt what it was like to investigate a crime scene, and how evidence was collected.

Leanne Tran

YEAR 10I STUDENT

On Thursday 20^th March, a group of Year 11 International and Local students engaged in global learning through their participation in the Global Learning Student Voice Forum.

The six students included: William Chen, Anthony Tran, Jenny Nguyen, Isaac Chan, Ruby Herriot and Alexandra Homatopoulos.

With support from their teachers and mentors, they began the process of organising a student-led initiative to celebrate diverse cultures and create a welcoming environment for international students. The initiative is designed to foster a greater sense of welcome for international students, leading to improved connections and friendships between local and international students, as well as enhanced cultural awareness across the school community. We look forward to seeing the creative ideas of the group as they work together on a Global Learning Student Voice project throughout the year.

Here is a summary of the day from Alexandra:

“The Global Learning event was an exciting and productive experience, marking Rosehill’s first year being invited to participate. Held at the William Angliss Institute on La Trobe Street during Harmony Week, the program gave both international students and local students a platform to voice their opinions and contribute to school decisions together.

Throughout the day, we engaged in various activities, including brainstorming sessions, discussions, and sharing ideas with students from different schools. We worked in mixed groups to develop solutions for global issues and later focused on identifying strategies to promote inclusivity within our own school. A highlight of the event was listening to our mentor, Emilia Fields, who guided us on how to structure our discussions and generate meaningful ideas.

Beyond the engaging discussions, the event provided an opportunity to reflect on what Rosehill does well and where it can improve. Collaborating with students from other schools broadened our perspectives on tackling challenges and implementing positive change. The experience reinforced the importance of student voices in decision-making and showed us the power of teamwork in creating solutions. Leaving the event, we all felt inspired and motivated to take action, knowing that even small changes can have a lasting impact on our school community.

We would all like to thank Ms Nan Li and Mr David Rose for taking their time out of their schedule to attend this day with us, also Ms Dalena Tran and Ms Colleen Hart who will work with us to develop our project throughout the year.

Alexandra Homatopoulos

YEAR 11A

On Saturday, 8th March, the Year 12 Sociology class visited the Bunjilaka First Nations exhibit at the Melbourne Museum.

This enriching experience allowed students to delve into various aspects of Koorie material culture, learning about the significance of Bunjil the creator and exploring sustainable land practices.

The exhibit highlighted the enduring wisdom passed down through generations, including the techniques for crafting a possum skin cloak, building a bark canoe, and caring for Country.

This hands-on learning experience provided students with a deeper understanding of First Nations knowledge and traditions and the importance of reconciliation.

Lena Hudson

3/4 SOCIOLOGY TEACHER/ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL