Pakenham Secondary College News

Principal's Message

We Grow Through Connection

 

Dear Students, Parents and Carers,

 

Another bumper edition of the College Newsletter with so much happening at our great school.  We are proud of our students and how they represent the College, and we are grateful for the wonderful support we receive from families – there is a real sense of teamwork at Pakenham Secondary College.

 

Our College Motto, ‘We Grow Through Connection’, supports our students and broader College Community to continue to grow and improve through the positive connections we develop with others.  Underpinning our College Motto are our SOAR Values – our students demonstrate these Values on a consistent basis with their learning and how they represent the College.

  • Social and Personal Responsibility

  • Opportunities for All

  • Achieving Our Personal Best

  • Respectful Relationships

As a College, we continue to work with families to provide high quality opportunities in the areas important to our College Community:

  • Learning Growth and Pathways

  • Sport

  • The Performing Arts

  • Student Leadership and Our Community

Whilst Student Achievement is important, Student Learning Growth across all subject areas is our priority.

 

Our Teaching Staff are very busy finalising Semester One Reports.  The Semester One Reports will be distributed via Compass on the last day of Term Two, Friday 4 July.

We have our Year 10 Work Experience Program in the last week of Term Two (30 June to 4 July).  The Program allows Year 10 students the opportunity to learn more about the work place in an area of employment that is of interest to them.  We wish our Year 10 students all the best whilst on Work Experience.

 

We have some New Staff who have joined the team at PSC:

 

Nathan Taylor – Indigenous Cultural Worker

Sarah Rahman – Mathematics and Science Teacher

Emily Clarke – Physical Education, Sport and Health Teacher

Matthew Gouldson – Information Technology Teacher

Brodie Quehenbergers – AFL Sports Trainee

 

We welcome our new colleagues to our great school.

 

Course Selection is important, allowing students to select subjects and programs of interest to them as they move from year to the next.  Our recent Course Selection Information Evening (Wednesday 25 June) for existing Year 9 and 10 students and their families was very successful with many families in attendance.  The data from Course Selections is carefully considered and used to help determine what our Curriculum Program may be for the year ahead.  Existing Year 7 and 8 students will receive information relating to Course Selection in Term 3.

 

A new feature of our Curriculum in 2026 will be the introduction of Passion Projects.  The Passion Project concept allows students in Year 7 and 8 for 2026 to choose a subject that they are really passionate about and want to learn more about whilst at school.  We see this important concept as a further means of engaging students with their education – more information about Passion Projects will be made available to families next term.  

 

Our Capital Works Program has now started.  Fences have been erected and part of the demolition process has commenced. Communications to our College and Local Community have already been provided with respect to the commencement of works, and regular updates will be released on an ongoing basis.  The $11.3 Million Dollar Program seeks to provide a modern and state of the art facility supporting areas such as Technology, Information Technology, Visual Communications, Multi Media and other Teaching and Learning areas at the College.  New break out spaces, staff work areas and passive recreation areas will also feature as part of the Program.  The Program will take approximately two years to complete.  We appreciate the patience of our College Community as we continue to work through this exciting Program.

 

We are expecting even more improvement to our Buildings and Grounds over the mid year break.  These works include repainting key external areas, upgrades to outdoor spaces such as the rear alcove, new floor coverings in learning areas and the library foyer. Additional enhancements will also be made to the General Office foyer. These projects reflect our ongoing commitment to the continual improvement of our College environment. 

 

Our International Student Program (or ISP) is an important part of our College. We have several students from different countries accessing our school as part of our ISP.  Our ISP benefits our College Community by further improving our cultural understanding and awareness – our ISP further increases the cultural diversity of our school which is of benefit to all of us.  I will be travelling to Vietnam and Cambodia over the part of the mid year break as part of a Department of Education delegation to promote International Education within Victorian State Education System, and to also promote our own International Student Program here at PSC.

 

Our 2025 College Review is well underway with Field Work Days scheduled for early Term Three.  All Victorian Primary and Secondary Schools must undertake a formal Review every four years as part of best meeting the learning and wellbeing needs of students. These Field Work Days allow for an Independent Reviewer to work with the College Community, other Principals and Department of Education representatives to analyse data and speak with members of the College Community to shape our Strategic Plan for the years ahead – the Strategic Plan includes Goals that are used to underpin our work to further improve student outcomes.  We are looking forward to the Field Work Days next term.

 

Our Leadership Team met recently to discuss our progress against our 2025 Annual Implementation Plan (or AIP).  We are making good progress against the Goals of our 2025 AIP:

  • Maximise Student Learning in Literacy and Numeracy

  • Strengthen Student’s Agency, Engagement and Connectedness to School and Peers

Our progress against our AIP to this point of the year was shared and discussed at the most recent College Council Meeting last week (17 June).  Our important leadership and work against these Goals to further improve student outcomes will continue throughout Semester Two.

 

Interest in our College continues to grow with very strong numbers in reference to Year 7 Enrolment Applications for 2026. More and more families are expressing an interest in PSC because we are a great school achieving great results for our students.

 

Our last day for Term Two is Friday, 4 July, and we will be having an early dismissal of 2.30pm. Please continue to read on in this Newsletter for everything that has been happening at PSC.  Please also refer to the Student Wellbeing contacts provided over the mid term break if required and as appropriate. 

 

I hope that everyone has a safe and enjoyable mid year break – I thank our families for their ongoing support of our great school,

 

Regards

Aaron

  

Aaron Smith

College Principal – Pakenham Secondary College