Principal's Report 

Learning Focus  

Term three progress reports are currently being completed by staff. These provide families with a snapshot of their child’s progress during semester two based on Assessment Tasks that were completed throughout the term.  Staff continued to work in faculty teams to further develop their capacity to deliver units of work which meet the learning needs of all students. Senior students, particularly year 12 are refining their study routines in the lead up to end of semester assessments. The opportunity to celebrate student success has also been realised with academic awards ceremonies held for students in years 7-12.  Congratulations to all award recipients. 

School Review 

During this term we completed our school review. Schools undertake a school review every four years to inform the direction of the school’s four-year School Strategic Plan (SSP).  This is a legislative requirement for all schools. During August, the school's leadership team was joined by a government appointed reviewer, our Senior Education Improvement Leader (SEIL), our school council president, and two challenge partners. Over a number of days we were joined by staff, students and parents to analysed the school's progress from 2019 - 2023, contributed feedback, ideas, identified areas for growth and celebrated our successes. 

A truly exciting time as the process has now set our path for the next four years!  

The Future of EdTech Has Landed at Lyndale - Augmented Reality Immersive Technology Laboratory under construction 

Earlier this year, as part of a school council initiative, we went to a tender to purchase an Augmented Reality Immersive Technology Laboratory to improve student engagement and learning outcomes.  The company is called Lumination, and we are the first and only Victorian government school to have purchased this technology. In fact, there are only 3 schools in Victoria that have made this investment to use this resource (Girton Grammar, St Francis in addition to us).  On Wednesday 20 August we attended Lumination’s Melbourne laboratory, to complete promotional material, aspects of which were featured on 7 News tonight.  You can view the 7News Post on:

• LinkedIn 
• Facebook 
• Twitter 

The official opening of our lab will be mid-November.  

Ministerial Visit 

On Monday 28 August the school was privileged to be visited by The Honourable Natalie Hutchins Minister for Education and the Honourable Gabrielle Williams our State Member of Parliament for Dandenong.  The purpose of visit was to officially open the capital works that our school has been involved in since November 2014.   

It is from this time when an incredibly supportive local member, the Honourable Gabrielle Williams, took up our cause to have our school rebuilt.   

This wasn’t a simple cosmetic fix.   

It was a full rebuild from top to bottom, so that the teaching and learning and the access to state of the art resources are now available for our whole community.   

Our buildings are designed to facilitate cutting edge smart classrooms that promote active and dynamic learning. 

I know our new facilities will only drive positive outcomes and engagement amongst our students. 

We are incredibly grateful to have received them. 

Please see below for the article that appeared in the Star Journal on Tuesday 29 August. 

Teacher Professional Practice Day – Monday July 10- Pupil free day In line with the VGSA

Staff utilised the day to focus on planning, preparation, assessment of student learning, collaboration, curriculum development, relevant professional development and peer observation including feedback and reflection. 

Workforce Planning and Subject selection  

Planning for the 2024 school year is well underway. The first few steps of this long process have begun with staff submitting their intentions regarding time fractions and leave for the coming year. Students have submitted their subject preferences for the upcoming school year. These selections form the basis of decisions regarding which subject will and will not run in 2024. 

State-wide CRT Shortage 

With the flu season upon us, we understand this can have an impact on student attendance. This also extends to our staff and even our CRT (Critical Relief Teachers) as they are not immune to illnesses either. Due to the impact of COVID, coupled with the flu season, we (along with a lot of schools across the state) are seeing a shortage of CRT staff available to continue the high-quality teaching and learning programs which the teams have planned. 

Currently, every morning and afternoon, our daily organiser is busy liaising with various CRT agencies and local CRT staff to provide the best possible learning experience. However, sometimes this is not possible, and we have to cancel classes, or merge classes. Please know, cancelling classes is always a last resort. We know our community is understanding of our approach and we thank you for your trust in us. 

Attendance and Uniform 

Missing one day a fortnight is the same as missing 4 whole weeks of school a year. Being at school is your most important task for young people. Regular attendance builds habits that young people will take into adulthood. While it might not seem obvious, when students come to school, they are learning about more than just Maths and English.  

They’re learning all sorts of skills like working in teams and meeting deadlines that will help in adulthood. Being at school every day also means students are involved in their own learning, interacting with other students and teachers and are a part of environment that is motivating and stimulating.  

There is also a lot of evidence that shows that young people who attend school more frequently have better outcomes after school too. This means they earn more money, have better job prospects, are less likely to misuse drugs and alcohol and are generally healthier.  

A reminder that if students are late to school, they should be bringing a medical certificate to the senior sub school office. Students who do not have a medical certificate should be brining notes to the senior sub school office during a break time. All students who are late without a medical certificate will be given an opportunity to catch up on their lesson during lunch time on that day. 

Students not in correct uniform also need to ensure they get a uniform pass no later than 8:40am from the coordinator’s office. Students should be bringing a note outlining when they will be getting the correct uniform.  

If you need support getting your child/ren to school, please contact us on 9795 2366. 

NAPLAN Results - Changes to NAPLAN reporting 

NAPLAN results for students have been released and there are some changes to this year’s reporting. These are changes being introduced nationally by the Australian Curriculum Assessment and Reporting Authority (ACARA). 

NAPLAN will continue to measure student achievement in numeracy, reading, writing, spelling, and grammar and punctuation but the results will now be presented in 4 proficiency levels: 

These are: 

• exceeding 
• strong 
• developing 
• needs additional support. 

This change will give schools, parents and carers clearer information that details student achievement against new proficiency levels. 

Students’ NAPLAN reports will continue to show how they are tracking against their peers and provide an indication of their skill levels against national averages and where we would expect them to be in order to get the most out of schooling. This provides valuable information to teachers about how we can continue to support your child. 

Each set of NAPLAN results is an important milestone but it’s also important that students know that one result does not define them – these results are about making sure every student gets the support they need so they can continue to get the best from their learning. When we provide you with your results, you will also receive information about what the new proficiency levels mean 

2023 Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey Monday 8 August – Monday 8 September 

Our school conducted the Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion survey to find out what parents / caregivers / guardians think of our school. The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education that is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behavior, and student engagement. The survey is optional, but we encouraged all families to participate. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies. All families were invited to participate in the survey this year. 

The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey was be open from Monday 7 August to Friday 8 September 2023. The 20 minute survey was conducted online, and could be accessed at any convenient time within the survey period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets, or smartphones. The online survey was available in English and 10 other languages including Arabic, Greek, Hakha Chin, Hindi, Japanese, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Turkish, and Vietnamese. 

Pam Robinson