2025 Issue No. 9

CELEBRATIONS and FAREWELLS and KICKSTART and EXAMS

As you can see by the many photos that adorn this newsletter, the Valedictory evening that was held at Pakenham racecourse function centre, was a huge success with nearly 500 members of the college community gathering as one to farewell the class of 2025.

The night was filled with warmth, affirmation, friendship and reflection. The College is so proud of the class of 2025, and they are to be wished all the best in the next phase of their life, whether that includes further study, employment, travel or a gap year.

Our staff are to be congratulated for their input into our students, thus preparing them to take their place in the world as global citizens.

Thanks must also go to the Senior School team for all the meticulous planning and organisation of the night. Thank you to the office staff who prepared all the awards and thank you to all the staff who attended and supported the evening.

On another note, transition classes for Year 11 students going into Year 12 are happening in the ensuing weeks, as exams conclude for these year levels, that includes Year 10 moving into Year 11. Middle Year exams are also underway and for the most part, students have stepped up to this sense of occasion.

Every student, in every subject will have a task that will need to be completed over the summer holidays. The transition program establishes preparedness for the upcoming school year and allows all our students to start the year in a positive manner, willing and ready to take on the challenges that they will face.

The College program continues with all our students in Years 7-8 and they, too, have tasks to complete as teachers get ready to produce all the end of year reports.

Please access my Compass newsfeed for very important dates. If you have any queries, please call the College on 5968 5388.

James

College Principal

Child safety and wellbeing at Emerald Secondary College: information for families and the school community

Emerald Secondary College is committed to providing an environment where students are safe and feel safe.

Our child safety framework includes policies, codes and procedures that explain how we support and maintain the safety and wellbeing of our students and protect them from harm. These documents are available on our website: https://www.emeraldsc.vic.edu.au

We are also committed to continuous improvement of our child safety framework. We are currently reviewing our child safety policies and practices to ensure they are up-to-date and effective.

Our students and families are important partners in this process. We welcome your feedback or ideas on ways we can improve our approach to child safety and wellbeing.

If you have any suggestions or comments, please contact Emerald Secondary College on (03) 59 685 388 or at [email protected]      

Child safety and wellbeing at Emerald Secondary College: information for families and the school community

Emerald Secondary College is committed to providing an environment where students are safe and feel safe.

Our child safety framework, [email protected], explains how we support and maintain child safety and wellbeing at Emerald Secondary College. It includes our:

• Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
• Child Safety Reporting and Responding Obligations Procedures, and
• Child Safety Code of Conduct, which outlines acceptable and unacceptable behaviours for all staff and volunteers at our school.

Our students and families are important partners in providing a child safe environment. These regular newsletter reminders are one of the ways we ensure our school community is aware of:

• our commitment to child safety, and
• how to provide feedback or raise child safety concerns.

If you have any concerns about child safety at any time, please contact Emerald Secondary College – (03) 59 685 388. Any child safety complaints or concerns are treated seriously. For more information about our school’s complaints process, see our Complaints Policy at https://www.emeraldsc.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Complaints-Policy.pdf

We also welcome your ideas on ways we can improve our approach to child safety and wellbeing. If you have any suggestions or comments, please contact Emerald Secondary College on (03) 59 685 388 or at [email protected]      

Child safety and wellbeing at Emerald Secondary College: information for families and the school community

Emerald Secondary College is committed to providing an environment where students are safe and feel safe. We have a zero tolerance for child abuse and are committed to protecting children from harm.

Our comprehensive child safety framework outlines our school’s strategies to support student safety and wellbeing. The framework includes the following policies, codes and procedures:   

• Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy https://www.emeraldsc.vic.edu.au/wpcontent/uploads/2025/07/Child-Safety-and-Wellbeing-Policy.pdf
• Child Safety Code of Conduct

https://www.emeraldsc.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Child-Safety-Code-of-Conduct.pdf

• Child safety Responding and Reporting Obligations Policy and Procedure

https://www.emeraldsc.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Child-Safety-Responding-and-Reporting-Obligations-Policy.pdf

• Complaints Policy

https://www.emeraldsc.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Complaints-Policy.pdf

• Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy

https://www.emeraldsc.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Student-Wellbeing-and-Engagement-Policy.pdf

• Bullying Prevention Policy

https://www.emeraldsc.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Bullying-Prevention-Policy.pdf

• Volunteers Policy

https://www.emeraldsc.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Voluteers-Policy.pdf

• Visitors Policy

https://www.emeraldsc.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Visitors-Policy.pdf

• Digital Learning Policy

https://www.emeraldsc.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Digital-Learning-Policy.pdf

• Yard Duty and Supervision Policy

https://www.emeraldsc.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Yard-Duty-and-Supervision-Policy-1.pdf

Our students and their families are important partners in keeping our students safe. We value feedback and ideas on how we can continuously strengthen our child safety framework.

If you have any suggestions or comments, please contact Emerald Secondary College on (03) 59 685 388 or at  [email protected]

Melissa Findlay & Tiana Clayworth 

Assistant Principals

Senior School 

We are pleased to share that VCAA exams have now officially concluded for 2025. Congratulations to all students for their hard work, resilience, and commitment throughout the exam period and a special thank you to their teachers for the guidance and support provided along the way. VCAA results will be released on Wednesday, 11^th December.

Our Valedictory Evening was held on Tuesday 18 November it was a wonderful celebration of our 2025 Year 12 students and their achievements. A huge thank you goes to our dedicated Year 12 Team, Rebecca Holmes and Sean Reid, with the assistance of Annie for their organisation, support, and leadership in making the night such a success.

We were proud to announce and congratulate all of our award recipients, recognising excellence across academic achievement, community involvement, leadership, and personal growth. You can see below our award winners.

2025 Valedictorian

The Valedictorian is selected as a student who typifies the attitude, effort, spirit, and achievements of this Class of 2025, an outstanding representative of this exceptional group of students. The Valedictorian is someone who has been a strong academic performer throughout their secondary school life. Equally important is their involvement in a wide range of extra-curricular activities across sport, the arts, and community service. They are well respected by both peers and staff of the College someone who brings people together and promotes a harmonious, positive culture at all times. The Valedictorian embodies the all-around qualities of leadership, character, and contribution that make them a true representative of the graduating class. 

Our Emerald Secondary College Valedictorian for 2025 is Jonathon Aalbers

Jono is an incredibly kind and hardworking student whose reflective nature ensures he always strives to do his best. His consistent academic achievement throughout his time at the college is a strong reflection of excellence, while his dedication to improvement demonstrates true resilience.

He has been actively involved in multiple sports and activities across his schooling, including being a highly successful basketball player showcasing both excellence and harmony as he works collaboratively with teammates.

Jono always makes the effort to build positive relationships with both peers and teachers. His inclusive approach and genuine care for others exemplify the value of respect, while his ability to bring people together has earned him the nickname “Mr Harmony.”

In every aspect of school life, Jono lives out the values of harmony, respect, excellence, and resilience, making him a role model within the college community.

What else is happening in Senior School

As we bring the 2025 academic year to a close, we begin to look ahead. Kickstart for our 2026 Year 12 cohort has occurred this week, where staff have been setting students up with the expectations, learning foundations, and motivation they need as they enter their final year of schooling.

In addition, Middle Years Exams commence on Tuesday, 25^th through to Wednesday 3^rd December. We encourage all students to arrive prepared, organised, and ready to do their best.

Thursday 4^th and Friday 5^th December will be a 2 day kickstart program for our new VCE students, year 11’s in 2026 and our incoming year 10’s will take place in a senior school transition program.

We look forward to a strong finish to the year and an exciting start to the next chapter for all students.

College Awards

• Rotary Club of Emerald district citizenship awards: Miah Beardshaw, Milla Boyd, Zara Clearihan, Nate Denham, Jem Drummond, Annabelle Haberl, Elizabeth Males, Aaron Silversten
• Rotary Club of Emerald district Outstanding citizenship awards: Luka Kill and Toby Storer
• Justin Barrot Scholarship for Personal Endeavour: Hamish Carney and Joe Stonyer
• ADF Long Tan Leadership & Teamwork: Jem Drummond
• ADF Future Innovators: William Latter
• Ampol Best All Rounder Award: Miah Beardshaw
• Monbulk Community Citizen: Emily Dean
• Valedictorian: Jono Aalbers

Emily Hay

Senior Sub-School Leader

Click here to book:

ESC Open Week!

Afternoon tea with old friends to celebrate 40 years of history

To help celebrate the 40^th year of Emerald Secondary College, we invited past teachers back to the school for afternoon tea to reminisce, to see how the College has developed and changed over the years, and to thank them for their contributions to ESC. After a big catch-up lunch organised by ESC’s longest-serving staff members, Shane Closter and Melissa Stephens, around 45 past teaching legends headed to the College to take a wander down memory lane, take a school tour and eat celebration cake alongside a few current staff members and student ambassadors.

We decided to give past staff an opportunity to relive some of their time at ESC, by cracking open the archives, and creating a display in A block to showcase moments from across the history of the College. The display has a precious collection of homegroup photos, staff photos, Parraweenas, mementos of celebrity visits, school camps, school productions, and memorabilia from across the fantastic history of the school. Our visitors wandered through with shrieks of laughter, misty eyes and lots of happy memories to share

It was fantastic to see that current students could barely contain their interest in this little dive into the history of their school. We had a steady stream of kids wanting to take a look as they walked past the rooms – and those who came in had a ball finding old photos of their teachers, laughing at hairstyles from the 80s, and a few were very excited to find pictures of their parents as teenagers!

To give more students and staff the chance to explore the display, we have decided to leave everything in place until the end of the school year.

We are thrilled to announce that as part of our 40th year celebrations, an ESC Archive Exhibition will be in place in the ArtSpace at The Hub in Emerald from January 21^st – February 21^st, 2026. This mini exhibition will be open daily to the public, and we hope that the wider community will enjoy revisiting the rich history of ESC in the hills.

Thank you to everyone who helped out and attended on the day. Happy 40^th ESC!

Kara

School Council Representative 

Mathematics Perfection

We are celebrating three talented students who were able to show Mathematics Perfection in their assessments. These three students achieved 100% in their latest assessment piece. 

• Aiden D – Year 8
• Riley W- Year 10
• Noah G -Year 11

This is a great achievement of themselves and their teachers who support and encourage them to show greatness in their work. Hopefully we will be celebrating many more students in the following newsletters.

Leanne Rivas Vaquerano

Maths Domain Leader

Emerald Arts Society

It was wonderful to see so many Emerald Secondary College students entering works for display in the Emerald Art Society’s annual exhibition that was held over the Melbourne Cup long weekend. Congratulations also to Year 12 Student Luka Kill who was awarded ‘Best in Show’ in the exhibition’s ‘Next Gen Category’ for her charcoal work ‘Between Breath and Death’.

Year 12 Art

Year 12 Art Making and Exhibiting students have worked incredibly hard throughout 2025 to create some outstanding artworks. Working across art forms as diverse as charcoal,  paint, digital art, photography, ink, collage, and animation, students have explored a range of strong and often personal themes in their works that demonstrate their incredible growth as artists over their entire schooling. We are incredibly proud of their accomplishments, and hope they continue to use their skills to pursue their creative instincts long after they have finished at ESC.

Dale Fyfe

Art Domain Leader

Spring Concert

This year’s Spring Concert was a vibrant celebration of musical talent, showcasing students from all year levels as they demonstrated their growing skills and excellent musicianship.

The evening featured exciting ensemble debuts from the Piano Ensemble, ESC Choir, and Ska Ensemble, alongside returning favourites the Guitar Ensemble and Taiko Ensemble. 

Audiences were treated to a diverse range of contemporary music performed by our growing number of Instrumental Music students. 

The concert was proudly student led, with lighting by Elsbeth Hastings, MCs Bella West and Aidan Bailey and photography by Danny Griffin and Isabelle Amor. 

A huge thank you to all ESC staff for their support, to School Council and Maxine Rawson for their ongoing fundraising efforts, and to Lyn from the Rotary Club of Emerald and District for presenting this year’s Music Scholarships.

Katrin Owen 

Performing Arts Domain Leader

Resource Centre

As we begin to move into much sunnier days, there’s something very appealing about the idea of lounging around outside, the open pages of a book fluttering in the breeze, daydreams filtering through your mind…

As we head into the final term of school, we’d like to remind you to return any library resources that you are no longer using. This includes overdue reading books and textbooks that you are no longer using. It’s important for our end of year stocktake that we have everything returned as soon as possible – so check your lockers, and your homes, and your bags and please bring them back!!

However, the library is still open for borrowing, right up until the end of the school year. If you’re after some recommendations, we’d love to suggest some reading material to keep you occupied – just ask!

8G Reverse Advent Calendar

The library is supporting 8G and their Reverse Advent Calendar project by hosting a drop off point for donations. If you’d like more information about the Reverse Advent Calendar, please speak to Mrs Ryan.

Used textbook donations

If you have any textbooks that you’d like to donate to the Library, we’d love to take them. We’re especially in need of English reading texts, and VCE textbooks, but we’re happy to take years 7-10 textbooks as well.

Please drop any donations at the front office, with a note to let us know who they’re from!

Reading Recommendations:

Wild Dark Shore, Charlotte McConaghy

Dominic Salt and his three children are caretakers of Shearwater, a tiny island not far from Antarctica. Home to the world’s largest seed bank, Shearwater was once full of researchers, but with sea levels rising, the Salts are now its final inhabitants. Until, during the worst storm the island has ever seen, a woman mysteriously washes ashore.

More than just a book about climate change, this intriguing and mysterious novel will keep you guessing until the last page.

The Wycherleys, by Annaliese Avery – new to the Library

Aurelia Wycherley is entering her debutante season as a witch. She should be excited about finding the perfect match to tether her magic to. But her magic is cursed, and without a tether, she faces loses her magic completely.

For those of you who enjoy Romantasy books, this new title will give you an opportunity to discover something new to fall in love with!

Prue Bon

Teacher Librarian

Invisible Disabilities Week

To celebrate and recognise Invisible Disabilities Week (observed annually in Australia from 19 – 25 October) the students in the Social Justice club arranged a badge making session to provide information about the images and ways people can communicate that they have an invisible disability without question or stigma. Symbols like the sunflower lanyard or silhouettes that indicate someone may have a non-visible disability are often used as markers for people who may need support or understanding.

Invisible Disabilities include many conditions that remain hidden yet deeply affect people’s day-to-day lives. These “invisible disabilities” may include neurological differences, chronic pain, mental-health challenges, sensory processing issues and other non-visible impairments — all of which may restrict how a person participates in school, work, family and community life. The week emphasises that just because a condition isn’t obvious doesn’t mean it isn’t real — or that its impact is any less significant. It encourages awareness, empathy and action: we’re invited to listen, adapt our environment and mindsets, and ensure everyone has access, understanding and dignity. In doing so, Invisible Disabilities Week challenges us to broaden our idea of “disability”, to support each other with respect, and to create communities where no one needs to explain, justify or hide their experiences.

Thank you to the Social Justice Team for running this at lunch time.

Kate Norman 

Disability and Inclusion Leading Teacher

Reverse Advent Calendar

Our Year 8 SEAL students are running a Reverse Advent Calendar project throughout November and early December, collecting donations for Foothills Community Care. Each group is responsible for organising their own communication campaign, creating posters, Compass posts and outreach emails to rally support across the school. The project ties directly to their study of A Christmas Carol and focuses on empathy, generosity and community action. Donation bins are located in the Main Office, Junior School and the Library. There are also two bins located in town at the Emerald Woolworths and the Emerald IGA. All donations close on December 15.

Katie Ryan

Learning Engagement Leader

Year 9 English

Students in 9 English were expected to produce a vignette to portray the feeling of losing something important. Students could choose what was lost whether it was life, love, land, culture, family or a material loss, as long as they focussed on showing rather than telling.

Cave- William W 9C

Complete darkness, complete silence. The slight itch on my head is the least of my problems. The beating of my heart, blocked out by the deep ringing in my ear, slows, as my body goes cold. When I close my eyes, I see bright flashes, like I’m getting my picture taken again. My face is hot. Blood rushes to my head like I’m trapped upside-down. I’m a mouse in a cage being lured by cheese, except there’s no lure. All I can do is stare at this cave wall silently.

Melody Jumpponen

Year 9 English Teacher