Principal's Report

Welcome back to Term 4

Welcome back to all students and staff after what I hope has been a restful and relaxing break although I know that for our Year 12 students the break has been filled with practice exams and the start of the preparation for the final assessment period post the closure of formal lessons due to happen on Thursday 16 October.

A number of events have been organized to mark the closure of the school year for our Year 12s, and it is important that all other students understand the expectations around their behaviour as our Year 12s celebrate this milestone. 

Looking Ahead

Now that the Year 6 into Year 7 transition process approaches completion, I welcome all new families to the school and congratulate them for having chosen Eltham High School as the place where their children will undertake their secondary education. I look forward to the Year 7 – 2026 Parent Information Webinar on 1 December when I will be able to speak to parents/guardians/carers in more detail about our school and the expectations we set for our students and families.

Across the term we will progress our work with the final stages of planning for 2026. We are also in the process of finalising our staffing for the new school year taking advantage of the opportunities provided. 

As we close one chapter with our Year 12s (Class of 2025) leaving, we begin a new chapter with our Year 12s (Class of 2026) and Year 11 2026 engaging in their HeadStart programs in November and through these, beginning their preparation for their 2026 studies.

Further to the above several activities will take place including the Opening of our Art and Technology Exhibition; Volleyball Tournaments; our Year 12 Valedictory Evening and our Twilight Music Concert. 

I look forward to the work that we will achieve together during term 4 and to celebrating together the achievements of our students and staff.

Final Days for Year 12 Students

As mentioned above, Thursday 16 October is the final day of formal classes for our Year 12 students. A series of assemblies have been planned which began on Friday 10 of October and which will continue in the first few days of the current week to remind the whole school of the expected behaviour around Year 12’s final formal days at school. To reinforce the understanding that the Year 12 celebrations over the last days of Year 12 attendance are for Year 12 students only. I ask all parents/guardians/carers for your support by reiterating this message to your children at home. Students are being told that a rule of no tolerance will apply and that serious consequences will be put in place for anyone who behaves in a way that goes against the school values and the ultimate safety of any member of our community.

Normal classes are scheduled for Thursday. At the end of the day, Year 12’s will be involved in the traditional count down to the bell. On the following day, all Year 12 students have been invited to breakfast, and they may choose to dress up in costume if they wish. At the end of breakfast, Year 12 students will leave the school. 

We are looking forward to celebrating the end of the school year and their achievements to date with all our Year 12 students.

A reminder that Year 12 teachers will be available to students up until the day of their subject exam. Year 12 parents/guardians/carers, please encourage your children to take advantage of this opportunity and support. Teachers can also be accessed outside of their scheduled class time, but I would encourage students to e-mail their teachers before coming in, just in case they have another commitment.

The facilities of the school, including the VCE Study Centre, The Resource Centre and the Year 12 Common Room, are all available to Year 12 students who may wish to come into school to study. 

We wish all our Year 12 students all the very best as they move into the final stage of their secondary education.

Student Achievement

We congratulate Reilly Mitchell (Year 7, Toner House) on his selection to perform in the current season of Opera Australia’s production of “Carmen.” 

Reilly has been developing his talent and skills over the years and is now being rewarded with this marvellous opportunity. Due to the performance schedule, Reilly will be absent from school on some days and on others missing out on part of the school day. However, Reilly will be supported by his parents to ensure that he keeps up with his studies whilst engaging in the rigour of professional opera and performance.

We wish Reilly all the very best with this venture and with future opportunities that may come his way on the stage.

Space Camp 2025

An immersive, hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Camp

Our students and staff returned safely on 29 September from their amazing experience at Space Camp. The following report highlights the exceptional opportunity provided to our students during this opportunity:

“Participation in Space Camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Centre in Huntsville, Alabama, provided an exceptional opportunity for students to engage in authentic, hands-on STEM learning experiences that extended well beyond the classroom. The program offered a rich and immersive environment where theoretical knowledge was applied in realistic space mission simulations, robotics challenges, and problem-solving activities modelled on real aerospace operations.

The experience strongly aligned with key curriculum priorities and school objectives in promoting STEM engagement, direct instruction, inquiry-based learning, and 21st-century skill development. Students were required to think critically, collaborate effectively, and demonstrate creativity and resilience in solving complex challenges under time and resource constraints. These skills directly support national education goals related to scientific literacy, teamwork, and innovation.

Students explored concepts from physics, engineering, and technology through practical application. Activities such as rocket construction, mission planning, and astronaut training simulations deepened their understanding of forces, motion, energy, and systems design. This practical integration of multiple scientific disciplines reinforced classroom learning and helped students make meaningful connections between theory and real-world contexts.

Beyond academic enrichment, Space Camp fostered growth in confidence, leadership, and communication. 

Students were placed in collaborative international teams where they assumed defined roles—such as mission commander, pilot, or engineer—and learned to manage group dynamics while working toward shared goals. Notably, our students formed close working relationships with participants from Costa Rica who were part of their mission team. This intercultural collaboration promoted global awareness, respect for diverse perspectives, and the ability to communicate effectively across cultural and language differences—skills that are increasingly vital in the modern scientific and professional world.

Post-camp reflections demonstrated a significant increase in students’ enthusiasm for STEM subjects and their understanding of how these disciplines underpin modern scientific and technological advancements. Several participants expressed renewed motivation to pursue further studies or careers in related fields. The experience also provided valuable insights for teachers, offering inspiration for enhancing classroom practice through experiential and project-based learning.

Exposure to the Kennedy Space Centre expanded students’ global and historical understanding of human spaceflight, from the Apollo and Space Shuttle programs to contemporary missions aimed at Mars and beyond. Engaging with real spacecraft, launch facilities, and astronaut exhibits provided powerful context and inspiration, highlighting humanity’s shared pursuit of discovery and innovation.” (Natalie Tate, Michael Nicassio)

I congratualte the students for having represented ours country, state, school and community so admirably and I thank the two staff Natalie Tate and Michael Nicassio who travelled with the students as well as Naomi Edress who spent quite a bit of time planning for the trip, for their work in making this trip a great success for our students.

Day Before Melbourne Cup Day

Monday 3 November

Historically the day before the Melbourne Cup public holiday has had very poor student attendance.  Consequently, and as a way of causing the least disruption to the educational program of the school, the last few years have seen this day used as time-in-lieu for teachers.  As clearly expressed in the Victorian Government Schools Agreement 2022 and supported by the Department of Education and Training, this compensates teachers for the time they allocate beyond work hours throughout the year to student progress interviews involving students, parents, and staff.

In the past, irrespective of the time-in-lieu arrangement, the school has remained open on the Monday before Melbourne Cup Day as Year 12 exams are generally on during that time, and the school is an examination centre.  This will also be the case this year. 

However, while this day would seem to be the most appropriate in terms of minimising disruption to the educational program of the school in the provision of time-in-lieu, I am writing to ascertain your intention as to your child’s/children’s attendance on Monday, 3 November for us to plan effectively. The school will be open on this day and based on previous experience, due to the small numbers of students in attendance, it is most likely that an alternative educational program will be in place.  Your information will be valuable in ascertaining staffing requirements for this day.

I ask you to confirm with us only if your child(ren) will be attending on Monday, 3 November 2025 by contacting the appropriate Sub-School Office either by telephone on 9430 5111 or by email through each of the Sub-School Team Leaders by Wednesday, 29 October:

Senior Sub-School: Orianne Megaloudis – Orianne.Megaloudis@education.vic.gov.au

Middle Sub-School:  Erin Knight – Erin.Knight@education.vic.gov.au

Junior Sub-School:  Kathryn Boysen – Kathryn.Boysen@education.vic.gov.au

I thank you for your cooperation with this matter.

STEAM Centre Build

The STEAM Centre project is progressing within the indicative timeline and should be completed by mid-December. This will provide some time for us to prepare for occupancy as of the start of the 2026 school year.

The Victorian School Building Authority has released the furniture budget for us to be able to order furniture, however, it is still holding on to a considerable amount of funds which even if partially released would allow us to order and purchase the necessary equipment to have the STEAM Centre fully functional as of the start of the 2026 school year. I am still engaged in negotiations towards the release of additional funds prior to the completion of the project.

All in all, we are very pleased with the progress of the build and look forward to being able to precure the necessary equipment prior to the end of the 2025 school year.

I will keep you updated on the progress.

VINCENT SICARI, Principal