New Principal Announced
I am delighted to announce that Chris Knight has been appointed as Principal
of Wellington Secondary College, from the beginning of the 2024 school year. Chris is
currently the Acting Principal at Glen Waverley Secondary College and has an array of teaching
and leadership experience across several schools within the Education State. Chris will visit the school
for a ‘meet and greet’ with staff over the next week, and I will sit down with him to
begin the transition from my retirement to his principalship with us.
On behalf of the Community, I wish Chris all the best on his very exciting appointment
and the commencement of his journey along the ‘Wellington Way’.
Mr Hugh Blaikie
Principal
Phone: 9547 6822
Email: wellington.sc@education.vic.gov.au
Attendance: 9562 4762 or 0484 009 562
IT Helpdesk: helpdesk@wellingtonsc.vic.gov.au
Valedictory Season and Exam Season – busy times!
The last two weeks have been particularly hectic, with the various Valedictory activities that took place and then with the commencement of the VCE exams this week. Our students have behaved in an exemplary way. I was so proud that they were able to maintain the Wellington tradition of respect and ordered farewells to their last classes at secondary school. I am confident that they have been well prepared and that they will continue to conduct themselves in the ‘Wellington Way’ over the next few weeks. Good luck to everyone in the exams.
Wednesday October 11 – Visual Arts Exhibition
On Wednesday October 11, I had the pleasure of attending and celebrating the Annual VCE Graduate Art Exhibition, where we were able to showcase the fine work of our senior Visual Arts students. The event was again held in the Senior School precinct, and I think it is fair to say that this venue certainly enhances the ambiance of this spectacular exhibition. Congratulations to the students and their teachers on a fantastic exhibition. In particular, I congratulate Mr Nishioka, Ms Szabo, Mr Sakaris, Ms Fry and Ms Davies for their organisation and note the success of the online “People’s Choice” component of the awards made.
Thursday October 12 – Valedictory Assembly and Dinner
On Thursday, it was time for the students to say farewell. And as the photos in the previous Journal will show, it certainly was a colourful celebration. The parade and assembly were enjoyed by all and in the evening, we gathered again for the more formal farewells at the Valedictory Dinner. For me, it was an extra special occasion, being the last of my 35 Wellington Valedictory events. The respect shown by the students is something I will treasure forever!
Tuesday October 17 – Spring Concert
I had the pleasure of attending the Performing Arts Spring Concert on Tuesday of last week. Playing to another ‘full house’, our talented students showcased a range of instrumental and vocal items, some performing for the first time and others for the last. I am very humbled to experience the talent and engagement of our musical students and I thank parents for nurturing this through the many hours of practice at home. Of course, it would be remiss of me not to acknowledge the involvement of the ‘Staff Band’ which has been an incidental part of these concerts over many years and I thank all members, past and present, who have set themselves up to have some fun and be positive role models for our students.
I also thank our Community Voice Group for supporting the program with the refreshments and raffle on the night and pay special tribute to Sam Pirotta, our tireless President who will be finishing up at the end of the year. If anyone is interested in following in Sam’s footsteps and would like to get involved, please contact the General Office for more information.
Tuesday October 24 – Year 12 Exams Commence
Our Year 12s (and some Year 11s) began their onsite written exams – with English and EAL getting the ball rolling. The exams appear to have been well received by students and staff alike and I wish all our Senior students all the best over the next few weeks. We are very proud about how you have approached the challenges of study throughout your COVID years in particular. I thank all teachers and tutors for their support of our students, especially from the busy ‘swotvac’ into the exam period as well.
Monday November 6 – Pre-Cup Day
I take this opportunity to inform all members of the community of the plans for Monday November 6 – ‘Pre-Cup Day’.
Traditionally, families at Wellington have taken the opportunity to take a ‘long weekend’ concluding with the Tuesday Melbourne Cup public holiday. If students in Years 7 to 10 do not attend the College on Monday November 6, could parents please contact the Attendance hotline on 9562 4762, email the College at wellington.sc@education.vic.gov.au or provide a note to the school on Wednesday November 8 in the usual way.
For those students who do attend, classes will operate, however we will decide on the day how they will be configured. This will be based on the numbers, if any, and the year levels in attendance.
Senior School Exams will be running as scheduled, however please note:
This reminder will be sent out again via Compass next week leading up to Cup Day.
Mr Hugh Blaikie
Principal
On Wednesday October 11 we celebrated the achievements of the Graduating class of 2023 with the Annual VCE Exhibition, showcasing art and design works from the Art Making and Exhibiting and Visual Communication Design classes. It was wonderful to be able to continue the tradition of our Annual Exhibition onsite, to celebrate the Arts and the students’ achievements. The evening was well attended with many students, parents, teachers and members of the community attending to support our students.
We recognised the achievements of a number of students on the evening:
· Leah Modouris – for Excellence in Art Making and Exhibiting
· Kleopatra Ginis – for Excellence in Visual Communication Design
· Hamilton Alexander – Acquisitive Prize for Visual Communication
· Penny Verginadis – Acquisitive prize for her mixed media work
The College Acquisitive prize is an annual prize that is selected by the Principal and College Art Staff. The selected art and design works are purchased by the College for the College collection.
On the evening, a ‘People’s Choice’ Award was also voted for and the overwhelming winner was Leah Modouris for her Oil painting titled ‘Strength of Mind’.
Thank you to the fantastic and committed Visual Arts Staff, Seijiro Nishioka, Evangelos Sakaris, Mel Fry, and Zoe Davies who have contributed to the educational journey of these students whose work was on display.
Finally, congratulations to all of the Art Making and Exhibiting and Visual Communication Design students on a wonderful exhibition and best wishes for the future.
Ms Fiona Szabo
VCE Art & Visual Communication Teacher
Our Year 10 students recently embarked on a memorable excursion to the renowned 1000 steps in Ferntree Gully. The adventure was not just about physical exercise, but also a wonderful opportunity for learning and bonding. As they climbed the steep, challenging steps, students discovered resilience, teamwork, and the importance of pushing through obstacles. Amidst the lush Dandenong Ranges, they encountered breathtaking views and a serene natural environment, fostering an appreciation for our beautiful Australian landscape. This excursion emphasised how to not only maintain a healthy lifestyle but how to continue to be active in their community.
Ms Brooke Moon
Health & Physical Education Curriculum Leader
At the end of Term 3, the Year 11 SRC representatives organised an art competition open to all students from years 7-12. The goal was to engage students in creativity and to recognise the various artistic skills students used to express their ideas and viewpoints. The theme of the art competition was “Traces of Life”, which welcomed students to appreciate the beauty of ordinary everyday life as an inspiration in creating their artworks.
At the beginning of Term 4, we received 29 entries of artworks in a range of different art forms including digital painting, pencil drawings, oil and acrylic painting, water colour, and photography. The entries came from all year levels, and they were exhibited in B16 for one week. The exhibition attracted students and teachers from all areas of the school and gave opportunities for the student-artists to celebrate their creativity and their achievements in artistic expression.
Congratulations to the 4 major recipients of the awards given for this Art Competition:
| Junior School Art Award | Lydia Chen, 7J |
| Middle School Art Award | Stephanie Galanos, 10D |
| Senior School Art Award | Yeaone Seung, 11I |
| People’s Choice Award | Arushi Tandon, 11J |
Congratulations to all the participants who have put their time and effort into developing their artistic skills, and creating the artwork for this exhibition. To all the student-artists, thank you so much for your beautiful entries and we hope that you encourage others to participate next year. Special thanks to Mr Tray Driscoll, Arushi Tandon, Hemita Chandramoorthy, Dorothy Cai, Nahla El Azzouzi and Tahlia Ocal for their absolutely fantastic contributions that made this event a great success.
We look forward to hosting another SRC Art Competition in 2024!
Mr Seijiro Nishioka
Arts Curriculum Leader
