Principal's Report
End Of Term 3:
Principal's Report
As we conclude the final week of Term 3, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all students, staff, and families for their ongoing support and commitment throughout what has been another productive and eventful term at South Oakleigh College.
As you read through this edition of our college newsletter, you will see a celebration of the many achievements and events that make South Oakleigh College a vibrant and connected community. From academic progress, sporting achievements, the creativity of our school production and so much more, all of which creates connections with our community as well as breadth of opportunities available to our students.
Celebrating Oakleigh Education Plan
The Oakleigh Education Plan has now officially concluded, and we are proud to inform our community that we have delivered on our key goals of creating a connected learning precinct through intentional collaboration, building pride and confidence in our schools.
Although the Oakleigh Education Plan (OEP) has concluded, we are committed to continuing our collaborative work together to provide the best possible learning opportunities and outcomes for our students. Looking forward to 2026 and beyond and with the inclusion of Oakleigh Primary school, the OEP will be known as the Oakleigh Education Precinct.
Our three schools, South Oakleigh College, Oakleigh South Primary School and Huntingdale Primary School came together on Thursday 11 September with colleagues from the regional office and central division of the Department of Education to review and reflect upon our work and achievements and celebrate the success of the OEP.
The OEP demonstrates that connections, strong relationships and collaboration between leaders and teachers with a shared vision can have a significant impact on what schools can achieve when they work together. It’s about educators coming together, drawing on our collective expertise and experience to empower students with the skills, knowledge, and understandings they need to build healthy, happy and prosperous lives.
This Education Plan created opportunities for growth, challenge and learning for our students through their primary and secondary schooling and beyond, focusing on the three key pillars of the Oakleigh Education Plan - STEM learning through Design Thinking, Japanese learning and pathways and Transition.
We look forward to continuing this work in the years to come through our close collaborative practices as a connected learning precinct. Our focus remains on sustaining and strengthening our connections as a learning precinct to benefit our students, teachers and community.
With the official conclusion of the Oakleigh Education Plan, all members of the Oakleigh Education Precinct are committed to sustaining our collaborative practices into the future with a continued focus on Transition, STEM learning and design thinking and Japanese learning pathways. The OEP will continue be a priority into the future so that the work continues to be sustained as part of the shared improvement priorities of each of our schools.
As schools, as leaders, as teachers, as education support staff, as communities we are better together, and our commitment is to continue to strengthen and grow our connected learning precinct through intentional collaboration. Together we will continue to work towards to providing our students with a sense of belonging, connection, challenge and opportunity throughout every stage of their growth and development.
Celebrating the Success of Beauty and The Beast
This year’s production once again highlighted the strength of our Performing Arts program and the talent, creativity, and dedication of our students and staff. The performances were praised by all who saw it as one of the highest quality, showcasing not only the acting skills of our students but also the depth of teamwork, discipline, and perseverance required to bring such and outstanding show to life.
The production of this calibre could only be possible through the remarkable leadership of our Performing Arts staff, led by Kerryn Hoernel along with Adam Platenkamp and Sarah Neep, who brought together a team of students, staff, families and community members to make it happen. Their ability to inspire, guide, and nurture our students ensured that everyone involved made a valued contribution – whether on stage or behind the scenes. It was truly a community effort, reflecting the collaborative spirit that sits at the heart of South Oakleigh College.
The Performing Arts play a vital role in the life of our school, offering students the opportunity to develop confidence, creativity, and resilience while experiencing the joy of performance. The success of Beauty and the Beast stands is a powerful reminder of how the arts enrich our school community and provide experiences that our students will carry with them well beyond their years at South Oakleigh College. We congratulate everyone involved and thank our families and community for their support.
Year 12’s
A special mention goes to our Year 12 students, who are now entering a critical period of revision and preparation for their final VCE exams. The upcoming term break provides a valuable opportunity for focused study and reflection. We wish every one of our Year 12s the very best as they use this time to consolidate their learning and prepare to finish the year with confidence and success. Your dedication and resilience have been commendable.
Pupil Free Day- Monday November 4
In accordance with the Victorian Government Schools Agreement (VGSA), staff will access their professional practice day on November 4. This pupil-free day is dedicated to planning, preparing, assessing student learning, collaborating, developing the curriculum, engaging in relevant professional development.
Finally, I would like to wish all members of our community a safe, restful, and well-deserved term break. We look forward to seeing everyone refreshed and ready for a successful Term 4, commencing on Monday October 6th.
Helen Koziaris
College Principal