2025 Issue No. 4

Welcome to Term 2

 Please read the following communication from the Department of Education about the upcoming Student Attitudes to School Survey

Dear Parent / Caregiver / Guardian,

This letter is to inform you about the 2025 Student Attitudes to School Survey (AtoSS), which all government school students in Years 4 to 12 will be invited to complete.

About the survey

The AtoSS is a voluntary student survey offered by the Department of Education every year to help schools and the department understand students’ experiences of school. We will ask your child about their thoughts and feelings about their school, their learning, relationships with other students, resilience, bullying, health and wellbeing, physical activity, and life in general.

ORIMA Research Pty Ltd has been contracted by the department to manage the collection of the online survey and will provide support to schools through a telephone hotline and email.

This year, the survey will be conducted at your school from the week beginning the 19^th May.

What are the benefits?

Young people enjoy having a say! This survey has been running for nearly 20 years and helps schools plan programs and activities to improve your child’s engagement with school, their wellbeing and their learning. The survey data also helps the Department of Education understand how to improve student learning.

What are the risks?

We don’t expect many risks of participation, but some students may find some questions personal or sensitive. If you agree for your child to take part, they can still skip questions or withdraw at any time whilst completing the survey if it makes them upset or uncomfortable. A teacher will be present during the survey to support students.

The questions come from validated survey instruments used in Australia and around the world. They focus on your child’s strengths and are designed for each year level group.

What will my child be asked to do?

Your child will be invited to complete the survey online during class time using a purpose built secure online survey tool – students are not tested.

How is my child’s privacy protected?

A teacher will give your child a unique login to complete the survey. This unique student login is an assigned identifier that will be used by the department to link data for analysis and research only. Some student demographic data such as year level, gender, age, and Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander status are provided to ORIMA research, and linked with the unique student login ID to administer the survey. This information helps to support analysis and research, to paint a clearer picture of how Victorian school students are faring.

ORIMA Research will only use student personal information for research purposes to facilitate the administration and data collection of the Attitudes to School Survey. To keep your child’s survey answers private, ORIMA Research won’t include any personally identifiable data in the survey answers file that is provided to the department.

All data is stored on servers located in Australia, and only staff who are working on the project can access it.

All information collected about your child will be handled in accordance with the Privacy Data and Protection Act 2014 (Vic), the Health Records Act 2001 (Vic) and the Public Records Act 1973 (Vic), as well as the Department’s Schools’ Privacy Policy. Please note that consistent with the above legislation and our policy, there are instances where we may be required by law to share information provided by your child. For example, where there is a threat to your child’s health and safety.

How will results be reported?

The department will only use aggregated state-wide survey data to report on initiatives and this data may also be used in public discussions of issues about student engagement and wellbeing. An example of how survey data has been previously used includes reporting levels of student engagement in the Performance Summary in the Annual Report to the School Community. The department will not share any identifiable student data with any other party.

Your child’s school will only get reports about groups of students. Information about individual students and the student answers data file will not be shared with schools. If there are low numbers of student answers to a question, the report will not show results for this question to protect the privacy of those students.

Your school may share the survey report back to you.

For more information about this survey, including the questions your child will be asked to answer, please visit the department’s survey information page.

If you would like more information or have any concerns about the survey, please speak to your child’s teacher, or contact the department at [email protected].

Yours sincerely,

Department of Education, Victoria

Is it Week 4 already?

 This week’s Library launch gave me an opportunity to run a quick ‘pulse’ check on some of our Year 12s and the question posed was:

‘On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being the lowest, and 10 being the highest, how are you feeling right now?’

Interesting results:

About a 4 or 5, but that’s me – I need to do more

I’m at an 8, I feel I’m on top of everything

Aaarg 2-3 – I need to work less at my part time job, but I really want to buy a car this year

I’m at a 9…going okay

Interesting ‘on the spot’ feedback from our students. My next question centred around what we could do as a college to shift some of the lower levels:

More whole year level study sessions

Pizza lunches!!

4 day week, with one day working from home to catch up

More revision lectures

Extra morning classes

Some great suggestions there that we can action easily (WFH might be a bit tricky!)

All our other year levels are going well, with some student behaviour still undermining our purpose, culture and values.

One thing that our college will not negotiate on, is effort. Disruptive behaviour, disrespectful actions and behaviours will not be tolerated, as we all have a right to flourish at our school. Everyone must have the opportunity to learn without fear or fervour.

Democracy Sausage

 Thank you to Nadia Beardshaw, our School Council President who drove our sausage sizzle on election day. Nadia was proactive in summoning support, getting an EftPos pad ready and cooking, cooking and more cooking.

We raised over $1,000, that will go towards our bike shelter – in fact with a culmination of community donations, schools funds and the sausage sizzle, we are ready to move forward with the project.

Thank you to all who supported the day, including Belinda from the front office (the money manager!) and Mark, her partner, who put all his culinary skills on display to sizzle the perfect sausage. Big shout out to Trish, our Foods’ Assistant who did all the ordering for the big day.

Our new building

 After a hiatus where our new build was caught in a bottleneck of regulations and compliance, the project is now able to move forward.

Last week, I met representatives from the VSBA and our architects and it was a solution focussed, positive meeting with a timeline of events that need to happen.

We are looking at starting the new build this year, after tenderers and compliance matters have been finalised – finish date is TBA.

James

College Principal

What is happening in the library?

There are lots of exciting things happening in the library! We’ve recently added new furniture to create a more open-plan space, making it the perfect environment for all the activities and learning taking place. Whether you’re here to read, study, collaborate, or just relax, the updated layout has something for everyone. Students can drop in and check out the ‘events’ wall to see what’s coming up. This week our Year 12 students participated in the ‘grand opening’! It was fantastic to see the library buzzing with energy as the entire Year 12 cohort came together to celebrate and make the most of the space. It’s the ideal setting for focused study and revision as we head into a busy term!

High ability students

We’re proud of the ways we’re supporting our high ability students through a range of individualised opportunities and programs. Students are identified using data and evidence of their learning, and then work closely with our High Ability Practice Leader to set goals and develop strategies to extend and challenge their thinking. This includes opportunities to accelerate in subjects, take part in enriching excursions and incursions, and receive personalised support through High Ability Individual Education Plans. Differentiated learning in the classroom ensures these students remain engaged, stimulated, and able to reach their full potential.

Why is being prepared for class so important?

Being prepared for class – arriving on time, bringing the necessary learning materials, and being ready to begin learning – is essential for academic success. According to the Victorian Department of Education, student readiness is a key factor in building positive learning environments and maximising learning time. Educational researcher John Hattie highlights classroom management and time on task as highly effective influences on student achievement, with a significant effect size. When students come to class prepared, they contribute to a focused learning environment that benefits everyone. Preparedness fosters independence, responsibility, and deeper engagement with learning. Ultimately, being organised and ready to learn sets students up for success—both in the classroom and beyond.

School Wide Positive Behaviour Support

This term, our focus is on the broad expectation of Respect. Students are learning our expectations for Respect at school in all areas, including learning spaces, locker bays and walkways, camps, sports and excursions, and the canteen, yard and bus bays. Our students spend time during their BEST sessions each week, learning expected behaviours and how to contribute to a safe classroom and community.

Emerald SC has purchased a number of Big Freeze Beanies to give to students who consistently work hard, and contribute to our community in a positive way.

Attendance Chronicle

Currently, Victorian news stations are reporting the decline in school attendance and the concern in falling rates since 2022. In an effort to support parents and remind them of their student’s attendance, we developed an Attendance Reminder Chronicle. This chronicle is posted when your child reaches 4 days of absence or more. If you receive an attendance reminder and there is support that you require from the Learning Engagement Leaders or Wellbeing team, please reach out. There are four brackets of attendance, and you will receive a new reminder each time your student reaches a new bracket.

Fundraising

Do It For Dolly Day

We had a very successful ‘Wear It Blue – Do It For Dolly Day’ raising $473.25! Thank you to our wonderful community who brought a gold coin donation along on the day to raise funds for youth mental health and suicide awareness. Below is a picture from the Rally incursion held on the day, facilitated by Project Rockit. The Rally program empowers students to create a culture that challenges bullying, online and in person. Students are equipped with socially credible strategies to take action and unite together, instead of standing by.

Dolly’s Dream wrote to us saying “Amazing thank you so much for the support. We truly appreciate it and love how our community rally together to help us create a kinder world for young!”

Hills MND

Emerald Secondary College is joining with the Hills MND to raise vital funds for research into a cure for Motor Neurone Disease. We are now selling Big Freeze 11 beanies and socks through our front office.

Support out cause and purchase from the ESC general office.

Every beanie and pair of socks we sell goes towards our fundraising tally- if our tally is higher than other participating schools we get to select a staff member to send down the slide at the

❄️ HILLS MND BIG FREEZE 2 ❄️

Event being held at Chandler Reserve on Sunday, the 1st of June. Which staff member do YOU want to see head down the slide???

In addition to raising money to go towards this worthy cause we will be showing our support for FightMND by allowing Big Freeze beanies to be worn at our school by all students for the month of June.

Melissa Findlay & Tiana Clayworth  

Assistant Principals

Camps, Sports & Excursion Fund (CSEF) – for eligible & NEW health care card holders

 Apply before 4^th July

The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund (CSEF) helps eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities.

If you have a valid means-tested concession card, or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. Means-tested concession cards must be valid on the first day of Term 1, 2025 (Tuesday 28 January 2025) or Term 2, 2025 (Tuesday 22 April 2025).

A student aged 16 years and over who is considered a mature minor and holds a valid concession card is also eligible to apply.

Eligible families will receive a payment of $154 per year for primary school students and $256 per year for secondary school students. The funds will be paid directly to the school to be used towards camps, sports and excursion costs for the benefit of your child.

If you applied for CSEF through our school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year, unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.

If you would like to apply for the first time, please contact the school office [email protected]  ask for an application form. Please return completed application forms to the school office as soon as possible.

Important Change to the Program :

The Government has made an important change to the program for 2025. Families who have multiple children at the same school will be able to pool their allocated funding to use on one child or for one specific activity. This could help in situations where the costs for activities in a certain year level are higher than others.

Please check with the school office if you are unsure.

For more information about CSEF visit:
https://www.vic.gov.au/camps-sports-and-excursions-fund

Updates to School Saving Bonus

1. Compass has now updated to include the ability to pay for events using funds from your child’s SSB balance. 

Select this option on the payment screen. If there is insufficient balance to cover the full payment or no SSB payment option, please EMAIL the school at [email protected]. 

2. SSB can be used for uniforms and textbooks until Monday 30 June 2025.

Any funds remaining after 30 June 2025, including online voucher amounts that have not been redeemed, will become a credit to use on school activities. However, the credit will not be available on your family account at our school until late July. To use any remaining SSB funds to cover the cost of school activities in July, please refer to the SSB online system and allocate the funds to school activities before 30 June 2025.

Please contact the school office if you are unsure of the SSB portal link or your child’s bonus code to transfer the funds to school activities.

3. Pool Allocated Funds

Families who have multiple children at the same school will be able to pool their allocated funding to use on one child or for one specific activity. This could help in situations where the costs for activities in a certain year level are higher than others

If you have any question please contact the General Office.

First Aid News

Year 10 Immunisations will be held on the 10^th of June at 9:30am in L2.

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:

https://portal.cirv.vic.gov.au/PrivacyCollection/?id=53201901-e823-f011-8c4d-000d3aca6bd4&Year10

Year 7 Immunisations will be held on the 29^th of July at 9:30am in L2. More information to be realised on Compass. 

Dental Van visit will be the 30th of June from 9am.

Australian Dental Health will be visiting Emerald Secondary College during the week starting June 30th, 2025, to provide free dental check-ups and treatment for eligible students. Regular dental check-ups are essential for maintaining your child’s oral health—helping to prevent cavities, detect issues early, and promote lifelong healthy habits. This service is provided at no cost to eligible families through Medicare’s Child Dental Benefits Schedule (CDBS) and Private Health Insurance. If you have neither, Australian Dental Health will still provide a free check-up for your child.

Please complete the consent form here:

ADHV Dental Consent Form

Paper forms are also available in the office.

Don’t miss this opportunity to keep your child’s smile healthy! The consent form will take just 5-10 minutes to complete. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to ADHV at [email protected] or 0393239607.

Selina Rose

First Aid Officer 

Year 12 Geography Fieldtrip – Averley Estate

On Monday 5th May, Year 12 Geography students visited Averley Estate in Pakenham East to investigate land use change. Averley Estate is part of the Pakenham East Precinct Structure Plan (PSP), which was incorporated into the Cardinia Planning Scheme in 2021 making it a relevant choice for fieldwork.

 As part of the fieldwork, students collected primary data including land use surveys, field sketches and photos. This data will be used in their upcoming assessment to analyse the physical and human characteristics of development in the region. It was a valuable hands-on learning experience that brought classroom theory to life.

Rebecca Holmes

Year 12 Biology

Year 12 Biology students are currently studying the biochemical pathways photosynthesis and cellular respiration.  They are investigating factors that affect the rate of both processes, such as temperature, carbon dioxide levels, sugar types, and light intensity.  Today they investigated how colour of light affects the rate of photosynthesis.  They cut discs from spinach leaves, infused them with sodium bicarbonate, then allowed them to release oxygen as they began to float in distilled water.  Each beaker was covered with a different coloured cellophane to change the light the leaves were exposed to.

Students have been learning how plants look green because of the absorption of green light by chlorophyll pigments.  Normally, shorter wavelengths are better for photosynthesis. This is because blue light has a shorter, more energetic wavelength allowing chlorophyll to provide energy for the reaction.  Students discovered that in general, white light, which is a mix of all the colours, is most efficient, while green light is the least  efficient. 

Ashley Foster

Cross Country 2025

All our year 7 students participated in the Cross Country on Wednesday the 23^rd of May. It was lovely to see all the students getting out and enjoying the sunny Autumn day.

Later in the day students from year 8 – 10 who signed up completed the Cross Country, this event was fiercely competitive results are shown below, Fastest time of the day goes to Andrew A, followed very closely by Lincoln S.

2025 Athletics Day

Athletics Day 2025 returned to Mt Evelyn for another fantastic event. The weather was perfect—neither too hot nor rainy—creating ideal conditions for competition. Students participated with outstanding enthusiasm and sportsmanship, contributing to a vibrant and positive atmosphere throughout the day.

Congratulations to Geysen, who dominated the event with an impressive total score of 856, securing a clear victory.

House Score

Geysen 856

O’Neil 681

Greetham 662

Hawley 520

Hobbs 478

Jeffreys 443

Age group Champions

New Records

Nate Hall: 15 Boys Triple Jump – 11.98m

Nate Hall: 15 Boys High Jump- 1.7m

Miah Beardshaw: 17 Girls 1,500m – 5.49.82

Miah Beardshaw: 17 Girls 800m- 2.58.16

Jacob, Syd, Lincoln & Decca: 16 Boys Relay : 54.31

Intermediate Sport (Netball & Soccer)
Tuesday was a fantastic day for our Year 9 and 10 netballers and soccer players. The sun was shining, and all teams celebrated some impressive wins. Most importantly, everyone had fun and demonstrated excellent sportsmanship throughout the day.

Senior Soccer and Netball
Some of our Year 12 students took part in their final school sports day, making it a memorable occasion. The senior girls gave it their all on the netball court, showing incredible effort and determination throughout the day. Meanwhile, the senior soccer boys finished in an impressive 3rd place. Well done to all!

Divisional Cross Country

On Wednesday, 50 students from all year levels travelled to Lilydale Lake to compete in the Divisional Cross Country. Our students demonstrated excellent sportsmanship and represented the school with pride. We saw some outstanding performances, with Miah finishing 1st, Dart placing 2nd, and Sophie taking 3rd in their respective age groups. Congratulations to all participants on a fantastic effort!

Yvonne Mauger

Sport Co-ordinator

Resource Centre

The beginning of this term has seen some pretty massive changes in the Library and things are looking wonderfully fresh. There has been some considerable movement as a result, and resources may be in a different place to last term! However, your library team do love to chat and help you find the resource you’re after, so please ask any questions that you may have! Check out the progress images of the library below!!  

There’s a lot happening in the Library this month including activities to support Education Week and National Simultaneous Storytime. We also have Pages & Co (our bookclub with a difference) and Just my Type (a creative writing group) running every week.

Monday May 12 saw the school Captains cutting the ribbon to formally mark the opening of the new Library space! This was a momentous occasion for the Library, having the opportunity to share the more open and expansive reading and seating areas with just the Year 12 students. It was fantastic to hear such positive feedback from the Year 12s while they browsed the new books and started on the 1000 piece puzzle!

Book an adventure with ESC Literary Tours!

There’s still plenty of time to work on your Reading Passport! Remember that each completed challenge will get you an entry into the weekly prize draw – so far, we’ve had 58 entries and 5 prizes won! Don’t miss out – get reading now!

See Ms Bon if you have any questions.

Bookmark Competition

For students who love art and design, as well as reading, consider this their official invitation to submit an entry to the bookmark design competition. We can’t wait to see all of the fantastic entries – remember to get your design in before the end of Term 2!

Creative Writing Competition

This term’s writing competition is now open – stories must start with a “bang” and be less than 600 words. Entries close Friday May 16 so encourage your student to get writing!

How can you support the Library as a parent?

Did you know that research has demonstrated that reading for just 6 minutes can reduce stress levels by 68% (Lewis, 2009)? Reading also increases empathy and emotional intelligence and works towards improving sleep quality. There’s plenty of benefits to reading just a little bit every single day and the best thing about the library is that it doesn’t cost anything to borrow a book – this means there are absolutely no excuses for not reading! Set your child a challenge to read for 20 minutes every night before bed and see what happens.

We are in the process of updating our collection to ensure that we have the newest and most popular releases, so please encourage your students to visit, to borrow and to participate in any of the activities running.

Lewis, D. (2009), Galaxy Stress Research, Mindlab International, Sussex University, UK.

Reading Recommendations:

The Unquiet Grave, by Dervla McTiernan

Dervla McTiernan spoke at this year’s Sorrento Writers Festival, which meant that lucky listeners were able to purchase a copy of her newest Corman Reilly case ahead of the general release. Good thing, too, as Ms Bon was nearly out of books to read that week! As a result, she highly recommends The Unquiet Grave, where Cormac must solve the mystery of a body found in a bog, two copycat murders and the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend’s new husband!

Sunrise on the Reaping, by Suzanne Collins – new to the Library

A prequel to the Hunger Games trilogy, Sunrise focuses on the 50th annual Hunger Games and follows Haymitch Abernathy’s experience as a tribute. The story begins on the morning of the reaping, and Haymitch, while trying to focus on his love for his sister, is selected to participate in the deadly Games. He is set up to fail, but he finds a spark of defiance within him that wants to fight back and make a greater impact than just surviving the arena. 

Prue Bon

Teacher Librarian

♟️ Chess Club: A Checkmate in the Making

Emerald Secondary College’s Chess Club has been making strategic moves since its inception, and the results are checkmate-worthy. In just two terms, the club has grown from a fledgling initiative to a formidable force in the local chess scene.

🏫 Club Growth and Engagement

Meeting every Tuesday and Thursday during lunch, the club has consistently attracted between 10 to 20 students per session. This surge in participation reflects a growing interest in strategic thinking and friendly competition among students.

🏆 Competitive Endeavours

In Term 1, a select team of six students represented the college at a competition hosted by Wesley college. Their performance not only showcased their skills but also set the stage for future tournaments. Two standout players, Sydney Nielson and Riley Wright, have qualified for the upcoming regional tournament in Term 4, a testament to their dedication and prowess.

📅 Upcoming Tournament

Looking ahead, the entire Chess Club team is set to compete in a chess competition this month, on May 28 at Pakenham Secondary College. This event promises to be a significant milestone in their chess journey, and the club is eager to support them as they face new challenges.

🔮 Future Aspirations

With the momentum gained over the past two terms, the Chess Club is aiming to expand its team to 10 chess team members for the Term 3 competition. This growth will not only enhance the club’s competitive edge but also provide more students with the opportunity to engage in the intellectually stimulating world of chess in the Melbourne region.

🤝 Join the Movement

Emerald Secondary College’s Chess Club is more than just a lunchtime activity; it’s a community of like-minded individuals passionate about strategy, learning, and camaraderie. Whether you’re a seasoned player or a curious beginner, there’s a place for you at the chessboard.

Jack Ryan

Hills Photographic Society

Recently about 15 ESC students from Years 9-12 entered the Hills Photographic Society’s annual exhibition at the Cardinia Hills Hub. It was amazing to see all the student work on display, in particular that of Year 11 student Ben (1st), and Year 10 students Mia (2nd) and Izzy (3rd) who all won prizes in the junior category. We were also fortunate to have the head of the Hills Photographic Society, Paul Bianco come to ESC this week to present the students with their awards and prizes.

Dale Fyfe

Head of Arts

Parking and Road Safety around the College

Please find the following request from Cardina Shire Council regarding parking and road safety around the College.

We are writing to request your support to share important road safety reminders with parents and guardians.

Council has received a concerning increase in reports regarding illegal parking, dangerous driving and pedestrian safety around schools, across the Shire.

To create a safer environment for all road users, we kindly ask if you could please share the below message in your newsletter to parents and guardians.

Together with Cardinia Shire Council, we wish to remind drivers of the importance of safety and adhering to the road rules when parking around the school, at pick up and drop off times.

 To ensure the safety of all pedestrians, students and members of our school community, we ask that you:

Park only in designated areas: Parking is not permitted on nature strips, no-stopping zones, no-parking zones, bus zones, or areas reserved for staff. Please adhere to all signage and the road rules.

Follow drop-off and pick-up procedures: Use the designated drop-off and pick-up zones to ensure a smooth and safe flow of traffic.

Be mindful of pedestrians: Follow directions from School Crossing Supervisors and take extra caution during peak times when children are arriving or leaving school.

Be respectful: Council Parking Officers are required to conduct regular patrols around

schools to ensure safety. Please be respectful, and courteous.

 Thank you in advance for your support and cooperation on this important issue.