Principal's Report
Farewell Class of 2024
Three weeks ago, we celebrated and farewelled our Class of 2024. This included their final whole school assembly, celebration day and Valedictory evening.
The graduating cohort has broken a number of records, including the highest number of graduates and greatest percentage from Year 7 of students completing their VCE or VCE VM. This is a terrific achievement given that significant parts of their secondary schooling was impacted by COVID related restrictions such as remote learning. Most of the students are now completing their exams and we look forward to finding out their destinations for 2025 and beyond.
Year 12 Major Award Winners
Outstanding Contribution to Sport
Olivia Ponchard
Outstanding Contribution to Performing Arts
Jess Hargreaves
Outstanding Contribution to Music
Len Harrington
School Based Apprentice of the Year
Shannon Dudley-Maude
Westvic Trainee of the Year
Lilani O'Loughlin
ADF Leadership Award
Martin Ling
Sue Morris Achievement Award
Krystal Gray
Year 12 Principal Commendations
Emma Borg
Clover Goldsmith
Leonard Harrington
Jack Kennedy
Martin Ling
Luke Miccoli
Isaac Simos
Gemma Wanless
Cadel Williams
Step Up Begins Monday 25 November
We are looking forward to our students beginning in their new year levels and subjects, beginning Monday 25 November. A letter to families in each year level was sent on Friday 15 November with key information and dates to assist families to prepare for 2025.
Subjects allocated to each student will be sent from Monday 18 November and timetables should appear in Compass Schedules on Friday 22 November.
Parent Handbook Reminder
Earlier this year, we created a handbook for parents to find information about a range of topics. A live version of the document sits on our website or via this link: http://Parent Handbook Link .
We would love to hear your feedback about other topics that should be included in this resource. If you have any ideas, please email us at patterson.river.sc@education.vic.gov.au
25 Years of Friendship
We recently hosted 19 students and two teachers from Schäfersfeldschule, our sister partnership school in Germany in what is the 25th year of reciprocal visits and the first time that they have been able to visit since the COVID pandemic. You can read more about the exchange in the 'German' page of this newsletter.
I would like to thank our host students and their families for their hospitality and making a trip of a lifetime possible for the students from Germany.
Plans are now underway organising our trip to Germany in late 2025. Details will be communicated next year, however if you or your child are interested or would like to find out more, then please contact our German Teacher, Zoe Stokes via zoe.stokes@education.vic.gov.au.
School Saving Bonus
Thank you to families who recently updated their contact details in preparation for communications from the Department of Education about the Victorian School Saving Bonus.
As previously announced, every student enrolled in a Victorian government school for 2025 will receive a one-off $400 School Saving Bonus to be used towards 2025 education-related costs.
Patterson River Secondary College will hold the funds for specific purchases, with further information due to be sent from the Department of Education later this month.
For more information about the School Saving Bonus and what education-related costs it can help cover, please visit vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus.
Movember
We have around 16 teachers who are getting into the spirit of Movember to promote awareness about Men’s Health! Here is a small selection of us before we have grown our moustaches! We greatly believe in the cause which is to promote and educate our community about Men's Health and build a community that is healthy and strong by focusing on Men's and Boy's health issues, with a view to improvement and building communication.
Mr Daniel Dew
College Principal