Principal's message
Term 2 Reflection
Term 2 has been another incredibly productive and rewarding term at Castlemaine Secondary College, characterised by outstanding teaching and learning opportunities, rich extracurricular experiences and strong community connections.
Across the college, teachers have continued to deliver exemplary and rigorous learning experiences aligned with our School-Wide Instructional Model. This work has been strengthened through the ongoing application of the Berry Street Education Model (BSEM) and School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS), ensuring that students are both challenged academically and supported to thrive socially and emotionally.
There have been many highlights throughout the term. Students proudly represented the college across a range of interschool sporting events, demonstrating teamwork, resilience and sportsmanship. Our college captains delivered thoughtful and moving speeches to acknowledge both ANZAC Day and National Sorry Day, reinforcing the importance of reflection, respect and reconciliation. Students also benefited from the annual Music Camp, while the pinnacle of the term's musical calendar - explored later in this newsletter - was undoubtedly the outstanding Annual Music Concert held at the Castlemaine Town Hall, which showcased the extraordinary talent, commitment and passion of our young musicians and staff.
Collectively, these experiences reflect what we value most at Castlemaine Secondary College: continually improving student learning and wellbeing while fostering strong, mutually beneficial connections with our wider community. I would like to thank our students, staff, families and community partners for their ongoing support and contributions to another successful term.
Early Insights from the Attitudes to School Survey
Thank you to the students who participated in this year's Attitudes to School Survey. While we are continuing to analyse the data in detail, the preliminary results are encouraging and provide valuable insight into the experiences of our young people.
Early analysis indicates that all of the measures we are tracking have shown positive improvement compared to the previous year. Particularly pleasing have been the gains in areas such as students' perceptions of how the school manages bullying, levels of stimulated learning, school connectedness, student voice and agency, school transitions, and emotional awareness and regulation.
These early findings suggest that the implementation of our new sub-school model is strengthening students' sense of connection, support and belonging. The enhanced pastoral structures and targeted supports within each sub-school appear to be contributing to improved experiences for many students.
The data also reflects the impact of the college's strategic focus on wellbeing, positive behaviour support and consistent teaching practices. Initiatives such as our School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support framework, School-Wide Instructional Model and Berry Street Education Model continue to shape a culture where students feel known, supported and challenged to succeed.
While there is always more work to do, these early findings provide confidence that the strategic direction of the college is making a meaningful difference. We look forward to sharing a more detailed analysis with our community later in the year as we use this feedback to guide our ongoing improvement efforts.
Parent Club Update
One of the strengths of Castlemaine Secondary College is the active involvement of our families and community members. This term, we have welcomed several new members to our Parents' Club and are grateful for their willingness to contribute their time, ideas and energy to the college.
The Parents' Club plays an important role in supporting community events, strengthening connections between families and the school, and providing valuable feedback and perspectives. Whether assisting with activities, helping foster community spirit or contributing to discussions about the future of our college, their involvement enriches our school community.
We extend a warm welcome to our new members and encourage any families interested in becoming involved to reach out. There are many ways to contribute, and participation is flexible and rewarding. Together, we continue to build a strong and connected school community.
- President - Jonathan Conquest
- Vice President - Tony Cormack
- Treasurer - Kate O’Sullivan
- Secretary - Rachael Cooper
Flexible Learning Options Building Ready for Students
We are pleased to share that the new Flexible Learning Options (FLO) building has now been installed as part of the Department of Education's Modular Building Program.
The purpose-built facility will provide an enhanced learning environment designed to support students who require additional flexibility and support to engage successfully in their education.
Located adjacent to the Middle School precinct, near the car park at the far end of the school, the building provides a calm and welcoming environment while maintaining strong connections to the broader college community.
Importantly, the facility includes two general-purpose classrooms, creating opportunities to further expand the support available to students. This may enable us to establish an additional FLO class or develop another alternative learning program for students who are not experiencing success within mainstream classrooms.
Over the coming weeks, we will complete the final stages of the project, including the purchase and installation of furniture and learning resources. We anticipate that the facility will be ready for student use by the start of Term 4 this year.
We look forward to seeing students and staff make the most of this exciting new space, which reflects our ongoing commitment to ensuring every young person has access to learning environments that support their engagement, wellbeing and success.The
TechSmart Approach
Over the past year, Castlemaine Secondary College has been exploring ways to support students to engage with technology in a more purposeful and balanced manner through what we call our TechSmart Approach.
Following the successful implementation of this approach in Year 7, we recently surveyed families to understand its impact. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with 63 parents and carers participating in the survey. Parents reported strong support for a learning environment that promotes intentional rather than habitual technology use.
The results were particularly encouraging. One hundred per cent of responding parents indicated they were either very satisfied or satisfied with the approach. Parents also reported positive impacts on learning, with 81% believing their child's learning had "much improved" and a further 12.7% indicating it had "somewhat improved".
Families consistently highlighted themes of improved concentration, stronger relationships and reduced distractions. Comments included that students were experiencing "more engaged learning and improved social interaction", that classrooms were "calmer" and that the approach supported "authentic learning and reduced distractions." Parents also valued the increased emphasis on handwriting, face-to-face interaction and the reduced financial burden associated with purchasing personal devices.
Importantly, 96.8% of respondents supported continuing a no-BYOD approach for future Year 7 cohorts, with many families expressing a desire to see the approach extended into the middle years.
As a result of this feedback, and in conjunction with staff consultation, we have commenced planning to expand the TechSmart Approach to Years 8 and 9 from 2027. This means that students in these year levels will not be required to bring their own device from home. Instead, we will replicate the successful Year 7 model, with laptop trolleys available for teachers to access on a needs basis when technology genuinely enhances learning. Our aim is not to eliminate technology, but to ensure it is used deliberately, strategically and purposefully.
Through TechSmart, we are seeking to help students develop healthy digital habits, strengthen interpersonal connections and engage deeply with their learning in ways that prepare them for a rapidly changing world.
Staffing Update – Term 3
As we move into Term 3, we have a number of staffing changes to acknowledge.
We extend our sincere congratulations and best wishes to Jane Dimsey on her appointment as Principal of Red Gum School, formerly known as the Steiner School. Jane has made an outstanding contribution to Castlemaine Secondary College over many years, and we thank her for her dedication and leadership. In a reflection of her ongoing commitment to student learning and wellbeing, Jane will continue teaching her Year 12 Legal Studies class until the end of the year to support her students through this important stage of their education.
We also acknowledge Judith McLean, who has accepted a Student Wellbeing Leadership position at Marist College, Bendigo. We thank Judith for her outstanding contribution to Castlemaine Secondary College and, in particular, her 11 years as a member of the CSC Leadership Team. Judith has played a significant role in shaping the culture and direction of our college, and we wish her every success in this exciting next chapter.
To support these staffing changes, the following arrangements will be in place for the remainder of 2026:
- Olivia Monro has been appointed to the Leading Teacher – Instructional Practice role and will also undertake the responsibilities of Upper Sub-School Leader.
- Alex Burgess-Norris will assume the role of BSEM Development Leader.
- Sharon Rossiter will assume the role of Year 7 Year Level Leader.
- Lucas McGauran will take on the Year 11 Legal Studies classes.
- Brett Gilligan and Sarah Myles will be allocated the remaining Year 7 classes, allotments were still being finalised at the time of the newsletter publication.
We are also delighted to welcome Michael Rowland to Castlemaine Secondary College as our new Technology teacher. Michael joins us from the Steiner School in Tasmania and brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience in this area. His appointment will enable more students to access our Technology learning spaces and programs, providing valuable opportunities for those with particular interests and passions in design, engineering and hands-on learning.
We thank all staff who are stepping into new responsibilities and look forward to their ongoing contributions to the success of our students and the college.
Justin Hird - CSC Principal
