Key Dates Term 3

Wednesday, 23 July VCE Subject Presentations for Students

Wednesday, 30 July Course information Sessions for Families and Students:

Year 8 into 9 - 5:30 pm - 6:00 pm
Year 9 into 10 - 6:15 pm - 7:00 pm
Year 10 into 11 - 7:15 pm - 8:00 pm

Thursday 31 July Year 10 into 11 Course Selection Interviews

Friday 1 August Year 9 into 10 Course Selection Interviews

Monday, 6 August, VTAC opens for VCE students.

Friday 8 August Year 11/12 School Formal 6-10.00 pm

Celebrating Positive Student Behaviour and Reinforcing Expectations

As we move into Term 3, it’s fantastic to see the ongoing commitment from students across Castlemaine Secondary College. Our School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS) system continues to thrive, with a remarkable 24,955 achievement points awarded in the first half of the year—an increase of over 8,800 points since the end of Term 1.

These points reflect students demonstrating our college values of Aspiration, Respect and Empathy, and we are proud of the culture this is helping to build at CSC. Whether it's students supporting each other, striving for personal bests in learning, or contributing to a positive classroom environment, their efforts are being recognised every day.

Thank you to all families for encouraging and reinforcing these behaviours at home. Your partnership plays a crucial role in sustaining this culture of high expectations and mutual respect.

Mobile Phone Policy – Support Needed from Families

To support a calm, focused and respectful learning environment, we continue to implement the Department of Education’s mobile phone policy. This policy requires that all students:

Have their phones turned off and stored securely in their locked locker during the school day.
Do not use their phones for any reason during school hours, including recess and lunch.

We ask for your support in upholding this expectation. Please avoid calling or messaging your young person during school hours. If you need to get in touch urgently, please contact Reception and we will pass on the message.

These expectations are in place to reduce distractions, limit social pressures, and improve face-to-face connection. By working together, we can ensure students remain focused on learning and engaged with their peers.

Alignment Review – Next Steps

Following our recent Alignment Review, we are now focusing on Recommendation 1: Enhance and refine organisational structures and processes to ensure clear connections between roles, responsibilities, and the school’s improvement priorities.

Throughout Term 3, we will be engaging with staff, students and families to gather feedback on how our current systems and processes are working, and how we can make improvements that support better student outcomes. We look forward to working collaboratively as a school community to strengthen how we operate and ensure that all improvement efforts are aligned and effective.

Course Counselling and Subject Selection for 2026

Term 3 marks the beginning of our Course Counselling process as we begin planning the timetable for 2026. All students will be asked to submit their subject preferences, and these selections will directly influence how we build our timetable.

To help students make informed choices, we encourage families to:

Read all course information carefully on our website
Attend the Course Information Sessions
Speak with subject teachers and current students to gain insight into course content and expectations

We ask that students and families select preferences that reflect both the student’s interests and potential future career pathways. Early in Term 4, we aim to share draft timetables with students, families and staff for feedback.

2026 Information Sessions

VCE Subject Presentations for Students - Wednesday 23 July (9:00am - 11:00am) - all Learning Areas to showcase their VCE subjects for current Year 10 students.

Course Information Sessions for Students - Wednesday 30 July (10:30am - 11:00am) - students provided with overview of course selection process.

Course information Sessions for Families and Students: These will be conducted in the College Library on Wednesday 30 July at the following times.

Year 8 into 9 - 5 :30pm - 6:00pm
Year 9 into 10 - 6:15pm - 7:00pm
Year 10 into 11 - 7:15pm - 8:00pm

After each presentation the Learning Area Leaders (curriculum leaders for each subject area) will be available for families and students to talk to.

Year 10 into 11 Course Selection Interviews - Thursday 31 July (9:00am - 4:30pm) - all students must attend a session, accompanied by a parent / carer. (There are no Year 10 classes running. Students are only required at school for their course counselling session)

Year 9 into 10 Course Selection Interviews - Friday 1 August (9:00am - 4:30pm) - all students must attend a session, accompanied by a parent / carer. (There are no Year 9 classes running. Students are only required at school for their course counselling session)

XUNO will open for bookings at noon on Monday 21 July. Instructions for interview bookings will be sent directly to the families of Year 9 and 10 students.

Welcome to VCE Student and Parent Information Session - Thursday 5 February 2026. This is for Year 11 and Year 12 families, reinforcing the technical requirements of VCE and providing guidance and tips for having a successful VCE experience.

This process is an exciting opportunity for students to take ownership of their learning journey, and your support as parents and carers is vital in helping them make thoughtful and informed decisions.

Thank you again for your ongoing support as we continue to build a safe, connected and respectful school community.

Justin Hird

Principal

Castlemaine Secondary College News

Issue 2 · 03 Jul 2025

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