2024 Issue No. 11

Dear Emerald Secondary College Families,

What an exciting and developmental year we have had. It has been pleasing to see upward trends in our improvement data and this can only be achieved by a collective effort from the entire community. Many thanks and congratulations to our parents, our students, and our teachers, for striving every day to make Emerald Secondary the best college in the network.

We have some important work to do, to continue to improve. You will always be updated throughout this process. We plan to commit to innovation, aspiration, and connectedness.

Beginning in 2025, our college will launch the School Wide Positive Behaviour Support framework. This has been drip-fed to the community during the planning phase this year, and we thank parents and students who provided feedback to ensure we develop strategies that suit our context.

During our final week of 2024, we celebrated academic success and achievements at our Presentation Night, where we saw a collective focus on academic emphasis, and this will continue through 2025. It was amazing to see so many students being awarded for their efforts.

We welcomed our local Grade 5 Students for Grade 5 Exploration Day, the first step towards Secondary Schooling for them. Grade 5 Exploration Day aims to enable students to become familiar with school grounds and participate in fun activities in a secondary college setting, assisting with the nerves that come with transition.

Now, time for our students (and teachers!) to have a well-deserved break over the Christmas period.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Be safe, be well, and we will catch you in 2025.

James, Tiana and Melissa- Principal team

Celebrating Our VCE Success

As the school year draws to a close, it is with immense pride that we reflect on the outstanding achievements of our Year 12 students in their VCE results. These results are a testament to their hard work, resilience, and commitment to excellence throughout this challenging yet rewarding journey.

Congratulations to our Dux of 2025, Savannah Graham, who achieved an exceptional ATAR of 98.1, a reflection of her dedication and passion for learning.

And to the whole cohort congratulations. These accomplishments not only reflect the efforts of our students but also the unwavering support of our teachers, staff, and families. Their guidance and encouragement have been instrumental in fostering an environment where our students can thrive.

The VCE journey is about more than just results; it’s about personal growth, developing lifelong skills, and building lasting friendships. This year’s cohort have demonstrated remarkable resilience, adaptability, and teamwork—qualities that will undoubtedly serve them well in their future endeavours.

Looking Ahead; As our graduate’s step into the next chapter of their lives—whether it be further studies, apprenticeships, or entering the workforce—we wish them every success. They leave behind a legacy of hard work and determination that will inspire future cohorts.

To our Year 12 students: congratulations on your incredible achievements. You have made your school community proud, and we can’t wait to see the great things you will accomplish in the years to come.

As we celebrate this year’s successes, let us look forward to a new year of learning, growth, and opportunity in 2025. I am excited to set goals for the year ahead. Our focus will be on:

• Continuing to support academic excellence and ensuring every student has the opportunity to reach their potential.
• Building stronger cohort connections to support collaborative learning and growth.
• Support student well-being programs to nurture resilience and confidence

I am committed to creating an environment where every student can dream big, work hard, and achieve their aspirations. I look forward to another year of growth, learning, and success.

A personal thank you to our Senior School team in 2024, Year 12 Learning and Engagement Leaders; Sean Reid and Rebecca Holmes, Year 11 Learning and Engagement Leader; Garce Sleit, Year 10 Learning and Engagement Leaders Tony Taylor and Anthony Gale and of course our VASS administrator and VCE assistant Annie Gesthuizen

For students studying VCE in 2025 you can find the Senior School Student Handbook on Compass, please familiarise yourself with the polices and processes. More information to come in 2025.

Wishing everyone a joyful holiday season and a Happy New Year.

Emily Hay- Senior School Leader

Hamper Packing

Today, we took a group of students to St. Luke’s Church to assist in packing hampers for those in need. It was great to see how involved the students were!

Samantha Streader

Gardening 

Our dedicated ILA team took the opportunity of the lovely weather and gave Dennis a hand in cleaning up the garden around the Inclusion Building! Great vibes were shared and thank you to Grace Hayes in Year 7 for lending a hand! We look forward to our students enjoying the space next year

Adam May

Watermelon Experiment 

A group of students tried an experiment with rubber bands and a watermelon. Seeing how many rubber bands it took till the watermelon exploded. 

Ashley Forster- Head of Science

Year 8 Humanities – Market Day

Our Year 8 Humanities studies demonstrated their amazing entrepreneurial skills through their 2024 Market Day stalls. This was the culmination of the term’s focus on business and economics. Our students raised over $900 which will be donated to a local charity.  Well done Year 8 Humanities students!

Fiona Minorgan

Sport news 

Nate competed in Brisbane this weekend at the Australia All Schools track and Field Champs and placed 4th for 200m Hurdles and 8th for 100m Hurdles overall.

He had three runs and got PBs in all runs. Well Done, Nate! 

Yvonne Mauger- Sport Co-ordinator 

Year 11 Art Making and Exhibiting

As part of Unit 2, Year 11 Art Making and Exhibiting students created thematic artworks as semester long coursework.

Public Art Projects

As part of Arts Week, it has been wonderful to see new public art projects appearing on the grounds of ESC. Year 11 student Luka Kill has completed a large Banksy-inspired stencil piece exploring passion and excitement on the side of A Block, as part of her Art Making and Exhibiting coursework. Additionally Year 9 student Zeb Kill has completed his own mural/stencil ‘balance’ piece on the side of the staffroom as part of ‘Middle Years Big Ideas in Art’.