PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Welcome to our final newsletter for Term 2. It has been a very full term filled with wonderful learning opportunities and I am sure that the students and families are very much looking forward to their school break! Thank you for your continued partnership as we work together to educate your children. Our staff hope you can enjoy some rest and family time over the break. Please enjoy this special edition of the Chronicle with a focus on lifelong learning.
Jenny Nelson, Principal
SECONDARY SCHOOLS CulINARY CHALLENGE 2021
Congratulations to our Secondary Schools Culinary Challenge students!
A group of our Hospitality students have spent the past five weeks preparing for the Secondary Schools Culinary Challenge, which was held at Regency International Centre on Wednesday 30 June. There were ten teams of two participating in the challenge from five different schools in South Australia. Their task was to design and prepare a meal with chicken as the protein part of the meal. Students prepared their workstations and then were given one hour to prepare, cook and plate their meal.
Our teams did exceptionally well gaining 2nd, 3rd, 4th,5th and 6th places. The second-place team gained a silver medal, missing out on gold by a very narrow margin. Teams were assessed on preparation, teamwork, plate presentation, taste and clean up. Our students represented SVCC extremely well. The winners of the competition go on to compete in the National Challenge, this year to be held in Adelaide.
We are extremely grateful for the expert tuition from Ben Rogers from Career Employment Group, who himself has won State, National and International Culinary competitions. Well done to all competitors for their diligence, acquired skills and the manner they conducted themselves, both prior to and at the competition.
Les Kowald, Head of Campus, Aldinga
LifeLong Learning
Learning ShowcaseS
In Week 9 of Term 2, we held our first ever Learning Showcases for our Year 7-10 students at both campuses. These coincided with our annual Career Expo for Year 10-11 students. The Learning Showcases allowed the students to share their learning with their families. The evenings were a big success and it was so great to see the students proudly explaining their school work to their parents and caregivers. The Career Expo was also well attended with universities and other tertiary institutions presenting about the courses on offer for students finishing school. Thank you to all the students and families who attended these special events.
The Understanding by Design curriculum is designed to prepare students to become lifelong learners. According to research, lifelong learners possess four core skills:
* The ability to conduct research.
* The ability to evaluate information.
* The ability to synthesize that information.
* The ability to effectively communicate what has been learned.
Exhibiting work and presenting to an audience allows the students an opportunity to effectively communicate their learning. Lifelong learning can also be gained through real life experiences such as excursions and camps. In this issue of the College Chronicle, we will also be featuring the recent excursions and camps from across the College.
LEARNING OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM
Camps & excursions
Students love to get out of the classroom and explore. Our UbD curriculum encourages lifelong learning through real life experiences so excursions and camps are an important part of College life. The benefits and importance of camps and excursions are:
* Reinforces classroom learning
* Less structured learning
* Exposure to new experiences
* Improvement of social skills
River Journeys Excursion
The Year 7, 8 and 9 students from both campuses attended the River Journeys excursion at Flinders Uni on Thursday 10 June. This excursion gives the students a taste of university study and life with interesting workshops in a variety of learning fields. Here are some student reflections about the experience:
"My sessions were Law, Paleontology and Cyber Security. I enjoyed the Cyber Security session the most because we watched an interesting video about how easy it is to hack into someone's account. I learned about a website that can tell you if your email account has been hacked and what information was stolen. We were also taught how to create a safe and secure password. It was also pretty cool that we had Subway for lunch." Olivia, Year 8
"I enjoyed the Paleontology session the most because the presenter was enthusiastic and entertaining. I also enjoyed tracing the skeletons because it involved artistic skills. In the Cyber Security session I learned about social engineering; it can make a person feel compassion for another, tricking them into giving away their bank details or personal information." Cynthia, Year 8
"My favourite session was the Cyber Security presentation because it was interesting and interactive. I learned that it is really easy for someone's accounts to get hacked. Also you need to protect your account details well." Tyler, Year 8
Foundation Excursion to RA Pearce Reserve
As part of our UbD unit on living things, the Foundation class went on an excursion to the R.A. Pearce Reserve (Madeira Drive wetland) on Monday 7 June 2021. The class was accompanied by the Foundation teachers, Mrs Harland and Mrs Lovett, as well as Mrs Butler, our Sustainability Coach. Before leaving for the walk, Mrs Butler taught the students about the Eastern common froglet to make it easier for the students to spot them during the excursion.
When the class arrived at the wetlands, Mrs Butler continued to share about how the wetlands are an important water catchment area that help to absorb pollutants and provide habitat for animals and plants.
During the walk, the students spotted ducks in the pond and a gorgeous looking swamphen in the wetland. The students discovered that frogs are an indicator species i.e. they can tell us if the water is clean or dirty. If the water is contaminated, the frogs will not be able to survive in the water. The ponds in the wetland were surrounded by tall, beautiful reeds around it. Mrs Butler explained that the wind is able to blow the seeds from the reeds to get more reeds planted. Reeds are also an important habitat for wildlife, protect watercourses from erosion and remove sediments and nutrients from water.
At the end of the excursion, the students played on the playground at the reserve. It was an enlightening experience learning about the importance and value of wetlands to our environment.
Joanna Harland, Foundation Teacher
Year 4 Excursion to Maritime Museum
The Year 4 class from Morphett Vale recently visited the South Australian Maritime Museum. The excursion was part of the History unit which asks the Essential Question:
How much does freedom cost? - The First Fleet."
The Year 4 students used the visit to learn about what life was like onboard the First Fleet. With the Essential Question fresh in their minds, the students were able to make comparisons of life on board the First Fleet ships looking at food rations, diseases, and living quarters with our lives today. The students put themselves in the shoes of the various parties involved and discussed how they would have felt as convicts, British sailors, and the Indigenous Australians alike. The Year 4 class all gained a deeper understanding and appreciation for the country we now get to call home and how it came to be.
Shaneel Wall, Year 4 Teacher
CLIMBING TO NEW HEIGHTS
YEAR 8 CAMP
The Year 8 students from both campuses went on camp to Woodhouse Activity Centre in the Adelaide Hills from Tuesday 18 May to Friday 21 May. Please enjoy this student reflection:
"On the Year 8 camp we did many exciting activities. We went for a 18 km hike up to Mount Lofty Summit and down through the Mount Lofty Botanic Gardens. It was a long hike and some parts were really steep. It was a fun experience with everyone supporting each other. This was the first year that all of the Year 8 students completed the hike. For freezing cold nights, we had campfires and toasted marshmallows and Mr Davidson told us somewhat ‘scary’ stories. We had fun sleeping in tents and enjoyed getting to know the students from the other campus. The Year 8 camp 2021 was a great experience." Daisy and Ruth, Year 8 Morphett Vale
Please enjoy some videos of the camp:
INto the Wild
Year 10 Camp, Melrose
From Monday 3 May to Friday 7 May, the Year 10 students from both campuses went on camp to Melrose. They not only hiked and camped out but also participated in community service in the local community in Melrose.
Student Reflection by Brianna, Year 10:
One of my favourite camps so far at Southern Vales Christian Collage has been the 2021 Year 10 camp at Melrose. It provided both a challenge, and an opportunity to get to know people better.
While the trip there was quite long, it was anything but boring. Most of our class could fit in a maxi taxi, and there was never a dull moment. If we weren’t chatting, we were pointing out our dream cars along the way or singing along to iconic songs that are a must for any road trip. Despite the chilly weather, when we stopped at a petrol station to have a stretch and a snack, I chose to buy a 1Litre tub of Connoisseur ice cream and share it around the bus. Multiple people telling us we won’t finish the entire tub but it was empty within 10 minutes back on the road.
Over five days, we completed several outdoor activities, including hiking, bike riding and basic camping skills. The most exciting, for me personally, was the bike riding. Although it was way above my skill level, I immensely enjoyed it, albeit at a slow pace with the occasional fall. I tried my best and it’s fulfilling to look back and see what I have accomplished, despite initially doubting myself. Another activity I enjoyed was the hike at Alligator George. I had the honour of taking photos for my tribe, which slowed me down slightly but helped me enjoy the day more. Being able to mix photography, something I love, and hike in such a beautiful place was incredible.
A highlight of mine was the evenings, which allowed us to have some time to ourselves to wind down, before helping each other prepare dinner. After dark, we would all gather around the campfire with some snacks and one of the teachers would give a devotion, which were all memorable.
Something I appreciated about this camp was the mixed Aldinga and Morphett Vale tribes, as we got to know each other better through our daily tasks we performed. Spending so much time together allowed us to open up and learn more about each other, which was fascinating. The community service activity was also fun, as we got to see the differing work ethics of those around us, getting to know them better, as well as helping the community.
Overall, Year 10 camp was a great experience and I’m delighted that I got to spend my time with such amazing people.