From under the southern sky, reach for the stars - Year Level Update - Year 9

What’s been happening in the Year 9 Centre?

Term Three has been a busy one and it’s hard to believe that it will come to a close relatively soon. Our year 9’s will soon be the Year Ten cohort for 2023! Wow. Where has the first half of the school year gone?

2023 Subject Selection and Pathway Interviews:

The first few weeks of Term Three were abuzz with excitement up in Year Nine as the students were supported choosing their subjects for 2023 with an eye on pathways for the years that follow. We held a series of assemblies to share relevant subject information with the year level including conversations about the students giving their learning options serious thought whilst at the same time reminding the students of the importance of following their passions, hopes and dreams and focus on what they love doing in the classroom as well as consider what will serve them well in the future. With a variety of options available it was an exciting time for the students and on the whole they gave the process the thought and dedication it deserved by utilising the resources available to them including their teachers, family members and each other. There was a genuine maturity around the Year 9 Centre as the young people considered their options going forward and worked hard to finalise their choices.

Australian History Excursion – Sovereign Hill

This week has seen our second group of Year 9 Australian History students this year head to Sovereign Hill on an overnight excursion. As part of the experience the students were privy to a range of educational experiences designed to transport them back in time to the Victorian Goldfields of the 19th century. Activities included heading down into an authentic mine shaft hundreds of metres below ground, watching how gold is melted down and converted into a tradeable commodity, and an immersive nocturnal 90-minute theatre experience using 3D technology called ‘AURA’. AURA follows gold from its creation in outer space through to its discovery in Australia. This excursion was organised by the head of Humanities at Saint Ignatius College Miss Samantha Windmill who is also the Homeroom Teacher for 9 Mangin. Lucky students enjoying a fun educational time away.

Year 9 Sporting Stars:

This Thursday the 8th of September our Intermediate (9/10) AFL side will play in the Herald Sun Shield Grand Final against Rowville Secondary College and Year 9 is proudly represented by Will Lane, Noah Jeffrey, Rilley Aquilina, Harry Sedgmen, Tom Snowden, Riley Molloy, Will Cunningham and Charlie Confoy. These young men have been training hard and playing since the beginning of term 2 and this day will be a highlight for them as they run out on Trevor Barker Oval in Sandringham and represent their college against some of the state’s finest young footballers. Thanks to Andrew Philp and Andrew Walsgott for their support and dedication for these young footballers.

On Thursday 11th August Saint Ignatius College entered three teams in the 9/10 Annual Basketball GISSA Carnival and Year 9’s were incredibly well represented by some exceptional talent including Jem Denning, Will Cunningham, Harriette O’Keefe and Poppy Hart. The boys took out the cup in their division and so did the girls! Amazing efforts. I was lucky enough to be involved on the day and was taken aback at some of the talent on display including from the names mentioned here. Thanks to Stacey Learmonth, Giselle Dawson (Year 10) and Darcy Bassett for supporting our champions on the day.

Geelong Social Justice Workshop

On Tuesday August the 9th a group of our Year 9 Ignatian Leaders were invited to St Joseph’s College to be part of a Geelong Social Justice Worksop Day hosted by SJC and run by Mackillop Family Services. MacKillop Family Services conduct a range of crucial work with marginalised families in the region and our leaders heard all about the incredible work they do and shared ideas with other like-minded students from SHC, SJC, Iona, and Clonard. The students enjoyed presentations from a range of speakers on issues such as homelessness, special needs schooling, advocacy, and residential care for students from troubled home lives. At times the day was somewhat of a humbling experience for our attendees. Our students carried themselves exceptionally well and had the opportunity to consider how our Catholic values and principles are being put to work in the world through the important work being carried out by organisations like Mackillop Family Services. Organisations like Mackillop Family Services and the work they do are very much in alignment with our Ignatian ethos of for and with others.

I look forward to supporting the Year 9’s as they complete their first uninterrupted finish to a school year since they embarked on their secondary schooling years. We are seeing improvements in fundamentals like independent learning skills and focus and organisation and considering the unique couple of years this group had in years 7 and 8 they’re doing a fine job. Thanks for your support at home.

Caleb Ryan | Year 9 Coordinator