Middle School News

Middle School

Welcome back to everyone. The Middle School team is looking forward to a great semester. We hope you had a relaxing and energising break from school. 

The big ticket item in Middle School this term will be the Year 8 Camp (Rumbug). The event closes on Monday 29 July. We fully expect all Year 8 students to attend unless they are sick or absent due to a family holiday. The camp provides students with the opportunity to mix socially with their classmates and experience a range of outdoor educational activities. It also allows staff to build relationships with students, in an informal environment. The Year 8 camp will take place at ‘Camp Rumbug’, Foster in Gippsland. You can check out the facilities here: https://www.pgladventurecamps.com.au/rumbug/

Preparations for the Year 8 Camp are well underway, including getting all necessary items ready well in advance. Please ensure ALL items are to be packed into one SOFT BAG to load onto the bus. Sleeping bags are to be named and kept separate from main bag (untied to main bag). NAME ALL BELONGINGS – including bag & sleeping bag (student name & school - EDSC)!

Pack a small backpack for day 1 of camp (drink bottle, lunch, hat, sunscreen, jumper etc.). Check Compass for further details and camp updates. 

The Year 8 camp runs for three days in Week 9 of Term 3. 

Homegroups 8I-8P: Monday 9 September - Wednesday 11 September.

Homegroups 8A-8H: Wednesday 11 September - Friday 13 September.

The end of last term ended with a number of Values Assemblies for both Year 7 and Year 8 students. Award winners can be viewed below.

Value Awards Term 2 2024

CURIOSITY 

7F Luke

8G Lucas

9G Cynthia

EXCELLENCE 

7B Qaisar

8H Kiana

8H Lakshmi

9J Siena

FAIRNESS

7F Ethan

7N Hana

8P Tao

9L Jayden 

RESPECT 

7N Kieran

7N Marcus

8K Radin

8P Nathan

9D Essa

RESILIENCE 

7F Amelia

8O Frank

8J Exuan

9J Adrian

TEAMWORK 

7F Ryan

8B Jason

8B Si Jie

9D Isla

CARE AND COMPASSION

7E Jolisa

7J Maggie

8I Sara

9C Cherry

We congratulate all award winners and look forward to another great term, for all students, acting in accordance with the College Values. 

We had a number of new students starting this term and I would like to thank all staff and students for displaying the College value of Care and Compassion, welcoming these student to the College and assisting with their smooth transition. 

Have a great term everyone. 

Justin Bond

Head of Middle School

2025 Course Selection

I wanted to take the opportunity to inform students, parents and carers that the start of Term 3 will see us starting our planning for 2025. Students will be presented with many options and decisions regarding their studies for next year.  

Decisions around course selections can be complex. With this in mind, we encourage students to pursue passions and talents and keep their options open for future pathways. As a College we pride ourselves on the support and direction we provide students and parents with during this time.  

To assist with this, we are planning to conduct parent information evenings to provide further direction and information:

• Information Evening for Year 9 students moving into Year 10 will take place on Thursday 25 July.
• Information Evening for Year 10 students moving into Year 11 will take place on Tuesday 30 July

All Year 9, 10 and 11 students will also have a meeting with a course counsellor to discuss suitability of choices. These course counselling interview will take place via Microsoft Teams and parents are most welcome to attend with their child. Further communications regarding this will be provided to parents and students via Compass early next term.   

The dates for course counselling are:

• Year 12 2025 - Thursday 1 August
• Year 11 2025 - Tuesday 6 August
• Year 10 2025 (Current 9A-9F) - Wednesday 7 August
• Year 10 2025 (Current 9G-9L) - Thursday 8 August

Over the holiday break, students were encouraged to read through the subject handbooks and engage in discussions with their families about possible options and pathways for their future studies. It is important for students to select their subjects carefully.  See the attached links below.

VCE - VCE VM Course Selection Handbook 2025

Year 10 Course Selection Handbook 2025

Brett Lamb

Acting Assistant Principals- Teaching and Learning

For Students Entering Year 10 in 2025

Monday 29 July: VCE Accelerated Subject Submission Deadline.

Wednesday 31 July: On-line Course Selection Submission Deadline. A hardcopy of the selection form signed by a parent/guardian must be returned to the Senior School Office, no later than Wednesday 31 July.

Wednesday 31 July: Applications for VET subjects Deadline.

Wednesday 7 August: Course Counselling Interviews will be conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams with students in 9A to 9F. Students in 9A to 9F do not attend school on this day. Lesson plans will be placed on Compass. Students in 9G to 9L must attend regular classes at school on this day.

Thursday 8 August: Course Counselling Interviews will be conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams with students in 9G to 9L. Students in 9G to 9L do not attend school on this day. Lesson plans will be placed on Compass. Students in 9A to 9F must attend regular classes at school on this day.

Kate Leaumont

Head of Senior School

Term 2 VHAP Masterclass: Celebrating Our Achievements in Maths and English

On Wednesday 26 June, VHAP students from East Doncaster Secondary College and Koonung Secondary College participated in the Term 2 VHAP Masterclass, celebrating their achievements in the Victorian High Achievers Program (VHAP) in Maths and English.

The day was filled with engaging activities. In Maths, students posed challenging questions, solved problems, and discussed their findings. In English, they explored entertaining and thought-provoking short stories, wrote their own stories, and completed an escape room challenge.

Thank you to our teachers, Mr Huan, Mr Guo, Mr Chan, Mr Lamb, Mr Day-Smith, and Ms Williamson, who guided the students through these challenges.

Tegan Williamson

High Ability Practice Leader

Student Lunches

Just a reminder to parents that we are unable to deliver lunches to students during school time.  It is the student’s responsibility to come and collect their lunch if it has been dropped off at Reception. Hot food is not suitable to be left at Reception.

PLEASE NOTE: Take-away food is not allowed at the College during school hours.  Under no circumstancesare students to be ordering take-away food to be delivered to the College.

Student Compass ID/Library/PTV  Cards

Please remind all students that they must carry their Student Compass ID/Library/PTV  Cards with them at all times.

ALL students must sign in with their card at the Middle School Office when they are arriving late and sign out at the General Office when they are leaving early for any reason. 

The cards are also used for any student photocopying that is done at school. The EDSC Student Compass ID/Library card can be used as ID for student PTV (Public Transport Victoria) travel. They are required to carry this card as student identification while travelling on public transport.

If a student loses their card, parents/guardians are able to re-order a replacement card via the Compass parent portal.