Principal's Report
Student Achievement: Victorian Volleyball Championships
Congratulations to all teams and students who participated in the 2025 Victorian Volleyball Championships for their outstanding achievements.
Eltham High School was represented by both the Year 8 and Open Honours divisions.
Year 8 Girls Honours team finished 6th overall.
Year 8 Boys Honours earned themselves the Silver Medal.
Open Girls Honours team, having claimed the Gold Medal, now hold the title of Victoria's No. 1 female high school volleyball team. This triumph ended Billanook College’s seven-year winning streak in the Honours division.
Strong Performances where also achieved in the Divisional Leagues with the Open Boys (Year 12, Division 1) finishing second in their division.
Individuals were also recognised for their skill and talent: Chloe Peters (Year 8, Pakana House) and James Beddoe (Year 9, Everard House), were each awarded Most Valuable Player (MVP) in their respective divisions—an outstanding personal achievement.
I take this opportunity to thank the students, their coaches, and team managers. Furthermore, I want to thank and congratulate the families who have supported our students through this and many other endeavours.
A more detailed article can be found in the sports section of this newsletter.
Reconciliation Week – Nillumbik Flag Raising Ceremony
On the 27 May, Eltham High School was represented at the Reconciliation Week’s Flag-raising Ceremony at the Nillumbik Shire Office.
Abigail Johnson (Year 11, Toner House), Kate Mcrae (Year 11, Toner House), and Tegan Gibbs (Year 12, Skipper House) represented us admirably not just by their presence at the ceremony but also through their well-constructed and meaningful speech on the importance of reconciliation. Furthermore, they were able to share the work of the school through the Reconciliation Action Plan working party that works hard to ensure that the spirit of Reconciliation is alive and flourishing within our school community.
I congratulate and thank our students for the sensitivity that they showed through their beautiful words and their presence at the ceremony.
General Achievement Test (GAT) and Teacher Professional Practice Day
The state wide General Achievement Test (GAT) will take place on Tuesday 17 June.
The GAT is structured into Section A and Section B, with a range of question difficulties.
Marks are not deducted for incorrect answers.
Section A: Literacy and numeracy skills
Section A is a literacy and numeracy assessment comprised of:
a 2-part writing task – 30 minutes
50 numeracy multiple-choice questions – 45 minutes
50 reading multiple-choice questions – 45 minutes
Section B: General knowledge and skills
Section B is comprised of:
an extended writing task – 30 minutes
25 mathematics, science and technology multiple-choice questions – 30 minutes
25 arts and humanities multiple-choice questions – 30 minutes
Who sits the GAT: Both Sections A and B
Students enrolled in one or more VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequence, including:
students not planning to undertake scored assessment
students who have met the literacy and numeracy standards in a previous year
Section A only
Students enrolled in one or more VCE Vocational Major (VM) Unit 3–4 sequence but who are not enrolled in any VCE or scored VCE VET Unit 3–4 sequences
Our Senior School Team and other staff have been working with the students in relation to the GAT. Whilst it is not possible to study directly for the GAT, the students have been taken through sample questions and provided with strategies to tackle the GAT on the day.
Students required to undertake both Sections A & B will be required at school for most of the day. Students undertaking only Section A will be required at school only in the morning.
In order to provide the best environment for our senior students to undertake the GAT, the Teacher Professional Practice Day (TPPD) has been scheduled to take place on the same day. This means that no other students are expected at school on this day. As part of the 2022 Industrial Agreement teaching staff have one allocated TPPD in the year. Teachers will be on site and will be working either individually or in groups to plan work, mark assessments, undertake professional learning etc.
I ask parents to ensure that students are supervised at home on this day.
Update on Suspension and Expulsion Powers
Our school is committed to providing a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment for all students and staff. You may be aware of recent changes announced to suspension and expulsion powers that will be available to Victorian principals from day one of Term 3, (Monday 21 July 2025).
We know that students’ behaviour outside of school, particularly online, can sometimes impact the safety of students and staff at school.
In exceptional circumstances, Principals of Victorian government schools will be able to suspend or expel students for behaviour that occurs outside of school grounds and/or hours including online, if it poses a significant danger to the safety and wellbeing of students or staff.
These powers apply only to serious incidents where there is a clear and close connection to the school and the behaviour of a student outside of school unreasonably impacts the safety and wellbeing of students or staff at school, and their ability to learn or work. Please note:
They do not apply to behaviours unrelated to the school or school community.
They only apply to behaviour which occurs from Monday 21 July 2025 onwards.
Suspension and expulsion will remain measures of last resort – our primary approach continues to focus on proactive and positive behaviour support, including working with you to teach students the behaviours we expect of them, in school and in life.
Thank you for your continued support as we work in partnership to educate and support our young people.
VINCENT SICARI, Principal