Star Berwick student athlete Amiru Chandrasena placed second in Mens Under 18 Long Jump at the Australian All School Championships in December.
Amiru represented Victoria exceptionally well with a personal best jump of 7.30m. Well done!
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Little Beacons Berwick is up and running – much to the excitement of the youngest members of the Beaconhills community.
The eagerly-awaited early learning centre opened its doors on January 8. It replicates Beaconhills’ award-winning counterpart at the Pakenham Campus, offering the same natural, light-filled design, programs, values and commitment to quality.
The Little Beacons philosophy is a collaborative, community approach where children learn through experience. The programs include Indigenous learning and there’s a focus on environmental sustainability, with natural materials used throughout and a spacious light-filled design allowing children to move freely between indoor and outdoor areas. The building is powered by an 87 kW solar system.
The opening of Little Beacons Berwick now means children joining either campus in the early years can progress smoothly to Prep at the same location.
The new centre is filling fast. However, there are still places available, including for children aged six months to one year, along with four-year-old sessional kindergarten. To find out more email enrol@beaconhills.vic.edu.au.
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Need a pick-me-up at school pick-up? We’re launching a new coffee kiosk at the Pakenham Campus Junior School this term. It will open from 7.45-9.15am and 2.45-4.15pm each day serving coffees (and hot drinks). A kiosk will also open at Berwick Campus if the trial is successful.
Students must be accompanied by a parent or staff member to make purchases.
We are still seeking casual baristas interested in working at the kiosk. Email your CV to job.applications@beaconhills.vic.edu.au
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Some exciting dance news! Berwick Campus Year 12 student Allie Catrucco has successfully auditioned to perform in Top Class Dance. She will present her skills-based solo on Monday 24 February at Melbourne Recital Centre.
Top Class is part of the VCE Season of Excellence, managed by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority.
Ticket bookings for the event are here.
Allie is the third Beaconhills student so far who has earned VCE Season of Excellence accolades, putting them amongst the top students in the state in their subjects.
Allie Catrucco
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Prep students (and their families) received a warm welcome for their first day of school at Beaconhills College.
After some initial nerves, students settled quickly into their classrooms thanks to a warm greeting from teaching staff.
Today we also welcomed students from years 5, 7 and 12 back to the College, for the start of what is set to be a wonderful 2020 school year.
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Welcome to the 2020 school year. January has already delivered its own unique set of challenges, but at Beaconhills College we are raring to go for term 1 which starts in earnest on Monday.
I extend a warm welcome to all our new families who have (wisely!) chosen to join our College community and experience the benefits of a Beaconhills education.
Community is a key word associated with our school. It’s a community that supports each other and those who are less fortunate – in our local region and the wider world. We are compassionate, kind and resilient in the face of adversity.
The first day of school can be exciting for some, or overwhelming for others. I would encourage all of students to look out for your friends and classmates. If you see someone who looks lonely, or isolated, give them a smile. Or just say hello. It could make all the difference.
Best wishes to all students for a wonderful 2020.
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Tertiary courses in society and culture were the most popular choice for our Class of 2019 graduates choosing further study.
Figures from round 1 and 2 tertiary offers showed 23 per cent of students chose to study society and culture, with courses in business/commerce/management and health sciences in equal second place (15 per cent). Creative/visual arts (12 per cent) and natural/physical sciences (10 per cent) were also popular.
Monash University was the preferred tertiary institution, accounting for 21 per cent of students, following by Deakin (18 per cent), RMIT (18 per cent) and Swinburne (15 per cent).
In total, 264 Beaconhills students successfully completed their VCE in 2019 and 96 per cent of applicants who applied through the Victorian Tertiary Admissions Centre (VTAC) received an offer.
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Beaconhills graduate Christina Keen has claimed a Top Class honour in Theatre Studies, part of the VCE Season of Excellence.
It’s a first-time ‘double’ for the College’s performing arts department, with Christina already earning Top Class Drama selection in 2019.
The news caps off a spectacular season of high achievement in VCE subjects, putting five Beaconhills students amongst the best in Victoria. Along with Christina, the list includes Allie Catrucco (Top Class, Dance), Jaime Watts (Top Talks), Callum Pritchard (Top Screen) and Sam Sail, who scored a perfect 50 in VCE Physics.
Christina will perform at 10am on Tuesday 17 March at The Playhouse, Arts Centre Melbourne.
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Baby Addison Klara Lawler has already tried on her mum’s Beaconhills blazer for size.
Addison’s mum Peta was a former College school captain and now works as an administration assistant with our Beacon Explorers team (and yes, Addison has already been camping).
You can read all our latest alumni and College news and features in the first 2020 issue of the Beaconhills school magazine, Lux Luceat, heading to your letterboxes very soon!
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Berwick student Dylan Beaumont first picked up a violin for the College Year 2 strings program, and hasn’t wanted to put it down since.
Now in Year 11, our talented scholar has just been accepted into the Percy Grainger Youth Orchestra which is part of Melbourne Youth Orchestra programs.
Congratulations Dylan, it is a pleasure to hear you play.
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That’s right, Beaconhills College is getting ready to relay in 2020 again at the Cardinia event from 21-22 February and the Casey event from 13-14 March.
Last year our teams raised more than $47,000 – enough for two Cancer Council research awards. Let’s go even bigger this year!
Interested in joining a team or donating? Follow the link to search the Beacon of Hope team at either the Cardinia or Casey Relay For Life.
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Sensational swimming today from Pakenham students at the annual Middle School Swimming Carnival.
Students in Years 5-8 took to the water at Noble Park Aquatic Centre with enthusiasm, and were proud to wear their House colours in the spirit of the day.
Thanks to our dedicated staff for a wonderful event.
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Pakenham School Captain Chloe Ward will help KickstART the work of VCE Art/ Studio Arts students across the state as a presenter at an Art Education Victoria event on 22 February.
Chloe, who completed Studio Arts Units 3 & 4 as a Year 11 student in 2019, has been invited to present her folio and an honest reflection of her inspiration, challenges and Ah-Ha! moments to help prepare students currently completing the subject for the year to come.
Chloe is pictured below with her final Studio Arts work, a stunning self portrait.
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What a momentous occasion for our Berwick Campus Senior Chaplain Kathy Mildred, who was ordained on the weekend as a deacon in the Diocese of Melbourne of the Anglican Church of Australia.
The service at St Paul’s Cathedral was the first step to becoming an Anglican priest. Rev Mildred will be priested in November this year. Families, friends, parishioners and clergy from all around the diocese attended.
There were 19 ordinands (people being ordained) at the service. Archbishop of Melbourne, Philip Freier, ordained each person by laying on hands, in an unbroken tradition handed down through time from the disciples of Jesus.
Deacons work in the church and in Anglican schools to preach, teach and serve people, and to share Jesus’ message of love, forgiveness and salvation to the whole community.
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To all those who contribute to our citizenship and service programs at Beaconhills College, thank you.
You are helping shape a future of greater possibility for those in need, and authentically living our College value of compassion.
Just take a look at what we achieved in 2019:
• $4000 to Blaze Aid for the Bunyip bushfires – including seven new cookery sets worth $1260 from one College family
• $47,646 to cancer research through Relay For Life
• 800kg of pasta, tinned tomatoes and plain flour to FareShare through the FeedMelbourne Appeal
• 630 towels to support animal welfare in Victorian wildlife shelters
• 231 winter coats, 50 pairs of new shoes, scarves and beanies to those in need in our local area
• 2006 gifts and Christmas hampers as well as 713 personally-decorated and written messages of kindness and Christmas greetings to the Hope for Christmas Appeal.
• more than $24,000 to research and development at the Heart Foundation
• 168 gift bags to the Share the Dignity Program, helping homeless girls and women and those fleeing domestic violence
• $4000 to the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency to support the education of Indigenous children.
Just some of the plans for 2020..bushfire appeal through Zoos Victoria to support wildlife, Relay For Life, Linen for Animals, FeedMelbourne Appeal, Indigenous community support, winter coat/used spectacles appeals and Hope for Christmas.
We are the Beacon of Hope!
Rescued joeys in blankets donated by Beaconhills College
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What type of a leader do you hope to become? That was the question posed to our Senior School captains who took part in the SEISA Annual Leadership weekend from 7-9 February.
The retreat helps each student define themselves as a leader and develop their own principles of leadership.
It was held at Phillip Island’s Newhaven College and included students from all the SEISA (South Eastern Independent Schools Association) schools.
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Where does our food come from?
Maintenance team member, Roger, took our Pakenham Little Beacons all over the College this morning to find out. Students visited our extensive food gardens to help pick fresh fruit and vegetables to be used in our food technology classes and canteens, sneaking a strawberry or two of their own along the way!
The College is proud to donate excess produce to the local Salvos each week.
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This is a call out to suitably qualified people in our community who would like to be part of the governance of our school.
Last year Beaconhills College adopted a new Constitution to meet the changing complex operating environment, while retaining our heritage and Christian ethos. This was an important milestone in our College’s 39 year history. The change gives parents and members of our wider community the opportunity to be involved in the strategic future direction of our school.
The importance of good governance cannot be overstated. We seek forward-thinking people with a diverse range of skills and backgrounds who wish to serve on a variety of committees where positions may arise from time to time. These include finance and audit, nominations, risk and compliance, property and community engagement.
If you value the importance of good governance and the long-term sustainability of Beaconhills College, we welcome your expression of interest. Apply to David.Young@beaconhills.vic.edu.au.
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Beaconhills launched the Year 8 Certificate of Excellence eight years ago with the aim of recognising more than just academic achievement.
Based on the successful Duke of Edinburgh award, the certificate sees students complete 20 hours of community service – from sports coaching, to tutoring or working with The Smith Family to help children read.
It’s been a resounding success. From humble beginnings of 20 students, the scheme now has 100 students from our Pakenham and Berwick campuses signed up this year. And with universities increasingly considering qualities such as community service or leadership for some course entry, it’s a handy addition to the CV.
Pictured is student Ava Cashmore and Beaconhills’ Head of Citizenship and Service, Clare Tuohy. Ava volunteered last year in The Smith Family’s student2student reading program, as part of her Certificate of Excellence.
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We are thrilled to share that the Beaconhills College Year 3 Collective (our current Berwick Year 4 cohort) are the winners of the 2019 Melbourne International Arts Festival Art Tram Peoples’ Choice Award! Thank you to the College community for your votes.
To honour our students achievement, the College received a commemorative framed copy of the design, which will be proudly displayed at our Berwick Campus.
The students designed their artwork to reflect Melbourne as a welcoming place, and were overjoyed to see it in person in October of last year.
The colourful creation will be weaving its way through Melbourne until August 2020.
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