Assistant Principals Report

What a year!

We are thrilled to have had our students on-site for a full year of school. As we transition to a break we wish you and your families a safe and enjoyable holiday. We have had a lot of exciting events taking place at the College towards the end of Term 4 including SEAL Orientation Day, Year 7 Orientation Day, Year 7 Parent Information night, Presentation night and End of Year Activities.

Year 7 Scholarships

Each year at our College, students who are enrolled to attend Year 7 in the following year are offered scholarships in the following areas:

• Academic Excellence
• Sport
• Performing Art
• Visual Art
• SEAL

Students are invited to apply for all scholarships apart from the SEAL scholarship, of which the College selects the recipient.

We have been busy visiting Primary school assemblies over the past two weeks to present scholarship certificates, and congratulate the recipients of these awards.

SEAL Orientation Day

Each year at Emerald Secondary College we receive applications from students in grade 6 for our Select Entry Accelerated Learning Program.  Students who have applied are invited to sit an entrance exam and may then be invited to an interview, prior to being accepted into the SEAL program.

Last week we held our SEAL orientation day, where our new grade 6 SEAL students had a wonderful time, being challenged, enriched, and accelerated in their learning with an introduction to rocketry. Students learnt about Newton’s Laws, and designed, built, and launched their rockets on the oval. 

Parents also stayed and enjoyed getting to know each other and staff at ESC over a morning tea at the start of the day.

Year 7 Orientation Day

Our Year 7s joined us on Tuesday 13^th December for an introduction to Secondary School. Our new Year 7s had the opportunity to form new relationships with staff and peers, undertake a school tour led by our college captains, play getting to know you activities with their homegroups, complete an about me task and get their photos taken. Finally, the students got to experience two class tasters before finishing up for the day. It was great to see the students buzzing with excitement and enthusiasm as they reach this milestone of graduating primary school and becoming an Emerald Secondary College student.

Year 7 Parent Information Night

Our annual Year 7 parent information night begun with a magical performance from our College Jazz Band led by our music teacher Damon Key. This was followed by an acknowledgement of country video created by our 7-9 students. Parents and students were introduced to the key teams for 2023 and addressed by the College Principal James Barut. Our Assistant Principal Janine McMahon provided an overview of Year 7 learning and the new timetable structure for 2023 was introduced along with our tutor learning initiative program and student excellence program. Parents and students were then provided an update of the program for orientation day. Our Assistant Principal Tanja Korsten outlined wellbeing supports, inclusion support and student voice and leadership opportunities. Lastly parents and students were introduced to all of the amazing extra-curricula activities we have on offer at Emerald Secondary College and reminded of some key policies and information.

Presentation Night

One of our most auspicious events on the College calendar, the 2023 Presentation Night was well celebrated by many in our Emerald Performing Arts Centre.  We were most pleased to welcome the families of students receiving awards and our special guests and friends of the College, who so generously financially support the giving of awards and the sponsorship of several students through recognition of significant achievement.  Year 7-11 students were awarded with their subject awards – for excellence in each subject at each year level.  Sports and Duke of Edinburgh awards were presented.  Special achievement awards and sponsorship awards were also presented, recognising outstanding achievement, improvement, commitment and exemplar demonstration of College values.  Congratulations to all recipients and thank you to our sponsors – Emerald RSL, Emerald Lions Club, Mandala Clinic, Area Specialist Real Estate Pakenham, A-View Glass, Barry Plant Real Estate, Afflux Consulting, MacFarlane Generators, Learning with Technologies and Tradewinds. 

Our College Dux was also celebrated on Presentation Night – we were most pleased to recognise the achievements of our Dux Emily Tilson who achieved outstanding results.  This is a prestigious award – Emily achieved the highest ATAR of her cohort (94.45) through dedication and hard work.  Emily completed studies in English, Maths Methods, Biology, Legal Studies and Ancient History and intends to go on to study a Science Degree at the University of Melbourne.  Congratulations to Emily!

End of Year Activities:

What a whirlwind of fun!  Students were able to select from a diverse range of activities both in and outside of school.  Beyond Emerald our students went surfing at Inverloch, into Melbourne City on a photography tour and discovering history, to Gumbuya World, IMAX and Melbourne Museum, to Chadstone for some Christmas shopping and to the Monet Exhibition.  Back at school students launched rockets, blew up dry ice and made elephant toothpaste, investigated the phenomenon of pseudoscience and ooblec’s reaction to sound vibrations, played basketball and musical instruments, played drama games, baked Christmas cookies and treats, were involved in team challenges and sports games, participated in fun maths games, watched movies, walked dogs, played board games, did craft and karaoke and were stars in our very own Amazing Race!  It was great to see the students and staff enjoying so many fun activities together, and what a way to end the year!

International Day of Persons with Disability (IDPD) – 3^rd December 2022.

Emerald Secondary has a proud history of inclusive education that supports, advocates and meets the educational needs for all students with a disability.  We want all students to feel welcomed and engaged at school, so they can participate and achieve their full potential at school and in life.  

We at the college strive to

• Place the needs of our students at the centre of our decisions
• Raise awareness of diverse learning needs
• Celebrate inclusive education

On the 3^rd December 2022 – We celebrate International Day of Persons with Disabilities (IDPD).  The theme this year is “Transformative solutions for inclusive development – the role of innovation in fuelling an accessible and equitable world“.  This year the College embarked on substantial reforms in inclusive education that has incorporated a rollout of a new Disability Inclusion framework.  This innovative educational framework has been embraced by the College and has been positively received by our school community.  The daily successes achieved by our students have equipped them to not only work towards but achieve their educational and life goals.  This we celebrate. 

Many thanks again for your ongoing support of the College.

Janine McMahon, Tanja Korsten & Jarrad Donders – Assistant Principals