We are heading into the final quarter and the finish line is in sight! It is nearly time to enjoy the sunshine!

Examinations for our Year 9 to Year 11 students will take place at the end of this term while our Year 12 students will begin their VCAA exams on Tuesday, 29 October. The final event of the year is the Night of Excellence where we will acknowledge Siena College's academic achievements for 2024. We will once again hold this event at the beautiful venue of Camberwell Grammar on Tuesday, 10 December.

Key Dates for Year 9 to Year 11 Students

Revision Sheets published via Siena Central

• 23 October: Year 11
• 6 November: Year 10
• 8 November: Year 9

Assessment Completion

• 1 November: Year 11
• 15 November: Year 10
• 19 November: Year 9

Examination Period

• 13 November to 22 November: Year 11
• 25 November to 29 November: Year 10
• 27 November to 4 December: Year 9

Please note that Year 11 (Unit 1/2) examinations mirror the VCAA examinations in both content and duration. Any Year 10 student undertaking a Unit 1/2 subject must attend their Unit 1/2 examination as scheduled, even if it overlaps with their Year 10 timetable.

Year 12 Trial Exams

Year 12 trial exams ran smoothly and the results are now available via Siena Central. Thank you to our students for their dedication and adherence to the guidelines. These exams serve as a valuable learning opportunity and students are encouraged to review them carefully, focusing on areas for improvement or seeking clarification where needed. A debt of gratitude to the Year 12 teachers for their unwavering effort in marking the trial exams and the numerous practice papers submitted by students.

Parents of Unit 3/4 students are reminded to review the final arrangements for the VCAA exams which have been posted via Siena Central News this week.

Year 12 Final Day of Classes

The last day of classes for Year 12 students is Friday, 18 October followed by celebratory activities on Monday, 21 October culminating in their Graduation Mass that evening.

Students have responded enthusiastically to the Trial Exam ‘Boxes', submitting many, many trial exams and essays for feedback. They are strongly encouraged to maintain this level of commitment during the Swot Vac period. Teachers will continue to be available during regular, scheduled class times and students should attend in the timetabled rooms. Please note that students must wear their College uniform when attending onsite.

Support and encouragement from family and friends are invaluable during this period to help keep spirits high and maintain momentum. We will be thinking of you all and wish you the very best!

2025 Subjects and Booklists

Please take note of the following dates when students will receive their final list of 2025 subjects and gain access to the 2025 booklist:

• 25 October: 2025 VCE English and Literature allocation emailed
• 25 October: Early VCE English Booklist (2025 Year 12 and Year 11) available via Siena Central Tile
• 31 October: Early VCE English Booklist (2025 Year 12 and Year 11) due via Campion
• 1 November: 2025 Subjects emailed
• 11 November: Early VCE English Orders available for pick up from the Learning Centre
• 18 November: Year 8, 9, 10 and VCE Booklist available via Siena Central Tile
• 4 December: Year 8, 9, 10 and VCE Booklist due via Campion

VCE Headstart Program

The VCE Headstart Program provides an opportunity for students to engage with their 2025 subjects as we begin to lay the foundation for their studies.

• 25 November to 29 November: 2025 Year 12
• 2 December to 4 December: 2025 Year 11

Accelerated Subject Applications

Students whose accelerated study applications were deferred and wish to be reconsidered are asked to email Ms Laughlin at dlaughlin@siena.vic.edu.au to request a review. This review will be scheduled during the examination period. Deferred students will also receive an email reminder to notify Ms Laughlin if they wish to reapply.

Non-Teaching Days

• 22 October: Staff Learning and Teaching Day / 2025 Curriculum Planning Day
• 4 November: Units 3/4 VCAA Exams as scheduled
• 4 November: Years 7 to 10 and Units 1/2 Students School Closure Day
• 5 November: Melbourne Cup Long Weekend

We wish everyone a focused and satisfying remaining few months leading into a most joy filled Christmas break.

Missed School Vaccinations 2024

The Secondary School Immunisation Program offers free vaccines provided by the National Immunisation Program each year to students in Year 7 (HPV and Diphtheria/Tetanus/Whooping cough) and Year 10 (Meningococcal ACWY). If your child missed out on receiving their vaccinations at school this year, it is not too late to get vaccinated.

Free adolescent vaccines can be accessed at your local council immunisation service, GP or pharmacist immuniser. To see if your child is due for any vaccines, check your child’s immunisation history statement on the Australian Immunisation Register using your MyGov account. Children aged fourteen years of age and over can access their own immunisation history statement via MyGov.

For further information you can contact our local council immunisation provider Boroondara Council or visit the following websites:

• Better Health Channel – Secondary School Immunisation Program fact sheet
• Adolescent vaccinations outside of school and catch-up immunisation

Social Media Safety

Parents and carers play a crucial role in helping children stay safe online and on social media. You can support your children in navigating the digital world safely and educate them on how to avoid harmful online experiences. Exploring websites, games, apps, and social media together, while setting clear rules and boundaries can make a significant difference.

Your guidance can empower your children to make informed decisions online and give them the confidence to seek help when needed. It is also essential to stay informed about online safety.

The Department of Education recognises the importance of this issue and has developed fact sheets to help keep students safe online and provide guidance on handling online incidents. These fact sheets include links to evidence-based information on fostering positive and safe online experiences, signs that a child may need support, steps to take if something unsafe occurs online, and where to find additional assistance.

To access these fact sheets, visit the Safe Socials webpage. The fact sheets are available in nineteen community languages.

Additionally, the government is launching a public consultation on social media age limits. You and your children are invited to share your experiences through an online survey, open until 5.00 pm on Friday, 1 November 2024. For more information and to participate in the survey, visit the Proposed Changes to Social Media Age Limits webpage on the Engage Victoria website.

If you have any questions about this information, please contact the department via email at bullystoppers@education.vic.gov.au.

2023 St Mary's House of Welcome Christmas Appeal

One of the Siena traditions in Term 4 is to support St Mary’s House of Welcome. Amidst the busyness of the term and the anticipation of the upcoming holidays, our community is encouraged to pause, reflect and give to members of the wider community who are experiencing homelessness or disadvantage, and who seek the services and support of St Mary’s House of Welcome. It is our privilege to provide this practical assistance to such a worthwhile cause. Donations of grocery items and toiletries are collected in House Groups.

2018 South Africa Immersion

Later in the term, we will joyfully welcome Tozi Makoba from the Kopanang Community Project in Tsakane, South Africa. Tozi is a well loved member of the Project and has been host mother to many Siena students who have participated in our South Africa Immersion in previous years. Tozi will be speaking to staff and students, sharing her story and life in Tsakane, and the work of the Kopanang Community Project. The College has supported the Project for many years by funding school uniforms for families, providing educational assistance, and contributing to the structural facilities of the Project. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the South Africa Immersion has been paused. Therefore, this visit is a vital opportunity to reconnect with the story of Kopanang and the beautiful women of the Project.

As the momentum of Term 4 picks up and as we reflect on the needs of our world at this time, may you be grounded by your faith and may you take comfort and courage from the wisdom found in the Scriptures.

Supporting the Brigidine Asylum Seeker Project

"This term, Cassia House will be running a range of initiatives to raise awareness and funds for the Brigidine Asylum Seeker Project (BASP). BASP is a Melbourne based initiative created by the Brigidine Sisters aimed at providing support to those seeking asylum in Australia. It provides work and practical support for vulnerable and often overlooked individuals in our society. Siena College is proud to support the work of this organisation and we are grateful for the opportunity to advocate for the rights of all people, treating everyone with dignity and respect. Funds raised from this week’s Bake Sale will go directly to supporting BASP. In the coming weeks, Cassia will also be holding a Silent Auction featuring a wide range of quality items. Once again, all funds raised from this event will go toward the practical and essential support provided by BASP."

Social Justice Leaders, Megan F-H and Lily G

"On the first weekend of the Term 3 break, a group of Year 11 students: Environment Leader, Asta R; Social Justice Leaders, Megan FH and Lily G; and Community Engagement Leader, Sarah H participated in Friday Night School’s camp at Mount Eliza.

This annual camp provides a wonderful opportunity to form connections with tutors from other Melbourne schools and Friday Night School students in a beautiful outdoor setting. During the day, we joined activity groups for flying fox, tree climbing, international games and mountain biking with younger students. Each night, we gathered in the Recreation Hall for fun activities including a gigantic game of duck-duck-goose, spoons and some of the longest Uno games we have ever played.

For Asta and Lily, this was our second year attending the camp and we both agree that it was once again a fantastic opportunity for fun and relaxation after a long term. Not to mention, it had some of the best camp food! Even with a few minor injuries along the way, there was always time for laughter. We were paired together as tutors and placed in a group with some Friday Night School students. Together, we shared stories, gave advice and showed off our dance moves.

Friday Night School is a service opportunity available to all Siena College students in Year 9 and above. It takes place every Friday from 4.30pm to 6.00pm at St Ignatius Church, Richmond where students help teach younger children from refugee backgrounds. Everyone is welcome to come along and try it out! For more information, please contact Director of Faith and Mission, Mrs Ilott."

Environment Leader, Asta R and Community Engagement Leader, Sarah H

This year we launched our Enhancement Program, providing an opportunity to work with students on study skills and to further embed the principles of the Siena Learner.

In Term 3, our focus in these sessions was on building our students’ capacity to be effective learners at Siena. Our goal is to help students develop a positive mindset towards learning and provide all students with the skills they need to achieve success. Success is not just about attaining the highest result; it is about the effort and learning that come as a result.

Early in the term, all year levels completed a self-reflection exercise within the context of the Siena Learning Framework. They were asked to think explicitly about what they are doing to help themselves learn, what new strategies they tried in Semester 1 to support their learning, how successful these have been and to then set goals for Semester 2.

For students in Years 7 to 10, the focus has been on note-taking. As adults, we may assume that students instinctively know how to take notes, but we chose to explicitly teach this skill and provide students with techniques to help guide the process. Here, we have drawn on the work of Daniel Willingham and Tom Sherrington who offer excellent advice for breaking the process down into manageable steps. We also discussed what can be done outside the classroom to facilitate the process – such as pre-reading and organising materials – as well as the importance of being an active participant in class.

Students in Years 11 and 12 have participated in sessions to support time management for study and the use of revision strategies, such as retrieval practice to enhance learning. To illustrate the need for prioritising and managing time, we demonstrated the challenges of trying to squeeze table tennis balls into a bowl of rice – not an easy task! The rice represented the many demands on students’ time (work, sports, family, friends) while the table tennis balls symbolised the schoolwork that needs to be completed – a great visual representation of the challenges they face in their senior years. Students then had time to plan their study timetable, looking ahead to exams at the end of the year.

Senior students also participated in sports and had the chance to channel their inner Raygun in a breakdancing session – a great reminder of the importance of physical activity in helping to maintain balance in students’ lives even in times of stress.

In Term 4, we will continue to work with students to develop their learning skills with a particular focus on exam and assessment preparation, as well as revision skills. The program's goal is to build students’ confidence, as well as awaken and nurture their intrinsic motivation to achieve success in whatever form that may take, both academically and personally. We encourage you to speak to your child about what they have been learning and how they have been able to utilise this in their studies this semester.

Further to our 2025 College Captains announcement in August, we are excited to introduce the student leaders for 2025 who will play pivotal roles in fostering a vibrant College community. Our 2025 College Captains, Grace M and Katrina G, along with their fellow leaders demonstrate a commitment to excellence and a passion for leadership that will inspire their peers and contribute to the growth of our Siena spirit and initiatives.

Year 11 House Leaders

• Cassia: Olivia G and Nickie G
• Dianella: Victoria C and Eloise L
• Kurrajong: Molly F and Katie K
• Waratah: Alex H and Eva H

Year 10 House Leaders

• Cassia: Frankie R and Nya T
• Dianella: Gabby V and Natalia V
• Kurrajong: Isla J and Emily S
• Waratah: Madison B and Allegra T

Year 9 House Leaders

• Cassia: Anika K and Annabelle R
• Dianella: Matilda D and Grace S
• Kurrajong: Claire R and Mae P
• Waratah: Chloe H and Sienna C

Year 8 Voice Leaders

• Cassia: Niamh B
• Dianella: Tiasha D
• Kurrajong: Eleanor J
• Waratah: Harriet J

Year 7 Voice Leaders will be elected at the start of 2025.

Celebrating Our VCE Drama Students' Achievements

Congratulations to our talented VCE Drama students who recently completed their Solo Performance Examination. The students were very pleased with their performances, and now have time to reflect on and take pride in the incredible commitment they have shown over the past three months in developing their original and highly creative solo pieces.

Senior Drama Students Dazzle at Performance Evening

We also hosted our Senior Drama Performance Evening in the Susan Alberti Auditorium on Monday, 7 October where our Year 11 and 12 Drama students performed their solos for the Siena community. Arki K and Grace M were exceptional hosts, and we thank them for sharing their learning journey in Drama and connecting with our audience.

VCE Drama students have worked diligently throughout Term 3, focusing on the playmaking process and the development of their solo performance work. A wide range of interesting and engaging characters were presented and explored, some inspired by historical events and places, while others were drawn from fictional literature and film. Students also delved into an eclectic array of performance styles and associated conventions including Physical Theatre, Epic Theatre, Film Noir, Silent Films, Musical Theatre and Comedy.

Thank you to our VCE Drama students for their great commitment, care, passion and creativity throughout the playmaking process; there is much to celebrate and be proud of. We also appreciate the ongoing support, encouragement and kindness they have shown each other throughout this journey.

Picture Storybook Dramatisations at Hartwell Primary School

"As part of the ASPIRE Program's Write a Book in a Term project coordinated by Ms Summer, Head of the Albertus Magnus Learning Centre, our Year 9 Centrestage Drama class had the exciting opportunity to listen to student writers pitch their picture book story ideas. These imaginative stories were developed collaboratively with students from Hartwell Primary School. Working in groups, we carefully selected a story to perform for the primary school, choosing those we believed would captivate and delight the younger students.

As Drama students, our task was to bring the chosen storybook to life through a dramatic performance. We performed two adapted stories for an audience of approximately one hundred Grade 3 students.

At first, our group felt confident about performing in front of the students but throughout the day, we began to feel nervous. When we started to perform, we found it surprisingly easier than we had anticipated. We fully immersed ourselves in our characters, and tried our best to stop worrying about what the students would think of us and our performance. This mindset helped us act better than we expected. The Year 3 students seemed very intrigued by our performance and laughed at certain parts.

Performing at Hartwell Primary School was enjoyable because we developed leadership skills and learned how to organise various aspects such as costumes, learning lines and character development. Overall, this was a fun experience and we all had a great time."

Year 9 students, Chelsea M and Elina O

On Monday, 14 October, students visited the National Art Gallery of Victoria for a guided tour of the Wurrdha Marra exhibition, the first permanent exhibition celebrating Aboriginal culture and design at the Ian Potter Centre. This was followed by a tour of REKOSPECTIVE, an exhibition showcasing the art of Reko Rennie. The afternoon concluded with a collage workshop inspired by the work of Kaylene Whiskey.

Year 9 Junior Stretch and Challenge – Student Reflections

"On Tuesday, 30 July I joined eleven fellow Siena students in participating in the Junior Stretch and Challenge. We were grouped with students from across the state for a day of intellectual exploration that elevated our skills to new heights. We discussed the ethics of genetic selection, and the societal consequences of gene preference and elimination, including the potential for a dystopian world where individuals with enhanced genetic qualities are accepted while those without are marginalised. It was an enriching experience engaging in conversation and critical thinking with like-minded peers." Kiara E

"The Junior Stretch and Challenge was a fantastic experience and I am sure my peers would agree. We took the bus to St Leonard's College, Brighton where we were welcomed and guided to our activities for the day. We learned about genetic engineering, worked in groups to discuss questions related to power and selfishness, and participated in a debate. The day was amazing, allowing us to use critical thinking and collaboration to deepen our understanding." Emma M

"The Junior Stretch and Challenge provided us with an opportunity to explore a diverse range of ideas and perspectives, expanding our knowledge on unique topics. While at St Leonard’s, we had the chance to engage with students from different schools and gained an appreciation for the varied insights we each brought to unfamiliar concepts." Gabby V