AFFIRMATION OF DEMOCRATIC PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES
The Australian International Academy of Education declares and affirms that school programs and teaching practices embrace the following important principles: The promotion of peace, harmony and understanding through intercultural interactions. All Australians have equal rights before the law. We reject any form(s) of discrimination based on race, religion or sex. The rule of law and the respect of the rights of others. The values of fairness, openness, sharing and giving a hand, looking after neighbours, tolerance, understanding and acceptance. People are free to choose and practice their religions. But we reject those who preach violence and hatred in the name of any religion. The right of individuals to enjoy the freedom of speech, expression and association. But we reject verbal and written abuses and transgressions against others under the cover of freedom of speech and expression. The Australian system of democratically elected governments and councils is the best that serves the interest of all Australians.
HEAD OF CAMPUS
Ali Harba Head of Campus
Dear Parents and Guardians,
Assalamu Alaykum Wr. Wb.
Welcome Back!
I would like to welcome you all to our first newsletter for 2022. I am looking forward to an exciting year ahead.
Alhamdullilah, we’ve had a wonderful start to the year so far. It has been great to see our students’ smiling faces during the first few weeks of school, especially after the turbulent year they had last year due to the constant lockdowns. Despite some apprehensions, setbacks, and struggles to get the school ready for the start of 2022, I can confidently say that the term has begun on a positive note. Students have displayed enthusiasm inside and outside of the classroom and are enjoying on site learning once again.
A very big welcome to all our new students across all year levels, and their families. I hope your time at our Campus will be a positive and enjoyable experience. I hope everyone has a wonderful year, and I look forward to working with you all at different stages throughout 2022.
As always, we use the first couple of weeks to build relationships and set expectations and routines. There has been plenty of evidence of this happening in all classrooms across the school. This is very important as it sets us up for a successful year. It provides comfort for students; they develop relationships with the people they interact with and gain a sense of belonging and self-confidence. Not only is this an important aspect for school, but it is just as important for the home enviornment. Establishing expectations and routines may take some effort to create at home, however once set up, they include endless benefits such as feeling more organised and in control to help your family get through daily tasks more efficiently.
My focus for this year is to continue establishing and delivering an exclusive and innovative educational approach. This will provide our students with the means to achieve the best outcomes throughout their curriculum. Our aim is to ensure every student receives an engaging, stimulating and high-quality education from our highly professional and committed staff. This aligns with the vision of the Academy “to have graduates who are well prepared and self-motivated to advance Australia and to participate effectively as world citizens with Muslim Values”. We will achieve this by setting high expectations for all, starting with myself and extending to the leaders of the school, our teachers and students.
AIA-CSSC
Last year, we endeavoured on a journey to separate the Primary and Secondary Campuses due to space limitations and a high number of enrolments. We applied for accreditation to become a Senior Campus that offers both the VCE and IB programs. With the will of Allah (swt), we were successful in both applications, becoming a Senior campus catering to Years 6-12 and also receiving accreditation to offer our students the choice of either studying VCE or IB in Years 11 and 12. Our Campus is now known as AIA Caroline Springs Senior Campus (AIA – CSSC).
Thank you to everyone who helped with the mammoth task of separating the two Campuses, as well as the successful achievement of the IB accreditation. In addition to this, a big note of appreciation to our professional staff for the time and effort they have dedicated to ensure everything was ready for the new school year. It was an extremely smooth transition, and we are fortunate to have such a wonderful team.
Information Night 2022
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all parents and students that took time out of their busy schedules to attend the Information Night session via Zoom. I hope it was informative and that we were able to give you an insight into the year ahead, as well as answer all your queries. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have your continuous support and attendance in all planned school events. Being involved in your child’s school events allows them to develop a sense of pride and makes them feel valued. I’d also like to acknowledge and thank our presenter Ashane from Elevate Education for the impactful information he delivered on the importance of parental support and guidance to their children. The tips, resources and strategies that he provided during his presentation will no doubt help you and your children achieve great outcomes and success.
School Improvement & Innovative Projects
We have many new innovative projects and school improvements taking place in our school. Last year, we purchased a robot which our students have started programming and this year, we intend to explore this project further by allowing more students to work with the robot and come up with new programs for it. We also introduced Virtual Reality into various subject areas of the curriculum. More subjects will be using this technology to explore their subject content and make learning more interactive and enjoyable.
The Esports club was successfully established last year and continues running this year.
We intend to give our year 9 students the chance to experience real life learning through ‘The City Experience’, a program we are hoping to join this year.
The new portables which consist of 2 classrooms and a wudu area were completed last year and are currently in use. Our students enjoyed the facilities last year and will continue using them this year.
We have finally transposed the home economics room so that it is facing our new sports oval. Work on both projects will be completed by the end of next week and will be ready for our students to use and enjoy.
These are all the exciting new initiatives and improvements for our students that will provide not only a positive learning enviornment but also a place to achieve and enjoy during their learning journey at AIA-CSSC.
Year 12 Graduates 2021
Congratulations to Aycha El Haouli- SCHOOL DUX for 2021, and the year 12 cohort for graduating from our Caroline Springs Senior Campus. We are so proud of their achievements, especially as they all managed to successfully complete their VCE. They all received first round tertiary offers, and we wish them continuous success in all their future endeavours.
Distribution of Rapid Antigen Tests to Staff & Students
We received Rapid Antigen test kits from the Government to issue to our staff and students. Each student has been issued with 2 kits of (5 tests) to take home.
Testing twice-a-week is strongly recommended for both staff and students at home; results only need to be reported if it is COVID-positive. A COVID-positive result must be reported to:
The school via email or by phone; this is so the school can provide necessary support, record absence while in 7-day isolation, and let the rest of the school community know there has been a positive case onsite, and that they should monitor for any symptoms.
Students needing to isolate will be able to access their day-to-day tasks through their AIA Compass Portals. As required, staff will add tasks for independent home learning, as it is not practical to provide both onsite and home learning concurrently.
Welcome to our New Staff
At AIA-Caroline Springs, we are delighted to welcome the following new staff members joining our growing team of dedicated Teachers at our Senior Campus:
Mr. Anthony Zarka- Mathematics, Design & IT
Ms. Aisha Patel- Physical and Health Education & Science
Ms. Sumaiah Al Shakhshir- Psychology, English & Arabic
Ms. Rabia Sonvadi- Administration office
Ms. Rouba Alameddin- School nurse
2022 Staff responsibilities and contacts as listed:
Campus staff can be contacted via email: csc@aia.vic.edu.au or phone 8372 5446.
Executive Principal
Gafiah Dickinson
Head of Campus
Ali Harba
Assistant Head of Campus
Mahmoud Sammak
CURRICULUM HEADS/COORDINATORS
IB DP (Teaching and Learning)
Mahmoud Sammak
IB MYP (Teaching and Learning) Coordinator
Mariam Assafiri
VCE and VASS (Teaching and Learning) Coordinator
Dania El Hawli
English Coordinator
Nur Elif Ankara
Humanities Coordinator
Nathan Jamieson
Language Acquisition (Arabic) Coordinator
Hanan Ahmed
Mathematics Coordinator
Gadir Chebib
Sciences
Hanan Ahmed
Arts Coordinator
Vera Duvcevski
Health and Physical Education, Sports and Camps Coordinator
Michael Riskas
Library and Resources
Safinaz Sultan
STUDENT MANAGEMENT COORDINATORS
Student Management (Year 6 - Year 7)
Tanisha Raj
Student Management (Year 8 - Year 9)
Michael Riskas
Student Management (Year 10 - Year 12)
Felix Yuen
Student Wellbeing
Dounia Souki
First Aid
Rouba Alameddin
OFFICE STAFF
Office Manager
Noha Aly
Administrative Assistant
Rabia Sonvadi
Important Calendar Reminders for Term 1, 2022
Date
Event
28 February
Year 11 Camp
14 March
Labour Day Holiday
21 March
Harmony Day
8 April
Parent-Teacher Student Conference
9 April – 24 April
Term 1 Holiday Period
Ali Harba Head of Campus
ASSISTANT HEAD OF CAMPUS
Mr Mahmoud Sammak Deputy Head of AIA CSSC
Assalamu Alaykum Parents, Guardians and Students,
Welcome back to our students and parents and a very warm welcome to our new families who are joining us for the first time in 2022, including the year 6 students. We look forward to building strong and effective partnerships to support student learning and development. I am sure we will get to know you all very soon as we get off to a good start to 2022.
As we begin this New Year, I am confident that the education and opportunities offered to our students will enable them to be well prepared and self-motivated to advance Australia and to participate effectively as world citizens with Muslim Values. Our quality education will allow students to reach their full potential.
Overall, it has been an exciting start to term one with a range of exciting activities, programmes and events for students. This first edition newsletter encapsulates many of those highlights, particularly in terms of student leadership, engagement and wellbeing.
As we conclude Week 5, I wanted to thank you all for your assistance. Students were settled and the year began extremely productively. Students have also made terrific connections with peers and their teachers. Please continue to support us to keep our students – your child/ren on the path of success.
Parent -Teacher Student Conference
Very soon, towards the end of March we will prompt parents to book appointments through the Compass Portal for the Term 1 Parent-Teacher and Student interviews which will take place on Friday, 8th April. This is a great opportunity to meet with teachers to discuss your child’s progress and recieve feedback on improvements.
Finally, I would like thank those parents who were able to attend the School Information evening. It was a pleasure meeting you all and having the opportunity to speak with the attendees informally. Please feel free to contact the school if you would like to discuss any issue related to your child's education.
Regards
Mr Mahmoud Sammak Deputy Head of AIA CSSC
MIDDLE YEARS PROGRAM (MYP)
Dear Parents/Guardians,
I would like to welcome our students, new and old, to a new year at AIA-CSSC. Four weeks into the term, and we can already see our students settling nicely into their classes and demonstrating a positive learning attitude.
This year, in addition to the curriculum taught, we intend to focus on ATL (Approaches to Teaching and Learning) skills which will be the primary tools students should use during their school years and beyond. These skills include: Communication, Thinking, Self-management, Social and Research skills.
Moreover, we will be implementing 'Service as Action', whereby students will undertake short-term and long-term activities. More information about the 'Service as Action' program will be communicated to students during their form classes in the weeks to come.
Finally, I would like to acknowledge our teachers for their hard work and initiative thus far, and for their efforts in creating engaging and innovative learning environments catered to various learning styles and abilities. They have been able to all this while also supporting our students and ensuring the best education is delivered across all subject areas at school.
Mariam Assafiri
Middle Years Curriculum Coordinator
IB (INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE) PROGRAM
Assalamu Alaykum Parents/Guradians,
We are excited to announce that AIA-CSSC has officially started offering the IB Diploma programme to our students after successfully obtaining the authorisation at the end of last year.
What is the IB Diploma Programme?
The IB programme is about developing the whole student, helping students learn how to learn, how to analyse, how to reach conclusions about humankind, its language and literature, its ways in society, and the scientific forces of its environment. The IBDP Programme helps foster a kind of independence, an interdisciplinary style of thinking and questioning that creates worldly scholars and global citizens. For this reason, the IB Diploma is widely recognised by universities around the world as a symbol of academic excellence and one of the strongest educational experiences available in secondary education today.
The IBDP Programme is geared towards the student who is willing to work hard and seeks increased learning opportunities and challenges. Students who enter the Diploma Programme are asked to commit to a two-year plan of study during their junior and senior years.
Things that IBDP Students and Parents should know
Starting the IB Diploma Programme (DP) can be daunting, especially since the DP’s core educational concepts can be vague to both students and parents. With that being said, with school having started this month, here are four things a DP student should know as they enter their first month into the IB program.
Yes, there will be lots of reading
Let’s get this out of the way: there is a lot of reading in IB courses, from novels to plays to memoirs and more. In most classes, students will be assigned a chapter or two with accompanying coursework that will help guide their understanding of the text and help in creating lively class discussions. Plus, the reading is meant to be thought-provoking and influential – not reading just for reading’s sake.
You don’t have to wait to be called on by a teacher to speak
DP students can expect to be engaged in a lot of peer dialogue in class. Discussions are often student-guided talks responding to open-ended questions that have no right or wrong answer. These discussions challenges students to work together and find collaborative solutions to the questions offered in class.
You will write to reflect, not to be right
In the first month of classes, expect to actively reflect on reading assignments. Reflections might take the form of written responses, classroom discussion, or small projects. Reflections are designed to help students begin to think about course material on a deeper level. Plus, it develops your critical analysis skills, which are essential for post-secondary studies and future careers.
Projects are based on coursework AND your interests
No IB course is complete without a culminating project, which you will learn about and possibly even begin within the first month of class. Communication and research-based, these group or solo projects tie together course content and a question of interest to you, and results in a tangible piece of work.
Alhamdulillah our VCE students are off to a great start with uninterrupted on-site learning this term. We started the term with a series of specialised study skills workshops for all year levels from 7-12. The sessions were conducted by presenters from Elevate Education. Students were provided with practical study skills and organisational techniques that can be adopted to enhance their learning and help them manage their time effectively to achieve optimum results.
Our year 12 students were very excited to receive their specially designed jackets and are wearing them proudly around the school, to the envy of the lower year levels.
01/26
During our annual information session this week, parents were presented with important information regarding the 2022 GAT Reforms and the AIA Assessment and Redemption Process, as well as a parent seminar from Elevate Education.
Our year 11 students will soon be attending a camp for three days and we wish them a safe and spiritually enriching experience.
Our Year 10 students have also begun their VCE journey this year. Each student in Year 10 is studying one of the following VCE subjects: Biology, Health & Human Development and Media.
2022 GAT REFORMS
This year students will have their literacy and numeracy skills measured against new standards in a reformed GAT.
The new standards will indicate whether students have demonstrated the literacy and numeracy skills typically expected of someone completing their secondary schooling.The GAT will be split into two sections: - Section A will assess literacy and numeracy skills. - Section B will assess skills in mathematics, science, technology, the arts and humanities, with an increased focus on critical and creative thinking skills.
All students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3 –4 sequence will be required to sit Sections A and B. Senior VCAL students will sit Section A only.
GAT results will continue to be used to check that VCE external assessments and school-based assessments have been accurately and fairly assessed. If a student does well in the GAT, they are likely to do well in their other assessments.
Students will be given the opportunity to resit the test if they do not meet the standards.
OUTCOMES - LEVEL OF ACHIEVEMENT Scores from 40-100 is satisfactory and any score less than 40 is unsatisfactory and will require a redemption.STUDENTS AT RISK
VCE ASSESSMENT SCHEDULE CALENDAR
Students now have access to all their scheduled assessments via the following Google Doc:
Welcome back to school and a warm welcome to our new families joining us in 2022.
I’d like to formally introduce myself as the Year 6 and 7 Student Management Coordinator. I am excited to be working alongside students, parents and teachers to ensure that 2022 will be a successful year. We have a big cohort joining us for 2022 and there are many new faces! Student’s are settling into their classes well and are getting to know their new teachers.
Firstly, form teachers have been allocated to each year level and are also available to assist your child throughout the year. If you have any questions, please feel free to get in touch with your children’s form teachers or myself.
Year 6A – Ms. Anaam Soweilam
Year 6B – Ms. Aisha Patel
Year 7A – Mr. Joe Failla
Year 7B – Ms. Mariam Assafiri
Year 7C – Ms. Sumaiah Al Shakhshir
Communication
Our student management platform Compass is an important part of forming our partnership with AIA families. All parents are encouraged to regularly monitor Compass for important updates and information.
Compass
Chronicle entries
Important announcements
Reports
Monitor your child’s attendance and enter absence information
View timetables & learning tasks
Monitor student progress
Communicate with teachers
Uniform
Our uniform is an important part of school life and identity as an AIA student. Please ensure your child attends school in the correct uniform with appropriate hairstyle. If your child will be out of uniform for any reason, please supply a written note or contact your child’s form teacher or year level coordinator, Ms. Tanisha Raj.
If you have further queries and questions please feel free to reach out to me.
Ms. Tanisha Raj.
YEAR 8 AND 9 STUDENT MANAGEMENT
Dear parents, students and guardians,
Welcome back to the school community and a very warm welcome to our new families joining us for the 2022 academic year. I look forward to working with all of our students and parents over the year to ensure that 2022 is successful. I encourage all parents and students to reach out for assistance if necessary. Form teachers have been allocated to each year level and are also available to assist your child throughout the year.
Year 8A – Mr. Nathan Jamieson
Year 8B – Ms. Alac Alkhateeb
Year 9 – Ms. Samia Eldib
2022 Checklist
Students
Form routine and regular study habits
Engage in extra-curricular activities
Stay up to date with important announcements
Communicate with your parents and teachers regularly
Parents/Guardians
Monitor your child’s progress and engagement
Push effort, not results
Create a comfortable study space
Parent and student engagement via our student management platform Compass is an important part of forming our partnership with AIA families. All parents are encouraged to regularly monitor Compass for important updates and information.
Compass
Chronicle entries
Important announcements
Reports
Monitor your child’s attendance and enter absence information
View timetables & learning tasks
Monitor student progress
Communicate with teachers
Uniform
Our uniform is an important part of school life and identity as an AIA student. Please ensure your child attends school in the correct uniform with appropriate hairstyle. If your child will be out of uniform for any reason, please supply a written note or contact your child’s form teacher or year level coordinator.
Mr. Michael Riskas
YEAR 10-12 STUDENT MANAGEMENT
Dear parents, guardians and students,
Assalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh!
Welcome back to a new year at AIA CSSC. As you are all aware by now, with the new split of campuses, there are many changes going on this year! One of those changes, in terms of student management, is that we now have more staff dedicated to ensuring that the students’ needs will be met and that 2022 will be a successful year insha’Allah. We now have student management coordinators for years 6 and 7; years 8 and 9; and lastly years 10 to 12. I’d like to formally introduce myself as the student management coordinator for the senior year levels (years 10 to 12). In addition to this, we now have form classes and form teachers allocated to each class to ensure the students have an additional point of contact during the year. They are as follows:
Year 10 – Mr. Anthony Zarka
Year 11 – Ms. Gadir Chebib
Year 12 – Ms. Nur Elif Ankara
The form teachers and myself will be working closely to ensure that each year level is supported both academically and behaviourally in their journey throughout the year. We are looking forward to developing the school culture to ensure that not only the students enjoy their time at AIA, but are provided every opportunity to succeed. Keep an eye out for some of the exciting school programs and extra-curricular activities that will be run this year!
A few reminders as the students are settling in as start off this year:
Communication
Compass will be the main point of contact for updates and information both pertaining to the school and its events, as well as academic progress, and behaviour management. On the platform you will be able to:
Receive important announcements
See chronicle entries
View reports
Monitor your child’s attendance and enter absence information
View timetables & learning tasks
Monitor student progress
Communicate with teachers
If you are having difficulty accessing or navigating the platform, please reach out to us for support.
Uniform
Our uniform is an important part of school life and identity as an AIA student. Please ensure students attend school in the correct uniform with appropriate hairstyle. If students are out of uniform for any reason, please supply a written note or contact the relevant form teacher or year level coordinator.
Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or queries.
Mr. Felix Yuen
EXPLORING THE ARTS
Ideas about art can be challenging and questions about art often have no absolute answers. In the Arts we begin by exploring ideas through a number of activities. We begin by focusing on ATL skills, which are the ways students approach their learning, understand mind maps when exploring a particular topic or theme and develop art skills in a variety of medium, materials and tools. Students are encouraged to make strong connections to artists past and present, their artworks and the way they view art. This gives our students a different perspective of the ever-changing art platform. We all look forward to productive year with some visual surprises.
Ms. Vera Duvcevski
01/02
DESIGN AND TECHNOLOGY
Dear Parents/Guardians,
In Design and Technology, students build their essential skills of designing creative and quality solutions to a range of practical purposes. The course empowers students to become creative and proactive designers in an increasingly technological and complex world.
The Design and Technology department of Australian International Academy - Caroline Springs Senior Campus offers Product Technology, Digital Technology and Food Technology to students from Years 6 to 10.
Design and Technology has always served as a tool to build meaningful connections to other learning areas such as the Arts, Science, Literature, Mathematics and so on. Through hands-on-activities students develop confidence in their ability to develop innovative designed products, services and environments. Students are encouraged to transfer their experiences and skills that they gain from the classes to the world outside their classroom.
Sayeeda Chowdhury
MYP Design & Technology Coordinator
HUMANITIES
Dear Parents/Guardians,
The Humanities department would like to welcome all staff, students, and parents back for the 2022 year. We are excited to see the growth of the student, both socially and academically, as the year progresses.
A wide variety of topics will be covered this year. Modern history including the world wars, ancient history of empires spanning the globes such as the Aztecs, the Romans, and the Ottomans. Students will be learning skills that are integral to their academic life as we focus on; critical analysis, research skills, bias in what we read, and empathy for cultures and people around the globe.
Our expectations are high for our students and we are confident that they will be able to display their best selves during this year.
- Humanities Department -
Mr. Nathan Jamieson – Faculty Head, Year 6 & 8 teacher
Mr. Orhan Ozdamar – Year 6, 7, 8, 9 teacher
Ms. Tanisha Raj – Year 7 teacher
Nathan Jamieson - Humanities Coordinator
MATHEMATICS
Dear Parents/Guardians
The Mathematics department has introduced an exciting new program in 2022 called the ‘Mathematics Focus Groups’. This program is mainly designed to help assist students of different learning abilities, to thrive in an environment suitable to their learning pace. It will also aid learning by giving students one on one support and preparation for upcoming tests and Mathematics competitions. This new initiative aligns with AIA’s mission statement which aims to ‘deliver quality education to students in a nurturing, enriching’ environment. The students will be split into their focus groups one lesson per week to cater for their learning abilities, to either support or accelerate them.
Please keep in mind other reminders in the Maths department:
The after-school Mathematics study club runs every Wednesday at 3:25 – 4:00 pm, to assist students who need extra support or catch up on homework.
Chess Club runs every Monday during lunchtime to promote critical thinking and problem solving. It can also help improve cognitive skills and increase self-confidence.
The upcoming Australian Mathematics Competition (AMC) is to be held in March and August for selected students.
The Maths department consist of:
Year 6: Sayeeda Chowdhury (6A) and Joe Faila (6B)
Year 7: Joe Faila (7A) and Gadir Chebib (7B & 7C)
Year 8: Sayeeda Chowdhury (8A) and Joe Faila (8B)
Year 9 & 10: Anthony Zarka
The best way to communicate with the subject teacher is via the compass portal or school email.
01/04
Ms. Gadir Chebib
Mathematics Coordinator
HEALTH AND PHYSICAL EDUCATION
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Upcoming events
School Sport Victoria - Year 7 & 8 Cricket
Islamic Sporting Schools Carnival – Futsal and Basketball – Year 9 & 10
All students are encouraged to register their interest with their P.E teacher.
Resurfacing of soccer area
The Caroline Springs Senior Campus soccer area is currently being resurfaced. We anticipate the surface will be completed in the coming weeks. All students are eagerly awaiting their opportunity to try out the new playing areas.
Afterschool Sport
Afterschool Sport will commence once the ground resurfacing has been completed. Sports will be conducted according to sporting events taking place throughout the term and students selected will be invited to attend. Please monitor Compass for regular updates regarding afterschool sport.
Additional information
All students are encouraged to wear their AIA hats and bring their own sunscreen throughout the term for their Physical Education classes.
Sporting events are posted on Compass in advance. Please provide consent for your child via Compass if they are selected for upcoming sporting events.
Mr. Michael Riskas
Health and Physical Education Coordinator
YEAR 8 MINI GOLF MATHEMATICS EXCURSION
Dear Parents/Guardians,
The Year 8 Mathematics class had an excursion to Mt Derrimut Golf and Community Club where students were exposed to the “language” that many golf players use such as par, stroke, birdie and many more. The students were very excited as this was their first excursion after Covid-19. Some students were outstanding and ahieved a “Hole in One”. Some students had never played mini golf and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
The students that obtained a “Hole in One” were; Ahmed El-Masry, Ahmed Kaya, Ayman Ali, Dyana El Hallak, Eidd El Haouli, Hassan Ellaz, Lamiese Yahgi, Mouna Karim and Syed Haider Hussain. It seems we have future professional golfers at AIA CSSC.
After the excursion, all year 8 students sat the Criteria D test from the MYP: Applying maths in “Real- Life Context”. Most students used this experience in understanding the vocabulary used and the Mathematics “Directed Number” studied in class to realise the importance of how mathematics is used in real life situations. Mr Joe Failla and Ms Sayeeda thank the Year 8 students for a memorable day. All students were well behaved and represented the College with great pride. We must also thank Mr Ali Harba, Mr Mahmoud Sammak and Mr Michael for their help and support during this excursion.
Kind Regards,
Ms Sayeeda Chowdhury and Mr Joe Failla
01/07
YEAR 11 AND 12 BIOLOGY - INVESTIGATING CELLS
Learning by doing is the only way I know how to learn. — Tony Fadell
Dear Parents/Guardians,
This term, Years 10 and 11 Biology students were introduced to unit one Biology in which they investigated cells from several perspectives. Students engaged in a range of hands-on activities, laboratory-based experiments, and investigative learning experiences to explore cells. Throughout the unit, students use biological terminology to represent and explain observations and data from experiments and discuss different phenomena.
01/16
Ms. Hanan Ahmed
Science Coordinator and Year 11 Biology Teacher
YEAR 11 AND 12 RELIGION
Dear Parent/Guardians,
The Years 11 and 12 students of Religion spent time during their class to create innovative and clever activities for World Hijab Day. Below are a few examples of the work from Years 11 and 12 students:
Fatima bint Muhammed Al- Fihriyya was the Muslim woman who was known for founding the first university, University of al-Qarawiyyin, which has the Guinness world record for oldest higher education institute. She was born approx. 800AD in Tunisia. Using the money she inherited from her father, her and her sister built the mosques which were later converted to mosques.
By Omar Eldib
The girl who always sits next to me always wears a hijab so fine…
She looks so much more elegant, than this uncovered head of mine… Why do I think so? because hijabs are like crowns…
So the girl next to me wears one, and if I did too, I will not need to frown.
So I started wearing one too… Say! How neat do I look!
Now that I am also wearing a crown, I notice people smile and look.
By Fatima Eldabdab
THE HIJAB
Muslim women wear the veil
It’s a hijab & it will prevail
The ones who refuse show betrayal
It is a sign of arrogance and neglect
But some show their lord respect
Don’t say that they are oppressed
For Allah they tend to fear and obey
so let’s celebrate World Hijab Day today
By Yasmine Abdou
Hijab is my crown shaped in a circle around my head like that of a full moon bringing light from the One who has commanded me to wear it to my face
Hijab is my crown shaped in a circle around my head like a merry-go-round rotating with a joyful force in places near and far illuminating its power a reflection of my soul and inner beauty
Hijab is my crown shaped in a circle around my head the way whirling dervishes move we're so high aspiring nearness to Allah Masha'Allah, our act of wearing hijab daily deserving of much respect and Insha Allah The Seventh Heaven
Hijab is my crown shaped in a circle around my head like a spinning wheel many made in different colors and in different textures each brightening the world and when wearing it like Khadijah (AS), Fatimah (AS), and Aisha (RA) attracts attention of the best kind
Hijab is my crown shaped in a circle around my head like Big Ben I'm so high dignified a visible ambassador of Islam saying no to immodesty and saying yes to our Majesty
Hijab is my crown shaped in a circle around my head like a halo starting my day with Bismillah and looking into the mirror to carefully donn it I remember I'm doing this to help men married and unmarried from sinning and to protect myself from impurity and immoral acts as Hijab is my crown for me a Queen
Camps are an exciting and important component of the AIA experience. We actively encourage and expect our students to attend camp during the year. The Caroline Springs Senior Campus attends camp along with our Melbourne Senior Campus students.
Date: Monday 28th of February – Wednesday 2nd of March
Year 11 boys – UC Grantville
Year 11 girls – UC Grampians
Important information
Ensure medical forms and permission slips have been returned by no later than Monday the 21st of February.
Year 11 girls are required to be at school by 8:50am on the 28/2/22.
Year 11 boys are required to be at school by 7:30am on the 28/2/22. The boys will be transported to the Melbourne Senior Campus.
Year 11 girls are expected to return to CSSC at approximately 3:30pm on the 2/3/22.
Year 11 boys are expected to return to CSSC at approximately 4:30pm – 5pm on the 2/3/22.
Students are not permitted to bring snacks or junk food on camp due to allergies.
A packing list has been provided to all students – students must bring their own linen & doona/sleeping bag and pillow.
Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any additional questions – rk@aia.vic.edu.au
Mr. Michael Riskas
Camps coordinator
WORLD HIJAB DAY
Dear Parents/Guardians,
World Hijab Day was celebrated on Tuesday 8th of February at AIA-SSC. The day consisted of the girls coming to school in their favourite hijabs. It was a sea of colours and patterns at AIA, a profound contrast from the usual white hijabs. During class time the students completed activities that enabled them to reflect on the importance and significance of wearing the hijab. The day ended with a hijab tutorial by a professional hijab stylist. Our female students were shown some different ways they can style their hijab for school, an outing or even a special event. The event allowed the school community to celebrate the beauty of hijab and all that it stands for. A huge thank you to Mayada from makeupbymayada for donating her time and services to style our girls!
Islamic Studies Faculty
01/23
IBDP THEORY OF KNOWLEDGE (TOK)
Dear Parents/Guardians,
Welcome to Theory of Knowledge!
Welcome to our first year of IB DP. I am so excited to be coordinating and teaching Theory of Knowledge (TOK). TOK is such a fascinating subject, as it is not content based but rather, students are provided with an opportunity to explore and reflect on the nature of knowledge and the process of knowing. For the first few sessions, students were asked to explore a simple object, a fig. We had a guest speaker, Nicolas Tod, who is a horticulturist to come share his knowledge on all things fig. The students were engaged and had many questions in regards to this particular plant. We also looked at figs from multiple perspectives. For example, from a historical point of view, the fig is known to be the first domesticated plant around 11,400 years ago. From an economic perspective, Turkey is known to produce 1.93 million tons of fresh figs which equates to 25% of global demand and lastly the role of the fig leaf in arts. Students are slowly learning how an object, especially a simple one can be viewed from multiple lenses. As we progress to the course, students will slowly develop their analytical and reflective skills.
01/03
Ms. Tanisha
IBDP TOK Coordinator
IBDP CREATVITY, ACTIVITY AND SERVICE (CAS)
The IB Mission Statement:
‘The International Baccalaureate aims to develop inquiring, knowledgeable and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world through intercultural understanding and respect.’
Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,
Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS), together with Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and Extended Essay (EE) make up the mandatory core requirements of the Diploma Programme. The core elements aim to educate the whole person. There are clear links between the core and subjects that students undertake. The core supports the interconnectedness of learning, the learner profile and a broader view of the subjects studied.
Creativity, Activity and Service (CAS)
CAS is organised in three separate strands;
Creativity – arts, and other experiences that involve creative thinking.
Activity – physical exertion contributing to a healthy lifestyle. An example of an activity can be a student setting fitness goals and planning and working towards achieving set goals.
Service – collaborative and reciprocal engagement with the community in response to an authentic need. An example of service can be a student bringing awareness to an issue such as homelessness and then working with the school community and other community groups to provide services to homeless individuals.
CAS requirements must start at the beginning of Year 11 and be completed at about the mid-point of Year 12. Students are guided by the CAS coordinator and mentor teachers throughout the programme to ensure that students complete meaningful action. Students are currently in the process of planning for their CAS experiences.
CAS provides students with an important opportunity to develop the various learner profile attributes, approaches to teaching and learning skills and make connections with the global and local communities. For example, students will research global issues and look to address these in their local communities. Students will be expected to meet learning outcomes provided to them at the beginning of the programme. One of the most important aspects of the process is reflection. Students will be required to reflect at every stage to develop their skills and move towards being lifelong learners.
In conclusion, CAS is an excellent opportunity for students to bring together their learning to address global and local issues and to act in a meaningful way over as eighteen-month period. CAS also enables students to grow and develop skills that will assist them to become lifelong learners.
I will continue to inform the school community about the progress students are making during their CAS experience throughout the year.
Orhan Ozdamar
CAS Coordinator
WHY DO WE WEAR THE HIJAB?
Why do we wear the Hijab?
We wear the hijab out of respect for Allah!
We wear the hijab to connect with Allah!
We wear the hijab to protect ourselves!
Zuhur Gurhan 7C
Why do we wear the Hijab?
We wear the hijab out of respect for Allah and our religion. We also
wear it because it is a form of modesty. We wear the hijab to connect to
our god, Allah(SW).
Mishkah Salih 7C
Why do we wear the Hijab?
Wearing a hijab is a part of our religion. We wear a hijab to
maintain modesty and privacy and it is instructed by Allah to cover our
hair for our own benefit. Therefore, we follow Allah’s instructions in
doing so.
Nora Harba 7C
Why do Muslim girls wear the Hijab?
1. The hijab is a form of modesty and is a reminder to follow my beliefs such as being honest.
2. I really love wearing the hijab and looking like other Muslims.
3, It demonstrates my submission to Allah.
Sebat Dini 7C
What does the Hijab mean to you?
To me, the hijab is like a shield; a shield that keeps me safe and
strong, a magical source of power that gives me confidence and beauty in
a unique way. It makes me special and proud of who I am. I can do
everything and anything in my hijab and yet still worship Allah.
Sara El Haouli 7A
Why is the Hijab important to you?
The hijab is important to me because I respect Allah and His rules.
Allah Created me to worship him so everything he has commanded us to, I
believe we should obey. He has given us so many blessings in life such
as speech, water and many more things so one thing that women can do to
please him and become one step closer to Jannah (heaven) is wear the
hijab. The hijab is my how I show my connection to my faith.
Aaliyah Rashidi 7A
Why is the Hijab important to me?
The hijab is important to me because it tells people who I am. It
identifies me as a Muslim. The hijab makes me feel closer to Allah (SWT)
and it shows my respect to my religion. For young Muslim females like
me who choose to wear the hijab, the hijab permits us to maintain our
modesty and morals. I choose to cover my hair because I believe it is
liberating and it expresses my religion and culture as a female Muslim.
Ethar Mahmoud 7A
SOCIAL MEDIA USE
‘Is my child always online… or does it just feel like it’
It can be tricky to understand your child’s relationship with social media but it undoubtedly plays a big role in teen culture today. Surveys show that 90% of teens ages 13-17 have used social media. It might seem that the social media platform consumes all their time and energy to the point that they always seem to be online or distracted from ‘real’ life.
We often highlight the risks but it’s important to also acknowledge that there are benefits that social media can have on young people. Being socially connected is very important for the psychological development of young people. By connecting with others on social media, your child could:
Develop better social skills
Feel less isolated
Bond with friends
Be creative and share their ideas with friends
Be better equipped to be active world citizens
Develop real world skills to help them become more independent
However as with any form of social engagement, social media does come with many risks as well. Some of the most common risks include:
Spending too much time online and disconnecting from the real world
Being involved in cyberbullying (either as a victim, bully or bystander)
Establishing a negative digital footprint
Personal information may be shared
Exposure to untoward activity or harassment.
It is important that parents play an active role in monitoring their child social media use and work together to establish positive use habits.
Lead by example – Engaging yourself positively with social media is a great way to show your child what is and isn’t okay to do online.
Be ‘friends’ with your teenager online- ‘Friending’ your child on their social media platform and engaging positively with them creates a shared experience. It is not about judging and using their platform against them, that will only lead to you being ‘unfriended’
Talk about their positive and negative experiences of social media – Instead of focusing on the negative aspects, explore and discuss what they enjoy about social media
Help them clean up their feed – Remove access to accounts that cause them distress or that can distract them. Find accounts that help create positive feelings.
Utilise Digital Wellbeing tools- Set up accounts on apps like Apple ‘Screen Share’, Android ‘Digital Wellbeing’ and ‘Forest’ for smartphones and wed browsers.
Inshallah we can aid our children to be positive digital citizens and ensure that they use social media in a way that benefits them and not hinders them.
CYBERBULLYING
I’m sure everyone here today is going to be like “Oh my god, we know what cyberbullying is. We don’t need to be told,” And that’s all right, I’m sure you guys are aware of what cyberbullying is but we’re human and sometimes we forget how our actions and words affect others.
So, let’s start off with what bullying actually is. Bullying is repetitive aggressive behaviour towards another person with the intention of hurting that person. Now cyberbullying is a form of bullying. However, this bullying is done through the use of technology. It can be through the comments, messages, and pictures of social media websites.
Cyberbullying can have a negative effect on an individual psychological and physical wellbeing. It can affect a person by making them feel unsafe, physically sick, they may have trouble sleeping, trouble eating, dropping grades. These things may seem small but eventually a person may become buried underneath these bad thoughts, ultimately leading them to hurt themselves and even committing suicide.
Why do these people become cyberbullies? Well, majority of these people may feel jealous for what you have, they may like the feeling of having control over others, they may want to prove something to their friends. Some of these cyberbullies may have mental health issues but it does not justify their actions. Overall, they may think they’re cool by putting others down. But they’re just keyboard warriors and they believe they can get away with the things they say to people.
What do you do if you’re being cyberbullied? Try telling them to stop, block their accounts and if they keep finding different ways to harass you, tell your parents or teachers.
If the cyberbullying continues and you feel unsafe no matter where you are, the bullying should be reported to the police.
Let’s be honest, majority of us use Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok. Specifically, with Snapchat when you open a snap or message it instantly goes away but it actually doesn’t. You leave digital footprint every single time you’re on the internet.
What the hell is a digital footprint? A digital footprint is data that is left behind when users have been online. Meaning those snaps, you post or messages you send, that you think may go away or be deleted, is still there. And you need to be careful. If you threaten or try hurting people through social media thinking you’ll get away with it, you won’t, especially in scenarios where the police get involved. They have.
So being smart about your actions on the internet is crucial to not getting in trouble.
And remember telling a trusted adult doesn’t mean that a cyberbully has defeated you, it means that you’ve been able to defeat them by telling a trusted person about the situation.
Pari Tawfi
School Captain 2022
AISHA PATEL - SCIENCE AND PHYSICAL & HEALTH EDUCATION TEACHER
Dear Parents/Guardians,
My name is Aisha and I will be teaching Years 9 and Year 10 Science, in addition to the Years 6-10 girls for Physical & Health Education (PHE). I am super excited to get to know all of you and your child throughout this year.
I am a graduate teacher recently graduated from the University of Melbourne with a Master of Teaching. Prior to this, I earned my Bachelor of Science in Sport & Exercise Sciences from the University of Birmingham with an emphasis in Assessment for Learning in secondary Physical Education. My students will soon come to find out, I am very passionate about physical activity and exercise! I hope all students at AIA develop the skills, knowledge and motivation to be physically active lifelong, Inshallah.
My teaching philosophy is that every child should be provided a variety of opportunities to engage with their learning and achieve their learning goals. At the start of the year, all of my students wrote down a list of goals they have for the 2022 school year. I look forward to checking in with your child throughout the year to find out how they are progressing towards their goal!
If you have any questions, please free to reach me via email: ap@aia.vic.edu.au
Ms. Aisha Patel
ROSE ERGISI - FRENCH TEACHER
Dear Parents/Guardians
My name is Rose Ergisi, and I'll be teaching French this school year. I am so excited to get to know you and your child throughout the year! I wanted to start by allowing you to learn a little more about me. I graduated from the University of Western Sydney where I also did my Master’s degree.
My first bachelor degree is French teaching from overseas. I was born and grew up in France and that is why I chose French as my major. My teaching career started 20 years ago and I have taught in many different settings including University.
I look forward to meeting you and your child in person!
Sincerely,
Rose Ergisi
SUMAIAH AL SHAKSHIR - ARABIC, ENGLISH AND PSYCHOLOGY TEACHER
Dear Parents/Guardians,
My name is Sumaiah and I’ve joined the AIA team this year as the Year 7 English, Years 7-10 Arabic, and the Year 11 IB Psychology teacher.
I graduated from La Trobe University with a Bachelors of Secondary Teaching. I hope that the positive rapport I build with students, along with my enthusiasm motivates my students to excel both inside and outside the classroom.
I believe that teachers play an invaluable and significant role in the lives of students as they themselves play a vital role in teachers lives. Students are a resource, whether it is within the classroom or within the community. Investing in the lives of students is investing in the world. I am genuinely interested in supporting and empowering each student.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me: sr@aia.vic.edu.au