Principal's Report

Principal’s report for Newsletter 16 May 2025

With Term 2 well underway, our students are certainly well immersed in their studies and also engaged in many other activities that form the richness of life for students at East Doncaster Secondary College. 

As we head towards the end point of semester 1, a time where assessments begin to increase, particularly for our Senior School students, I felt it timely to reiterate the importance we place on forming a strong partnership with our families. We know that when schools and families work together, students benefit from the consistent systems of support that nurture both their academic and personal growth. These are the foundations that allow our young people to thrive. 

Fundamental to a strong partnership is communication. We are deeply committed to fostering open communication, mutual respect and shared responsibility with our families so that our students have the best possible school experience and the greatest foundation for successful futures. The school experience for parents can feel very different once their child reaches secondary school. While there may not be the same opportunities for conversations at the school gate or the classroom door, we encourage all families to engage with the many mechanisms in place to ensure our families are kept well informed about their child’s education at EDSC. 

I would like to remind families that proactively taking the time each week to log into Compass is crucial to strengthening our partnership. Engaging in this way allows our families to gain greater awareness of the learning that is taking place. Compass provides an avenue for you to view lesson plans, upcoming assessment tasks, assessment results and feedback. 

Being informed about topics being covered in class can provide a valuable opportunity to engage in positive conversations about learning at home whether this be by sharing understandings, interests, opinions or perhaps encouraging an open mindset and suggesting strategies if the learning is presenting challenges. All teachers can be contacted via Compass and are happy to communicate with parents. We are working in partnership with you and have the same goal; supporting the learning and wellbeing of our students. 

As a College we also use our fortnightly newsletter and Compass newsfeed to share information regarding upcoming events and other important information. We do ask that our families check their newsfeeds weekly. We do filter the information so that you only receive newsfeeds that are relevant to you (based on your child’s year level/s). While I appreciate that we can all become overwhelmed at times with numerous emails and online platforms, we do ask that you check in weekly so that you are fully informed and can reach out if you require further information or support. 

We will continue to work with our families to identify other avenues for connection in order to strengthen the crucial lines of communication between school and home.

Athletics Carnival

Our annual House Athletics Carnival took place on Monday in what was a spectacular sunny day for this time of year. 

As is an EDSC tradition, our Year 12 cohort arrived to school in an array of inventive costumes, ready to create a vibrant carnival atmosphere to mark their last school sports carnival. I am sure that many drivers did a double take seeing a parade of students walking down George Street to the track dressed as Ronald McDonald, minions, sharks, Alvin and the Chipmunks to name but a few. 

Congratulations to all students who participated in events on the day. Special mention and congratulations to Christopher - 8E, Henry - 8A, Courtney - 12B and Sihan - 8L for their record setting performances on the day. 

You will find a full report from our carnivals coordinator, Michael James, later in this newsletter.

IDAHOBIT

May 17 marks IDAHOBIT- The International Day Against LGBTIQA+ Discrimination.  The day aims to coordinate international events that raise awareness of LGBTQIA+ rights violations and raise awareness of LGBTIQA+ rights worldwide. It is a day for an open acceptance of different self-identified expressions coming together to share pride in oneself, happiness, and love with others as participants take charge against divisiveness.

East Doncaster Secondary College celebrated IDAHOBIT today. Our celebration of the day serves to reinforce our commitment to the College values of Respect, Care and Compassion and Fairness. We are proud to be a community where everyone is accepted and treated equitably and with respect regardless of gender, cultural background, religious beliefs, sexuality, race or disability. 

Creating a safe, respectful, and supportive environment where all students feel they belong is central to everything we do. Every child deserves to learn free from fear of bullying or exclusion. By recognizing this day, the school is focusing on empathy, kindness, and the importance of treating others with dignity -values that benefit every member of the school community and foster inclusivity; qualities and understandings that prepare our young people for the diverse world outside of school.

Thank you to our student leaders and to our Wellbeing Team, led by Maddie Sill, for their organisation of a range of fun activities held during lunchtime today. It was great to see so many students mark the day and come together in the spirit of unity and inclusion.

A thank you to MP Nicole Werner (Member for Warrandyte)

On 1 May, our Year 8 flag monitors (Azrin, Kieran, Angelina, Harnav, Zoe and Julien) were honoured to meet MP Nicole Werner who came into the College to gift our school with a new Australian flag.

Nicole has always been a great supporter of our school we thank her for taking the time to present the flag to our students personally.

City Experience - Group 2

Students in 9I-9P head into the city on Monday for their City Experience adventure. After the resounding success of group 1 in week 2 of Term, I know that the students are excited to take part and I know they will enjoy the activities and challenges that await.

We wish them well and keep our fingers crossed that Melbourne’s unpredictable weather is kind to them.

Assessment and Reporting

Our Cycle 2 reports have been published for students and families today. In line with my reflections on strengthening partnerships between the College and families, the publication of cycle reports provides the perfect opportunity for conversations at home around positive approaches to learning and the importance of utilising feedback for ongoing improvement. 

A major element of producing Cycle Reports is the crucial role that feedback plays in the learning process. Students receive feedback on all assessed tasks and explore with their teachers, both at a class and individual level, the key areas for growth and strategies for improvement. I do encourage families to look beyond the Cycle graphs and delve into the learning tasks that contribute to Cycle results. Understanding the types of tasks being assessed provides a fuller picture of your child’s learning progress.

In addition to the supports provided to them by their teachers, I encourage all of our students to take responsibility for their learning. They can do this in many ways. By being curious and seeking to know more. By demonstrating resilience when the learning is challenging. By proactively seeking assistance. And by taking on board feedback provided to ensure future improvement and ongoing skill development. Developing such habits and approaches to learning will only serve to benefit them as they continue their educational journeys.

Exam Period

A reminder that the Semester 1 Exam period will commence in week 7 of this term on Thursday 5 June. Exam timetables have been published for all students in Years 10 and 11 on COMPASS.

Year 11 Exams will be conducted from June 5 - 20 

Year 10 Exams will be conducted from June 13-20

Year 9 Maths and English exams will be conducted on Tuesday June 17

Please note that the GAT (General Achievement Test), will this year be conducted on Tuesday 17 June for all students completing a Unit 3/4 VCE subject and for senior Vocational Major students.

Exams are an opportunity for students to challenge themselves to do their best and identify areas to work on in the future. I wish all students well during this period.

Parent Payments reminder 2025

The ongoing financial support of our College by the school community allows us to continue to offer an educational experience that includes a broad range of programs and enhanced curriculum experiences. It is these programs and experiences that contribute to the excellent outcomes achieved by our students. 

If you have not yet contributed, we kindly encourage you to do so. Every contribution assists us in providing high quality learning programs and resources for our students. 

We invite you to download and read the relevant Parent Payments arrangements for 2025. Contributions can be made via Compass; information will be found on your home page under “Payment Centre”. Please do not hesitate to contact the College is you require any assistance

Making a tax-deductible donation to our Building and Library Funds before June 30 is a great way to boost your tax return while making a lasting impact on our school. 

Any voluntary donation over $2 is Tax Deductable. Tax Receipts for all donations over $2.00 will be available after 1 July.  

We thank you for your support of the College and look forward to continuing an enjoyable and rewarding relationship with your child and your family.  

Karen Boyle

Principal