Principal's Message

We Grow Through Connection

Gallery Image — Aaron Smith - College Principal

Dear Students, Parents and Carers,

Welcome to our first Newsletter for Term 4. It has been a busy start to the term with students settling into their learning across their subjects, together with accessing the many co-curricular opportunities provided.

We have been happy with what has been a successful start to Term Four and we wish our students every success with their learning across their subjects as we move into our effective Step Up Program, Monday 23 November, 2026.

Please be reminded that we as a College continue to provide high quality opportunities in the four areas important to our College Community:

Learning Growth Across all Learning Areas
Sport
The Performing Arts
Student Leadership and Our Community

Our School Wide Positive Behaviour theme for this term is ‘Achieve Success’. We have shared and reinforced this theme with students at Sub School Assemblies and in the classroom.

We acknowledged the Class of 2026 in a very special Year 12 Farewell Assembly last week (Tuesday 20 October). So many of our families were also in attendance to farewell our Year 12 students after thirteen years of primary and secondary education. The Assembly was a tremendous success and we thank our staff for organising this special event on behalf of our College Community. Furthermore, I would like to take this opportunity to recognise and thank our Year 12 students for how respectful they were to our school in the closing days of their education at PSC. We are proud of our Year 12 students and what they have achieved at our great school over an extended period of time. The Class of 2026 has left a positive mark on the Pakenham Secondary College Community.

We thank our Year 12 students for their wonderful contribution to our great school, including Indiana Groves, Bailey Kezik, Asma Nur, Steph Kajer. We also thank the Senior Sub School Teams and Year 12 Teachers throughout the year for their hard work in supporting our Year 12 students in 2026. For those Year 12 students finalising assessments we wish you well, and we wish those Year 12 students participating in VCE Exams all the best of luck - we wish the Class of 2026 every success with their future endeavours.

After working through a rigorous process late last term, we are pleased to announce that our College Captains for 2027 will be:

Mara Kerslake – College Captain

Isabelle Taylor – College Captain

Leon Anseline – College Vice Captain

Emma Chaintrier – College Vice Captain

We continue to make improvements with our Buildings and Grounds with some recent works during the Term Four school holiday break really adding to the appearance and operations of the College. For example:

Further painting throughout the College
General maintenance throughout our Buildings and Grounds
Renovations to class and staff work areas
Completion of our Capital Works Program (except for the connection to existing infrastructure of two new Science Portables – these new Portable should be available for use by the end of the year

Our Year 7 Enrolments for 2027 currently sit at approximately 270. Whilst this number is subject to change over the coming weeks and months, we should be very pleased with the level of interest in our College from the Community; given the outstanding outcomes we are achieving for our students, we are increasingly being seen by families as the secondary school of choice in the local area.

Despite our best efforts to further grow our International Students Program (ISP), we have found it difficult as a College to expand the Program. We have developed and shared promotional material, and created video and social media content to promote our ISP – despite our efforts here over an extended period of time, we have been unable to increase our enrolments. Our location (60 kms from the Melbourne CBD), administrative requirements, costs attached to enrolment and the current economical and political climate may be factors making it difficult to grow our ISP. As a result, our College Council support the decision to wind up our ISP effective immediately. We will continue to support our existing ISP enrolments, and I thank our ISP Co-ordinator in Ms. Hanh Tran who has been outstanding in her co-ordination of the program - her level of commitment and dedication to our ISP has been outstanding; thank you Tran.

The 2026 PSC Reading Challenge from last term was a resounding success with so many students (and staff) involved. Our Library Borrowing Rates increased significantly, and it was wonderful to see so many of our students reading as part of their classes at school. We had a special Reading Challenge Assembly earlier in the term where a huge number of students were recognised and celebrated for their efforts and achievements as part of the Challenge – we say well done to our students. Special thanks too is extended to our staff and families for their support, and we thank Ms. Joanne Nadal (Literacy Learning Specialist and English Key Learning Area Leader) for her outstanding leadership of the Program.

Our recent Instrumental Music Showcase (Thursday 22 October) was an exceptional evening celebrating the outstanding musical talents of our students. It was wonderful to see so many families in attendance, supporting our students as they showcased their skills across a wide range of instruments and musical styles. Congratulations to all students involved on their impressive performances. We also extend our thanks to our dedicated Performing Arts staff team (Ms. Christine Prattico, Mr. Noa Silvesten, Ms. Raven Mendis, Ms. Genelle Lentini and Ms. Kimberley Hawking) for their support of this special event.

We have had further special events involving the College in recent times with the Year 11 Formal (Friday 16 October) and our Year 6 into 7 Information Night (Wednesday 14 October). The Year 11 Formal was well attended and our students had a great time on the night – we thank Ms. Nevicia Reynolds and Ms. Allison Barrie (Senior Sub School Leaders) and their staff team for their efforts here. The Year 6 into 7 Information Night was very informative and helpful to our families – a well organised event with so many families in attendance; we thank Ms. Kay Chandler (Assistant Principal) and her team for their work in bringing this important event together on behalf of our families.

As per my recent posts on Compass, please be reminded of arrangements in and around the Melbourne Cup Weekend – please see below:

Friday 30 October - Student Free Day was today (no regular classes)
Monday 2 November – we will be running an alternative program on this day given that many families choose to use this day to extend their family holiday commitments. It is noted that the student attendance on this day in years previous is very low.
Tuesday 3 November – Melbourne Cup Day Public Holiday
Thursday 5 November – Art and Technology Exhibition, 3.30pm (staged in our new Warreeny Building)

World Teachers Day was today (Friday 30 October) and we recognise and thank our teaching staff for all of their hard work in best supporting our students. Our Teaching Staff are incredibly committed to further improving the outcomes of our students and we are very appreciative of everything that they do to support our students in the classroom and with co-curricular activities at the College – a very happy World Teachers Day to all our Teaching Staff.

The coming weeks are incredibly busy. For example:

Students will be working through their learning and key assessments across their subjects in the classroom
Exam Program - commencing Wednesday 11 November with our current Year 10 and 11 students involved
Our Step Up Program - commencing across the College for all students, Monday 23 November; a great opportunity to make a head start on the 2027 Curriculum
Our Year 12 Valedictory Dinner - Thursday 26 November
Co-curricular Activities all figure prominently on the College Calendar – please check our College Calendar on Compass on a regular basis. We thank our families for working so well with us as a College in best supporting our students.

We continue to have high standards for our students. We want to see our students do well with their learning and participation at our great school. We remain committed to learning growth where quality relationships, catering for individual difference and high - quality teaching practice can provide improved student outcomes.

As per our Motto, ‘We Grow Though Connection’, we can all grow and improve through the positive connections we have with others. Importantly, Learning Growth is Our Priority and we will do all we can to work with families to further improve student outcomes across learning areas within the College – this is the work; be sure to have a great weekend everyone,

Regards

Aaron

Aaron Smith

College Principal – Pakenham Secondary College