Principal's Report

I cannot believe a month has passed since I last wrote to the community. It has been a whirlwind immersing myself into our College community and seeing the work that goes on daily to find the best outcomes for your children. I have enjoyed the daily conversations with students and staff sharing stories about their time at the school. I am even more excited to continue to work alongside all of our staff, students and parents to continue to improve the experience at Tarneit Senior College. We are constantly reflecting and evolving our practice to make TSC the best community it can be.

We have 4 weeks left for the rest of Term 2, and a lot will be happening for our staff and students. Exams are on next week, and students undertaking Unit 3/4 will have their GAT Exam on Thursday, June 15th. We also have Work Experience for our Year 10 students in the final week of term from Monday 19th June.

College Expectations

It is clear our students take pride in being a TSC student and as a whole community, it is important that we uphold basic expectations of each other to create a positive learning environment. We remind parents that there are simple things you can remind your children of to help ensure they get the most out of their time at school and that they create an environment for their peers that reduces distractions. 

Mobile Phones must be switched off and not in use at any time during the school-day. 

This is a Ministerial Order from the Department of Education (https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/students-using-mobile-phones/policy) and something the school must enforce. Students will be reminded by all staff to put away any mobile phones in use at school. If your child wishes to store their phone away securely, so they do not use it, they can use their provided locker or speak to the Year Level Coordinator for further options. The reduction in using mobile phones also aids in removing distractions for students during class, allowing them to focus on improving their learning.

Our College Uniform provides an opportunity for students to take pride in their school and we ask parents for support to ensure that the correct uniform is worn every day. A reminder that hoodies are not part of the school uniform and all non-uniform items need to be removed when attending school each day. If you are unsure of the correct uniform for your child, please refer to the school website (https://www.tarneitsc.vic.edu.au/our-school/uniform) or speak to their Pastoral Care teacher.

Every minute counts in our classrooms as students prepare for their SACs, exams and other assessments. There is an expectation to be at school every day and on time. We are noticing a trend of student truancy and tardiness to their classes, as this term has continued ,and it is important that students arrive to their classes in a timely manner. There are many opportunities for students to socialise and interact with their peers and class time is a precious resource for everyone. Please support our staff by reminding your child to be at school and on time for all of their classes.

We also wish to remind our students and community that students travelling to and from school are still representing the College and the Department of Education expects us to ensure the safety of all of our community during these times.

WynSpeak 2023

A massive congratulations to our school captain, Kiara Huynh, for reaching the final of Wynspeak 2023. The competition is run jointly by Rotary Cub of Hoppers Crossing and the Hoppers Crossing Apex club and the aim is to provide an opportunity for students to develop their self-confidence through the skills of effective public speaking. The WynSpeak final will be held at Thomas Carr College on Friday 2nd June. For further information, check out the website - https://wynspeak.org/. 

We wish Kiara all the best for the upcoming final!

Build Update

Everything is progressing as expected for our 3 current builds. Our technology space in B12 has had a lot of internal structures put in place and they are currently fitting all the gas and electrical requirements for the machinery that will be installed. The Science Spaces have been planned and those works will get underway later this year. The extension to the Chirnside Building is now in full swing! You may have noticed we now have half of the foundation concrete slab poured with the second half to be completed in the next fortnight. Please be aware that some traffic disruptions may occur during the pouring of some of these foundations. 

Flu Season & COVID

We have now hit the colder months and with the change in weather; we are seeing a range of cold and flus hit our students and staff. This has also coincided with a surge in the number of COVID-19 cases we are seeing in the general community. If your child has any cold or flu-like symptoms, please make sure that your child stays at home. If you complete a test and your child is positive for COVID-19, please notify the school and it is recommended that they stay home for a period of 5 days to restrict the exposure for others in the community. 

If your child has any assessments, they will require a medical certificate so they can re-schedule any exams or SACs. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the school and speak to our administration staff.

End-of-Year Examination Schedule

The end-of-year examination timetable for 2023 VCE and VET exams has now been released by VCAA. Please see the examination schedule here:

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/administration/Key-dates/Pages/VCE-exam-timetable.aspx

We will work with a number of students who may have an exam clash and provide details on their own arrangements once we have been provided with all the advice from VCAA.

-Acting College Principal

  Shane Cole-Hayhow