COAST 

Celebrating Positive Growth in Year 8 through the 8XP Program

At Surf Coast Secondary College, we are committed to building a culture where positive behaviours are consistently recognised and celebrated. This year, our Year 8 students have been part of the 8XP Program, a new initiative designed to encourage students to demonstrate the values and behaviours outlined in our SWPBS (School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support) matrix.

We are thrilled to share that since the program’s implementation, major and minor behaviour chronicles in Year 8 have dropped by more than half. This is an outstanding achievement and shows just how powerful it can be when students, staff, and families work together towards common expectations.

So far, an incredible 2,259 8XP tokens have been distributed by teachers, acknowledging students who consistently display positive behaviours in their classes. To further celebrate these achievements, every student who receives more than 10 8XP points in a round is sent a congratulatory email from our Junior School Positive Climate and Student Engagement Leader. These small but meaningful celebrations highlight student success and reinforce the importance of positive choices.

Feedback from students has also been heartening. Many have reflected that receiving immediate recognition in class for their positive behaviour “makes them feel good” and seems to inspire others to follow their lead. In this way, the ripple effect of positive recognition is helping to strengthen the culture across the whole Year 8 cohort.

Each round of the 8XP Program focuses on a particular behaviour from the SWPBS matrix. The most recent round highlighted “We follow staff instructions”, with students making fantastic progress in this area. From Monday, the next focus will be: “We actively listen to others when they are talking or sharing ideas.”

We are confident that this next step will continue to build on the success so far, further strengthening the positive culture in Year 8 and setting students up for success both in and outside the classroom. We are incredibly proud of the growth our Year 8 students have shown and look forward to celebrating more success stories as the 8XP Program continues.

Celebrating Student Success at the “Inspired” Exhibition

A huge congratulations to all our talented students who entered their work into the Surf Coast Shire’s Inspired exhibition.

It was a privilege to attend the opening evening and witness the pride our students took in presenting their creativity to a public audience. Surf Coast Secondary was proudly represented with entries from Year 7 through to Year 10, including works by:

✨ Bonnie C

✨ Kelsey B

✨ Emily L

✨ Jasmine R

✨ Austin R

✨ Lilly H

✨ Theo D

✨ Penny S

Special mentions go to:

🏅 Thea B., who received Highly Commended for her Untitled artwork, recognised for its outstanding skill and emotional depth.

🏆 Riley G, who was awarded Overall Winner in the 15–17 years category for his beautifully detailed piece Optimus Prime.

🎤 Cael L, who impressed the audience with his courage and insight as a guest speaker, sharing his drone photography process.

🖼️ Eden S, who celebrated the exciting milestone of selling her very first artwork, Sunset Swim, on opening night!

The Inspired exhibition is open to the public at Anglesea Art Space until September 13th—be sure to visit and support our amazing young artists!

Victorian State School Spectacular 2025

Students from all over the state came together and reached new heights with On Air — a place where dreams soar, friendships grow, and every young voice matters.

For 30 years, the Spectacular has been a beloved event filled with amazing singing, dancing, and circus acts, all brought to life with stunning lights, costumes, and a 75-piece orchestra.

Congratulations to all our students who participated. Photos to come!

Year 8 Girls and Boys Basketball 

On the 21st August students participate in the Barwon Secondary Year 8 Basketball Competition at Beyond Bank Stadium. 

Both teams showed impressive skill, sportsmanship, and determination throughout the games, representing the school with pride. A fantastic effort from all players – well done!

Year 9, 10 & 11 Snow Camp

During week 8 of the term our Year 9, 10 and 11 students had the amazing opportunity to head up to Mount Hotham for some amazing spring skiing and snowboarding. 

After the best winter in 3 years, our students were blessed with some great conditions which allowed them to explore lots of the mountain. They had lessons each morning catered to their skill level, then the afternoon free to practice their skills and get out in the beautiful alpine air. 

We were so impressed with the  progression and resilience of every single student. There was a lot of falls (thankfully into nice soft snow) but everyone just got back up and kept on going. It was lovely to see how well our students encouraged one another, shared tips and always tried to help each other out.

A big thank you to the staff for their help, patience and care they showed for our students. 

A fantastic camp and amazing memories made!