Dear Tarneit Senior College Community,

Welcome to our mid-Term 1 newsletter. As we find ourselves at the midpoint of our first term for 2025, I am delighted to see our students settling into their learning routines and embracing the opportunities that this year brings. As Aristotle wisely noted, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit." These early weeks of the school year are crucial for establishing the positive habits that will support success throughout the year, and I commend our students on their efforts thus far.

Census

Our school census was completed on 28th February this term, and I'm pleased to report that our official enrolment numbers for 2025 stand at 932 students. This includes 262 students in Year 10, 261 in Year 11, and 409 in Year 12. While this represents a slight decrease from last year's figure of 1065, we continue to maintain strong enrolment numbers that support our diverse educational programs and initiatives across the college.

Parent Teacher Conferences

We're excited to announce that our Parent Teacher Conferences have been restructured to a single day format, taking place on Thursday 27th March from 11:30am until 7:30pm. We believe this extended timeframe will provide a better opportunity for all families to find a convenient time to meet with teachers. Please login to Compass to book your interviews, and if you need any assistance with logging in or making bookings, please don't hesitate to call the school on 9749 0246. These conferences are a valuable opportunity to discuss your child's progress and collaborate on strategies for continued success.

MP Joanne Ryan Visit

We were delighted to welcome our Federal Member of Parliament, Joanne Ryan, to Tarneit Senior College on Tuesday 4th March. Ms Ryan visited to officially open the new Aboriginal Culture & History section in our Library. It was particularly special to reminisce with Joanne about her days teaching Aboriginal Literature as an English Teacher. This new library section represents our ongoing commitment to acknowledging and celebrating our First Nations peoples and ensuring their stories and perspectives are accessible to all our students.

Every Day Counts

I'd like to emphasise the critical importance of regular attendance at school. Our goal is for all students to maintain at least 90% attendance, which is essential for supporting learning and demonstrating the range of skills and knowledge required for both the Victorian Curriculum and VCE studies.

Students need to be mindful of class starting times and ensure that lateness does not become a pattern. Being organised and prepared for learning is key to academic success. If students require support with attendance or punctuality, we encourage them to speak with their Home Group Teacher or Year Level Coordinator.

We have once again focused on fostering a Positive Learning Environment across the college, and we encourage parents to have regular conversations with their children about attendance, punctuality, and being ready to learn for every class. Your support in reinforcing these messages at home makes a significant difference to your child's educational outcomes.

Uniform

Our uniform is a very important part of the image we project of our college community and therefore we expect all students to wear their uniform correctly and with pride to, from and at school. It is also imperative to ensure the safety of our school community to easily identify if there is anyone attending our College who is not a student. I would like to congratulate the vast majority of students who have started off the year in a positive way in the wearing of the correct College uniform and I thank all parents for your support with this. A reminder that all students should be wearing fully black school shoes.

Students are not permitted to wear Hoodies or any other non-uniform items.
Headwear should be aligned with the school colours – black, white or navy blue

Celebrating Diversity

At Tarneit Senior College, we take great pride in our culturally diverse community and the richness it brings to our school. Currently, our Muslim community is observing Ramadan, and we extend our best wishes to all families during this important time.

We recently celebrated International Women's Day with a special morning tea and an installation that invited students to share empowering and inspiring messages to the women who have influenced their lives. It was wonderful to see so many thoughtful contributions from our students.

Next week, we look forward to Harmony Week, where we'll be celebrating our cultural diversity through various activities. We encourage all students to participate in Cultural Dress Day on Monday 17th March, wearing traditional clothing that represents their cultural heritage.

These celebrations reflect our commitment to creating an inclusive environment where all cultural backgrounds are acknowledged, respected, and celebrated.

Progress Reports Now Available

I'm pleased to inform you that the first set of progress reports for this term are now available on Compass. These reports provide valuable insights into your child's academic progress, engagement, and behaviour during these initial weeks of the school year.

We strongly encourage all parents and guardians to log into Compass, review these reports, and engage in conversations with your children about their learning journey. If you have any questions or concerns arising from these reports, please don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teachers for a discussion. Our staff are committed to working in partnership with families to support each student's educational success.

Looking Forward

As we progress through the remainder of Term 1, I am eagerly looking forward to witnessing the continued growth and achievement of every student at Tarneit Senior College. Each step forward, no matter how small, represents a success worth celebrating. I encourage our students to share their achievements with their peers and teachers, as these moments of recognition not only validate individual effort but strengthen our collective school spirit.

Our teachers are committed to acknowledging these successes in the classroom and beyond, creating an environment where progress is valued and celebrated. I look forward to hearing the stories of how these achievements have been recognised within our school community, and I invite you all to share in these celebrations as we continue our journey together through 2025.

Kind Regards,

Shane Cole-Hayhow

College Principal

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