Need to Know
Welcome to Term 2! It's hard to believe 2 weeks have passed already.
Week 1 was a short week, truncated by Easter Monday and Anzac Day.
I was very proud of our student leaders who organised and ran Anzac Day commemorative assemblies for Years 7-9 and Years 10-12. Our whole school community came together for a moving ANZAC service, honouring the brave Australians who lost their lives in conflict, and those who served and continue to serve our country. Thank you to Molly, Toby, Ruby and Kobus for an excellent service, Tiernan for his poignant reading of The Ode, Siena's beautiful rendition of our national anthem and Andrew for his stirring rendition of The Last Post. I was so proud of our students and the respect and solemnity they brought to the occasion.
Captains Molly, Roby, Kobus and Ruby then ably represented the St Helena community at the Eltham Dawn Service and the Montmorency-Eltham RSL morning service. They were joined by our year level captains to represent our school at the Melbourne Legacy ANZAC Day service.
There is a poignant saying, "those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it". I am so proud of our students for keeping the ANZACs and all who served our country in our present day thoughts.
It was timely then that the official opening of our three murals, including our ANZAC mural, occurred last week. A huge thank you to the Rotary Club of Eltham for their support of the project and to teacher Jodie Williams for driving it and enabling our talented students a forum for their creativity.
Our student leaders were also busy on Election Day, cooking iconic democracy sausages at the St Helena polling booth. Thanks to staff Caitlin Fecondo, Laura Zinghini, Steph Gardiner, Kerry Innes, Renae Widdicombe, Matilda Walpole and Sian Clarke and Council President John Fecondo for giving up your Saturday to help raise funds to refurbish our dance studio floor.
Last week was also another successful Athletics Carnival for our Years 7-10 students, and a fabulous Health and Wellbeing Day for Year 11 while Year 12 students undertook their VCE English oral assessments. With Year 12 VET Sport and Recreation and VCE Health and Human Development excursions, Year 9 Create & Bake Masterchef competition and the launch of our times table competition, it's been a busy start to the term. If you'd like to keep informed of everything that's happening in our college, follow us on Facebook, and join our Official St Helena Secondary College Community Support Group.
Welcome to our new staff
Matthew Baxter joins us as a talented new graduate teacher, qualified to teach humanities and business subjects. He says the staff members he's interacted with have been supportive and collaborative and it's clear that there is a strong teamwork ethic among the teachers - all committed to creating a positive learning environment for the students. He says St Helena has a dynamic environment where there’s a clear focus on academic success as well as the well-being of the students. Matthew became a teacher because of his passion for learning and helping others, love for the subjects he teaches, and a desire for a meaningful career. In his personal time, Matthew likes to go to the gym, train in jiu-jitsu and Muay Thai, and play the piano.
Jessica Kalkos has joined our English domain, coming from Lalor North Secondary College where she held positions of responsibility: Global Learning Leader, International Student Administration Officer, Head of Languages and Yearbook Coordinator. Her initial impressions of St Helena Secondary College have been very positive. So far in the short timeshe's been interacting with staff, she's found St Helena staff to be kind, supportive and genuinely welcoming. Their friendliness has made the transition into her new role so far feel smooth and reassuring. While Jess says she is still familiarising herself with St Helena's culture and environment, the warm and encouraging interactions she's had so far have provided her with confidence that St Helena is a collaborative, uplifting and supportive working environment. She looks forward to getting to know the St Helena community better, asking many questions to improve her quality of teaching and immersing herself in this new chapter.
For as long as she can remember, Jessica has loved the idea of helping others learn in a way that works for them, making sure they feel supported and encouraged to always try their best. She loves the challenge of adapting her teaching to fit individual student needs so they can grow both academically and personally. She says that teaching isn’t only about academics. It’s also about shaping these young students into respectful, confident and resilient individuals. Seeing students improve, overcome challenges and gain confidence in themselves is what makes this job so rewarding. Every day, Jessica gets to make a real difference in her students’ lives and that’s something she wouldn’t trade for anything.
Jessica speaks both Macedonian and Indonesian fluently, and has a basic understanding of both Greek and Italian. She loves learning about other cultures, playing many sports and has a passion for dancing. She is also passionate about photography - capturing moments that will last longer than a lifetime.
Kevin Lugg joints us as a teacher of technology, and head of our Technology Domain. HIs teaching career spans nearly two decades, beginning in the UK where he specialised in Graphics, Systems, and Product Design. Most recently, he served as the Middle School and Junior Secondary Team Leader for Art and Design at Methodist Ladies' College in Kew, focusing primarily on Product Design and Visual Communication Design. Prior to that, he was Head of Design Technologies at Trinity Lutheran College in Queensland, teaching Product Design, Graphics, and Engineering, also teaching Product Design at St Francis Xavier College in Beaconsfield.
Kevin says he had a positive impression of the school from the moment of his interview. The panel was warm and made the whole experience engaging and relaxed. This sense of welcome has continued over the past few days; with all the staff he's met being incredibly friendly and supportive. He believes that the school has a strong sense of collaboration, which is evident in both the staff and student interactions. The atmosphere between teachers and students has been very positive in Kevin's view, and the students seem genuinely happy. In the lessons he's observed, many students have said things like, "I love what I’m learning," which speaks to the great work being done in Design Technologies. The emphasis on student wellbeing and the supportive, inclusive culture makes it clear to Kevin that this is a school where both academic and personal growth are valued.
Like many educators, Kevin comes from a family of teachers, which has given him a deep respect for the power of education. From a young age, he was fascinated by architecture and building construction, and after gaining some experience in the industry, realised that teaching would allow him to combine his passion for design with his desire to help others. Beyond his family’s influence, he is driven by the opportunity to inspire students, encourage creativity, and equip them with the skills they need to succeed. There's a great sense of fulfilment in guiding young people to discover their potential, and Kevin finds it incredibly rewarding to see them grow and gain confidence in their abilities.
Kevin has a strong sense of social justice, which led him to recently complete a Master’s in Social Work. He believes this qualification will greatly complement his role as a teacher, as it enhances his ability to understand and support students' diverse needs, both academically and personally. This background helps him approach teaching with a more holistic perspective, ensuring that he's not only focused on academic success but also on fostering the overall wellbeing of his students.
How fortunate we are to welcome these three talented and committed educators to our team.
Confirmed case of Whooping Cough
We have a confirmed case of whooping cough in Year 8. The unfortunate student was present at school during their contagious period.
Whooping cough cases are continuing to increase across Victoria, particularly among school-aged children. Whooping cough is a very contagious infection, mostly spread through coughing or sneezing. Symptoms include:
· blocked or runny nose
· tiredness
· mild fever
· severe bouts of coughing, often followed by a ‘whooping’ sound on breathing.
Whooping cough can lead to life threatening infections in babies.
If your child is unwell, they should not attend school. Please see a doctor if you or your child develops whooping cough symptoms. Early diagnosis and treatment will help reduce the spread of the infection.
To reduce the spread of infection and to protect others within the school community, students diagnosed with whooping cough are recommended not to attend school for 21 days after their cough was first present, or until they have taken a full course of antibiotics prescribed by a doctor (usually a 5-day course).
If your child is diagnosed with whooping cough, please contact the school to let us know.
I hope we can work together to protect the whole school community by following the recommended advice.
For more information about whooping cough, refer to Whooping cough on the Better Health Channel.
Vaccination is the best way to reduce the risk of whooping cough. The Department of Health recommends staying up to date with immunisations, including booster doses. A free booster dose of the pertussis vaccine is covered under the national immunisation program for students aged 12 to 13. If you are unsure about your child’s vaccination status for whooping cough, please discuss with an immunisation provider, such as your doctor.
I appreciate your support in keeping our students safe and well.
Hoodies & other uniform news
Hoodies have never been a part of the St Helena uniform. They pose a safety risk because of the potential for students to "hide" anonymously by pulling up their hoods. There are plenty of warm uniform options for students, so there is never a reason for students to wear a hoodie. Uniform passes WILL NOT be issued for students who wear a hoodie to school. Hoodies will be confiscated and parents notified. The hoodie will be returned when a parent collects it, or at the end of term, whichever comes first. Please encourage your child to make responsible uniform choices and contact us at AskLeadership@sthelena.vic.edu.au if sourcing the official uniform is difficult for you.
You may have read the state government's announcement that, as of the beginning of 2026, state schools are unable to mandate the wearing of pants, shorts or skirts with a school logo. Bob Stewart's will gradually phase out their current stock, but this does not mean that students can't wear the logo-ed uniform or purchase the current stock. Students are expected to be in full uniform regardless of the new policy start date. Over the next six months we will work with College Council to amend our uniform policy in line with the new guidance, but please note that this change does not mean clothing items with other logos will be acceptable. There will still be requirements about the type of uniform item (style, fit etc)so that our uniform remains just that, "uniform" or "the same". It is important that students are still encouraged to have pride in their appearance and in the wearing of the uniform, and our new policy will reflect this. Your input into the policy is welcome, and you can make representation by emailing AskLeadership@sthelena.vic.edu.au
Dare to be Excellent
SHSC students had some amazing results at the Athletics Australia National Championships in Perth.
Now 2 National Champions!
Here’s all the results for the students who competed. Congratulations to you all!
Samel Reeve – U15 Men’s
*800m - 1st Place (Gold Medal) & National Champion
*400m – 7th place
Toby Hamilton – U16 Men’s
*High Jump - 1st Place (Gold Medal) & National Champion
*Pole Vault – 2nd place (Silver Medal)
*Javelin – 7th place
*Long Jump – 15th place
Lucy Johns – U17 Women’s
*5k Race Walk – 5th place
Vanessa Smith – U20’s & Open Age Women’s
*U20’s Javelin – 9th place
*Open Age Javelin – 15th place
A huge congratulations also to Shayden Almonte who is Year 10. Shayden has just returned from Papu New Guinea after completing the Kokoda Track, walking 96kms over 9 days with his uncle. After finishing the track they then attended the Dawn Service at Bomana War Cemetery. The Kododa Track is a notoriously gruelling trek, one many have balked at. Well done Shayden - what an incredible experience it must have been to attend the ANZAC service at the Bomana War Cemetery.
I love hearing about our students "daring to be excellent" in areas outside of school, and it is great to be able to share their stories here. If you have a child who has excelled in a pursuit outside of school, please let me know via AskLeadership@sthelena.vic.edu.au
Every Day Counts
At St Helena, we prioritise regular school attendance. We will work with families to ensure students are in class with their peers and teachers and enjoying all the benefits that brings.
Attending school every day means experiencing what counts – the learning, friendship, fun and opportunities that can shape your child’s future.
Last year, 31% of St Helena students missed more than 30 days of school. 22% of students missed between 20 and 29 days of school. If a student misses 20 days of school, this equates to more than half a year over their six years of secondary schooling.
We understand that there are times when your child will need to miss school but to ensure minimal disruption to their education, please consider scheduling family holidays or medical/dental appointments outside of school time. If your child is well enough to attend but is worried about friendships, schoolwork or exams, please encourage them to come to school. Avoiding school can make these feelings worse and can create a negative pattern of behaviour.
If your child is having difficulty attending school, please email AskLeadership@sthelena.vic.edu.au so we can reach out and support you.
We know that parents and carers can be juggling challenges daily to get your children to school. If your child must miss school, notify us as soon as possible via Compass, or by contacting the relevant Mini School Student Attendance Manager so we can work together to support them.
Junior School: Coral Ward cwd@sthelena.vic.edu.au
Middle School: Kirsty King kkg@sthelena.vic.edu.au
Senior School: Karen Sandy ksy@sthelena.vic.edu.au
For more information about the importance of everyday attendance, see Attendance and Missing School.
Remember, Every Day Counts.
