Principal's Report

As we approach the end of another busy term, it’s a great opportunity to pause and reflect on some of the great opportunities that our students have had across the college in recent weeks.   

Exam Week:  

Last week, many of our VCE students participated in exam week. This included the GAT (General Achievement Test) on Tuesday, as well as a range of Unit 3 Practice Exams throughout the week. As usual, our students were prepared and conducted themselves well throughout exam week. Well done to everyone who participated in these exams.  

We are sure that these will support you in your preparation for the end of year exam period.  

Semester Two:  

This week was the beginning of Semester Two. For some of our students, this may mean that they now have some different subjects to engage with. For a lot of subject areas, the start of the new semester represents the beginning of new units / areas of study in the classroom.   

Semester One reports will be published next Friday afternoon (04/07).  

Central Australia Camp:  

Our Year 11 students are currently in the Northern Territory, participating in our annual Central Australia Camp. So far, everything has gone smoothly, and the group has had an amazing time in Alice Springs and surrounds. We have heard that on Sunday night, students were able to stand under the stars and learn about Constellations.  

We look forward to hearing a comprehensive report from students and staff once they return.   

Work Experience:  

A large number of our Year 10 students will next week be participating in Work Experience for the week. Work Experience is a short-term placement which provides students with the valuable opportunity to develop employability skills, explore possible career options, understand employer expectations and increase their self-understanding, maturity, independence and self-confidence.   

Our current Year 10 cohort will be gaining experience across a wide range of industries.  

This includes sales, construction, medical, retail, education, legal, hospitality, manufacturing, animals, beauty, hairdressing and accounting.   

Cross-school leadership Forum 

Recently we hosted our first Cross-School Leadership Forum, hosted here at Brentwood on Friday 30th May, the brainchild and driven by our College Captains - Andy, Audriana, Michiko and Patrick. 

The event brought together student leaders from Brentwood, South Oakleigh SC, and Wheelers Hill SC for a day of collaboration and dialogue around leadership, student voice, and school culture. We were thrilled to welcome both Federal MP for Chisolm Dr. Carina Garland, and State MP for Glen Waverley John Mullahy, as guest speakers, who both offered insights into their political journey, and the importance on civic engagement, community, and leadership. 

The captains did an outstanding job in leading facilitation groups, guiding conversations, and ensuring all voices were heard. Visiting schools spoke highly of the professional tone, welcoming environment, and the value of connecting beyond school gates. 

A huge thank you to Michael Gekas- Director of Student Leadership and thank you to all staff who supported logistics and resources, excused students to attend, or just offered kind words to our leaders. 

This was a fantastic example of what can happen when students are given space to lead authentically—and we’re already thinking about how we can grow it further next term. 

Cross-school VHAP Day 

Last week, we hosted the VHAP Masterclass Day in our SLC, welcoming 50 students from Brentwood and other schools across our network. The event brought VHAP students together, offering them valuable networking opportunities and engaging activities that challenged and inspired them throughout the day. 

A huge thank you and congratulations to Melanie Sukunda for her exceptional coordination and tireless efforts in bringing this day to life, with outstanding support from Steve Lowe in developing the English Masterclasses, and from Mousumi Deb and Michael XU in constructing the Mathematics Masterclasses. 

Initial feedback from both teachers and students was overwhelmingly positive. To Mel, Steve, Mousumi and Michael, you should all be immensely proud of your efforts in making today a success and for your role in strengthening the VHAP program both at Brentwood and within our broader network! 

Last Day of Term:  

Just a reminder that this Friday the 4th of July is the final day of Term Two and the dismissal time is 2.30pm. Students will return for the first day of Term 3 on Monday the 21st of July.  

We wish all of our students and families a safe and happy school holiday period.    

Dean Korlos 

Associate Principal – Teaching & Learning