Mrs Dunwoody discusses CGGS's partnership with The Cyber Safety Project to educate and support students, parents, and staff regarding digital safety and wellbeing.
The School Captains’ word for Term 1 is rejoice, so I would like to share a little of the research about joy. Ingrid Fetell Lee is a joy researcher. She found that things that bring us joy are often round, colourful, abundant or a combination of these. The most important word here is ‘abundant’ which means plentiful or occurring in large amounts.
One of the key messages about joy is that our bodies and brains are designed for joy and it is essential to our wellbeing. Joy should not be a reward. It is something that belongs to us and is an essential component of living well. Joy can be fleeting, perhaps lasting only a few seconds, but it is possible to find joy easily if you know what to look for and where to look. This means getting to know yourself a little better, learning about what brings you joy and allowing yourself to experience joy whenever you wish rather than as a reward.
Joy researchers have found strong links between joy and creativity, wellbeing and immune function. When we are feeling joyful, we are more likely to experience flow, the state where we are focused and aligned with our natural strengths. Think of a time when you have been lost in a book, a drawing or completing laps in a pool.
An abundance mindset is the belief that there is enough for everyone to share. It views life’s possibilities as limitless, encouraging optimism and generosity as we approach situations and challenges. Developing an abundance mindset takes time, but there are little things you can do to lean more towards an abundance mindset and away from a scarcity mindset. The best part is that others’ joy doesn’t reduce our own joy, rather, joy multiplies when it is shared’ (Fetell Lee, 2025). Celebrating others’ joy also expands our own capacity for joy. Think of a time when you have laughed and others have joined in. Sometimes we use the term ‘infectious laugh’ to describe someone whose laugh invites others to laugh too. My office is very close to Mrs Dunwoody’s office and when I hear her laughing it always makes me smile.
While you are experiencing joy you can practise cultivating an abundance mindset by savouring it as this enables you to take a short experience and extend it. Research shows that when we savour something we increase momentary joy, and overall happiness and wellbeing.
Next time you are doing something you love, try to focus on the feelings associated with the activity and appreciate every aspect. You might be surprised how long this delicious feeling of joy lasts. Notice the colours, sounds, scents and textures. Notice how they contribute to the joy you feel. I hope that you will take the time to observe the things that make you smile and bring you joy.
“Joy is a right, not a reward.” (Fetell Lee, 2025)
Charlotte Forwood
Director of Learning Design and Development
Another brilliant performance by the CGGS divers and swimmers this week at the GSV Championship Diving and Swimming Carnival, with the Swim team claiming the Division Two Championship and Dive team finishing in third position.
The swimmers have now claimed back-to-back titles in historic fashion, winning the 2024 and 2025 Division Two Championships.
The final placings for categories were:
DIVING
SWIMMING
Congratulations to all competitors on an incredible team performance and we look forward to many of our students qualifying for the GSV Finals on the evening of Tuesday 1 April.
Last Monday saw CGGS students and staff represent GSV with great distinction as they battled it out against the AGSV (Associated Grammar Schools Victoria).
Year 10 student Chloe W was once again dominant on-court for the GSV Tennis team, defeating her opponent convincingly. This is the second consecutive year in which Chloe has been selected to the GSV Representative Tennis team, a remarkable achievement as students only become eligible for GSV Representative teams from Year 9 onwards.
Jenny J in Year 9 was superb in her performance for the GSV Representative Volleyball team, as they cruised to a 3 sets to 1 victory.
CGGS staff member, Ms Adriana Szili, performed the role of GSV Tennis Coach, guiding her charges to a convincing triumph. Adriana is a former professional tennis player, having won the 2002 Australian Open Junior Doubles Title and playing in the 2003 Australian Open Women’s Singles Championship.
Congratulations to Mia Graham (2023) who last week was presented with the award for Outstanding Contribution to Umpiring by the Boroondara Netball Association (BNA).
Mia has umpired netball for the past 8 years, performs the role of umpire mentor in the BNA and coaches the CGGS Year 9 Sapphires and Year 11 Jades in the BNA Winter Competition that commences this Saturday 22 March.
Cameron Childs
Director of Sport
As part of our ongoing collaboration with Nanyang Girls’ High School in Singapore, we were pleased to participate in an International Women’s Day (IWD) collaboration last week. Camberwell Girls and Nanyang Girls’ High School exchanged thoughtful gifts, posters and a video to celebrate our ongoing partnership, embracing this year’s IWD theme ‘Marching Forward’.
Camberwell Girls presented a framed digital print created by one of our talented Year 12 students, Ash W. The artwork, which represents the vibrant and inclusive spirit of our school community, has also been used as the cover for our 2025 student diary. Additionally, we created a 5-minute video that shared a Day in the Life of a CGGS Student, showcasing our school’s commitment to leadership and resilience.
In return, Nanyang Girls’ High School shared a beautiful artwork that blends Australian and Chinese cultures using traditional Chinese ink painting. The painting features vibrant orange hues symbolising Australian culture and the importance of Uluru, with Chinese-style clouds surrounding two girls, a CGGS and Nanyang student, holding hands to represent future collaboration and friendship between the schools. This artwork was printed into a puzzle, which will be placed in our Library for students to contribute and help put together. Nanyang also shared a video with our school community, which was shown at assembly last week, where the Nanyang community reflected on their understanding of International Women’s Day and the journey forward.
The exchange of gifts not only symbolised our mutual respect and admiration but also strengthened the bond between our schools, inspiring our students to embrace global citizenship and cultural understanding.
Looking ahead, we have an ambitious plan to deepen our collaboration. Later this year, we will be working on a live project for the United Nations International Day of Friendship, which could include a shared celebration, workshop, conference, or fundraiser. In 2026, we aim to create further opportunities, and we can’t wait to explore these ideas further. Our partnership with Nanyang Girls’ High School is a testament to our commitment to providing our students with enriching and diverse learning experiences, and we look forward to sharing more collaboration opportunities and outcomes in the future.
Kath Woolcock
Head of Senior School
Eleanor Wood
Director Co-Curricular Programs
It gives us immense pride to share the wonderful news that Laura Tong (Class of 2024) has been selected by a VCAA panel to present at the VCE Season of Excellence ‘Top Talks’ event. Laura was one of only four students around the state to be selected.
Top Talks showcases exceptional oral presentations from VCE Extended Investigation students. Selected students share their original and rigorous independent research and findings through 8–10 minute presentations followed by Q&A. Held at the State Library of Victoria in front of a packed audience, and live streamed throughout the nation, on Friday 7 March , Laura shared her findings from her investigation.
Laura’s research aimed to investigate sustainable marine oil spill remediation comparing the sorption effectiveness of organic and inorganic clean-up materials. In exciting news, Laura’s key finding was that treating organic clean up materials with ferric chloride increased their sorption properties significantly.
Extended Investigation is unlike any other subject offered in the VCE. It gives students the opportunity to investigate a topic of their own choice in a detailed and extended fashion. Students are empowered to develop and demonstrate personal and professional expertise through the conduct and communication of their own research. At the end of the year students submit a 4000-word research report and then defend their findings in a 20-minute presentation.
The CGGS community is so proud of all the students that undertook Extended Investigation in 2024.
Debbie Henson
Head of Science
Our VCE Art students recently embarked on an inspiring excursion to the National Gallery of Victoria, visiting both Top Arts at NGV Australia and Yayoi Kusama at NGV International.
At Top Arts, students were immersed in the best of VCE Art Creative Practice and Art Making and Exhibiting from the previous year. The exhibition provided invaluable insight into high-achieving student folios, creative processes, and conceptual development. Seeing the dedication and innovation of their peers sparked meaningful discussions about technique, materials, and the importance of refining ideas.
At NGV International, students were transported into the mesmerising world of Yayoi Kusama. Her bold use of repetition, infinity mirrors, and striking polka-dot motifs challenged students to think about contemporary art beyond traditional forms. Engaging with Kusama’s immersive installations reinforced key ideas about conceptual depth and audience interaction in contemporary practice.
This excursion provided a perfect balance—exposure to the excellence expected in VCE while also broadening artistic perspectives through contemporary art. Students left feeling inspired, ready to push their own creative boundaries.
Rachael Miller
Head of Art & Design
On Tuesday 11 March 2025, Year 12 student, Olive C, delivered a remarkable performance at the Melbourne Recital Centre during the Top Class Theatre Studies showcase for the Class of 2024. This event is part of the VCE Season of Excellence, showcasing outstanding works by VCE students across Victoria.
Olive presented a monologue from “Bombshells,” a play by Joanna Murray-Smith that is comprised of six insightful monologues exploring the lives of modern women. Her chosen piece centred on Mary, a young self-centred theatre enthusiast, who is backstage preparing to dazzle the crowd with her talent show performance when she hears that her enemy is singing the same song as her.
Olive’s portrayal captured the essence of Mary’s character, balancing comedic timing with genuine vulnerability. Her performance not only highlighted her acting prowess but also her deep understanding of the character’s complexities. Participating in Top Class Theatre Studies provided Olive with a platform to share her talent and gain valuable experience in a professional setting, and the audience responded with thunderous applause.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Olive for her dedication and excellence in Theatre Studies, and to all students who studied Theatre Studies in 2024. Olive’s achievement serves as an inspiration to others and underscores the high standard of performing arts within our school community.
Kath Woolcock
Head of Senior School
To celebrate International Women’s day four students had the opportunity to visit Parliament House, with keynote speakers Jessica Wilson MP and Georgie Crozier MP, who spoke about their pathways into and leadership in politics. Please see below the students’ reflections from this breakfast.
On 12 March, Camille, Maddie, Ana-Sofia, Ms McKie and I, had the privilege of attending a breakfast in celebration of International Women’s Day. As each of us were placed on separate tables, we had the opportunity to connect with girls from other schools. This was truly a highlight for me as we shared stories and worked together to create tangible solutions to tackle challenges facing women. Special guests, Jess Wilson MP and Georgie Crozier MP, spoke passionately about their rise to politics, imparting a message of empowerment, encouraging us to pursue our passions and to overcome obstacles without fear. This experience was certainly memorable, and I highly encourage others to also take a step out of their comfort zone and try something new, even if it seems daunting.
Hilary F
Year 11
The International Women’s Day breakfast at Parliament House was an inspiring celebration of leadership and connection. We met new people, engaged in meaningful conversations, and reflected on the importance of empowering women in leadership. It was also great to hear Georgie Crozier MP and Jess Wilson MP, as they talked about women and their experiences in parliament.
Ana-Sofia JP and Camille C
Year 11
For International Women’s Day we attended an event at Parliament House run by the International Coalition of Girl’s Schools. We were incredibly privileged to have two MPs speak to us about their inspirational career journeys and were also given the opportunity to ask them questions. It particularly highlighted for us that anything is possible and the vast opportunities we can create for ourselves. During our time we met girls from schools across Victoria and were able to make many friends who had similar interests. We were given the opportunity to speak about issues that matter to us in school and even propose a plan to combat these issues. The International Women’s Day breakfast was an invaluable experience of learning, celebration and inspiration.
Maddie W
Year 11
Our Inform Masterclass series provides Year 10 students with specific subject information about potential VCE subjects, preparing them to make informed decisions about their future selections. Led by our Heads of Department and their expert teaching teams, these sessions provide overviews of Units 1-4 content, assessment, expected workloads and highlight connections to career paths and university courses for their respective subjects. The goal of these sessions is to have our Year 10s feeling informed and empowered to make their subject selections later in the semester. In our two most recent Upskill programs, the Sciences of Chemistry, Biology, Physics and Psychology, as well as Extended Investigations welcomed CGGS alumni to talk about their experiences in these subjects and the pathways that they have taken since.
Four alumni shared their VCE and post VCE Science journeys with the Year 10 students, including Katherine Mason (2023), Salwa Saiba (2022), Scarlett Giang (2022) and Felicia Spiridonos (2020). During a panel Q & A session, all four alumni shared insights about their university studies, the courses they are pursuing, and the options available to them with the aim of inspiring students to consider including STEM in their futures.
The following questions formed the basis of the panel:
Extended Investigations also welcomed back Sara Rowland from the Class of 2024. Students learnt about the Critical Thinking Test, the Written Report and the Oral Presentation; externally assessed components of Extended Investigation. They were also introduced to some samples of research questions investigated by CGGS students in recent years.
These investigations may be an extension of an area of curriculum already undertaken by the student or completely independent of any other study in the student’s VCE program. In this subject, students develop their capacity to explore, justify and defend their research findings in both oral and written forms to an educated non-specialist audience.
Extended Investigations will be offered at CGGS in 2026 and students in Year 11 can choose to complete the Unit 3 and 4 sequence in Year 11. There are no pre-requisites for entry to Unit 3.
Deb Henson
Head of Science
Extended Investigations Teacher
At Year 8, students engage in four technologies rotations over the course of the year. This curriculum surfaces in students’ timetables and in our Upskill curriculum, which provides the opportunity for extension through deep learning and immersive experiences.
In the Maker subject, this week’s Upskill program saw students have their last workshop session to complete their collaborative creative projects. Having been given a design brief earlier in the term for this major project, students researched the idea and role of mascots for both branding and education.
Utilising the United Nation Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), groups selected and
created a mascot to bring attention and promote education around their chosen SDG.
Provided with a set of windup legs and various materials for prototyping, including foam clay, fabrics, and 3D printed elements, students refined and consolidated the skills of design thinking, as they were challenged to apply these skills in a design technology context.
In finalising their prototypes, they provided and received feedback to help inform future iterations of their design and finally reflected on possible changes they would make moving forward. The session was rounded out with a mascot race, putting their designs to the ultimate test.
Dr Vicky-June Ellis
Science Teacher
On Thursday 13 March, our Year 10 students had the opportunity to work with six Days for Girls volunteers from the Camberwell Chapter to help make and assemble menstrual kits to be sent to girls all around the world.
Days for Girls is an international nonprofit organisation focused on providing sustainable menstrual hygiene solutions and education to girls and women in developing countries. Their mission is to empower girls by breaking the stigma surrounding menstruation and ensuring access to sanitary products and providing reproductive health education. Through partnerships and community-driven initiatives, they aim to improve health, dignity, and opportunities for girls worldwide.
The Service Learning team held a sausage sizzle BBQ on Tuesday 18 March with all proceeds going to the Days for Girls organisation. To continue our support, a Service Learning kiosk will also be available at the end of term during House Dance, with funds raised also going towards Days for Girls and their amazing work.
We are most grateful for the opportunity to be useful in service through our ongoing partnership with Days for Girls. A big thank you to Lee Baker and her team of volunteers, we are looking forward to many more years of partnership.
Denise Tan
Head of Service Learning
After resting up on the long weekend, our Year 7 cohort boarded the buses to Phillip Island full of energy and excitement. With a brief stop in San Remo for lunch, students arrived at Phillip Island Adventure Resort ready and raring to launch into activities to fill the rest of the afternoon.
Over the four days, Year 7s challenged themselves to participate in a mixture of land and water-based activities. Land activities included high ropes, the twin flying fox, team rescue and the beach walk; where students faced high heights with speed; strategised to get a dummy through an obstacle course and spent time playing in the sand and shore at the beach. Water based activities included raft making, canoeing and surfing. Many students have shared that surfing was the highlight of camp with many trying to balance on the boards for the first time.
On Wednesday night, students competed in a trivia night with a mixture of general knowledge, music, plus a few activities such as the paper plane launch. Several student teams were delighted to find out they had beaten the staff. For the last night, students enjoyed watching the Princess Diaries before heading to bed for their final day of camp. This was spent playing in a friendly volleyball competition before visiting Nobbies Boardwalk to look for penguins and seals and having lunch in Cowes.
It was fantastic to see so many students challenge themselves and embrace the opportunity to try new experiences and have a go. We can’t wait to see them continue to build on their camp experience each year.
Shane Maycock
Education Outdoor Coordinator
Kaitlin Barr
Year 7 Coordinator
On Thursday 6 March, the Year 9 French students got the chance to attend a French Film Festival School Screening, an exciting opportunity and opportunity to apply our learning.
We watched the movie “Speak Out” (“Le Panache”) at the Palace Cinemas Balwyn. It was an unforgettable coming-of-age movie with a meaningful plot, a zealous theme of acceptance, and strong characters, including a stuttering but tenacious protagonist – Colin, and an eccentric teacher – Monsieur Devarseux.
C’était génial, le film, et je le recommanderais à tout le monde !
Elsa W
Year 9
In Week 6, Year 10 embarked on their last ever Year Level Camp situated across Peninsula Outdoors, Merricks and CYC, Melbourne CBD. Students were offered the choice of three different experiences, or trails, which provided opportunities to participate in a range of Service Learning and Education Outdoors activities. Please enjoy these student reflections and a very big thank you to all staff involved.
At the start of week six, approximately 30 Year 10 students took a train into the city for the Birrarung Yarra trail for year 10 camp. During our stay in the CBD, we learnt a lot about the inner workings of the city, from the captivating street art culture to the intellect of the judicial and police systems. We helped package and prepare thousands of meals for the FareShare program who help those suffering from food insecurities and learnt more about how people deal and get help for homelessness with The Big Issue magazine. In the middle of the week, the social enterprise Meals with Impact hosted us for lunch as they taught us the struggles of refugee settlement of women into Australia. Alana S – Year 10
Year 10 Camp was an unforgettable experience. The Port Phillip Bay Trail focused on water-based activities. We were able to experience activities and challenges that we had never faced before such as stand-up-paddleboarding and snorkeling. Snorkeling was a major highlight for many students as we were able to see sea life in its natural habitat including seals, stingrays, the elusive weedy sea dragons and even octopus. Whilst, at times, the hot weather was a challenging, we were able to push through with each other’s support, perseverance and optimism. Being able to create and share these memories with one another is what truly made this camp so momentous. Emily F – Year 10
The camp trail that I chose was the Western Port trail. This trail was mainly a water based trail and overall, is a camp experience that I will continue to remember. There were many different activities such as surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, kayaking, snorkelling, mountain biking and a 2 night camp-out. At first, I wasn’t the most confident when it came to some of these activities and I remember being initially discouraged by the movement of the waves, however I enjoyed everything. One of the highlights from the week was the camp-out nights where my group all huddled together to cook and made a trangia cooking circle. Overall it was a fun camp and it was a great way to finish my school camp experience. Cosette T – Year 10
Lindsay Hill
Year 10 Coordinator
The Luna Park VCE Physics Day proved to be an exhilarating and educational adventure for our 2025 VCE Physics students, immersing them in the fascinating world of motion and physical principles.
Throughout the day, students ventured around Luna Park, greeted by attractions such as the Enterprise and Pharoah’s Curse for the thrill-seeking students, as well as the iconic Scenic Railway, known to be the oldest operating rollercoaster in the world. The experience allowed students to delve deep into the complex concepts of motion and energy. This excursion showed students the tangible relevance of physics in our everyday lives and has left a lasting memory for all involved.
Kingsley Ren
Physics and Mathematics Teacher
Mrs Dunwoody discusses CGGS's partnership with The Cyber Safety Project to educate and support students, parents, and staff regarding digital safety and wellbeing.
This week, our CGGS Secondary School swimmers successfully defended their GSV Division 2 Swimming Championship title.
At the Junior School, Year 1 has shared a special ritual they do every day with the Foundation students.
The School welcomed Old Grammarian Lisa Chiba (2001) as the guest speaker at this year's International Women's Day Breakfast.
