Dear Families,

Somehow, we are almost already halfway through Term 3 and it has been a busy term for us here at LESC. I wanted to take the opportunity this week to share a few updates across teaching and learning, upcoming events and some student achievements worth celebrating.

Professional Learning – Student Free Day, Thursday 20th August

On Thursday 20th August, our staff will be participating in a day of professional learning centred on the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 (VTLM 2.0), led by Dr Nathaniel Swain – one of Australia’s leading voices on cognitive science and the science of learning.

VTLM 2.0 is the Department of Education’s framework for high-quality teaching in Victorian government schools, and it is grounded in decades of research into how students actually learn – how memory works, how knowledge is built, and what effective instruction looks like in practice. Getting this right has a direct and lasting impact on what happens in every classroom, every day.

For our students, the benefits of this kind of professional learning are not always immediately visible – but they are real. When teachers have a deep, shared understanding of the science behind effective teaching, the quality of learning across the school improves. This is the kind of investment that pays dividends over the long term, and I am genuinely looking forward to the day.

This means that Thursday 20th August will be a student-free day. Thank you in advance to families for your flexibility and understanding in accommodating this – it is appreciated.

Professional Learning Placement

Alongside our whole-school professional learning, I am also undertaking my own learning this term as part of my Masters of Inclusive Education studies through Monash University.

This term I am completing a five-day placement at Trafalgar High School, which is widely regarded across our region as a leader in the Inclusion space.

Trafalgar High School has navigated the transition from the previous Program for Students with Disabilities (PSD) funding model to the new Disability Inclusion Profile process with considerable success, and there is a great deal to learn from how they have gone about it.

My aim through this placement is to bring back practical knowledge, processes and approaches that we can apply directly here at LESC to better support our students and to strengthen our Inclusion work more broadly.

Building Partnerships with Local Primary Schools

I am pleased to share that I have begun early partnership conversations with two of our local primary schools – Lakes Entrance Primary School and Toorloo Arm Primary School. These conversations are still in their early stages, but I am genuinely excited about where they could lead.

The immediate focus of this work is transition – specifically, ensuring that our incoming Year 7 students are well supported as they move from primary to secondary school.

Transition is a critical period in any young person’s education, and the more closely we can work with our feeder primary schools to understand students’ needs, strengths and circumstances before they arrive, the better placed we are to support them from day one.

Our ambition for these partnerships extends well beyond transition. When primary and secondary schools work closely together – sharing knowledge, aligning approaches to literacy and numeracy, coordinating wellbeing support, and developing joint programs – the outcomes for students and the community more broadly improve.

Year 10 – Course Counselling

In recent weeks, our Year 10 students and their families were invited to a course counselling information session to begin exploring their pathway options for Year 11.

Students learned about some of the main pathways available to them including the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), the VCE Vocational Major (VCE-VM), and School-Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBATs).

Year 10 students and their families have since begun participating in individual course counselling sessions to explore their preferred pathway in more detail. We thank all Year 10 families and students with their engagement in this process – if you have any questions in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact the school and speak with Ms. Falk or Ms. South about the opportunities on offer.

Parent/Teacher Interviews – 27 & 28 August

Parent/Teacher interviews will be held on the afternoon and evening of Thursday 27th August and the morning of Friday 28th August. Both in-person and flexible hybrid meeting options will be available to accommodate the needs of all families.

Families will receive more specific information about booking and format shortly. These interviews are a valuable opportunity to connect with your child’s teachers and get a clear picture of how they are tracking – we encourage all families to participate.

Student Sport – Two of Our Own on the Big Stage

Congratulations to Jeremy Rotheram, who has been selected for the AFL Gippsland 2026 Gippsland V/Line Cup Program. This is a fantastic achievement and a reflection of Jeremy’s dedication to his football –We are very proud of you, Jeremy. Keep at it.

And to Alexis Smart – as many of you will already know, Alexis was selected earlier this year to represent Australia in hockey will be travelling to Europe at the end of the year to compete in an international tournament and represent our country on the world stage. This is an extraordinary achievement, and it speaks to years of hard work, sacrifice and dedication from Alexis and her family.

Stay tuned for further information about a fundraiser that we will be holding at the school to help support Alexis and her family with the costs involved in getting her to Europe. We want to make sure our community has the chance to get behind her.

Jeremy and Alexis, congratulations on all that you have already achieved – you are making us all incredibly proud.

Industrial Action Update

Finally, I want to acknowledge the impact that the ongoing industrial action has had on our school community and sincerely thank families for your patience and understanding throughout.

As many families will be aware, the Australian Education Union (AEU) and the Department of Education are currently in negotiations regarding a new government schools enterprise agreement. As part of this dispute, industrial action – including strike action – has taken place, and may continue to take place which has had a real and disruptive impact on the day-to-day operation of the school. We do not take lightly the inconvenience this causes for families, and we appreciate the flexibility and goodwill that has been shown.

We are hopeful that a resolution is reached soon so that everyone can get back to focusing on what matters most – the learning and wellbeing of our students. Thank you again for your ongoing support.

Kindest Regards,

Daniel Clark

Acting Principal

Lakes Entrance Secondary College

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