The Times – Term 2 Issue 1 2025

Ms Kay Peddle – Principal

As we reach the midpoint of Term 2, I want to take a moment to reflect on the progress we’ve made as a learning community.  I am thrilled to share the news that Pascoe Vale Girls College has been recognised as one of the Top 25 most improved government schools in the state for VCE results! This achievement is a direct reflection of the ongoing dedication, expertise, and unwavering support for our students from all staff. The commitment to excellence in teaching and learning and student wellbeing has made a measurable difference, and this recognition belongs to all. This ongoing focus on positive student outcomes has been evident this term. It’s been a busy and productive term, filled with learning, growth, and many moments of pride across our classrooms and co-curricular programs. 

Students and staff have been involved in a wide range of learning activities and college events, and once again we have enjoyed and celebrated many successes.  End of semester exams for Year 10 and 11 students will play a pivotal role in student academic and personal growth by providing a measure of a student progress, identifying areas that need improvement, and help students develop essential skills such as time management, organisation and planning, problem solving and critical thinking.  

Progress Reports and feedback regarding learning tasks are available via Compass.

The Attitudes to School survey is an annual survey conducted by the Department of Education  that provides data to support student wellbeing, engagement, school improvement and planning in schools. Students from Years 7 to 12 recently completed the survey. With this information we can continue to put in place programs and initiatives to help promote and improve the schooling experience for our students. 

To further support student learning, Pascoe Vale Girls College is taking part in the Food Bank School Breakfast Clubs Program. The program provides healthy food for students to help them better engage in the classroom, focus on learning and be more active. Breakfast is offered to students every Friday morning. Healthy snacks and lunch options are also available for students. Thank you to the staff and parents involved in supporting student wellbeing. If any parents would like to support the program through a financial contribution or donation of food items, please contact the school. All support is appreciated. 

A visual summary of the 2024 Annual Report is included in this newsletter. The Annual Report provides an opportunity to share the school’s achievements and progress with the school community. The full report will be made available in due course on the college website.

Top 25 most improved government schools in the state for VCE results

Last week The Age newspaper reported that PVGC was one of the top 25 most improved public schools in the state for VCE outcomes. This a great achievement and highlights the quality teaching occurring every day at our school. Thank you to all teachers and support for your dedication.

Kay Peddle
College Principal

Term 1 Senior School Celebration Assembly

As Term 2 progresses, our Middle School has been buzzing with energy, achievement, and enriching experiences. From creative dress-ups to leadership awards, outdoor adventures to innovative learning programs, our students have embraced every opportunity with enthusiasm and pride.

It’s been an incredible term so far, full of learning, laughter, and leadership. We thank our staff, students, and families for their continued support and look forward to the exciting events still to come!

Ms Lisa Santomartino

Middle School Leader

Year 9 EBC Day

For our second Year 9 EBC (Engagement, Belonging, Connection) Day on 2nd May students participated in different activities including volunteering at Pascoe Vale North Primary School, Dorothy Impey and Plumpton Villa aged care. Other groups travelled to the Science Gallery to participate in a design workshop and to Pentridge Prison and Merri-bek City Council. At the prison students learnt about the history of the site and met local councillor, Katerine Theodosis. Another group was very active participating in a self defence and tai chi class.

Year 8 Seas The Day 

On 29th April a group of Year 8s travelled to Queenscliff as part of the Merri-bek Seas the Day experience with other students from Glenroy & John Fawkner. They went out into Port Phillip Bay on a small boat, which was a fantastic experience. The water was quite choppy so most people got pretty wet. The guides from Fisheries Victoria threw in their net with students then sorting through the different types of seaweed and other sea life. There were sea urchins, edible sea grasses, fish and even tiny seahorses. After drying out the students visited the Marine Discovery Centre after lunch where the highlight was the touch tank.

Year 7 Camp

On the 12th of May, on a sunny Monday, 48 students and a couple of teachers took the 2-hour bus ride to Camp Gundiwindi. Overall, the camp was an unforgettable experience – exciting, challenging, and encouraging for us to push beyond our limits.  We participated in many different activities, like team initiatives, low ropes, archery, the campfire, giant swing, flying fox, survival skills, damper, and so many more.  Many people were talking about the giant swing for days, but everyone loved all the activities and wanted another go at them. The cabins were comfortable and spacious and a nice place to relax and even better to sleep in. The food was delicious, leaving us begging for seconds. We were placed with people we wouldn’t usually work with or even talk to, which allowed us to make new friends and co-operate and chat with each other. I personally will never forget the gorgeous sunsets and sunrises, and the vast landscape filled with trees and cows. I’d like to thank the teachers for putting this camp together and making this all possible for us Year 7s, and also the camp staff for how nice they were to everyone who was there. I thought many of the activities were beyond my limits, but like everyone, I wished the opportunities had lasted longer. To everyone who missed out, I hope you get to experience such a significant and memorable adventure sometime soon.

Year 8 and 9 Celebration Assemblies

Multicultural Week 2025 

In the 3rd week of Term 2 Pascoe Vale Girls College was very happy to celebrate Multicultural Week from Monday the 5th of May to Thursday the 8th of May. It was a full week celebration filled with different activities from daily online activities to food stalls, performances and dressing up in your own cultural attire.

On the first day of the week there were colouring activities that were held within the library. On Tuesday the 6th of May there was a Mulan screening in the Auditorium at lunch hosted by Sama (Year 12 Senior Sub School Captain), Mr Rosa and Ms Gowers. There was a lot of positive feedback in regards to the movie choice as the auditorium was filled with laughter and joy. 

On the third day of the week, food stalls were set up in the Quad with a range of different foods and cuisines from a variety of cultures and countries. It was fantastic being able to learn more about different cultures and flags from all around the world.

On the last day, students were encouraged to arrive at school in their cultural attire in order to represent their culture and country. The atmosphere just showed how diverse our school really is and it made many realise about cultures that we never knew existed. It was amazing to see a number of different performances in the Gym. A big thank you to all the groups that participated and performed. It was obvious as to all the effort that was put into practicing for the big day.

A big thank you to Ms Gowers and Meharpreet, (one of our College Captains) for organising and supervising many of the events that were held throughout the week. It wouldn’t have been possible without all of your help and support.

 Testimonies 

“This was the first year we had the chance to see a lot of different performance participation. My favourite performances were definitely the ones I had never seen before such as the Samoan, Cook Island and Asian Performances.”

Year 12 Student

“It was very well organised. The time management was very well planned as everyone got to perform and we didn’t miss any of the performances. I believe that it was a very memorable and unforgettable week.”

Vaidehi 12F 

“It was a very fun experience to dance in front of everyone at school as I have never performed at school before. It was really nice seeing people wearing their cultural attire.”

Rose 12F

Alberti and Cowan House Leaders help

Celebrate Multicultural Week

Alberti and Cowan House leaders joined forces again to help support Multicultural Week. On Thursday May 8th, the school was looking vibrant as students dressed in their traditional costumes and/or clothing that represented their cultural heritage. 

We are always blown away by the effort and thought that goes into this day. Before the festivities and dancing kicked off in the gym at lunchtime, Alberti and Cowan house captains ran a photo booth to help students capture a memory on film in the way of a take home polaroid. PVGC loves a photo booth and needless to say our leaders were run off their feet. It was a great experience, and we loved seeing everyone come together. 

Alberti and Cowan House Leaders

IDAHOBIT Celebrations

On Thursday the 15th and Monday the 19th of May, we held events for IDAHOBIT, which took place on Saturday the 17th of May. IDAHOBIT stands for International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia, promoting everyone to fight against the discrimination of LGBTQ+ people. On Thursday, Mr Madden held an amazing presentation in T block discussing the ancient history of queer and gender diverse individuals in civilisations and cultures such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, and Rome. Then on Monday, we held a fundraiser with proceeds going to youth mental health services, selling fairy floss and bracelets. 

Thank you to everyone who participated in these events or supported from the side, and we hope events like this can create a more inviting and respectful environment for everyone!

Merri-bek Schools in Action

Work Experience

During the month of May, 29 year 10 students were selected to participate in the work experience program. They were welcomed into some fabulous workplaces for 1 week, where they were encouraged to learn new skills and become a part of the team. Some students attended 

• Architecture firms 
• Education settings
• Healthcare facilities
• High end fashion manufacturers
• Speech pathologists 
• Food retailers. 

Miss Nicky and Ms. Story visited many of the students at work, and were delighted to hear positive feedback about the students. Some lucky students have already been offered part time work.

 Our generous hosts offered the following quotes

“Student A was wonderful! Everyone loved having her in store. She will be missed. Student A is a great reflection of your school.”

“Student B was a very quick learner. Friendly and respectful to everyone” 

Thank you and congratulations to all students who learnt new skills, made new friends and showed how wonderful the students of PVGC really are.

Alumni Session | Manolya Ilanli Returns to PVGC

On Thursday, 8 May, Pascoe Vale Girls College proudly welcomed back alumna Manolya Ilanli for an inspiring session with our senior students.

Now a lawyer, university lecturer, and legal trainer, Manolya shared her journey from PVGC student to legal professional—offering honest insights, practical advice, and encouragement to students with big dreams.

“Success doesn’t happen overnight,” she said.  “But with focus, confidence, and determination— you can get there.”

FROM PVGC TO THE COURTROOM

Manolya spoke about the hard work and resilience needed to pursue a career in law. She described how her time at PVGC helped shape her values and aspirations, and how that foundation supported her through university and beyond.

WHAT STUDENTS WANTED TO KNOW

What’s needed to become a lawyer?
After completing her law degree, Manolya undertook Practical Legal Training at Leo Cussen, where she gained real-world experience—working on cases, preparing legal documents, and learning how courts operate.

Why La Trobe University?
She chose La Trobe for its strong reputation in law and its supportive, hands-on learning environment. The university helped her grow both academically and professionally.

How important is networking?
“Very important,” she said. “Networking helped me become a lecturer and later a trainer. It’s not just what you know, but who you meet and how you build those relationships.”

A MESSAGE TO THE STUDENTS

“Believe in yourself—even when things get tough. You are capable of more than you think.” – Manolya I.

Manolya’s visit was a proud moment for our school community. Her story is a shining example of where hard work, education, and determination can lead—and a powerful reminder of what PVGC students can achieve.

10VCD Top Designs & LUME Excursion 

Year 10 students from Visual Communication & Design were given the opportunity to explore the 2024 Top Design work which exhibits the best VCE design work from the prior year. Students enjoyed exploring the VCD work and showed them some great examples of the commitment and work it takes to complete a high achieving folio of work. Students then experienced the wonderful work of Vincent Van Gogh at the LUME. An interactive experience where students got to sit and immerse themselves into art with over 100 screens displaying his works in moving animation heightening the beauty and detail of Van Gogh work. 

Year 7 Helpful Inventions

Year 9 EBC Upcycling Project

As part of the year 9 EBC day a few of the students took part in an upcycling workshop. Encouraging the students to minimise fashion wastage and push their creativity, this workshop challenged the students to take either one of their old garments or a garment from an Op Shop and upgrade it with any technique they pleased. Utilising fabric scraps, embellishments, embroidery and many other techniques, each student was able to leave the workshop with a piece that was uniquely their own. 

12AME Art Making Progress

Throughout Term 2, our Year 12 Art Making and Exhibiting students have been immersed in bringing their Unit 3 artworks to life. Students have explored a wide range of mediums—from oil paintings inspired by 16th-century masters, to intricately detailed miniature cafes, to life-size papier-mâché trees.

As part of their Unit 3 studies, students developed conceptual plans for their own exhibitions, drawing inspiration from three influential artists. These artists’ works served as the foundation for a unifying theme that guided each student’s creative journey and final work.

The Year 12 art room has been full of creative energy, with students pouring countless hours into their projects— through lunch breaks, study periods, and after-school sessions. Their commitment to their craft has created a vibrant, collaborative space where ideas flourish and creativity thrives.

We can’t wait to see the final results on display at the end of year Art exhibition.

Art Club Arts and Crafts Stall

Our Art Club captains, Merleen and Anisah, organised an Arts & Crafts Stall. Students put their creativity and design skills to work, crafting a variety of handmade items including stickers, bookmarks, keychains, crocheted goods, and other unique creations to sell to the school community.

Thank you to all teachers and students who supported the Arts & Crafts stall. Your contributions will help fund materials and enriching experiences for our talented Art Club members!

Year 11 Top Designs Excursion & Forum with Natisha Tabua

Year 12 Outdoor Education Kinglake Bushwalk

Interschool Track and Field Carnival

On May 20th, 2025, Pascoe Vale Girls College proudly competed in the Interschool Track and Field Carnival, showcasing athleticism, determination, and school spirit across a range of events.

Our talented athletes represented the school in a variety of disciplines, including javelin, triple jump, long jump, and track events. Each event brought out the strength, focus, and competitive energy of our students, who gave it their all on the field.

A special congratulations goes to our standout performers:

Felicia Kuk-Toleafoa for First Place in the Girls 17s Javelin.

Aniqa Hassan for Third Place in the Girls 18s 200m Sprint.

These achievements reflect not only the hard work of our athletes but also the encouragement and support of their teammates and coaches. Whether they were competing, cheering from the sidelines, or pushing themselves to a personal best, each student played a part in making the day a success.

Well done to all our participants for their dedication and sportsmanship. You’ve done PVGC proud!

Narjes Aljanabi

Holocaust museum excursion

As a part of Year 11 Modern History, our class was given the opportunity to visit the Melbourne Holocaust Museum in Elsternwick to get a first-hand experience of the suffering victims of the Holocaust dealt with on a deeper level. The excursion consisted of our small Year 11 Modern History class. 

On the trip, we toured rooms where we were amazed by the amazing artifacts, all of which were real. One artifact in particular, that cultivated everyone’s attention, was a scale model of a synagogue made by one of the Holocaust survivors once he sought refuge in Australia. It was completed with an interior and lighting. Some other things that hooked students’ attention were the real uniforms worn by the prisoners and their IDs. It was really interesting seeing the personal belongings of Holocaust survivors, such as the clothing, the bowls, and other everyday items used by Jewish people in concentration camps. These objects gave us a deeper understanding of the harsh conditions Jewish people endured. The activity of table groups for discussing and analysing sources of propaganda and the physical artifact photos stood out and were engaging to us, as they showed important perspectives and insights into what life was like during that time period and the significance these sources/artifacts had. The display of death certificates was particularly shocking, providing a reminder of the brutal and horrific reality faced during the Holocaust. However, undoubtedly the highlight of the excursion was hearing the story of a first-hand Jewish survivor and asking him questions about his experiences. This is definitely a privilege for us students who got to experience things that we may never get to have the chance to again. 

One of the most interesting artifacts was the fake identity cards of the holocaust survivor Henry Ekert’s parents, which were mind-blowing as they showed the real consequences of extreme measures Jewish people had to take to survive. Hearing Henry’s personal story brought these historical events to life and helped us understand how deeply these traumatic experiences affected him and countless others. His story added a powerful, humane and real view to our understanding of the Holocaust and its long-lasting impact.

A moment that undoubtedly touched everyone’s heart was the story of Henry’s life and the ways he described it saying he never got the chance to have a real childhood because at the age of 5 his entire life purpose was to survive in a place where everything and anything threatened his life it showed the brutality of Nazi Germany and the lack of humanity. 

Overall, the journey of expanding our education beyond the classroom was certainly a wholesome and engaging experience which brought perspective to the immense suffering of all the targeted communities under the Nazi ruling which never would’ve been accomplishable in class. It was a significant moment to witness a holocaust survivor in person, and our class will forever be grateful to have participated in such an event.  

Giwa Erol, Abeer Tayyab and modern history VCE YR 11 class 

Year 9 Humanities: Geography

This term in Geography, our Year 9 students have been learning about the different types of biomes around the world. They have also had to analyse which biomes are more important for survival to create their own biodomes for a hypothetical future world where the earth’s natural landscapes have been destroyed. They have also examined different farming techniques in preparation for their CAT where they will analyse the food security status of a country of their choice.

‘Girls in Physics’ Breakfast

On May 20th, the 2025 ‘Girls in Physics’ Breakfast was a fantastic opportunity for our students who were interested in STEM careers to meet other women who have a career in Physics and Engineering; and other peers that shared this same interest. This year’s guest speaker was Dr. Danielle Holmes from The University of New South Wales, who described her research on creating ‘qubits’ using individual atoms in silicon chips. These qubits are the building blocks of quantum computers, contributing towards the latest technology that will revolutionise humanity’s problem-solving abilities.  

Photographs taken during this excursion are included.

Carolyn Drenen

Learning Area Leader – Science; STEAM Co-ordinator; Teacher of Chemistry, Science and Mathematics

GTAC ‘Using Forensic Investigations to solve an Environmental Crime’ Excursion

Inspired by real events, on Thursday May 1st, our Yr. 9 and Yr. 10 students visited GTAC and became part-time trainee Wildlife Officers for the Victorian Conservation Regulator to investigate the illegal killing and dumping of many unidentified birds of prey.

Working in small groups facilitated by a scientist mentor, our students used research grade microscopes and technologies to investigate the case. Different exhibits were examined to discover if the birds were a protected species, what murder weapon(s) were involved and they identified a prime suspect with a likely motive.

At the conclusion of the program, students decided from their supporting evidence which suspects were arrested, charged and debated their punishment based on their findings.

This student-centred program encouraged our students to be active, curious, purposeful and engage in dialogue when critically analysing crime-scene evidence.

Many thanks to Ms. Tsintziropoulos who took time out of her regular routine to accompany myself and the students on this excursion.

Photographs of the activities that were completed during the excursion are included.

Ms. Carolyn Drenen

Learning Area Leader – Science; STEAM Co-ordinator; Teacher of Chemistry, Science and Mathematics

RMIT Future STEM Leaders Training Day

During Tuesday 29th April, selected Yr. 9 students volunteered to participate in the ‘Future STEM Leaders’ Training Program, which targets and supports the growth and development of STEM leadership skills in a classroom; through facilitating the delivery of a practical STEM workshop to younger year students. The  STEM Leaders’ learning was guided by industry experts and RMIT Women in STEM Ambassadors, who are current RMIT University students studying a variety of disciplines across STEM.
Aims of this program include:
• Breakdown of stereotypes in STEM with visible role models
• Engaging with mentors from tertiary education and industry
• Inspiring STEM participation in high school and beyond
• Supporting the empowerment, confidence and knowledge for student aspirations in STEM
• Boosting positive STEM culture among student groups and the school community

With support from our Yr. 11 and 12 STEM Captains, the students began to practice how to deliver a series of technology-based Science Workshops to an audience of Primary school students who will be visiting our school later in Term 2 to participate in these exciting STEM-based activities.

Photographs taken during this training day are included.

Carolyn Drenen

Learning Area Leader – Science; STEAM Co-ordinator; Teacher of Chemistry, Science and Mathematics

STEAM Club Launch with the

Scanning Electron Microscope

During the start of Term 2, our Science department was able to showcase a desktop Scanning Electron Microscope, borrowed from GTAC (the Gene Technology Access Centre), to observe objects at a nanoscale, or at a very tiny level, where 1 nanometre is equivalent to 10-9m. 

At the same time, our Year 11 and 12 STEAM Captains launched our new STEAM Club with a few sessions dedicated to encourage other students (and curious staff members) to prepare and observe a variety of samples using this latest technology! Samples observed included a beetle head and legs; butterfly wings; a slice of fresh chewing gum; lizard skin; ants, feathers, dried gum nuts from trees, flower petals, evaporated liquids, tiny circuit boards found in electronic devices and various salt crystals. 

Many thanks to our fabulous Laboratory Technician Ms. Fernando, who lent her time and expertise to help facilitate these sessions with the Scanning Electron Microscope.

Future STEAM Club sessions will feature guest speakers from Universities and the opportunity to complete some fun experiments. Look out for our announcements on Compass!

Carolyn Drenen

Learning Area Leader – Science; STEAM Co-ordinator; Teacher of Chemistry, Science and Mathematics

Year 12 VCE VM Literacy Activities

Year 12 VM Literacy students have been preparing to drive, by learning about all things car related. As part of their assessment they have compared the features of different cars using online tools;  made videos selling their teachers’ cars; instructed others on how to change a flat tyre and made an online advertisement promoting road safety. We think that they are well on the way to hitting the road safely! Here are a few snaps from some of the hands-on activities they have been involved in.  

Ms Doomernik and Mrs Turchiarelli

Year 12 VM Work Related Skills Activities

Work related skills students have been learning about the workforce in a variety of ways – excursions to the Melbourne Airport, with Industry Guest Speakers and through Virtual reality headsets.

The Biggest Morning Tea ’25

Congratulations Year 12 VCE VM!

We’re thrilled to share some exciting news with our PVGC community.

Earlier this week, our Year 12 VCE VM students hosted a fantastic fundraising event in support of Cancer Council Victoria. The day kicked off on Tuesday 13 May with a special morning tea for teachers, followed by a lively lunchtime pop-up market in the school yard for students.

With a fundraising goal of $500, our students showed incredible initiative, teamwork, and passion. Thank you to the generous support of our staff and students, we’re proud to announce we raised a total of $743.20!

A huge congratulations to our Year 12 VCE VM students for their hard work and dedication to such a worthy cause, and thank you to everyone who donated, attended, or helped on the day. Your support truly made a difference! 

We are very proud of your efforts. 

Mr Faltes and Mrs Clark 

Personal Development Skills Teachers

Year 11 VCE VM Mother’s Day Stall

On Thursday May 9th, the Year 11 VCE VM students hosted a Mother’s Day Stall outside the PAC, showcasing weeks of hard work and creativity from their Personal Development Skills class.

In the lead-up to the event, students dedicated their time and talents to designing and crafting a range of thoughtful, handmade items. The stall featured an assortment of gifts including candles, body scrubs, potted plants, crocheted flowers, bath bombs, care packs, baked treats, and even fairy floss.

A big congratulations goes to Mr Faltes and Ms Rodda for their unwavering support, patience, and encouragement throughout the project. It was fantastic to see the students engaging confidently with the school community, demonstrating their interpersonal and entrepreneurial skills in a real-world setting.

We hope all the special people who received these gifts felt truly appreciated and enjoyed their handmade treasures.

Well done to everyone involved!