Principal's Report

College Values

Following on from the School Review in 2021 and a couple of years of interruptions to face to face learning, School Council have undertaken the task of refreshing our College Vision, Values and Mantra. We are currently working through a phase of consultation and would like your views to be considered as a valued member of our college community.

Thank you to those many students, parents and carers that have already responded to this request and provided us with your valuable feedback.

Below we have listed several potential College Values, together with a clear definition of what this would mean for members of our college community. We are asking you to review these suggestions and to then take the opportunity, if you wish, to improve them or to suggest an alternate or additional value and definition for College Council to consider.

Once you have provided any improvements, you will be invited to submit your top 3 values that you would like to see the College community adopt as we move forward in 2023 and continue our journey of continuous improvement.

Suggested College Values for your feedback:

Respect – We treat all individuals with respect and care. Our relationships are based on trust and mutual respect. We recognise the differing circumstances and needs of our students and are dedicated to achieving the best possible outcomes for all.
Resilience - We strive to successfully adapt to challenging experiences and tasks through emotional, social, academic and behavioural perseverance.
Excel: we have high expectations and strive to achieve our best in all we do. The standards and expectations challenge all of us to be our best in both academic and non-academic outcomes.
Care: we value community, build empathy with each other, and we act with integrity and compassion.
Curiosity: Inspiring curiosity through a range of choices in both academic and non-academic fields, encouraging exploration, discovery and a love of learning.

Please be mindful when selecting your top 3 values that we want to end up with 3 or 4 school wide values that help shape the learning, development and behaviour of our students; that guide our staff in how they work together and with you; and to guide our broader community around how we work and interact together as a community.

Please utilise the link below to provide us with your feedback and suggestions by Saturday, 10th September.

https://forms.office.com/r/ksj92t524P

On behalf of School Council, thank you in anticipation of your involvement in this process.

2022 Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey

On 24th August, 2022, a XUNO email was sent inviting parents/caregivers/guardians to participate in this year’s survey. This year the survey is being conducted from Monday, 15th August up until Friday, 16th September 2022.

Thank you to the families who have already completed the survey as your opinions matter to us.

The Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education and Training that is conducted amongst families. It is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour and student engagement. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies.

Please be assured that your responses are completely confidential. The survey is conducted anonymously and it is important to us that you complete the survey as honestly as possible.

The survey is conducted online, only takes 10-15 minutes to complete. The online survey will be available in a range of languages other than English. These include Arabic, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Chin (hakha), Hindi, Japanese, Somali, Turkish, Punjabi and Greek.

NOTE: Only one parent/caregiver/guardian from your family is invited to complete the survey.

Victoria’s senior secondary education is changing

From 2023, the new VCE Vocational Major will replace Intermediate and Senior VCAL. This means the VCE will recognise different students equally. Students will have more education choices, a higher-quality curriculum and better workplace experiences – preparing them for further study, training at TAFE or work.

From 2023, more students will study the VCE. That is because the VCE will include the Vocational Major, a 2-year program that sits within the VCE. There will also be the Victorian Pathways Certificate for those who need flexibility in their learning.

A new information and awareness campaign, Many Talents, One VCE will roll out explaining the changes.

The changes are a result of the Review into Vocational and Applied Learning Pathways in Senior Secondary Schooling (the Firth review). The review found we needed to improve vocational learning in schools.

Epping Secondary College currently offers VCAL which will switch to the VCE Vocational Major from 2023. We will also be offering the Victorian Pathways Certificate for students seeking a slightly more supported pathway to their senior secondary certificate.

Teachers and careers counsellors are available to answer questions and to support students as they make decisions about their final years at school.

Now students will have greater access to high-quality, relevant vocational education and applied learning opportunities.

For more information, go to Many Talents One VCE | Victorian Government (www.vic.gov.au)

School Drop Off and Car Park

Please note that the school car park is for staff only. There have been a number of parents driving into the school car park to drop their children off and reversing back onto McDonalds Road or Scarborough Road. This causes traffic to bank up on these roads and increases the risk of an accident or a pedestrian being hit by a car. Where possible, please drop your child off a short walk from the school to help minimise the traffic around the school.

Out of respect to our neighbours, please refrain from parking across driveways.

Your cooperation is much appreciated.

Brad Moyle

College Principal