From the Principal Team

As we begin week 4 of term 2, we would like to share a number of updates and opportunities for our school community.

Curriculum Day – Focus on Opportunities to Respond (OTR)

Our recent Curriculum Day focused on strengthening Opportunities to Respond (OTR) in the classroom. Teachers are planning lessons with shorter bursts of explicit teaching, followed by frequent checks for understanding using strategies such as mini whiteboards, finger voting and thumbs on chest.

Evidence from the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model highlights that these shorter, more frequent checks support stronger student learning and retention, compared to longer blocks of instruction followed by large sets of questions.

This term, our Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) will continue to focus on embedding OTR strategies across all classrooms. We ask students to please bring their planner to every lesson, as it contains their mini whiteboard, which is an essential learning tool. Thank you to Melanie Mattsson, Chizuko Inoue-Andersson and Mark Oudshoorn for their leadership of the Curriculum Day.

Bulukuyt Building Now Open

The Bulukuyt Building has been embraced by the year 12 students who have found lots of calm spaces to study and the roof terrace to socialise. There have been a few teething problems which have been reported and addressed as quickly as possible. The grass adjacent to the indigenous garden needs a little longer to grow, so the temporary fencing will remain there. The official opening of the building will be determined by the DE later this year. 

36 Clubs Up and Running

We are pleased to see strong student interest in our clubs, with more than 36 clubs now up and running across the school. Thank you to our Student Voice and Agency Leader, Mr Chiumello, who has done a fantastic job setting up the student clubs. He can be contacted via Clinton.Chiumello@education.vic.gov.au. 

These clubs provide students with opportunities to build confidence, stay active, develop practical skills and connect with others in a safe and supervised environment. We encourage all students to get involved and make the most of these programs. Please see the full list of clubs here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Tp4RZcDZhTwqQgPPIWblcRh7whnBcBjP/edit

I personally run the Self Defence Club on Fridays in Gym C, our multipurpose room, Gym Club on Thursdays and the Sustainability Club on Tuesday lunchtimes in my office.

Sustainability Leaders

Our Sustainability Leaders attended the Kew High School Sustainability Summit on 1 May, where they explored a wide range of innovative sustainability projects from over 25 schools and industry leaders.

Some of the ideas they brought back include:

• Container Deposit Scheme initiatives
• Repurposing coffee grounds and coconut oil to create sustainable face scrubs
• Beeswax wraps and nude food 
• Upcycling old uniform items into new products
• Student-led sustainability podcasts
• Indigenous plant walls
• Pop-up op shops
• Worm towers and compost tumblers

We are also pleased to share that GEC has joined Smart Schools Victoria, with our first meeting taking place in two weeks.

We are currently looking for students to join our Sustainability Club and become part of our Eco Crew. If you’re interested, join us on Tuesday lunchtimes (Level 2, pink week). Email Jane.thornton@education.vic.gov.au for more information.

School Wide Positive Behaviour (SWPBS) & Wellbeing

Our current SWPBS focus is Care and Respect, aligned with our SWPBS Matrix. This continues to be a key priority for the College, particularly in response to Student Attitudes to School Survey data, where respect remains an area for growth.

At our recent SWPBS staff workshop, we worked collaboratively to strengthen our approach to minor behaviours such as chewing gum, interruptions, incorrect uniform, lack of equipment and lateness. The SWPBS team is now developing a consistent playbook to support staff in responding to these behaviours across classrooms and the yard. We value student voice in this work, with input from our Student Voice Leader, Jemima Panther.

At Glen Eira College, teachers manage minor behaviours, while major behaviours are referred to Year Level Coordinators, Sub School and Assistant Principals. We recognise that some students require additional support and scaffolding to meet expectations.

We ask families to support their young person by reinforcing the following:

• Bring their planner to every class
• Be on time
• Wear the correct uniform
• Do not bring banned items (e.g. energy drinks, chewing gum, imitation weapons)

Consequences for minor behaviours are managed by the classroom teacher. For more serious matters, we are increasingly using restorative and community-based approaches, supporting students to take responsibility and contribute positively back to the school community. These responses are determined in partnership with families.

Our Wellbeing Team continues to work closely with students, families and staff to identify underlying factors and provide targeted support, ensuring every student can learn, grow and connect.

SEAL Band Program – Instrument Donation Request

This year, we are excited to launch a pilot 'SEAL Band Program'  with our Year 8 SEAL class. As part of this initiative, students will be loaned a musical instrument to learn over the course of a semester, culminating in a band performance at the end of the program.

To support this initiative, we are seeking donations or the opportunity to purchase brass instruments in good working condition. If you have an instrument you would be willing to donate or sell to the school, please contact Melanie Hunt at melanie.hunt@education.vic.gov.au.

If the pilot is successful, we hope to expand the program to include mainstream classes in the future. Thank you for your support.

Cross Country & Colour Run

Our recent Cross Country and Colour Run was a great success, with strong participation and a fun, positive atmosphere across the 3km run/walk. Thank you to Kaya Bengue and Mark Oudshoorn for their organisation and leadership of the event.

We are aware that a number of students were absent on the day, and we are currently exploring options for 2027 to ensure the event continues to meet the needs and interests of our students. Thank you to all students who participated and contributed to the spirit of the day.

Emergency Management Drills – Lockdown & Evacuation Procedures

Each term, our school conducts Emergency Management drills, including lockdown and evacuation procedures, to ensure all students and staff are prepared in the event of an emergency.

This term, we will be conducting a lockdown drill. During a lockdown, all staff, students and visitors are required to:

• Remain in the room they are in 
• Lock the door 
• Close blinds and windows where possible 

• Move away from windows and sit low and quietly 

   

These drills are an important part of maintaining a safe school environment and are conducted in a calm and controlled manner.

We use the following alert system:

• Black – Full lockdown 
• Amber – Remain in class; continue teaching and learning; no students to leave classrooms 
• Green – All clear 

Following each drill, staff provide feedback to support ongoing improvement of our procedures. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the school.

In the event of a real emergency, the school will follow all Department of Education guidelines. Parents/carers of directly affected students will be contacted as a priority. All communication will be coordinated with the Department and shared as soon as possible. The Chief Warden (Principal Team) will act as the single source of truth, with office staff using an approved script for enquiries. The school will not provide comment to the media.

Student ID Cards

Students can use their student ID card to print on the photocopiers and pay for items at the canteen. Please use this link for more information for using  Flexi Schools to load money onto the cards to use at the canteen.

Community Conversations 101

In a time where conversations on challenging topics can quickly become divided or difficult, Community Conversations 101 offers a respectful and structured way to bring people together. This facilitated session creates a safe and welcoming space where participants can share perspectives, listen deeply, and engage in meaningful dialogue. Guided by simple agreements - such as giving full attention, not interrupting, and taking equal turns to speak - the process ensures all voices are heard.

The school leadership team is working with this organisation to strengthen social cohesion, care and respect within our community, and we will be hosting a workshop later this term. Families are warmly invited to participate. I (Jane Thornton) have attended a session with these facilitators through Glen Eira Council and found it to be a game changer in supporting deeper listening, understanding different perspectives, and developing fresh thinking around social cohesion strategies.

Participants will work together to select a topic of interest and explore it in a supportive environment. Previous attendees have described the experience as inclusive, respectful and thought-provoking. Open to a small, diverse group (maximum 10 participants), the session includes afternoon tea and is free to attend. Participants will leave with practical tools to support constructive conversations in their own communities, families and workplaces. Link here Trying Something Different - Community Conversations 101

events.humanitix.com

Warm regards,

Glen Eira College Leadership Team