Significant Events and Student Achievements
DSC International Student Program Partners with Neighbourhood Watch Manningham
With the support of our Assistant Principal, Ms Belinda McGee, Doncaster Secondary College’s International Student Program is proud to launch the 2026 NHW & DSC Project in partnership with Neighbourhood Watch Manningham.
This exciting student-led initiative aims to promote crime prevention awareness among young people by developing engaging and youth-focused resources. While Neighbourhood Watch materials have traditionally been delivered in printed formats that resonate more strongly with older community members, this project provides an opportunity for our students to explore creative and contemporary ways of communicating these important messages to a younger audience.
Recently, representatives from Neighbourhood Watch Manningham, Mr Morris and Mr Kloot, visited the International Student Learning Hub to meet with our 2026 Global Learning Student Ambassadors. During the session, students presented their ideas and proposals and received valuable feedback. The NHW representatives offered practical suggestions to enhance the competition, particularly in making it more engaging, inclusive, and accessible for all year levels.
Our students demonstrated strong enthusiasm and initiative, asking thoughtful questions and sharing innovative ideas to maximise the impact of the campaign. This collaboration is part of our broader commitment to empowering student leaders with the skills and confidence to contribute meaningfully to both the school and wider community.
Students Reflection:
Recently, we had the opportunity to meet with representatives from Neighbourhood Watch Manningham (NHW) to discuss the upcoming whole-school event that our school will be hosting in partnership with them. During the session, the representatives shared valuable information about the role of Neighbourhood Watch in promoting community safety, raising awareness, and encouraging people to look out for one another within the neighbourhood and prevent crimes. They also explained how the event will help students and the wider school community learn more about safety, responsibility, and community involvement.
From this meeting, we learned more about how Neighbourhood Watch works closely with communities to build safer environments and how schools can play an important role in spreading awareness. The discussion also helped clarify our plans for the event, including ideas for activities, how students can be involved, how to make the activity more interesting, and ways we can effectively promote the message of community safety. Overall, the session was very helpful in guiding our planning and ensuring that the event will be both meaningful and engaging for the whole school community.
2026 Global Learning Student Ambassadors:
Kuysing (Kyle) Te, Nelly Carol (Nelly) LIM, Zian (Mia) GAO, Guqin (Grace) XU, Elyse VAN DER MEI, Madison NGUYEN, Tsz Wai (Josephine) KUNG, Boxuan (Danny) WANG, Junyu (William) YAN, Chenxinyi (Celine) ZHAO
Persian New Year Celebrations
Doncaster Secondary College celebrated Nowruz, marking the beginning of the Persian New Year and the arrival of spring for millions of people around the world.
During lunchtime, a special celebration was organised in the C Block Quadrangle by Mrs Panahi and Ms Sahar, giving students and staff the opportunity to learn about and experience this important cultural tradition.
A traditional Haft-Seen table was displayed as the centrepiece of the celebration. “Haft” means seven and “Seen” represents the Persian letter “S”. The table included seven symbolic items, each representing meaningful values for the year ahead: rebirth and growth, health and beauty, protection and healing, strength and prosperity, love, patience, and wisdom. Additional symbolic items such as candles, coins, painted eggs, flowers and a mirror were also displayed, each reflecting themes of renewal, life and hope.
The celebration also featured two visiting Iranian artists who generously wrote the names of interested students and staff in beautiful Persian calligraphy, which proved to be a highlight of the event. Visitors were also able to enjoy a selection of traditional sweets while learning more about the significance of the occasion.
The event was a wonderful opportunity to share culture and traditions within the school community, and many students and staff enjoyed taking part in the festivities. Thank you to everyone involved in organising this meaningful celebration.
Connecting Through Music: Doncare Visit to DSC
Doncaster Secondary College was proud to recently host members of the Doncare Thrive and Connect group for a special musical performance, creating a truly uplifting and memorable experience for all involved.
Our students performed with enthusiasm and care, sharing their musical talents with the group in a warm and welcoming environment. It was wonderful to see the audience so engaged to the music and clearly enjoying every moment of the performance. Once again, a simple but meaningful touch of sharing a cup of tea together helped create a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere for our guests.
Feedback from Doncare highlighted just how impactful the experience was. Clients left feeling invigorated and uplifted, continuing to share positive reflections on both the music and the students long after the event had finished, Alyson the group leader said!
We extend our sincere thanks to Doncare for their partnership, and to Mr Dean for organising the musicians for the performance.
This event is a wonderful example of how the Performing Arts at Doncaster Secondary College continues to build strong community connections while providing authentic, enriching experiences for our students.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – A Sweet Start to 2026
Rehearsals for our 2026 school production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are well underway, and it has been an exciting and energetic start to the term. With a large and enthusiastic cast, students have embraced the rehearsal process with commitment, creativity and a real sense of fun.
Throughout Term 1, our focus has been on building the foundations of the production. Students have been learning the musical numbers, developing choreography and beginning the blocking of scenes. It has been fantastic to see the cast grow in confidence as they bring the world of Wonka to life.
We are pleased to share that we have now nearly completed the blocking of Act 1. This is a significant milestone in the rehearsal process and reflects the hard work and dedication of our students. From the lively energy of the ensemble numbers to the introduction of our key characters, the story is already taking shape on stage.
A highlight of the term has been the collaboration between staff and students with rehearsals and the special announcement that Mr Siassios will be our Mr Salt!
Our Technical Production students have also been actively developing their skills through a hands-on workshops in lighting, sound and backstage management. These sessions have provided valuable real-world experience, allowing students to build confidence in operating equipment, understanding stagecraft and working as part of a professional production team. Their growing expertise will play a vital role in bringing the show to life behind the scenes. I has been great to have our alumni helping out with the teaching – including our very own Ms Bryant.
Our creative departments are making an exciting contribution to the production too. Mr Tay’s Year 9/10 Visual Design class have been offered the opportunity to create an original poster design that will be used for publicity across the school and wider community. In addition, Mr Leung’s Woodwork classes are collaborating with Mr Lansbury and the Facilities team to construct the set and props, providing students with an authentic opportunity to apply their practical skills in a real production context. This cross-curricular collaboration highlights the strength of Performing Arts at Doncaster Secondary College.
We would like to acknowledge the dedication of our creative team, including Wendy Howes, Mr Nicholas Dean and Lucinda Dance, for their ongoing work in guiding and inspiring students through this process.
A huge thank you to Sonya and El in Food Technology for once again waving their magic wand in preparation for our VIP Night, and to the Rotary Club for their ongoing support of this special event. Their generosity helps us create a welcoming and memorable experience for our community.
As we continue our journey into the magical world of Wonka, we invite our school community to support the production by attending our upcoming Performing Arts fundraiser. This is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a fun night out while helping bring this exciting show to life.
Buy your tickets now and support our students and the 2026 production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!
https://www.trybooking.com/DLCNR
Stay tuned for more updates as we move into Act 2 and begin refining and polishing what is shaping up to be a vibrant and entertaining production.
A Year 8 student from Doncaster Secondary College has recently shared her creativity through a beautifully written short story.
Kiera Pang from 8E wrote the piece as a creative work inspired by her classroom experiences and the teachers who have supported her learning. Her story reflects both imagination and appreciation for the school environment that has helped shape her ideas.
Kiera’s writing is a wonderful example of the creativity and talent within our student community, and we are delighted to share her work as part of this term’s newsletter.
The Zoo Class by KEIRA:
Ms Yang expected a normal day. She would go to Doncaster Secondary College, enter her beloved A7 classroom, teach some kids, make some jokes and go home. A normal day.
However, today was the first day of the school year. She had looked forward to this day. The day she would finally escape her sons and her husband and go back to teaching maths.
She had a new class this year. It was a very… peculiar class. The name went off the tongue by 8E. They were an extension class, praised for their intelligence and constant hard work. Many teachers were so impressed by their comprehensive skills and their ability to get along so well.
So, on the first day of the school year of 2026, Ms Yang’s expectations were high. She saw the class line up quietly and let them in. They all walked in and greeted her, and they sat down quietly.
As Ms Yang kept them informed about integers, she noticed something happen to a girl called Keira. Ms Yang had heard about her; she was excellent in music and writing but lack in maths. But she hadn’t noticed her terrible maths skills, she had noticed her hair. Which had quokka ears on top of them. She had grown quokka ears. Ms Yang was sure she was hallucinating, so she shook her and moved on. She asked Praneeth a question, but as her eyes focused on him, she observed that Praneeth had grown an orange beak.
What?! She thought, Surely I’m dreaming!
But surely enough, she wasn’t. Praneeth had opened his beak and started squawking. Suddenly, his body shrunk until he resembled a yellow canary. As you can imagine, Ms Yang was quite surprised.
“Praneeth are you-“
But she was cut off by some loud roaring from Athanasia, who was a lion. Ms Yang looked back at Keira, who was now hopping around the classroom as a quokka. Ms Yand stared at her class of 8E, who all were making animal noises in their animal bodies. Sebby’s chair had a cheetah in it, Maya had rammed into multiple pieces of furniture now that she was a deer, and Chloe’s dog figure was barking, just to name a few incidents.
It was clear that in this moment, the class of 8E were all animals. Quite literally a zoo.
“What the hell?!” Ms Yang yelled. 8E were now rampaging as animals in the classroom. Monkeys were climbing stuff, birds flying, and cats hissing ferociously, making a huge ruckus. So, left with no decision, Ms Yang did the most logical thing, and went to Mr Nye’s office where he was enjoying his free period.
Ms Yang ran to the G-Block staffroom, and burst through so suddenly Mr Nye spat out his coffee. And what a shame it was that it was the perfect room temperature.
“MR NYE!” Ms Yang yelled.
“Has the school’s potassium supply ran out?!” He exclaimed.
“No, why would I tell you about that?” Ms Yang said. “Of course not, 8E are a bunch of animals!”
Mr Nye shook his head. “I knew this would happen,”
Mr Nye took Ms Yang to a prac room and explained the situation to create a quick antidote to cure the “zoo class”. As he mixed different substances, he told Ms Yang why 8E were a bunch of animals. Literally.
“Last year on the last day, me and Miss Bryant decided that 8E did so well that year that they deserved a trip to the zoo as a reward. It was all going well until Hyunseo and Thomas had the idea to throw Zak into the monkey enclosure. Obviously it was a big shock, but he was fine.
We called an ambulance to make sure he was fine, no broken bones or concussion, and he was, but the paramedics told us to be cautious that he hadn’t caught animal flu. We tlater noticed a small bitemark on his arm, but he said he was fine,”
“Wait, what’s animal flu?” Ms Yang asked.
“It’s a disease transmitted form animals that causes that human cells to react in a way that alters the DNA, causing the genes to get confused and transform, transforming the human into an animal. Fascinating stuff right?”
“So how did the whole class get infected?”
“Zak must have bitten or made contact from his mouth to someone’s skin,”
“Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know. The male species is a huge mystery,” Mr Nye answered.
Mr Nye mixed an antidote of gallium, red cabbage, and vinegar. “This will do. Now all we need is something to shoot it out of,”
“I have just the thing,” Ms Yang rummaged through her pockets and got out her emergency nerf gun. Mr Nye nodded and attached the antidote jar to the nerf gun.
“We just need to get the antidote onto the animal-humans skin and it will transform them back into their usual selves,” Mr Nye explained.
With zero time to waste, My Nye and Ms Yang ran back to A7, and opened the door to a destroyed classroom. But completely unfazed, Mr Nye got to work. He first shot a fish, turning him back into Andrew, then a tiger back into Max, and a gorilla back into Shin. He kept on shooting the students with the antidote, whilst maniacally laughing might I add, and one by one, the animals became children again.
Of course no one remembers this. Animal Flu causes a deterioration in memories. But I must have caught a different version, because how else would I be telling you this story?
Sincerely, you favourite quokka, KEIRA.
Tech Team Workshops Underway
Our Tec kids have had a fantastic start this term, with a group of 13 students from Years 7–9 participating in a specialised workshop during lunchtime and Period 5. Led by alumni Ryan and very own Miss Bryant , who was a lead DC Tec in a past life.
The session focused on developing practical skills in lighting, sound and backstage operations and teaching kids general theatre skills to run assemblies.
They are beginning to understand the important role technical theatre plays in a live performance. It has been wonderful to see younger students stepping into these roles, building confidence and gaining hands-on experience.
These workshops are an important foundation for our upcoming production of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and we look forward to seeing these students continue to grow and contribute behind the scenes.
Q&A Session with Ms Nicole Werner
Recently, a group of our international students had the privilege of attending a Q&A session as part of the International Women’s Day event, featuring Ms Nicole Werner, Member for Warrandyte in the Victorian Legislative Assembly.
The session provided students with valuable insights into leadership, resilience, and community engagement. Ms Werner shared her personal journey, including overcoming a fear of public speaking and persevering through challenges before achieving success in her political career. Her experiences offered a powerful message about growth, determination, and the importance of learning from setbacks.
Here are the students’ reflections:
The most interesting thing I learned was that she used to be very scared of speaking in public, even answering questions in front of her class. However, now she is confident enough to give speeches in front of many people without feeling nervous. I found that really surprising and inspiring.
The session helped me realise that leadership is not just about holding a position, but about listening to the community and trying to solve real problems. It also showed me that young people’s voices matter and that we can still contribute to our communities even if we are not in politics.
I asked her what inspired her to transition from community and charity work into politics. I chose this question because I was curious about what motivated her to move from helping people through community work to representing them in government. -Zian (Mia) GAO
Being inspired by Ms. Werner’s speech which tells us the way to become a woman leader, I was eager to learn more about the abilities to improve myself further as well as hope to contribute more to the society. Engaging in Q&A also helped me to understand how a young woman leader thinks of the society, my question is: what skills or experiences do you think are the most important for students who might want to work in public service in the future? She doesn’t think there is a particular answer, as long as we live in this diverse society, everyone’s experiences or skills may bring different contributions to the society. -Guqin (Grace) XU
Listening to Nicole Werner’s speech was really interesting to me. she said to us: “All the things you experienced in life can shape you into a better person.” This helped me understand that politics is not only about big decisions but also about improving everyday life in the community. I was also inspired because she worked in the community and charity before becoming a politician. It showed me that people in the community can make a difference. I used to think politics was something far away from young people, but Nicole Werner’s speech made me realize that young people can also care about community issues and share their ideas. If I could ask her a question, I would ask: “How young people can get involved and make positive impact in the community?” - Chenxinyi (Celine) ZHAO
It has been a great pleasure that I have been selected to receive this opportunity to attend this empowering ted-talk presented by Nicole Werner. As a Chinese Malaysian myself, I felt represented of my ethnic and nationality which made me feel a sense of security and connectiveness. Having to see that woman are contributors towards our society reflects on the progress women have made throughout history to be where we are today and Nicole Werner has been exemplary evidence of that. What I found really interesting was her dedication and the confidence she has in sharing her achievements. She shared her role as the member of the Warrandyte Legislative Assembly as a part of the Liberal party of Australia in 2023 by election. She discusses the local issues we as a community are actively facing such as the rising cost of living and local infrastructures as well as her anecdotal experiences as being a part of the community as well. The way she delivers her messages felt really inspiring to me, personally teaching me how to be confident in what I do and do what I like. Being a woman is definitely not easy especially when were under the influence of the of the male patriarchy that limits our ability as women to pursue in our dreams despite the long way, we've gone to have rights in this society. Nicole Werner breaks this systemic approach towards society, being the first woman to represent the electorate delivering the message towards women to never give up on their dreams, learn to empower themselves, and value themselves as members of the society that can contribute largely to our society.
This overall session has changed my perspective on changes made in our community as I used to believe that the 'promising' of change was never true and that if change were to happen it would have been the change that benefited the majority instead of the minority groups we have as a society. However, Nicole Wener was able to fight this, and I now believe that people in the community do make a difference and that if we continue to speak up and fight for ourselves and the community, change can happen with time. It has made me believe that even if we are young, we can still make an impact towards our society one step at a time. - Nelly Carol (Nelly) LIM