Senior School Assistant Principal Report
We are very proud and pleased for the fabulous start our senior school students have made, at Lyndale Secondary College. We are noticing that many of our students set up productive routines where they are prepared and organised for class, with the majority of our senior students now having the dispositions and readiness required to set them up for success. Thank you to the families who have supported your child or reached out for support to ensure your students have the required subject textbooks, laptop and calculators for their subjects. Senior school staff are reporting increased work ethic and commitment by our students, across all subjects. I am confident that will translate into pleasing student outcomes. I will keep tracking and monitoring the continuation of such commitment and positive dispositions. Students have already been asking for additional after hour support and we can now share that we have employed tutors to help our student’s afterschool on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, in the senior studies centre. Tutoring focuses on homework support, practising SACs and exam tasks to deepen understanding and management of time, so that our students develop the necessary skills to achieve desired outcomes.
It has been a busy term; we remind and encourage our students to ensure they balance their time between school, study, work, and hobbies. We have already begun some meetings with families and it has been wonderful to see the support from all families in ensuring students and their studies remain a priority. As always, please reach out if you have any questions or require support.
Investiture Assembly
Lyndale Secondary College held our annual 2024 Investiture Assembly on Friday 1st February. Past and present students came together to celebrate success, challenges, and hear about future opportunities.
We heard from past student Vatsal, who began at Lyndale SC as a Year 7 student in 2016 and graduated after completion of his VCE in 2021. He was a School Captain in his final year at Lyndale. After Lyndale, he took up a Bachelor of Commerce at The University of Melbourne, and currently is in his final year completing a major in Economics and Finance. During his degree, he has shown a keen interest in International Relation, Public Policy, Developmental Economics and Trade – leading him to be chosen for a United Nations Study Tour to Geneva, Switzerland in 2023. He is currently serving as a Project & Policy Officer in the Federal government’s infrastructure department in Canberra.
Vatsal passed on the following message;
The world is at your feet – ready for your exploration and achievements. Be bold, brave, and always keep learning. Learning about things that interest you.
Cultivate your curiosities, ask lots of questions, and build networks – people love sharing their stories.
We were also fortunate to have our 2023 DUX Ciya Joseph who spoke to our college about embracing every single opportunity that this place has to offer. She said " when we dedicate this much time and energy to one place, it inevitably transforms us. And while you might not always be in control of what happens, I do believe you have the power to control the way that Lyndale transforms you. Today, having spent all my 7200 hours, I would like to share with you how I made the most out of my time at Lyndale".
Our 2024 captains stated that their aim is to be welcoming and approachable leaders, who are present in the college and representatives for all students. They encourage students to reach out to them as school leaders as their efforts and contributions to bettering everyone’s education and campus experience becomes their priority. They stated that throughout the year, and the years to come, students will face different challenges and setbacks, but they should not let these discourage them from reaching their full potential.
2024 captains were inducted, and our 2023 high achievers were awarded vouchers for their achievements.
It was a positive atmosphere, having the whole school come together. Students demonstrated our school values of respect and responsibility throughout the assembly. It was a positive mindset week; we look forward to staying positive and productive for the entire school year
Year 11 & 12 VCE VM Project Learning
In 2024 our year 11 & 12 VCE VM students are undertaking a subject on a Friday called Project Learning. This course integrates the key knowledge and skills from other Vocational Major subjects, to create an engaging and meaningful study for our students. Students will undertake a range of projects and gain valuable skills along the way, to prepare them for their pathway beyond secondary education.
On Friday 15th February, senior students delivered a program at school for Year Seven students who did not attend the Year Seven camp. Junior students engaged in a variety of purposefully designed activities aimed at promoting wellbeing and engagement, including a BBQ lunch to celebrate the conclusion of the program. Year Seven students had a meaningful and enjoyable experience, all due to the hard work of the senior students VCE VM. The program was well structured, organised, energising resulting in a fabulous afternoon. Well done to all involved.
Year 11 & 12 SAC Schedule
The SAC schedule has now been made available to all year 11 & 12 students. Students need to ensure they familiarise themselves with it, and ensure they are organised and prepared for SAC’s. Most SAC’s will take place during period 5 on a Wednesday, which is the cohort study period. This way we will ensure we continue to maximise students’ learning time inside the classroom by running SAC’s outside of class time.
Students should ensure they are prepared for the SAC by bringing the correct equipment including a drink bottle and being on time.
Study Periods
Students will have study periods throughout their schedules. These are opportunities for students to get additional help, use the time productively to revise work, catch up on work and ensure deadlines are being met. Whilst some students may have a study period during period 1 or 5, these are not opportunities to sleep in or start a work shift early. Students who have study periods during period 1 have the option of studying at home rather than at school in the morning, and those who have a study period during period 5 may go home to study. These are not ‘free’ times for students to do duties unrelated to school. Support is available to students at school, for those who want to reach out for it.
Study Hall
Study Hall is open during recess and lunch time, for senior students to undertake study. This is a quiet space. Year 12 students have access to the kitchen and deck to socialise during recess and lunch times. All other students need to ensure they are socialising outside of the study hall during class and break times.
Continuum
Please ask your student to show you the continuum on compass, for the subjects they are studying. The continuum will help parents understand how your child is tracking in year 11 & 12. Once students have shown satisfactory understanding of key knowledge and skills, teachers will mark this on the continuum. Students should be showing satisfactory understanding of the key knowledge and key skills, prior to undertaking a SAC to ensure best outcomes are achieved.
Year 10 Course Counselling
We are preparing for a smooth Course Counselling process, for 2025 classes. Year 10 students will soon have exposure to the pathway options for 2025. Students will need to start researching and thinking about subjects they wish to undertake as they move into their Senior Pathways. More information on course counselling will become available to students soon. Please keep free Tuesday 18th June for our Careers Expo and Parent Information Evening.
Educational scholarships
The Rotary club of Greater Dandenong & Endeavour Hills have granted Lyndale Secondary College 4 scholarships intended for financially disadvantaged students, to assist and encourage them to participate in the normal school curriculum, more fully.
Lyndale Secondary College has provided the selected students with all their 2024 textbooks and stationery, to set them up for a successful 2024 learning experience.
We look forward to continuing our partnership with The Rotary Foundation as they express a keen interest to support more of our students to experience inclusion and success.
Pictured: Presentation of scholarships to College.
Leanne Byron Secretary- Rotary Club of Greater Dandenong and Endeavour Hills
Attendance & Punctuality
Our students have arrived at school in full school uniform ready to learn. It has been pleasing to see an improvement in students’ punctuality to school in the first part of the Term. The respect that students are showing their teachers and fellow students, by being at school on time, is pleasing.
Families, please note:
If your child is sick or absent, you are required to notify the school as soon as possible on the day of absence, by updating compass, calling the school, or sending an email.
Notifying the school of your child’s absence either prior to, or on the day that they will be away, helps ensure the safety and wellbeing of children and fulfils your legal responsibility.
All Victorian government schools are required to contact parents/carers as soon as practicable on the same day of an unexplained student absence. If your child is absent on a particular day and you have not contacted the school to explain why, the absence will be marked as unexplained.
This system also promotes daily school attendance. Going to school every day is the single most important part of your child’s education. Students learn new things every day – missing school creates gaps in their learning, which might impact their growth and achievement results.
The Attendance Policy of Lyndale Secondary College, outlines the school’s processes and procedures for monitoring, recording and following-up of student absences. This is available on our college website.
It is imperative that senior school students get in the habit of getting a medical certificate when not at school for medical/illness for best practice come their time to sit school assessed coursework.
Regards
Diana Kennedy
Assistant Principal Senior School