Student Wellbeing News

EDSC Community Kitchen: Serving our Community with Heartfelt Meals

In the spirit of compassion and togetherness, we are partnering with Neuma Church in launching a Community Kitchen - dedicated to providing nourishing meals to families facing challenges in our community. Whether it's due to financial hardships, medical concerns, single parenting, loss of loved ones, or simply being overwhelmed with commitments, we are here to offer support and comfort through our meals.

How We Help

Our mission is to ensure that no family goes hungry and that everyone in our community receives a warm, home-cooked meal when they need it most. Our dedicated volunteers prepare and distribute meals with care, aiming to bring relief and a sense of belonging to those who are struggling.

Join Us in Making a Difference

We invite you to be a part of this heartfelt initiative. Whether you have a passion for cooking or simply want to lend a helping hand, your involvement can make a significant impact. There are numerous ways you can contribute:

• Join Our Cooking Sessions: Participate in one of our group cooking sessions, where you can cook and share a meal together (set dates) 
• Prepare Meals at Home: Cook meals in your own home at your own pace and bring to school to be stored in our central freezer until needed
• Financial Contributions: Your donations will help us purchase essential ingredients, takeaway containers, cooler bags, pantry items, and other supplies needed for our Community Kitchen. 
• Donation of pantry goods

Get Involved

Are you ready to make a meaningful contribution? If you're interested in volunteering, cooking meals, or donating, we would love to hear from you. Please click on the link below to learn more about how you can join the Community Kitchen.

https://forms.gle/jEDVQMsqv6zp7XZ86

Together, we can create a community where everyone feels supported and cared for. Thank you for your commitment to helping those in need.

Amal Saleh-Zada

Director of Wellbeing

Let’s cook up some kindness and serve our community with love!

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability

Every year, EDSC, along with all schools in Australia, participates in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about supports provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019). 

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

• year of schooling
• category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory or social/emotional
• level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial or extensive

This information assists schools to:

• formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability in schools 
• consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability in schools
• develop shared practices so that they can review their learning programs in order to improve educational outcomes for students with disability

The NCCD will have no direct impact on any child in the school – there will be no additional testing, only collection of information from enrolment documents, reports provided by parents to the school, and assessments of data and programs being conducted at school. Parents should be aware that any information they have provided to us in relation to their children with a disability, will be included in this national survey.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability. The Australian Government ensures that the privacy and confidentiality of all students is protected. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage and disclosure of personal information. To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy 

Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal.

If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact the school. 

Anna Kissane

Learning Support Coordinator

Wellbeing Staff

Welcoming Charlotte to Our Team.

As many of you know, Maria is enjoying her long service leave this term. We are pleased to announce that Charlotte will be stepping in to support our wellbeing programs during this period.

Charlotte brings a wealth of experience as a social worker, particularly in her work with high school students and young people. Her expertise and compassionate approach will undoubtedly enrich our team and the support we provide.

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Charlotte. We’re confident that her presence will be a valuable resource for all of us at EDSC.

For more information about Wellbeing at the College, please visit the following link .. 

Breakfast Club

The Wellbeing Team believes that offering high school students a Breakfast Club can significantly promote physical health, mental wellbeing, academic success, and a positive school culture.

The Breakfast Club will take place every Monday from 8:15 am to 8:45 am at the Wellbeing Hub.

All students are welcome to join us for free healthy breakfast options. A group of community volunteers will run the Breakfast Club, and we kindly ask that you show respect and appreciation for their time and effort.

When: Every Monday

Where: Wellbeing Hub

Who: All students are welcome

Time: 8:15 am – 8:45 am

Cost: Free

We hope to see you there and look forward to a great time! 

Amal Saleh-Zada

Director of Wellbeing

Request for Uniform Donations

The Wellbeing Team provide second-hand uniforms for students in need. We are asking for uniform items, in good condition to be donated to the Wellbeing Team. Specifically, we are looking for dresses, shirts, pants, jackets and any sports uniform in larger sizes. 

If you require uniforms for your child, please contact the Wellbeing Team for support.

Maddie Sill

Mental Health Practitioner

Cybersafety and Responsible Use of Digital Technologies 

The following resources are available to parents and carers to assist them with guiding their children with the use of digital technology in a safe and responsible way. Parents and carers are their child's first role model when it comes to online behaviour. Please find information to assist parents and carers when dealing with Cybersafety issues: 

https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents 

https://www.education.vic.gov.au/parents/services-for-parents/Pages/parentline.aspx

https://www.esafety.gov.au/about-us/counselling-support-services

The following fact sheet may assist in encouraging the safe and respectful use of social media and to provide tips to parents for being a positive role model: https://www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/about/programs/bullystoppers/parentsocialmediaschoolcommunity.pdf

If parents/carers have any questions regarding Cybersafety or Digital Learnings in Schools and our Mobile Phone Policy, please contact Reception. 

Cameron Campbell

Assistant Principal

Food & Financial Support

As we are all aware, the cost of living is increasing. We realise that this might be causing some distress to members of the EDSC community. If you are experiencing financial difficulties or food insecurity please look at the website www.askizzy.org.au. This website can help you locate services for food, money, clothing, health & housing in your area. 

The College is able to provide a range of food to families within the community. Foodbank Victoria provide EDSC fresh fruit, cereals, milk, different types of ready meals, fruit cups and Messy Monkey snacks. If you and your family are experiencing food insecurity, please contact the school to arrange a food collection. For a confidential conversation, please call Maddie Sill on 9842-2244.

Please also note that if your child forgets their lunch they can come to the Wellbeing Hub to access the pantry.

Wellbeing Team

Child Safety Standards

East Doncaster Secondary College is committed to the safety and wellbeing of all children and young people. This will be the primary focus of our care and decision making.

East Doncaster Secondary College has zero tolerance for child abuse.

East Doncaster Secondary College is committed to providing a child safe environment where children and young people are safe and feel safe, and their voices are heard about decisions that affect their lives. Particular attention will be paid to the cultural safety of Aboriginal children and children from culturally and/or linguistically diverse backgrounds, as well as the safety of children with a disability.

Every person involved in East Doncaster Secondary College has a responsibility to understand the important and specific role he/she plays individually and collectively to ensure that the wellbeing and safety of all children and young people is at the forefront of all they do and every decision they make.

In our planning, decision making and operations, all personnel at East Doncaster Secondary College will:

• Take a preventative, proactive and participatory approach to child safety;
• Value and empower children to participate in decisions which affect their lives;
• Foster a culture of openness that supports all persons to safely disclose risks of harm to children
• Respect diversity in cultures and child rearing practices while keeping child safety paramount;
• Provide written guidance on appropriate conduct and behaviour towards children;
• Engage only the most suitable people to work with children and have high quality staff and volunteer supervision and professional development;
• Ensure children know who to talk with if they are worried or are feeling unsafe, and that they are comfortable and encouraged to raise such issues;
• Report suspected abuse, neglect or mistreatment promptly to the appropriate authorities;
• Share information appropriately and lawfully with other organisations where the safety and wellbeing of children is at risk; and
• Value the input of and communicate regularly with families and carers.