Assistant Principals Report

Term 1 has been a busy term filled with a wonderful range of events that have enabled our students to engage in career education, cultural understanding, interschool sport, Harmony week and a range of year level-based activities, including the Year 7 & 8 alternate program day, Year 9 Cluster day, Year 10 Revive day and senior student study skill sessions. These events are significant in the way they provide opportunities for our students to develop positive relationships with their peers, build Personal and Social capabilities and explore the way they are able to engage with our broader school community and develop their knowledge of how to move into the world of work.  

The Middle School team this term has been focused on two areas of improvement, the first area focuses on how we support students with through the wellbeing multi-tiered approach. The wellbeing team have been consulting around the various engagement programs we deliver and the key outcomes are how we monitor student participation and gain their feedback to ensure we are continuing meeting students evolving needs. The feedback from students demonstrated a need for continued forum-based consultation rather than surveys.  

The second area of focus was around the non-submission of work for Common Assessment Task’s (CAT’s). Students and staff have been consulted several times across the term around ways to communicate with students and families when the non-submission of CAT’s occur, the supporting interventions students will need and what occurs for students who have multiple non-submissions. Student feedback collected by Mr. Leung has been valuable in shaping the way the middle school communicates with families, as we develop this process, we encourage families to share their thoughts with the middle school to enable this process to be effective.  

Mr. Dunn & Mr. Pfitzner had the pleasure of visiting Bronwyn Kendall & Rebecca Coates who have spent all of term 1 at the School for leadership camp Gnuard-Gindidj in Glenormiston. Rebecca and Bronwyn have spent the term collaborating with students from country and city high schools to develop leadership skills and their Community Learning Project for Doncaster Secondary College. Rebecca and Bronwyn have had a wonderful term away and will begin the implementation of their project with students and staff to enhance the Gratitude wall in David Perry Hall. 

In the Senior School this term we have been focused on building positive learning behaviours to support students to maximise their results. This means high expectations around attendance and work completion. Our Senior School staff have been working tirelessly to support students to build these strong work ethics which should translate to better outcomes and pathway options for our senior students. 

Attendance remains a focus of the whole school, but ramifications for low attendance in Senior School can be serious, so we encourage families to be mindful of the Department’s and the College’s expectations around this. These policies exist to support student development, not only academically but also socially and emotionally. Students are healthy and happier when they have the routine of school. Our Wellbeing Team is extensive and here to support students and families that need it to keep attendance percentages positive. 

Year 10 students have been engaging in Career Interviews as they prepare for Work Experience and also VCE or VCE-VM. It’s an exciting time for our students as they have an opportunity to consider their strengths and interests and how that might translate into a career path. We encourage students and families to reach out to our Careers Team if they would like further information and support with this. We have held one Parent Evening this term, but more opportunities for students and families to learn and discuss their pathways will come in term 2 and 3, including the Subject Expo and the Careers Expo. 

During the Senior School Improvement Team (SIT) meeting, we had an opportunity to hear more about student experiences with our process – specifically the At-Risk process which is designed to keep students on task and engaging with their work during class and at home. The student representatives discussed how they have found the clarity around Coursework Requirements and what is expected of them in each class, very helpful. They expressed that they have noticed an improvement in student engagement and motivation from previous years. This is very encouraging. 

Additionally, during the Senior SIT meeting, we shared 2023’s VCE data with students and staff representatives, to help support their understanding of our systems and why we have introduced some of the processes we are now using. Students were motivated by the knowledge that academic performances at DSC have been improving in recent years, and they have accepted the challenge to see that trend continue this year. 

Term 2 Victorian High-Ability Program 

In Term 2 we will have 28 students from the Junior School participating in the Victorian High-Ability program. Doncaster Secondary College is very proud of the students that have been selected in this Student Excellence Program, congratulations. 

The students have been selected by the Department of Education through a centrally managing process based on student academic performance. It uses a selection algorithm that is based on student achievement data to assess student ability and readiness to participate in the program. A combination of high NAPLAN scores and being one or more years ahead of their peers (based on teacher judgement data) indicates high ability. 

The Victorian High-Ability Program is an extension course that runs for one school term, where students meet with like-minded peers at neighbouring Victorian government schools through weekly virtual lessons studying either English or Mathematics.  The weekly virtual lessons occur during the school day and will be taught by expert Virtual School Victoria educators. 

Participating students will also be invited to a ‘Masterclass’, where they attend up to one full school day of activities. Participation in the Victorian High-Ability Program is free and is funded by the Victorian Government's new Student Excellence Program. You can read more about this initiative here: Student Excellence Program. 

We wish you a happy term break and hope our students enjoy this opportunity to rest, ready for term 2! 

Wes Pfitzner, Belinda McGee & Kristin Skennar

Assistant Principals