Secondary News

What a fantastic start we have had for 2024! We’ve welcomed lots of smiling new faces, students have already enjoyed camps and fun activities, plus we’ve shared a great time of learning. The start of a new school year is such a great opportunity to reset. It is a time when students can establish new goals for their learning, both within and beyond the classroom, and it is a perfect time for our school community to recommit to our vision for all students to be well known, well taught and well loved.

Uniforms

It is wonderful to see our students wearing their uniforms with pride. Our ACC uniform connects our ACC schools across Australia, and we believe that wearing the uniform well is an important life skill. Some areas that we are currently focusing on are:

• Boys’ hair must be cut above the collar. Mullets are not permitted. Should your child have a mullet, please arrange for it to be cut. 

• The sports jacket cannot be worn with the formal uniform. 

• Black school shoes (not sports shoes) are to be worn with the formal uniform

• Plain white or navy/black socks are to be worn with the sports uniform (no logos permitted)

All high school students should wear their formal uniform on Monday, Thursday and Friday. Sports uniforms are to be worn on Tuesday and Wednesday. Thank you for your support in this matter.

Year 12 in 2024

We are so proud of our Year 12 class. Our newest leaders in the school have made a fantastic start to their year and committed themselves not only to their studies but also to working as leaders within their school community. We are really looking forward to their achievements this year.

One of our talented Year 12 students, Clare Hadlow, won the 2023 Student Jewellery Design competition with Soklich & Co. Jewellers. Late last year, Clare was presented with an enormous cheque for $1000 that goes toward the school. Congratulations Clare!

Another Year 12 student, Elysha Baker, applied and was selected as a UWA Fairway student for 2024. Elysha was the only Albany student to attend. Being regional, ACC Southlands is a UWA Broadway-identified school, so our students who are high achieving and aim to attend university are able to apply for the Fairway Program. Elysha attended a study camp at the Crawley campus during the holidays, where she was able to learn about campus life and meet other Year 12 students from across the state. She will have a number of other camps to attend plus she will receive online support throughout the year. Year 11s, please look out for information later in the year to apply for the 2025 program. 

Year 11 and 12 Leadership Camp

The Year 11 and 12 Leadership Camp took place in Perth this year. Usually, this is a local camp, however, due to the cancellation of the Futures Camp last year, we braved the Perth heat and incorporated visits to Edith Cowan University, the University of Western Australia and Curtin University, in addition to Sheridan College. Students learned about post-school pathways, in addition to spending time connecting with their peers and reflecting upon the importance of working toward who, rather than what, they want to be. We also enjoyed hearing from our guest speaker, Pastor Lauren Straughn from Globalheart Church in Joondalup. We were so impressed with our students’ willingness to get involved and the way that they truly connect with and support each other. 

Year 7 News 

There is a lot happening for our newest high schoolers! We were delighted to host our Year 7 Parent Information Night this week, where we discussed high school routines, support for our students and our upcoming Year 7 Camp. We also discussed how to safeguard your child in the online space. We are very thankful for the opportunity to work with such a wonderful parent community.

Year 7 students will also have swimming lessons at Emu Point during Week 4 (19 February to 23 February). These will take place between 12.50 and 2.15. It is normal for students to feel tired and extra hungry during swimming week, so please pack them an extra snack or two. 

The Year 7 Camp is coming up in Week 5 (27 February to 1 March). Students will travel to Busselton and take part in a range of activities including exploring the Ngilgi Cave, trying the high ropes at Forest Adventures and playing beach games, archery tag and fun night-time activities. We are looking forward to students building strong friendships and learning skills in resilience and independence. We are partnering with Cru West, a Christian youth organisation that works with schools to provide great camps. 

Year 10 Love Bites

Year 10 students completed the Love Bites course this week. This program addresses the compulsory Protective Behaviours element of the curriculum and aims to equip students with the skills they require to develop and maintain healthy and respectful relationships. They explored rights and responsibilities in relationships and looked at ways to access support when needed. Year 10s were introduced to a number of services in the community and encouraged to support their friends by utilising safe, healthy and proactive strategies.

Year 9 Camp

The Year 9 Camp will also take place in Week 5 (27 February to 1 March). Held in Busselton, students will explore Giant’s Cave, try coasteering and try the high ropes at Forest Adventures. They will also hike at Meelup Beach and take part in a range of games and activities. Christian youth organisation, Cru West, will be hosting the camp and taking part in the activities. We are very thankful for our partnership with them as they add an extra dimension of fun to our camps. More information will be sent to parents via the Parent Portal soon. 

Year 8 Camp

The Year 8 Camp is coming up in Week 7 (12th to 15th March). This year’s camp will be in Busselton and students will be exploring Ngilgi Cave, hiking, visiting the jetty and braving the high ropes at Forest Adventures. We will again partner with Cru West and we are looking forward to a fantastic camp. More information will be sent to parents via the Parent Portal soon.