​Just an update from the TAP...
Did you know cow poo on your hands is a great preventative measure for COVID -19?
1) You don't touch your face
2) You don't shake hands
3) Everyone keeps their distance
Just joking folks, you know what to do-
1) Don't touch your face
2) Wash your hands with soap - often
3) Keep social distance 1.5m apart
Stay safe

Corangamite Shire Councilor Jo Beard was invited into the VCE Business Management class as they investigated management skills and styles, corporate culture, aligning culture with an organization’s mission and vision statement and potential stakeholder conflict of interest. Jo described her journey, her role as a Councilor and Mayor of Corangamite Shire and used examples from local, state and federal government to describe different leadership and management styles. She stressed it was important that decisions an organization or business makes have to be stress tested against their values and mission statement and that boards or councils paid a pivotal role in keeping organizations accountable. Jo outlined the role of the independent Stakeholder Advisory Panel for onshore conventional gas describing how good governance is provided and conflicts of interest are taken into account as panel members with various backgrounds are overseeing the scientific, environmental and technical studies undertaken as part of the Victorian Gas Program (VGP). A good tip Jo suggested to students was to write down the pros and cons of big decisions, consider what was important in your life and if a preferred course of action was going to help you get there. 

This year’s 2020 Heytesbury Show was the 85th Show and was formerly held in Lower Heytesbury but it was recently moved to it's present site at the Simpson Rec Reserve. There were Horse, Cattle, Sheep and Homecraft Competitions plus many other fun events and activities. The Year 7/8 Food and Agriculture class submitted entries in the Heytesbury Show in the Junior Cookery section and were very successful.  Students entered in the Shortbread, Sponge, ANZAC biscuits, Cake and Tea Cake sections and received a range of prizes and commendations. Ms Theologous also entered the fruit and vegetable section and was successful with her tomatoes, cucumber, lemons and silverbeet. It was great to see our students and staff be a part of this great local event. 

​The Year 7/8 Purple Power Commerce class visited Timboon Berry World to investigate another agriculture based business. Lavender and strawberries are grown in a similar manner and face some of the same issues. Heather kindly shared information on diseases the berries face and some of their causes. The possibility of machine vs hand picking was also explored discussing the pros and cons of both. Students helped out with some weeding to finish up their visit. Thanks to Berry World for giving us your time and a better understanding of a local business.

Another ex student, Simon Schulz, was invited to Timboon P-12 School to talk to Year 9/10 Paddock to Plate Food technology class about Schulz Organic Dairy, a third generation dairy business in Timboon. As students are investigating food production in Australia, primary and secondary production and processes, food packaging and marketing and the food markets in our region, we thought it was best to hear from a local, rural entrepreneur in this field, excuse the pun. Simon described how his grandfather and father developed the business based on organic and biodynamic principles and how their product range has been diversified for new and emerging markets. Listening to his customers at Farmers' Markets gave Simon the confidence to launch a crowd funding campaign to produce milk in glass bottles which was Pozible’s most successful campaign in 2018. Simon explained how the business has diversified both horizontally, in product range including milk, yoghurt, cream, fetta and quark and vertically, by having 5-6 small businesses in the operation from production, manufacture, marketing, delivery to grocers, cafés, Farmers markets and the on-site store, The Timboon Cheesery. He outlined the importance of networks including small, independent dairies and the 12 Apostles Artisans in luring different customers into the region and challenged students to investigate the potential of other agribusiness offerings in the southwest. Simon indicated that Schulz Organic Dairy was soon to be launching a new product and offered students an exciting opportunity to potentially be involved in the research, processing methods, labeling, marketing and even a launch of the new product…watch this space!

Ex Timboon student and current agronomist for Webber & Chivell Fertilizers, Glenn Cain, and agronomist, Lucy Powell , introduced our Year 7/8 ‘Plant Health’ science students to the requirements of a healthy crop as part of their competition entry in the Hermitage Research Facility’s Schools Plant Science Competition. Students will be working on experiments about the structure of soil, salinity, plant growth and the effects of light on plants. Glenn and Lucy are providing background for the students’ ‘plant health’ themed science experiments and scientific reports as well as leading discussions about what is needed to grow a healthy crop, the benefits of increased yield and how farmers deal with pests and weeds in their businesses. In class the students identified local crops such as turnips, radish, buckwheat, sunflower, sorghum, potato, rape, vetch, turnip (leafy), chicory, millet and maize. Later this term Glenn will be hosting us on an excursion to investigate various types of crops and the constraints to the plant health of field crops in our region.  We are very fortunate to have access to such informative speakers, thanks Glenn and Lucy.

​To investigate real world examples of the TAP in action and to better understand the business of agriculture, our Year 7/8 Commerce elective students visited the Sungold Field Days. Students were challenged to complete a series of tasks including the investigating the host company, the other dairy processors on site, products on sale at specific sites, the banks at the Field Days and why they their businesses would see it as beneficial to attend. Other challenges included investigating education providers on site, learning about the services and products supplied by specific companies, their acronyms and the importance of a relevant business name or logo. Students have as homework tasks to research a business to learn about their sector, the address, number of employees, products and why they would attend the Field Days. It wasn't all hard work though and the students enjoyed the generosity of the participants.Thank you to the businesses our students visited and to the students for representing our school so positively.

In the Year 7/8 Food Tech elective, Food and Agriculture, students are learning about the Australian Dietary Guidelines and the five food groups recommended for daily consumption: dairy, vegetables and legumes/beans, fruit, grain /cereal foods and lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds. Students learnt about the importance of three serves of dairy foods daily and that one serve of dairy is equivalent to one cup of milk, two slices of cheese, ¾ cup of yogurt or ½ cup of ricotta cheese. They were surprised to learn that few foods provide as much absorbable calcium per serve as dairy foods with the equivalent serves being: 32 brussel sprouts, 60g of sardines, 100g almonds with skin, and 7 bags of spinach. Putting their theory into action students then produced some delicious Cheesy corn and zucchini muffins to provide a great source of calcium for their growing bones. Yummo

​We are immensely proud to be one of seven schools chosen as an example of good practice across Australia of effective strategies in engaging parents and families to support their children in career education. In February 2019 several students, teachers, parents and industry representatives were interviewed by researchers from the Australian Research Alliance for Children & Youth (ARACY) as part of their Parent Engagement in Career Education project. Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash, Minister for Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business and the Hon Steve Irons MP, Assistant Minister for Vocational Education, Training and Apprenticeships launched the School to Work website containing several reports and case studies including the TAP. https://schooltowork.employment.gov.au/future-ready/ARACY. This report can be viewed in the ARACY blog: https://www.aracy.org.au/blog/beyond-the-school-gates. ARACY also launched their new resource for school leaders and educators, Parent and Family Engagement: An Implementation Guide for School Communities which featured the TAP and is a the culmination of their four year project into parent engagement in learning. Thank you to all of our interviewees and please check out our case study.