Principal's Message
We Grow Through Connection
Dear Families,
It has been a very busy time at our great school with so many opportunities afforded to our students. The College Calendar reveals so many excursions, incursions, sport and performing arts activities for our students to participate in on a regular basis. We thank our hard working staff for providing these opportunities.
We do rely on families being able to make Voluntary Contributions. We are dependent on Voluntary Contributions from parents and carers to achieve the best possible outcomes and support for our students. These Contributions support the curriculum program, school services and other resources, together with ensuring the operation of the school’s extended learning and co-curricular programs. Please visit your Compass Portal – Course Confirmation / School Payments, to learn more about how you can make payment of Voluntary Contributions. Please contact the General Office on pH 5945 1433 should you have any queries.
Importantly, Learning Growth Is Our Priority. We are proud of the co-curricular opportunities we provide however Leaning Growth by our students across their subjects is Our Priority. Recent NAPLAN Data (2024) reveal our Year 9 Students demonstrated some very pleasing High Growth (Interim) Results in Numeracy and Reading. We thank parents and carers for working with us to support our students in their Learning Growth.
Schools are required to administer the Department of Education and Training (DET) Student Attitudes to School Survey each year. We have received the confirmed DET Student Attitudes to School Survey Results and our students think very highly of their experiences at Pakenham Secondary College. Our Results here demonstrate that we are
I mentioned last week in our PSC Community Update that our School Wide Positive Behaviour Support Theme for Term 3 is Strive For Success. We have shared with students in class and during assemblies how they can Strive For Success with examples highlighted below:
Showing high rates of school attendance and getting class on time
Being in full school uniform and being prepared for all classes
Completing all set work and submitting it on time
Using their class-time effectively and continuing to be respectful to others
In so many ways, Striving for Success is about having High Expectations and we have high expectations for our students.
Attendance Matters. We want our students to attend school every day. Higher levels of Attendance support improved learning and wellbeing outcomes for our students and we appreciate our families working so well with us in this area.
The Performing Arts is an important area of the College. There is so much for student to do including in the classroom, participation in ensembles, bands and our instrumental Music Program, and in major events such as our annual Production and involvement in the State Schools Spectacular.
Our College Production this year of the Wizard of Oz is an outstanding success – our Opening Night (Thursday 29 August) was a wonderful showcase of student talent, achievement and effort. We have had a huge involvement from staff, students and local primary schools in this year’s Production. We are proud of what our students have been able to achieve with their participation, and we thank local primary schools for their involvement in the Production this year – such a great means of strengthening important connections with our community. We thank Genelle Lentini (Leading Teacher, Performing Arts) and her team for all of their wonderful work throughout the year to ensure the Production’s success in 2024 – well done everyone!
The State Schools Spectacular will be held on Saturday 14 September at John Cain Arena and we have many students involved again this year. A special mention to James Nimaya (Principal Dancer), Jackson Newman – Watkins and Tyler Love (Crew) for being selected from hundreds of students across the state to fill prominent roles in this year’s Spectacular. We thank Jamie Gourley (SSS Co-ordinator) and her team for their outstanding work through the year to prepare our team of students – we wish them all well with the Spectacular this year.
Sport is another important area of the College with many recent Interschool Competition of late. We congratulate our Intermediate Boys Basketball team for winning their Competition earlier this term, and we wish them well for the next round. Our staff were victorious in a recent Staff vs Student Netball Game last week – well done to our Staff!
Teaching Staff are busy correcting key assessments in preparation for the release of Term Three Reports to Families via Compass. Families are reminded that we have moved to a more continuous form of Assessment and Reporting and the feedback received in respect to this new approach has been positive. Term Three Reports will be released later this term coinciding with our Parent – Teacher – Student Conferences on Tuesday 17 September.
We are striving to continually improve our Buildings and Grounds with a new Bike Shed and Locker Bay to be constructed and ready for use by our students in time for the 2025 school year. Importantly, our Capital Works Program continues to build from strength to strength with the Design Development phase well underway. We hope to go to tender in November this year with construction commencing towards the start of 2025.
We welcome some new staff to the College:
Hanh Tran – International Student Program Co-ordinator
Tiffany Pintaudi - Receptionist
We wish both Hanh and Tiffany all the very best in their respective roles.
I would like to acknowledge the efforts of our hardworking staff. Our teaching and support staff are incredibly committed, and they work in the best interests of our students. Our staff continue to provide outstanding levels of teaching and support and I am proud to be a part of such a dedicated team of colleagues.
We continue to provide a high quality and engaging Teaching and Learning Program. Our students are polite, positive and proud member of our school community – they represent our College incredibly well. Please visit our Social Media Platforms, Compass and Our Website to learn more about student effort, achievement and involvement in a range of classroom and co-curricular activities at our great school,
Regards
Aaron
Aaron Smith
College Principal – Pakenham Secondary College