Term 2 welcomes the onset of winter and our southern winter solstice on June 21 marking the shortest day of the year. Progressively, each day will see longer periods of daylight.  Winter is our known cold and flu season and I would like to thank our students, staff and families for their extra vigilance in respect to cold and flu symptoms.

Winter also includes our Mid-Year Assessment Period. Assessment is a powerful learning tool designed to enhance learning. Assessment aligns curriculum , student learning and individual goals. It is important to remember that assessment in courses is not a measurement of student self-worth, nor a judgement of character or anything like that. Assessment tells us where a student is achieving in respect to established course criteria and what it is that a student can do to improve their individual achievement. Teachers and students should see this mid-point assessment as an opportunity for further development and reassessment of goals.

On Tuesday May 31, we hosted an Expo of Tertiary Education providers from across Australia. This provided the opportunity for our students to interact directly with representatives from a range of universities and colleges across Australia. This was only one opportunity for students to gather information about future study options. We have a careers service in the Don College Library where students can make appointments. All of our students are enrolled in Career and Life Planning. Our VET course teachers are often aware of employment opportunities with local businesses and our subject teachers are well informed of career opportunities and pathways relative to their subject. I encourage students to open up future-oriented conversations. Studying with a purpose and clear direction can enhance motivation.

This newsletter is a brief snapshot of the achievements of our students and some aspects of life at Don College. Further details and more activity that happens at Don is available at www.facebook.com/DonCollege

National Reconciliation Week (NRW) is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

The dates for NRW are the same each year; 27 May to 3 June.

These dates commemorate two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey— the successful 1967 referendum, and the High Court Mabo decision.

27 May 1967 On this day, more than 90 per cent of Australians voted to give the Australian Government power to make laws for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and recognise them in the Census.

3 June 1992  On this day, the Australian High Court delivered the Mabo decision, the culmination of Eddie Koiki Mabo’s challenge to the legal fiction of ‘terra nullius’ (land belonging to no one) and leading to the legal recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of lands. This decision paved the way for Native Title.

Reconciliation must live in the hearts, minds and actions of all Australians as we move forward, creating a nation strengthened by respectful relationships between the wider Australian community, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

I acknowledge and pay respect to the Tasmanian Aboriginal people as the traditional and original owners, and continuing custodians of this land on which our Don College community gathers daily and I acknowledge Elders – past, present and future ... 

Don College Fashion Design students have been busy over Term 1 and Term 2 designing and creating beautiful wearable art from paper.

Students have made headwear and are currently working on costumes for Slip Stream Circus stilt walkers to wear when they perform at the International Gala Event: Paper On Skin later this month. 

Ten students have entered the International Paper Off Skin event, currently on exhibition at the RANT Art Gallery in Devonport from June 3-June 17. The gallery is open 10 am-4 pm Wednesday to Friday. These items were proudly modelled at the 'Fashioned with Flair' catwalk on May 14 ahead of the Paper Off Skin exhibition. 

The opening for the Paper Off Skin exhibition is on today, June 3 at 6 pm. Entry is free but you must register to attend the opening when winners are announced. $5000 in prizes are up for grabs for those who entered. 

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/june-exhibitions-at-rant-arts-tickets-343986582127

The International Gala event will be held on June 17. It includes a drink and a two-course meal and will be hosted at the Paranaple Centre.

Bookings can be made via the Paranaple Arts Centre or phone 03 6420 2900.

Don College is very proud to be part of both events and we wish entrants luck with their design pieces! 

A group of Don College music students had the privilege of participating in the SongMakers workshop, a two-day song writing program supported by APRA AMCOS on May 5 and 6. 

APRA AMCOS consists of the Australasian Performing Right Association and Australasian Mechanical Copyright Owners Society, both copyright management organisations that represent songwriters in Australia. The aim of the program is to use the creation of students’ original work as a platform to explore issues such as the importance of being enterprising, collaborative, persistent, and resilient. The program also gives students a feel for what it’s like to work in the music industry, as well as learning about what is involved in writing, producing, and releasing music. Don College has had the privilege of running this program over the last four years and is always a highlight for those that are involved. This year we were able to host the workshop at the college after running the program online for the last two years.

Another exciting part of the program is that students are mentored by artists who are currently working in the music industry. Our mentors this year were Elle Graham (Woodes), Dana Palmer (DVNA) and Milan Ring, all fantastic producers/performers/songwriters in their own rights. Students spent the first day in groups working with the mentors on writing a song from scratch. This included writing the lyrics, working out melodies and creating instrumental parts. The second day was spent in the recording studios creating a ‘demo’ of their songs. At the end of the day students were able to listen to their songs and reflect on the process.

You can listen to the songs created in the workshop here: https://soundcloud.com/don-college/sets/songmakers-2022

Rising written by Ronan Mace, Oliver Mason, & Charlotte Woods

Up in the Clouds written by Ruby Hardwicke, Kye Knowles, Fabian Spratt & Ebony Van De Elzen

Orphic written by Aaron Buckley, Taso Bookarof, Hubert Hoffler & Charlee Saunders

The Certificate II in Construction students have been hard at work making picnic tables for the school grounds.

The class was awarded the contract earlier in the year for six tables to be built and placed strategically around the College grounds to increase the number of outside learning areas. Students, under the supervision of construction teachers Matt Potter and Justin Rodman, worked from a detailed plan and were allocated tasks to form a steady and seamless production line.

It gave students the chance to work closely with each other and to become more skilled at working with construction-specific tools and workshop machines.

Each table has been oiled to increase its life span once placed outside.

All students and staff are encouraged to sit and enjoy the college grounds, chat with mates or enjoy even some quiet study time… weather permitting!

Thanks to the construction students for their hard work to improve facilities for the students around the college!

Don College teacher and careers advisor, Julie Blanden, will be braving the cold waters of Devonport Bluff on June 18. 

The fundraiser, Solstice Splash, run by Devonport Chaplaincy is being held to raise funds for mentors and chaplains in local schools,  and provide mental health first aid training, as well as school breakfast supplies through Loaves and Fishes.

The hospitality team has got behind Julie hosting a morning tea to raise funds, and students Noah and Anna made a very special cake to be raffled off to help contribute to her sponsorship. 

You can sponsor Julie's swim at: 

 https://devonportchaplaincy.org.au/events/solstice-splash. Julie's fundraiser name is “Cold for Gold”. 

At the end of Term 1, English Applied students participated in the ABC’s rural youth writing competition, called “Heywire.”

The aim of this competition is to give young Australians a platform to share their voice through personal narrative. Students were able to develop their understanding of “voice” and the impact of sharing their stories with their peers. They viewed a range of entries from past winners, analysing the themes, form, and literary devices. Entrants, in the Heywire competition, are required to write 400 words about a challenge they have overcome or a passion they hope to pursue.

On the final day of Term, the Line 1 class were able to participate in a Zoom session with Zachary Bruce, a Heywire producer from the ABC. This was an interactive session that enabled students to develop their story ideas through the use of the five senses. Students completed several fast-paced activities to hone their ideas. In the first weeks of Term 2, students wrote and edited their narratives, re-editing until they had a polished piece.

Prizes for the winners include having their story featured on the ABC website, and a trip to the Heywire Summit in Canberra.  

Students have now submitted their entries, we wish them luck! 

Don College student Julian Bowling, and Legal Studies teacher, Bronwyn Sidebottom recently attended the National Schools Constitutional Convention in Hobart.

In March, Julian won a state-wide essay writing competition in which he argued that Australia needs a Bill of Rights. He was one of four Tasmanian students to win a place as a delegate to the National Convention.

Unfortunately, due to COVID, the convention has not been held in Canberra for the past three years. Therefore, 120 students from around Australia were grouped into hubs at a nationwide Zoom meeting. The Convention included mini-lectures from experts on Human Rights, such as the Human Rights Commissioner, Lorraine Finley, Father Frank Brennan, and Dr Andrew Banfield, Director of Politics and Public Administration at the Parliamentary Library.

Students were asked to work in groups to discuss aspects of having a Bill of Rights and to develop a question for a plebiscite on whether Australia should have one. In the mock plebiscite, the majority of delegates overall, and the majority of hubs voted Yes. A communique from the Convention will be presented to the new President of the Senate, where it will be tabled. The two-day convention also included a tour of Parliament House in Hobart.

Congratulations to Julian on his achievement and his participation in this event. 

Amy Wing was one of the School Mentors of the Climate and Democracy Workshop with the Australian Youth Climate Coalition (AYCC), presented in the at Don College on May 20. Their workshop aims to educate and empower young people in climate change and climate justice.

Amy is a local and went to Ulverstone High before coming to Don College in 2014-2015. Some of her fondest memories at Don included being involved in and performing in Seussical the Musical, and she still has many close friendships she developed from this time. Her favourite subject was Biology with Craig Gilmour and she chose to follow the subject through to University and complete a Bachelor of Science, double majoring in Zoology and Plant Science at the University of Tasmania in Hobart. In 2020, she went on to complete an Honours research degree in Plant Ecology and is a qualified Ecologist.

For the past couple of years, Amy has been volunteering her free time with the  AYCC and earned the position of Tasmanian State Organiser. On top of being involved in the AYCC Schools Mentoring Program, she helps to organise climate justice campaigns surrounding local and national environmental issues.

Amy believes that the earth is something we all have in common, and is passionate about empowering young people to believe they have an impact in this world, after all, young people are the future.

If any students are interested in AYCC and local climate justice issues, please feel free to email Amy at: 

tas@aycc.org.au or through the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/aycctasmania).

Staff

Don College Art teacher, Lisa Garland, has a joint exhibition with Micheila Petersfield at Despard Gallery in Hobart until June 18.

From the Despard website: Lisa Garland is an artist and educator based on the North West Coast of Tasmania, practicing in traditional silver-gelatin and large format photography. With a devoted focus on people and places, Garland has spent the last twenty years documenting local residents, including family, friends and strangers alike, presenting her sitters seemingly blending into their possessions.  Observational, intimate and compellingly candid, Garland’s black and white images draw out the authenticity of her subjects, the personal spaces they occupy becoming an extension of their personality.

You can check out details about the exhibition and a sneak-peak of Lisa's work here: https://www.despard-gallery.com.au/micheila-petersfield-lisa-garland/

Don College Dance and Drama teacher, Dayna Dennison, recently attended the Australian Musical Theatre Festival as the North West Ambassador to the event. 

Dayna worked alongside leading Australian choreographer, Cameron Mitchell, Musical Theatre Superstars, Paulini and Philip Quast (who has worked at the Royal Shakespeare Company and starred on many West End Theatre Shows in London). She was able to watch and learn from them as they tutored festival participants, demonstrating their favourite ‘go to’ direction techniques when teaching students how to act through song and dance.

The festival featured workshops focussing on progressive topics such as ‘Diversity in Theatre’ and ‘Intimacy Direction in Theatre’ and learned from one of the worlds first qualified experts in ‘Intimacy Coaching on Set’, Australian Musical Theatre Superstar, Chloe Dallimore. Practical outcomes from  the ‘Me Too’ movement have positively led to strategies and policies now in place to improve the safety of theatre practitioners all over the world.

Dayna looks forward to implementing many of these strategies and skills when she co-directs Don’s 21^st bi-annual College musical next year.

(Above: Dayna with Philip Quast, teacher and writer at NIDA and former member of The Royal Shakespeare Company) 

Students

A big congratulations to Don College students Kye Savage and Macey Crawford for their recent selections in basketball. Kye has been selected for the Australian Under 17s boys basketball team and Macey has been named an emergency reserve for the women's team for upcoming tournaments in Qatar and Spain over the coming months. Both students have travelled to the Australian Institute of Sport to participate in basketball camps and clinics to prepare them for the tournaments. 

Don College school nurse Ceinwen Rataj recently won a $500 voucher to train staff in Mental Health First Aid through “Mind Your Head’ after she entered the competition.  Entrants had to write a piece 100 words or less explaining why their school should win. 

Here is Ceinwen's entry: 

Low mental health is shit!

It feels like hit after hit after hit.

So hard to feel safe and free

Why won’t everyone let me be?

This is the way some of our students feel

Which we believe is a huge deal

At Don College we want to help students be heard

And to let them fly free like a bird

To win a $500 voucher would be so cool

To help train  staff at our school

To encourage our students to get out of bed

Through training from ‘Mind your Head’

Well done to Ceinwen and we look forward to participating in training that will help improve mental health in our school community later this year. 

It hasn’t been out and about much lately, but the risk of flu is here. Keep yourself and your children safe by booking your flu shots today. The Tasmanian Government are running free community vaccination clinics. Or get in touch with your GP or local pharmacy.

It’s recommended for everyone over six months of age. It’s also free for people at higher risk including children aged six months to five years. For more information, please visit the Department of Health website.