2026 Issue No. 2

The year thus far…

Here we are into March and I’m cognisant that the start of the year has been fraught with interruptions – high FDR across the LGA has meant school closures and a real frustration by the entire community.

We continue to work together, as a team, to mitigate interruptions as much as we can.

Expectations

I have been monitoring the use of (or lack of use) mobile phones in the school canteen and the response has been very positive. Debit cards rule and cash is king! The ban on mobile phones is not new and will adhere to follow it as much as we can. It’s not an ESC policy; it’s a statewide policy.

This newsletter also gives me an opportunity to clear up a few misunderstandings about school uniform:

1. Bottom part of the uniform is dark blue, with or without the school logo. PSW has our school colour in stock, and the pants are hardy and long wearing – no logo, outside the school one, is permissible
2. Shoes are black – runners are okay, indeed preferable, as they’re comfortable and easily accessible
3. Hoodies are not to be worn – an extra layer of clothing can be worn under the school top, as long as it is not visible

These expectations are not difficult, nor excessively onerous. We are a uniform school, and it matters to me that all our students wear their uniform well, as it highlights school pride, connectedness and equality. Passes may be issued for a short time, and support is also available for families that require it. I want to move into a solution focussed growth mindset.

School Review in 2026

This month, the College will be undertaking its 4 year School Review.

The review will unpack our curriculum, our teaching and learning and our policies for compliance.

Challenge partners (personnel from DE and other principals) will support us by providing an independent lens on what’s working, what’s not and what we need to tweak.

As a college, we are always looking for ways to improve, and we will never cease to put all our learners at the forefront of all our programs and decisions.

The ongoing improvement includes:

Lifting our median VCE study score to 30

Increasing learning growth for all our students 7-10

Engagement with our BEST curriculum – wellbeing

Student leadership and student voice and agency

School Building Improvements

 Work on the new roof for the gym will begin on April 4^th, with a 4-6 week turnaround.

After that, keeping everything crossed, we hope to see that start of the new build begin to eventuate – it’s been quite a complex, policy driven web to get through.

And….in case you hadn’t heard….

Jarrad Donders, ex AP at ESC has just been appointed as Head Coach for the AFLW Richmon FC…..Congratulations, Jarrad. We are all so proud of you and we know that you’ll do great things with the young people under your care and instruction.

Dare I say it???…..GO TIGES!

James

College Principal

Assistant Principals’ Report

Strengthening Learning Through Feedback

At ESC, high-quality feedback continues to be a key focus in improving student learning outcomes. Effective feedback helps students understand where they are in their learning, what they are doing well, and what their next steps should be. When feedback is clear, timely and targeted, it empowers students to take ownership of their learning and make meaningful progress.

This focus builds on the important work begun during Glen Pearsall’s visit to our College last year. During his time with staff, Glen shared practical and classroom-ready strategies designed to improve the impact of feedback. Since then, our teachers have continued to refine these approaches, ensuring feedback is purposeful, consistent and aligned with best practice. This ongoing work reflects our commitment to continuous improvement and to providing every student with the support they need to succeed.

By continuing to focus on effective feedback and using evidence-based data to guide our teaching, ESC remains committed to supporting every learner to grow, achieve and thrive.

NAPLAN

As we look ahead, our Year 7 and Year 9 students will soon be undertaking NAPLAN. NAPLAN provides valuable information about students’ skills in literacy and numeracy and helps us identify strengths as well as areas for growth. While we encourage students to approach these assessments calmly and confidently, it is important that they give their best effort. The data gathered from NAPLAN plays an important role in informing our tutoring support, targeted interventions and extension programs, allowing us to better meet the diverse learning needs of our students.

Connections at ESC!

In term one, our college focus is Harmony. We are developing a Harmony wall of handprints made by our students during their BEST classes, it is looking amazing!

Year 7 students have returned from camp, and we have had some incredible conversations about their time spent setting goals, stretch goals, and even SUPER stretch goals. It is fantastic to see connections being formed and resilience in action.

Uniform

We are a uniform school, and as such, our uniform policy provides all the necessary information to ensure your student is compliant. The Student Dress Code aims to:

• promote a sense of identity and pride, cohesion and good order in the school
• allow all students to feel equal
• prevent bullying and competition on the basis of clothing
• ensure students’ appearance reflects the expectations of their school community
• strengthen the spirit of community within the school
• enhance individual student safety and group security
• ensure all students are dressed safely and appropriately for school activities
• prepare students for the expectations of workplaces

Following changes to Department policy, students now have a wider variety of options when choosing shorts, pants, skirts and other varieties of bottoms. Students can wear any uniform item regardless of season. Approved commemorative uniform items such as the year 12 jumper are accepted as part of the uniform. Non branded shorts and pants are permitted in the colour INK from the Core Range at PSW. This is darker than the typical Navy blue. Non branded shorts and pants purchased from alternate stores, must replicate the same colour INK. Form fitting leggings, shorts and tights (for example, sports bike shorts and lycra leggings) are not permitted.

Below are some suggestions for uniform bottoms from our supplier, PSW. We recommend purchasing uniform through PSW, as they are made with durability and longevity in mind.

Unisex shorts with reflective strip

Stretch Microfibre Shorts

Stretch Microfibre Shorts No Logo

Mesh Sports Shorts No Logo

Flexiwaist Formal Short

Culottes No Logo

Winter Pleated Skirt

Trackpant Zip Cuff

Trackpant Zip Cuff No Logo

Cotton Rich Trackpant No Logo

Ladies Expandable Tailored Pant

Flexiwaist Formal Pants

Tiana Clayworth and Melissa Findlay

Assistant Principals’

Year 12 Biology

Year 12 Biology students have begun the year working on Unit 3: Area of Study 1, which covers gene expression and manipulation.  In order to visualise some of these more complex biological concepts, students do a lot of physical modelling – using a combination of computer animation and old-fashioned crafts.  Last week, they used a pool noodle, coloured paper and a ball to model the trp operon, an example of gene regulation of the amino acid tryptophan.  This week, students used a combination of paper models and virtual animations to represent the CRISPR Cas-9 complex, a system of cutting and splicing of genomes in a lab to change the genetics of organisms from bacteria to human blood to help fight diseases like sickle cell anemia.  Feedback has said this kind of physical modelling work really helps them visualise and remember some of these concepts.

Students will continue with this course of study for the rest of the term, culminating in an excursion to the Gene Technology Access Centre in Parkville to participate in an experiment on altering bacterial genomes to help create synthetic human insulin. 

Ashley Forster

Science Domain Leader

Rosie: Our Year 12 Mascot

Since 2022, Rosie, a rosella like our school emblem, has been an important part of Year 12. She’s more than a mascot; she’s a symbol of connection and community.

Rosie shines at BEST musters, sharing shout outs from students, celebrating achievements, and spreading positivity. She’s there for every big moment including sports days, classes and of course, Valedictory.

This special tradition reminds us that Year 12s that alongside hard work, we can celebrate friendship, fun, and belonging. We love Rosie, and we can’t wait to see her continue to bring our Year 12 community together.

Rebecca Holmes

Year 12 Learning & Engagement Leader

Middle Years Woodwork (Talents with Tools)

The Middle Years Woodwork students have made a fantastic start to the year. Students have been developing their cutting and basic joining skills through the construction of a Wheelbarrow Planter Pot. It has been pleasing to see the care and effort students have put into their work, with most successfully completing their projects and even adding plants to finish them off. The completed planter pots look fantastic.

Students are now building on these foundational skills by practising four different woodworking joints: box joints, dowel joints, biscuit joints and butt joints. Once confident with these techniques, they will apply their knowledge to create a BBQ Caddy. This project will also serve as their first CAT assessment.

We look forward to seeing their continued progress and wish them every success with their upcoming project.

Mr Closter

Woodwork Teacher

Year 7 Camp 2026

The Year 7 Camp is an unforgettable experience and is key part of the transition into high school, supporting our students in fostering new, and deepening existing connections. This year was truly a standout experience.

The excitement (and nerves) of being away from home for a few days was evident on Monday morning and energy was high on the way to camp. Students settled quickly into their cabins raring to go and get stuck into the program. The Summit coaches introduced the idea of Target, Stretch, and Super Stretch to challenge our students to set goals and push outside of their comfort zone.

From the heights of the Giant Swing to the depths of the Wombat Hole in the Snowy River Challenge, our students displayed resilience and teamwork, stepping beyond their Targets and into their Stretch or Super Stretch, all the while encouraging their teammates and celebrating every little win. The weather definitely added an extra challenge, giving us beautiful sunshine that changed into rainy afternoon for our Monster Course. Given we were already wet and muddy, we continued on in the course with some tears, a lot of laughter, and a huge sense of accomplishment for each team as they completed it. There is something to be said for hot showers and a cosy evening in for movie night after such a hectic day!

We wrapped up at The Summit with the coaches announcing the teams who won different challenges and standout team players who really went above and beyond in testing the limits of their comfort zone. Congratulations to the Summit Senders winning the Monster Course, and Sharp Shooters who smashed the Snowy River Challenge. A massive congratulations to our values recipients from each team: Macey G, Noah C, Cooper S, Harrison G, Hayden S, and Bec N.

Thank you to The Summit for running an amazing program and to our teachers and education support staff who attended and put in their all to make sure our students had a wonderful time. 

Most importantly, thank you Year 7s of 2026 for an excellent start to the year. We have a lot to look forward to this year!

Samantha McLean

Year 7 Learning Engagement Leader

Interact Club

At Emerald Secondary College, something special is taking root.

When we invited students to attend our first Interact Club introductory meeting, we hoped for a handful of curious faces. Instead, 48 students from Years 7 to 10 walked through the door, ready to listen, contribute and imagine what service could look like in our school community. The energy in the room was genuine and hopeful. Students shared ideas about helping within our own school grounds, supporting local families, protecting the environment and contributing to causes beyond Emerald. What stood out most was their desire to be part of something bigger than themselves.

Following the meeting, students completed an application process that asked them to reflect on teamwork, responsibility and leadership. From this, an incredible team of students across Years 7 to 10 has been formed. This inaugural Interact group represents a wide cross section of our school and reflects the heart of what Emerald Secondary College is about. Respect, initiative, connection and care for community are already visible in the way this group is coming together.

Our Interact Club operates in partnership with the Emerald Rotary Club, whose mentorship and long-standing commitment to service provide our students with authentic opportunities to learn how real community change happens. Through this connection, students will gain insight into planning projects, collaborating with community members and seeing ideas move from conversation to action. It is a powerful learning space that extends well beyond the classroom.

Already, conversations are flowing about future projects within Emerald and beyond. Students are exploring ways to strengthen our school culture, support local initiatives and create events that bring people together. There is a strong sense that this is not just a club for one term, but the beginning of traditions that will grow each year as new students step into leadership roles.

To celebrate the launch of our newest student leadership initiative, students are invited to attend a sausage sizzle at lunchtime on Friday 27 February. This will be a chance to acknowledge our Interact team and invite the wider student community to share in the excitement of what is unfolding.

We are incredibly proud of the students who have stepped forward and grateful for the support of our community partners. This is just the beginning. More to come.

Katie Ryan

Student Connectedness Co-ordinator

VPC

Marrung Lead

Marrung

Issue 2, 2026

Marrung is a Wemba Wemba word for the Murray Cypress pine tree, which represents branches of education and knowledge. The Wemba Wemba people hope that in naming Marrung, it will symbolise growth, knowledge and connection.

We would like to take this opportunity to introduce ourselves as the Marrung Lead Co-ordinators for 2026.

Katie has been teaching at ESC since late 2024 and has this year stepped into a new role coordinating and promoting student connections within the ESC community. This includes working closely with the Marrung group.

Prue has been teaching at Emerald Secondary College since the beginning of 2024 and is the Teacher Librarian, working with students to create a safe space within the Library and promote connection through the power of words and stories. She is excited about the opportunity to also work with the Marrung group and work towards promoting literature written by First Nations creators.

As we move into March, and Iuk (eel) season, with the cooling temperatures and flowering gums, we invite you to explore the sky at sunset – looking out for the Hunter constellation as it appears. You may be more familiar with the Greek mythological origins of this constellation, as Orion, but in some Dreamtime narratives, this is the story of a hunter with his belt and boomerang.

Artwork credit: Emma Woods, paper take me.

For Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander students who may be interested in the opportunity to explore vocational education and creative career pathways through Swinburne University, we invite them to consider the MVCE Future Aspirations Camp. More information can be found in the flyer, or please speak to Prue or Katie.

More opportunities are available in A5 and the Library. Please come by for a yarn and some details anytime.

Katie Ryan and Prue Bon

Marrung Lead Co-ordinators

♛ Emerald Secondary College Chess Club: Moves That Matter ♛

The pieces are back on the board at Emerald Secondary College.

Our Chess Club is up and running again for 2026, meeting every Tuesday and Thursday at lunchtime. What started as a small opening move has developed into a thriving community where students gather to think strategically, challenge themselves, and enjoy good company over a friendly match.

From first-time players learning how each piece moves, to seasoned competitors thinking several steps ahead, our club is open to all. Some students are sharpening their skills. Others are simply enjoying the rhythm of the game and the calm focus it brings to the middle of a busy school day. No matter their level, every student has a place at the table.

This year, we are proud to announce Jude Penketh as Club President and Elliot Goldsmith as Vice President. Both have already stepped confidently into leadership, helping guide the club with steady hands and thoughtful strategy. The future of the club is very much student-led — and in good hands.

We have also been making moves beyond our own board. The club has been communicating with neighbouring schools to organise friendly lunchtime matches, adding a layer of healthy competition while building new friendships and connections across campuses. It is exciting to see our students representing Emerald with both confidence and sportsmanship.

Next Friday, March 6, members of our Chess Team will represent Emerald Secondary College at Wesley College in the first Northern Star Chess Competition of the year. This marks an important opening round for 2026, and we are proud of the preparation, focus, and resilience our students are bringing to the competition.

And while we cannot reveal all our strategies just yet, there may be a bigger move coming in Term 2. Let’s just say the board may expand in ways you might not expect. Stay tuned.

If you are a community member interested in supporting the club, we would love to hear from you. As Chess Advisor, I bring all ideas for support or expansion to our weekly student cabinet meeting so that every move remains student-driven. We gratefully accept donations toward new boards and timers, lunchtime club snacks, and future team shirts. Every contribution helps us strengthen our position — and is always appreciated.

Chess Advisors:

Jack Ryan

Matthew Powell

Lunchtime Clubs

Emerald Secondary College recently held its very first Lego Club, and it was a fantastic success. Students enthusiastically participated, using their creativity and problem-solving skills to design and build a wide range of unique creations. The club provided a fun and engaging environment where students were able to collaborate with their peers, share ideas, and express their imagination.

It was wonderful to see such positive involvement, with students thoroughly enjoying the opportunity to be creative in a relaxed and supportive setting. We look forward to continuing the Lego Club and seeing even more exciting builds in the future.

2026 Clubs include

Monday – Social Justice Club L2 and Lego Club L1

Tuesday – Art Club B09

Wednesday – Movie day L1

Thursday – Airlie’s Magic Club L1

Friday – Dungeons and Dragons L1

Samantha Streader

Inclusion Co-ordinator

Library

Issue 2, 2026

One of the best things about reading (and working in the Library) is being able to talk to everyone about what they’re reading. This helps us to know and understand our school community, but it also helps us to create lists of recommendations that we can use as conversation starters.

We’ve put aside an entire wall in the Library to display the front covers of the books that our ESC community is reading, and we’re inviting you to contribute! If you’d like to add what you’re reading to our wall of recommendations, please take a minute to complete this form!

How can you support the Library?

This year’s Children’s Laureate was announced recently, and the esteemed position goes to Andy Griffiths. The Children’s Laureate works to promote reading for pleasure and it is a very important position to hold. Andy Griffiths has set the theme of his tenure as “Reading is an Adventure”, and we couldn’t agree more!

You can view Andy’s Laureate announcement here.

Andy’s appointment as Laureate opens up a great opportunity to discuss with your student why reading for enjoyment is important. It also creates a topic of discussion around reading being more than just “picking up a book” – it is an adventure, an opportunity to talk about stories and a far more social activity than we often think about it being.

The library has plenty of books by Andy Griffiths and we’d encourage you to suggest to your students that borrowing them and then reading them together as a group is a great way to get into reading.

Recommendations

Hekate, by Nikita Gill

Titan.

Goddess.

Witch.

The Gods were fearful of her before she knew who she was. A child of war, Hekate is left in the Underworld with Styx & Pallas to look after her. But they have rules, and secrets, and Hekate is lonely.

Hekate is a lyrical telling of how the most powerful being came to find her light within the darkness.

Beth is Dead, by Katie Bernet

A modern retelling of Little Women, but Beth has been murdered! Can Jo find out who murdered her sister before they take out Amy and Meg as well?

This story is engaging and exciting, keeping you on your toes throughout every page.

Prue Bon

Teacher Librarian

Immunisations for 2026

 The Year 7 Immunisations will be on the 3rd of June 2026

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

The Year 10 Immunisations will be on the 11th of May 2026

• Meningococcal ACWY 

The Cardinia Shire Council use an online platform provided by the Victorian Department of Health, called the Central Immunisation Records Victoria (CIRV) to manage those receiving an immunisation. Our college will provide you with an immunisation session visit date, along with a CIRV portal link to complete an online consent form for your child. Parents/guardians are required to complete this online form, even if they choose not to consent for their child to be vaccinated at school. If Council do not receive a yes or no consent, further follow up and correspondence will be sent.

Cardinia Shire Council will be sending the CIRV booking code closer to the scheduled date.

For further information on the Secondary School Vaccine Program, please visit www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/immunisation-in-secondary-schools

Smile Squad

Emerald Secondary College would like to announce that in May this year we will have Smile Squad visiting our school to do free dental checks. This means all students can get free dental checkups, preventive services and treatment at school every 2 years.

This program is being led by the Department of Health and Oral Health Victoria, with input from the Department of Education. Services are currently being delivered across Victoria by local community dental agencies.

The program is completely free for all Victorian government school students.

Students will be seen by Smile Squad during school hours, saving families time and money. Smile Squad includes all required treatment (excluding orthodontics).

Objectives of Smile Squad

• Students can receive free dental care regularly
• Students learn about the importance of good dental care
• Students will have better oral health outcomes through early intervention.

Regular dental checks can prevent or address dental health issues before they become serious.

What to expect?

Oral health packs (including oral health promotion) are offered to all students. Dental check-ups are carried out in school rooms using portable equipment and further treatment is delivered in our treatment vans that house a full dental clinic. Think of it as a dental clinic on wheels.

Your friendly Smile Squad staff include oral health therapists, dental therapists, oral health educators, dental assistants, dentists and specialists.

Smile squad dental packs are available to collect from the office now. If your child would like a free dental pack, please call into the office and pick one up after school.

2 different packs available.

Selina Rose

First Aid Officer

Community News