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Italty1Italy4

It just a matter of days, 17 students from Years 10 to 12, along with three teachers and three parents, will embark on a once-in-a-lifetime journey to Italy. This marks our first student exchange trip since COVID, and excitement is building!

Key organiser Carla Stevens, our Italian teacher, and Partnerships Manager Lisa Kerr have worked closely with the Greater Shepparton City Council’s Economic Development team, who generously arranged gift bags for our students to present to their host families. These bags include First Nations artworks, local merchandise, and reading materials showcasing our vibrant agricultural and farming region. A heartfelt thank you to Council for their support.

Special thanks also go to Ms Stevens, Lisa Rowe, Francesca Rivetti, and the entire team for their hard work and fundraising efforts leading up to this trip. This included the assistance of the students themselves, as well as our Environmental Student Leaders to raise money through the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme.

Among the eager travellers are Tara Comline and Lachlan Gribble. Year 10 student Lachlan shared: “I am excited to explore Italy and immerse myself in another culture, especially the homestay experience that will show me the daily life of an Italian student.”

For Tara, also in Year 10 student, the trip holds additional significance as she will be accompanied by her sister Samantha, who is in Year 12. With their mother being Italian, this trip will be their first visit to Italy, making it even more special.

For most of the students, this will be their first overseas trip. Carla highlighted that this exchange offers an incredible opportunity to apply their Italian language skills in real-world contexts while gaining firsthand experience of the culture they’ve studied.

Each student will have a ‘trip jacket’ detailing the itinerary, which includes exciting stops like:

  • One week at our sister school in La Spezia
  • Venice, with its gondola rides and rich traditions
  • The snow in the Alps
  • Exploring local craftsmanship in leather, jewellery, masks and lace
  • Charming Christmas villages
  • Historical sites in Rome, Pompeii, and Florence

Additionally, students will engage in a geographical and cultural project, fostering knowledge exchange and collaboration between cities to strengthen our partnerships for the future.

Our Italian Students will act as language ambassadors, helping their peers navigate the language and culture and our Auslan students will have the opportunity to explore Italian sign language and share their experiences with Italian students.

The students said they hope to build their Italian language skills by being completely absorbed in the culture and applying the language into real life practical experiences. They have been preparing for the trip by focusing on refining their language communication skills, undertaking workshops on Italian customs, etiquette and social norms and well as team building activities to strengthen the bond within the travel group before the trip.

Ms Stevens is particularly eager to see how this experience impacts the students and the new perspectives it brings. We look forward to hosting Italian students here in September 2025 as a gesture of goodwill.

Wishing all participants, a fun and safe trip!

Grazie a tutti e ... Voliamo!

Details

Our Early Commencement Program (ECP) for all students in Years 7 to 11 will begin on Monday, 25 November.

ECP is designed to give students a head-start on their 2025 studies, by finding out about course content, learning about the types of assessments within their chosen subjects and key dates for 2025. ECP provides students with a good understanding of expectations for the year ahead and aims to set them up for success.

We are asking for your support to ensure your child is at school and attending all classes for the duration of early commencement. We strongly encourage families to make travel arrangements after the below dates, and as per usual processes, please provide an explanation if your child is absent from school for any period of time.

It is important students keep good attendance during ECP as coursework and information will not be revisited next year.

  • Year 10 and 11 students - 25 November – 11 December
  • Year 7 to 9 students - 25 November – 13 December.

Students are required to attend in full school uniform and to actively participate in class. Our device policy remains in place and students are asked to leave their mobile phones or other devices at home or in their locker from the start of the school day, until the last bell.

Students will be provided with photocopied booklets and an exercise book per subject to work in during ECP. Students will be required to bring some general stationery, including pens, pencils and highlighters.

Where possible, the teachers delivering the ECP program will be the students’ subject teacher in 2025. Please keep in mind this is not possible for new staff joining our community next year. Student timetables will be made available on Compass prior to ECP commencing and booklists are available via the College website.

Please do not hesitate to contact the College on 5891 2000 should you have any questions.