Students may select from a number of self-sufficient expeditions ranging from five to seven days in duration. Key outcomes include; skill development, exploring self and nature along with developing pathways to future recreation, courses and employment. The programs include: sea kayaking to Schouten Island (April) and Overland Track Bushwalk (July).
Year 10 students may continue their outdoor development and interest through skill focused challenge programs. Options include: ultralight hazards traverse, Winter Skills training at Mt Field and Sea Kayaking the Tasman Peninsula, or going low tech and finding your own food for a weekend.
This program is available to mathematically interested and talented students from Years 7-10. Those involved are likely to have a record of high achievement in their Mathematics courses and/or successful participation in Mathematics competitions. Each participant will be given six problems to solve in their own time over a 4-week period during Term 1 or 2. Students then have the option to continue with the Enrichment Stage which is a sixteen-week program running between April and September, and to sit the Australian Intermediate Mathematics Olympiad paper in September.
This program gives students the opportunity to get mathematics support throughout the school year. Every Monday Verticle Opportunity Block (2:50pm to 4:00pm) Maths teachers will make themselves available in E301 (upstairs East Block) for any student needing assistance. This is a great time to get help with any questions students might have with homework tasks, assignments or to address any problems before end of unit testing. Bring along any questions or work from your Maths classes.
This activity offers students the opportunity to work on self directed ceramics projects, learn a variety of ceramic techniques and enjoy working in a relaxed and friendly studio. It is open to students from Year 7 – 12. Numbers are limited to 22 in the studio.
‘Lab Rats’ is a Science co-curricular opportunity based at The Middle School open to Years 7 – 10. The group will decide on which activities we want to focus on this year. Some ideas could be: experiments, dissections, microscopy, engineering challenges, scientific investigations, visiting the primary school to do fun experiments, robotics, meeting scientists … and other ideas.
Competitions (many with prizes) that may interest you include: Tasmanian Science Talent Search, the Science Junior Olympiads and the Tasmanian Model Solar Challenge.
We will explore and play with a wide range of textile art techniques including free motion machine stitching; dyeing fabrics using the sun and snow; distressing fabric with heat, rust, bleach and stitch; embellishing fabric using machine stitching, hand stitching and beading; creating new, unique fabric from scraps; and making and working with felt. Students can also work on individual projects.
Students are supported with the development of digital technologies and design projects, individually and in groups. Students that are guided to learn and develop self-directed inquiry skills in: Art or CG based projects, Animation, Ceramics for Des. Tech, Film production or other projects. Students will be supported with the development of their projects by a teacher experienced in film and animation production.
Projects incorporate digital hardware such as stop motors, wearable technologies, sensors etc, Animation projects using 3D to produce VR content using Blender 3D software, 3D printing, block-based coding or a technology that you would like to bring into the space. Students access a range of Arduinos and connectable hardware, Micro:Bits and hardware, Lego EV3 kits, 3D printers, Vive VR kits, fabric printing and other hardware.
This activity is for students who would like to work creatively and collaboratively in a positive group setting and extend their Minecrafting and Redstone skills. No previous experience is necessary.
There are three ways you can be involved in chess this year. You don’t have to be a Grand Master, if you’re keen to be involved, then come along to one, two or all three opportunities.
Maker’s Club caters for students who may not be able to study Design and Technology, but would like to utilise the woodworking and metalworking equipment, in order to produce an item of choice. The program is planned to run on Tuesday afternoons, from 3.35pm – 5.15pm throughout Terms 1 – 3. These projects will be negotiated through planning and consultation. Support will be provided, in order to achieve practical outcomes, whilst learning new skills and abilities.
Many opportunities exist for students to enter a range of writing competitions, from a local or national focus. Students from the School can enter the City of Greater Dandenong and Dorothea Mackellar competitions, the Central Highlands, Kathy Sussanah Pritchard and Somerset Competitions as well as The Write for Fun competition.
The School also has in-house competitions. The Peter Jones Peace Prize is open to students from Years 7-10. The Jean Yeates Writing Prize is open to students in Years 11 and 12.
The Da Vinci Decathlon is a gala day, run in the spirit of an Olympic decathlon with events of an academic nature. Activities are in the following disciplines: Mathematics, English, Science, Code Breaking, Engineering, Philosophy, Creative Production, Art and Poetry, Cartography and General Knowledge. The tasks are exciting and challenging with a particular emphasis placed on higher order thinking skills.
RoboCup Junior Australia is a project-oriented competition with local, regional and international events. The Robocup challenges include Soccer, OnStage, Rescue Maze, Rescue Line, and LEGO® SPIKE Challenges. Students compete in small teams to construct and program robots. At the younger level they use Lego and Block-based coding, the senior students construct their robots from any materials and components they wish and usually program in Python.
The teams will be finalised in Term 2, if you do commit to a team that will be competing, you will be expected to attend all sessions unless unwell. Students who do not wish to be in a team or attend competitions are also welcome to join the club. If you would just like to do a little programming and Minecraft hacking/development this is also a great opportunity to spend time on those projects.
Philosophy Club is for students who love to think critically and creatively about ethical and political issues. We will meet fortnightly in order to prepare for the inter-school events ‘Ethics Olympiad’ and ‘Philosothon’. There are two separate Ethics Olympiads; one for Years 7-9 and one for Years 10-12 while Philosothon is for students from Years 10-12. Philosophy club is open to students from any year group and you don’t have to study Philosophy to participate. All are welcome.
An inspiring way to start your day with energising movement, focused breathing and a moment for relaxation and stillness. All members of the school community are welcome to attend and no prior yoga experience is necessary.
Ethics Olympiad provides students with a creative vehicle for developing skills in communication, critical thinking and respectful discourse while dealing with contentious ethical issues.
D&D is a fun, imagination-based role-playing game where you take on the role of a character and play through an adventure. You are guided through the adventure by a Dungeon Master (DM). You do not need any experience to join this club, just a willingness to have a go and have fun.
Only about 10% of software developers identify as female or non-binary. This club aims to provide a safe, inclusive space for students in Years 9-12 to learn or practice their coding skills. Everyone is welcome to join, especially those who identify as female or non-binary, as well as any allies of the LGBTQI+ community. The club is entirely run by a student, Isabel Adams, with Richard Lawler serving as a mentor for the group. The goal is to have plenty of fun with interesting puzzles and projects to tackle using coding. Coding sessions will occur after school at a time to be determined later this term.