The ‘busyness’ of our college

 I welcome you all to the start of the new semester.

It’s quite astonishing to realise that we are in August, and planning and preparations have started for 2025 already. School programs, enrolments and staffing don’t just ‘appear’ – there is a lot of work to do.

Students in Years 7-11 are locking in their subject preferences for next year and they have been counselled by an expert team that chats and meets with every student to discuss pathways and curriculum offerings. There are some challenges we face, pertaining to staff shortages, but we will endeavour to provide every student with their chosen subjects. If there is a low uptake in some subjects, they will not run, and students will be asked to pick something else.

Thank you for your understanding in this matter.

VCE home straight

 Our Year 12 students are working very hard to complete all their tasks and SACs for Unit 4 and VCEVM assessments.

The staff and the Senior School team are engaging students in extra sessions/seminars on exam preparation, health and wellbeing and extra study sessions and revision classes. These extra sessions have been well attended and we encourage our cohort to continue to challenge themselves.

It’s important that regardless of the course, all our students always work at their highest level to achieve positive growth outcomes.

The saying that your ATAR or certificate will not define you is always true, but what will define you is your attitude and approach to your studies, and attitude in life, once secondary school is completed.

 Parent Opinion Survey

 2024 Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey:

 WE WANT OUR PARENTS / CAREGIVERS / GUARDIANS TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK!

Our school is conducting the annual Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey offered by the Department of Education and is seeking your feedback. The survey is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behavior, and student engagement. The survey is optional, but we encourage and appreciate your participation.

Our school will use the survey results to assist in identifying areas for improvement and professional development needs in the school, to target school planning and improvement strategies.

The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey will be open online from Monday 29 July to Friday 30 August 2024.
A random sample of parents / caregivers / guardians have been selected to participate in this year’s survey.

The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones.

The online survey will be available in English and 10 other languages, to enhance participation, as required.

Results will be published in our newsletter, once they have been collated and distributed for schools.

Please call the College on 5968 5388 if you have any questions.

 DOGS CONNECT and AXEL

Unfortunately, Axel, our Wellbeing Dog, has been retired from his duties.

First and foremost, Axel is fine.

The decision has not been taken lightly and there has been quite a bit of consultation with committees and key personnel in this matter and in all these discussions, at the forefront of making this call, Axel’s wellbeing and welfare was of paramount importance.

Thus, we will work closely with Dogs Connect (training provider) who will support us in re-housing Axel in the coming months.

Our partnership with Dogs Connect will not cease, and we might reignite the program later, with a different dog.

The new G Block

 Drawings, designs, finishing touches, are still taking place.

Last time I wrote about our new build, the architects had to go back to the drawing board, as site costs, particularly a soil report, showed an immense cost in establishing footings.

We believe that the costs have been reined in and the project is back on target. Certainly, the first thing that will be attended to is a new roof on D block and E block, and this is great news – the roof over those classrooms has been leaking for years, with only stopgap solutions put in place.

I will keep you updated as I receive more news.

School culture, expectations and standards

 We will never cease to set high standards for all our students. We must live our values of Respect, Resilience, Harmony and Excellence Every. Single. Day

 School culture is defined by seeing so many happy students, engaging positively with their learning, their teachers and their peers.

This is the expectation at Emerald Secondary College.

Most of our students conduct themselves with a sense of awareness, respect and understanding of the direction of our college and we celebrate this landscape.

There are some students who still require some support to be the best version of themselves and we are always working with the parents to find solutions in targeted support. This may include, but not limited to:

• The Tutor support group
• Wellbeing meetings
• Regional support – as needed
• Celebration of pathways and new horizons

These interventions are necessary and provide guidance to all those students who require support in their learning and general demeanour, so that we can all work together to continue to grow our school.

James- Principal

Annual Implementation Plan targets

 As we head into Semester Two, staff at the College have spent some time reflecting on the goals we set ourselves in our Annual Implementation Plan. This has allowed us to see how our programs, initiatives, and efforts within the College have progressed.

The Principal Team is very happy to announce that we have some positive news to share regarding how we are progressing as a College.

NAPLAN Goals

Our first goal was to increase the percentage of Year 9 students in the strong/exceeding band for NAPLAN in writing from 53% in 2023 to 62% in 2024. We increased the percentage of students within this band to 66% in 2024.

Our second goal was to increase the percentage of Year 9 students in the strong/exceeding band in NAPLAN in numeracy from 49% in 2023 to 55% in 2024. We increased the percentage of students within this band to 54% in 2024.

Student Attitudes to School Survey Goals

Our goal was the increase the positive endorsement of:

• Stimulated Learning from 29% in 2023 to 35% in 2024 – we increased the percentage of positive endorsement to 45% in 2024.
• Motivation and interest from 42% in 2023 to 50% in 2024 – we increased the percentage of positive endorsement to 47% in 2024. 
• High expectations for success from 52% in 2023 to 55% in 2024 – we increased the percentage of positive endorsement to 63% in 2024.
• Self-regulation and goal setting from 43% in 2023 to 50% in 2024 – we increased the percentage of positive endorsement to 50% in 2024.
• Advocate at school from 54% in 2023 to 61% in 2024 – we increased the percentage of positive endorsement to 59% in 2024.
• Sense of Connectedness from 24% in 2023 to 33% in 2024 – we increased the percentage of positive endorsement to 32% in 2024.
• Teacher concern from 24% in 2023 to 30% in 2024 – we increased the percentage of positive endorsement to 28% in 2024.
• Effective classroom behaviour from 37% in 2023 to 45% – we increased the percentage of positive endorsement to 45% in 2024. 

We will continue to implement programs and initiatives aimed to support our students and foster their love of learning. Staff at the College have and will continue to be advocates for the young people in front of them, ensuring that all learners are achieving to the best of their potential.

NAPLAN Results

Families of students in Years 7 and 9 will be receiving their child’s NAPLAN results in the mail. To accompany these results students in Year 9 were awarded certificates of achievement for their efforts in NAPLAN.

Congratulations to the following students!

• Angus Martin
• Sebastian Pantorno
• Lachlan Mackenzie
• Thomas Riddell-Stephens
• Ada Hearn
• Elsbeth Hastings
• Riley Charters
• Lachlan New
• Jayden Reagan
• Liam Sharp
• Nami Nguyen
• Josh Smith
• Riley Wright
• Xavier Reining
• Marika Botanova
• Kassie Lennon
• Charlie Garratt-Telonis
• Eva Coffen
• Decca Crowley

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support

Emerald Secondary College continues its journey to launch SWPBS to the students in 2025 and begin explicitly teaching expected behaviours through our BEST program. Our term 3 goal is to complete our behaviour matrix and our SWPBS handbook. These documents will make the framework for SWPBS at our college and the team are excited to share these resources with our community upon completion.

Melissa Findlay & Tiana Clayworth – Assistant Principals

Samantha McLean

How long have you worked at the school?

Started in 2021, this is my fourth year at the school

What your role at the school?

I teach Maths, Science, Psychology. I am one of the Year 7 Learning Engagement Leaders and am the SEAL coordinator.

When you were little what did you aspire to be?

I used to want to be a librarian, surrounded by books all day always sounded like a dream

What was your favourite subject at school?

English was my favourite in Year 7 and 8, but in the later years Maths became my favourite

If you could eat only one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?

My mum’s lasagne

Meredith Savage

What is my role at this school?

Year 9 Learning Engagement Leader

What did I aspire to be when I was in school?

I always wanted to be a journalist, and thoroughly enjoyed completing VCE English. I achieved an ENTER that was *just* below the required for the university degree I wanted to get into, and instead I accepted a position at Deakin studying wildlife and environmental conservation for my under-grad degree.

What did you do before you were a teacher?

I used to work in wildlife research all around Victoria. I wore Irwin-esque full khaki and my job was to conduct population surveys on a range of native Australian species in iconic parts of our state including the Grampians, the Otways, and the eastern Great Lakes region.

Do you collect anything?

Shoes!!! The collection is in the high 70s and counting.

What are your hobbies outside of school?

I enjoy hiking, and try and get out as much as I can into the bush -getting to the top of any mountain is a favourite!

What is your favourite sport to watch?

During winter I can spend entire weekend at the footy- either at the MCG watching the Demons or locally watching the Brookers.

Positive-e-tea – Year 12 morning tea.

Our Year 12 students and staff enjoyed a lovely morning tea on Tuesday 23rd of July to welcome back the term and show our encouragement of the senior school students in the last term of classes.

Term 4 is a busy time for exam preparation so the opportunity to stop and come together to build connections (while we have a chance in Term 3) is an important step in supporting the Year 12 students in their final year of secondary school!

For VCE students we know their plates are overflowing with study sessions, SAC, and extracurriculars. Finding a balance can feel like juggling flaming torches, but we remind you all not to worry as everyone at ESC, your family and friends are here on this journey with you. Remember, the VCE journey is a Marathon, not a sprint. Keep a positive mindset, stay organised, and take care of yourself.

VCE Exams

For all year 12 Families please take note of the following dates, as there have been some alterations in the timeline to best support the cohorts’ wellbeing all while maximising their potential at the right time in readiness for VCE exams.

• There will be no practice exams in the first week of the term 3 holidays. This will be a SWOTVAC (study without teaching vacation) period for unit ¾ students to consolidate their key knowledge and skills across the year. It is by no means a ‘vacation’.

SWOT VAC is a comprehensive tool for maximising productivity. A strategic framework that combines the vulnerability, capacity and exposure to our VCE students along with recognising and working to their strengths and weaknesses, it allows opportunities and outline threats (stress, anxiety, healthy eating habits, sleep etc). SWOTVAC is used as an integrated approach providing a holistic view of a student’s performance and their potential. It allows opportunities to foster a culture for continuous improvement. Its aim is to unlock new levels of productivity and enhance student competitiveness.

• Please note that all VCE VM and unscored students will finish on Friday the 20^{th of} September on the provision that all their required assessment and coursework is completed to a satisfactory standard and attendance is above 90%. They will be required to be signed off by all their teachers and present this to Ms Hay (Senior School Leader). They will return in term 4 if required. Please put in your calendar Friday 18^th October to return as a whole cohort

 Term 4 will look like:

• Week 3 attendance will be compulsory. Where students do not have a master class they will have access to peers, teachers and appropriate study spaces.
• VCAA exam period begins on Tuesday 29^th During the exam period students are only required to attend their exam; however, they are encouraged to come in to school and study, speak with teachers and so on. The library will be available for year 12 students only during the VCAA exam period.
• Year 12 2024 Valedictory – Thursday 21^st of November More details to come at the end of term.

Parents and guardians supporting your child in their studies can make a big difference in their academic success and confidence. Here are some practical ways you can help:

1. Create a Positive Learning Environment: Designate a quiet, well-lit space for studying that’s free from distractions. Ensure they have the necessary supplies and resources.
2. Establish a Routine: Help your child develop a consistent study schedule. Regular study times can help build good habits and make studying a part of their daily routine.
3. Encourage Good Study Habits: Teach them effective study techniques such as breaking tasks into smaller chunks, using flashcards, and summarizing information in their own words.
4. Be Involved: Show interest in their assignments and projects. Ask about what they’re learning and offer help when needed but try to let them do the work independently to build their skills.
5. Communicate with Teachers: Stay in touch with their teachers to understand their progress and any areas where they might need extra support.
6. Provide Encouragement and Praise: Celebrate their efforts and successes, no matter how small. Positive reinforcement can boost their motivation and self-esteem.
7. Help with Organisation: Assist them in keeping track of assignments and deadlines. Tools like planners or digital apps can help with time management.
8. Promote Healthy Habits: Ensure they get enough sleep, eat nutritious meals, and have time for physical activity. Good health supports cognitive function and focus.
9. Encourage Curiosity and Learning: Foster a love of learning by engaging in educational activities together, such as visiting museums or exploring topics of interest.
10. Be Patient and Supportive: Understand that academic challenges can be stressful. Offer emotional support and be patient as they work through difficult subjects.

Remember, every child is different, so it might take some time to find what works best for your child. Your involvement and support can make a big difference in their academic journey.

High Achiever’s lunch

To end on a positive, we hosted our annual senior school High Achiever’s Lunch. With 58 students across year 10 -12 invited who received a Very High (90%) / A+ overall for one or more subjects in semester one we welcomed them and their loved ones to a lunchtime celebration. The students’ dedication and hard work inspire us all, and we are thrilled to highlight their remarkable accomplishments.

Rebecca Holmes and Sean Reid- Year 12 Learning engagement leader 

Emily Hay- Head of Senior School

SRC Report

In recent times, the SRC have run a pyjama day at the college. From this gold coin donation PJ day we raised over $400 for the pyjama foundation, supporting children in foster care.

Additionally, the peer mentoring program has been continuing with strong enthusiasm. Senior students and their junior mentees are regularly meeting and sharing experiences and time in hope to build their ongoing mentor relationships.

On behalf of the year 12 cohort, we want to thank all year 12 teachers, Ms Kennedy, Mrs Holmes, Ms Hay and Mr Reid for their ongoing support of year 12 students particularly as we begin to prepare for a busy SAC season, VTAC applications and SEAS applications.

The Emerald Secondary College School Captains are also excited to announce a car show! On the 19^th of October the college captains Mitchell Blackwell, Charlotte Scott, Lily Cochrane, and Keilah Dewar, are organising and running a car show that is to be held at the college. On this day there will be an array of exotic vehicles on display alongside musical performances, a BBQ and so much more!

Overall, the captains are pleased to see the ongoing dedication and success of students across the college, and we can’t wait to see everyone’s achievements for term 3!

Keilah Dewar- ESC College Captain on behalf of the captaincy team

Year 7 Olympics

In light of the current Olympics, Year 7 students are being challenged to uphold our College values to a high level. Each period, in each homegroup, teachers are handing out Gold, Silver, and Bronze medals to recognise these positive behaviours. Students are then trading in their medals for a variety of chocolates, lollies and other prizes at recess and lunchtime, with an ongoing tally of how many medals each student is receiving. Each day, at the end of lunch, the updated medal tally goes up on the Year 7 noticeboard in A-block and students are crowding around eagerly anticipating who is in the top few places. We will conduct an official Medal Ceremony on Friday 9^th August to acknowledge the hard work of all of our Year 7s and those high achievers who have been demonstrating our College Values so consistently.

Samantha McLean & Matthew Morris- Year 7 Learning Engagement Leaders

Central Australia Camp.

Term 3 has started at full speed for our Year 11 students, getting straight into their new unit for their selected subjects and staying on top of coursework. It was lovely to see all of their fresh faces after a 2-week break (for some…) and jump into our Term 3 expectations and information assembly to ensure a smooth transition for the next 10 weeks.

It would be an injustice of me to not speak of the incredible journey that I and three other teachers embarked on at the end of Term 2 and during the school holidays. Oh, and that’s right, the students that came a long for the ride. I would like to commend the support of the parents that allowed students to attend this trip, this camp is an important part of many people’s high school memories, and I am grateful to have the opportunity to be trusted to attend alongside the students. Amongst the amazing sights and views, one our school values, resilience was very evident among the group. I am proud beyond words. Enjoy some photos and student reflections of the trip.

Central Australia – Student Reflections

The 2024 Central Australia camp experience was an unimaginable and unique trip. Going into this I expected to see some great views, form great connections and sleep-in. While I was correct about two of these, I was very, very wrong about the sleeping in. One morning we even had 3am wake-up. Even though it was early it was crucial to make sure we get to the next destination on time. The locations we travelled to were absolutely beautiful. I especially enjoyed Uluru and understand the hype about it, it is a really big rock. While the locations and activities were amazing, the ability to connect and get to know my peers that I haven’t really had opportunities for the last 5 years is the most rewarding thing I got out of this experience. I enjoyed the dinners and late-night activities the teachers organised for us. The swap clothes night and talent show were by far my favourite (even though the talent show was extremely scary). With many ups and downs, and twists and turns and turns and turns around and around roundabouts I want to thank Mel (cook), Gillian (driver), Miss Sleit, Miss McClean, Mr Taylor, Mr Powell, parents and friends for all playing a vital role in this camp. It is because of these individuals I will never forget this experience.

Zara Clearihan – 11D

On the 26^th of June, at 5am, 36 very excited students, 4 teachers, a bus driver and a cook embarked on what ended up being an unforgettable rollercoaster of an adventure. Each day of the 14-day long Central Australia camp was jampacked with amazing experiences! From sleeping underground at Coober Pedy, watching Uluru change colours at sunset, exploring Kata Tjuta and the breathtaking Kings Canyon. With combination of extras including jamming to ‘Life Is A Highway’ and riding camels! To meeting Rex and his reptile friends, packing up our tents at 3am in the freezing cold, dancing to live music at the Daly Waters pub, ‘swimming’ in the Mataranka thermal pools, cruising in Katherine Gorge, exploring the huge Mindil market, and relaxing at a deckchair cinema on our last night in Darwin. Along the way, we got to see so many beautiful sunrises and sunsets from the most gorgeous locations. While the camp was exhausting, it was so much fun! Everyone made such epic memories that I’m sure will be remembered for a long time. It came to a sad end, at 8am on the 9^th of July. After 2 weeks of laughing, bonding and exploring, 36 very tired students and 4 even more exhausted teachers returned to ESC. Thank you so much to Miss Sleit, Miss McLean, Mr Powell and Mr Taylor for organising such an amazing trip, it was a blast!

Amy Crosher – 11C

Grace Sleit- Year 11 Leader Engagement leader.

Work Experience 

During the last week of Term 2 our Year 10 students had the opportunity to complete a week of work experience. This was a fantastic opportunity to trial possible careers and pathways and experience the world of work. Our teachers visited students at their place of work to see how they were finding their placement and what they had learnt.

Sarah Kennedy- Careers and Pathways Leader.

Radio Appearance 

Year 12 student Jonathan Arad’s original music was featured on Triple J this week under the artist name Moca! What an amazing achievement!

https://www.abc.net.au/triplejunearthed/artist/mocamusic/

Katrina Owen

State Cross Country Results

Three amazing ESC students ran at the state cross country event on Thursday the 18th of July. In what must have been muddy wet conditions, they did an amazing job. Alex in year 7 finishing 71st in 13 boys, Jasmine in year 9 finishing 17th in 15 girls and Miah in year 11 finishing 16th in 16 Girls.

These numbers are out of all the public school students in the state, a very impressive effort by all.

Year 8 Badminton

What a super fun day girls played so well, with our three teams finishing 2nd, 3rd, and 5th.

Year 7 girls and boys soccer & year 8 boys Soccer

Year 7 girls and boys soccer & year 8 boys Soccer went out in the first week of term, all three teams did an amazing job in some wet conditions. All students should be very proud of their efforts. Big thank you to Mr McRae for his coaching expertise. 

Intermediate Girls Basketball 

Our year 9 & 10 girls won at divisional basketball thus winning their way to Regionals later in the year.

Yvonne Mauger

Year 7 Secondary School Vaccine Program

The Secondary School Immunisation Program offers free National Immunisation Program schedule vaccines to all eligible Year 7 students.

Year 7 students   

• Diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (whooping cough)
• Human papillomavirus (HPV)

For further information on the Secondary School Vaccine Program:

Immunisation in Secondary Schools

Cardinia Shire Council immunisation service delivers the school-based immunisation program. The Cardinia Shire Council now uses a system provided by the Department of Health, called CIRV Portal, to manage those receiving an immunisation.

Please complete the online CIRV Portal Consent form ASAP, even if you choose not to consent for your child to be vaccinated at school. Please click on the link below:

Year 7 – https://portal.cirv.vic.gov.au//PrivacyCollection/?id=c596e516-9332-ef11-8e4e-000d3a79667c&Year7

*Online consent line closes by 7am on 07/08/2024.

Selina Ross- First Aid Officer

What a start to wellbeing in term 3

We have had our first ever yarning circle, some members of the engine group had a fun excursion to Pick-a-Part in Kilsyth and the year 9s had a special presentation from Toolbox Education on Thinking Traps.

Yarning Circle

A yarning circle is traditionally used to share Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ culture and stories in an inclusive, respectful, collaborative way.

The yarning circle provides the opportunity to learn from a collective group and to preserve and pass on cultural knowledge.

Our first yarning circle was attended by a few of our first nations students and facilitated by KESOs (Koorie Engagement Support Officers) from the department of education. 

Many groups have developed different approaches to yarning circles all of which are valuable because they are based in human processes of caring and communicating.  

In a yarning circle, all participants are provided with an opportunity to speak in a safe non- judgmental place and to share their strengths in an inclusive and collaborative learning environment.

The students from ESC will decide on how our yarning circles will run in the future – It will be group led around their interests.

• It peaked my interest, it was fascinating to learn about the different dialects – Dustan Year 9

Yarning Circle by Alinta Browne – Year 8 – Marrung Captain

Last Thursday the 25th of July we had the first of many yarning circles.

A yarning circle gives indigenous students an opportunity to talk and learn about culture, in a supportive environment, with their fellow indigenous peers lead by Thomas Harrison & Kelsey Leatham.

Some of the things we talked about included:

o   We got to share what we personally know about Aboriginal culture.

o   We talked about how we can include Aboriginal culture into our learning.

o   We spoke about what future yarning circles will look like.

o   Growing Aboriginal and Indigenous profile in the school.

I personally enjoyed learning more about NAIDOC week and other important Aboriginal days in the calendar.

I am looking forward to our next Yarning Circle.

Red Engine Group

We have a few groups of lucky students who are working with our chaplain, Brendan to strip, clean, rebuild an engine.  They have a period a week away from classes to learn about engines in a hands-on environment.

A huge thanks to Pick-a-Part Kilsyth who generously donated an engine so we can expand the program.  6 lucky students were given the chance to go on an excursion to Pick a Part where they walked around, chose an engine and dismantled it from the car to bring back to ESC

• It was cool – Liam year 9
• “Don’t leave that car just sitting in a heap, Come to pick a part, where everything’s cheap – Second hand parts for second hand cars, from a door to a wheel or a bumper bar – pick a part pick a part pick a part pick a part pick a part pick a part pick a part pick a part” – Jasmine – year 10

• Pick a part was fun, I got to look at engines and other things inside the car – Hayden year 9
• There is a lot of commys (Commodores) – Declan year 9

Thinking Traps

Our minds can deliver us many thoughts throughout the day – many unhelpful thoughts – this can lead to anxiety, self-doubt and disengagement.  This program helped students to be able to identify and manage these thoughts and how to challenge and reframe the negative thoughts.

• Experiencing the Toolbox was a very entertaining way of understanding our minds, I have definitely gotten great advice from them – Anonymous
• My favourite part was the games we played – Anonymous
• The Toolbox workshops was filled with different information about specific subjects – Anonymous
• It was a good way to learn about the way social apps can relate to how the brain works in some types of ways – Xavier

Felicity Wooden- Wellbeing co-ordinator