College Newsletter

Secondary News

Monash Scholars Program

 

It is with great pleasure that I announce Makiah H and Jeremy S as the very worthy recipients of the 2022 – 2024 Monash Scholars Program. 

 

The Monash Scholars Program is a prestigious program for high achieving secondary school students to give them a unique head start into university life. Students who are selected into the program in Year 10, stay until the end of Year 12. Over the two and a half years, Scholars participate in a range of bespoke activities to enhance their learning; explore their career ambitions; define their personal aspirations; and build networks with other high achieving students. 

 

In their application, students needed to demonstrate academic achievement, extracurricular endeavours and articulate what a good leader looks like and how they display these qualities in their own lives. Both Makiah and Jeremy submitted outstanding applications and after a competitive selection process have won a place in the 2022 – 2024 Monash Scholars Program. 

 

 

We congratulate both of them on this outstanding achievement. 

 

Student Voice and Agency in Learning and Wellbeing 

At Lakeside College, we are committed to doing everything we can to enhance and support the wellbeing of our students. Research has shown that poor student wellbeing is associated with a range of negative outcomes such as lower academic achievement, poor connection to the school community, early school leaving rates and impaired future access to ongoing employment and study opportunities. When measures are taken to support wellbeing, students become better placed to learn. There is no doubt that maintaining student wellbeing has been further heightened by the pandemic with the following statistics recorded:

  • 70.5% of principals reporting negative impacts on student mental health and wellbeing
  • 29% of parents noting that their child’s education was negatively impacted by the pandemic
  • 37% of parents indicating that their children have become more anxious and stressed and
  • 80% of students reporting missing seeing friends with 66% saying they missed seeing their extended family

Recently, we have been involved in trialling the Wellbeing for Learning tool. This piece of software allows us to conduct wellbeing check-ins with students in an efficient and confidential manner. The check-ins take no more than two minutes and are given to students once a week. The Wellbeing for Learning tool was developed in consultation with wellbeing experts who developed the tool after a rigorous literature review of student wellbeing. The literature review focussed on:

  • The essential elements that influence wellbeing
  • The effectiveness of interventions in addressing wellbeing
  • The impact of wellbeing on academic and non-academic outcomes

The Wellbeing for Learning tool is broadly consistent with the Australian Student Wellbeing Framework and provides wellbeing resources that can be used by staff to support student wellbeing.  In piloting this program, we have been able to identify and address student wellbeing issues and respond to these issues in a timely and consistent manner. We look forward to completing this important pilot project and integrating the Wellbeing for Learning tool into our overall wellbeing program in the near future. 

 

Robert Tassoni

Head of Secondary School

 

 

Road Smart Program

On Wednesday the 20th of July, the Year 10 and 11 students were involved in the VicRoads 'Road Smart Program'. 

 

Road Smart is a free education program that helps prepare beginner drivers for a lifetime of safe driving.

 

Funded by the Victorian Government via VicRoads, Road Smart supports and enhances Victoria’s Graduated Licensing System (GLS), featuring:

  • An interactive classroom session with a Road Smart facilitator
  • eLearning for students and supervising drivers
  • A free in-car session with a qualified instructor

VicRoads have found that despite the reduction in the youth road toll, young novice drivers statistically still represent a high-risk group, and road crashes continue to constitute one of the leading causes of death for young people aged 18 to 25 years. 

 

By running this program and targeting young drivers, we hope to continue to reduce the statistics.