Principal's Report
Term 3: Principal Report
As we move through Term 3 at South Oakleigh College, we acknowledge that our students have had the opportunity to progress through a challenging, productive as well engaging period of the school year. Our focus has been to encourage all our students to be active participants in their learning and engage in an environment that promotes academic excellence and personal development through participation in a range of diverse experiences and possibilities.
For our students this was highlighted through Wellfest Week last week – a week developed through student voice, looking at a holistic approach to supporting students and staff. We also saw the celebration of our annual Pi Day where Year 7 students engaged in mathematical challenges outside the traditional classroom environment and then enjoyed an Aussie pie and other alternatives as a reward – Thank you Mr Fernandes and the Year 8 students who supported this great day. Additionally, congratulations to our Year 11 debating team who once again won their Interschool Debating Competition arguing that "we should not raise the unsupervised driving age to 25".
We're looking forward to the upcoming incursions, excursions, sporting opportunities, lunchtime music performances, SOC's Got Talent (2nd of September) as well as watching our student performances in the College Production of Matilda (18th and 19th of August). Next week, students and their families will also have an opportunity to reflect on their progress so far in Term 3 at our upcoming Student/Parent/Teacher Conferences. Looking ahead, I can definitely see a diverse, busy, challenging and engaging term ahead of us all!
As I write this, we also have our middle and senior students along with our senior staff, Ms Mulloy – our Careers Advisor and Curriculum Leaders begin discussions on what we hope is a successful transition to the next level of study through our course selection processes. This is aided through our upcoming Careers Expo, which gives our students opportunities to explore and ask questions about potential future pathways.
Our VCE students are now at the stage of both consolidating their learning and developing their skills and understanding as they work towards successful outcomes at the end-of-year examinations. We will also begin supporting our Year 12 students as they begin deciding what their post-secondary school pathway will look like beyond South Oakleigh with VTAC applications now open. We thank our teachers and tutors for their hard work supporting their academic goals, fostering their resilience, and developing their high expectations to help ensure they achieve the best that they can.
Celebrating our students' success - Premier's VCE Awards 2022
Two weeks ago, I had the absolute pleasure of attending the Premier's VCE Awards ceremony at the Melbourne Exhibition and Convention Centre.
These highly prestigious awards are given to the top students in each VCE study. These Awards recognise the outstanding results of individual students and pay tribute to the principals, teachers and families who play such a valuable role in supporting these students during their VCE studies.
I am extremely proud to announce to our school community that Maya Orlowska (Year 12 2022) was one of the top 298 VCE students of 2021. She was presented with a certificate to commemorate her achievement in the study of Polish in 2021.
Helen Koziaris
College Principal
Building Works Update
New Locker Bays
The building program continues with good progress on both Locker Bays. Frames, roof sheeting and ceilings are now near completion. Roller doors, water tanks are on site with completion of the project expected by the end of Term 3.
At that time the College will complete the landscaping and installation of lockers. Students will be allocated to the new lockers for the commencement of the 2023 school year.
Gymnasium refurbishment & new STEM Centre
If you have driven past the College you will have noticed that the Gymnasium has been demolished back to the red steel frame. Work will soon begin on extending the frame and increasing the floor space to accommodate a competition grade basketball court.
The projected hand over of the completed Gymnasium will be at the end of Term 1, 2023.
The foundations of the new STEM Centre are in with plumbing works are continuing. Later this month the foundation for the building will be poured and we will begin to see the shape of the building. Projected completion of the STEM Centre June 2023.
Thank you to all our parents for working around the works as you drop off and pick up your student each day. While there is some inconvenience at the moment the final result will be two new incredible learning spaces for our students and teachers.
John Roodenburg
Facilities Manager