Dear Maffra Secondary College Families, Students and Community Members,

As Term 2 draws to a close, we reflect on another busy and rewarding semester at Maffra Secondary College. It has been a term filled with learning, achievement and growth, with our students continuing to embrace opportunities across the classroom, on the sporting field, in the arts and through the many extra-curricular activities on offer.

This term has also presented some challenges, particularly with staffing. Like many schools across Victoria, we have experienced difficulties in filling some vacancies throughout the term. I would like to sincerely thank our staff for their flexibility, professionalism and commitment to ensuring that learning programs continued with minimal disruption for our students. Their willingness to support one another and go above and beyond for our school community has been greatly appreciated.

I am pleased to advise that we expect to begin Term 3 fully staffed, providing greater continuity for our students and families. We are looking forward to welcoming several staff members to our team and continuing the excellent teaching and learning that takes place every day at Maffra Secondary College.

In Term 3, I will be taking Long Service Leave for the majority of term and will return for the final week. During my absence, Marie Clark will step into the role of Acting Principal. I know she will provide excellent leadership and support to our staff, students and community. We are also very pleased to welcome Justin Garry to Maffra Secondary College as Acting Assistant Principal. Justin brings extensive leadership experience from a range of leadership portfolios, and we look forward to the knowledge, expertise and fresh perspective he will bring to our leadership team throughout the term.

While I am away, I have every confidence that the school will continue to thrive under the leadership of our dedicated staff, and I thank our school community for your ongoing support.

The remainder of this newsletter highlights many of the wonderful achievements and opportunities from throughout the term. I encourage you to take the time to celebrate the successes of our students and staff and thank you, as always, for your continued partnership in supporting the education and wellbeing of our young people.

I would like to wish all students, families and staff a safe and relaxing holiday break. Thank you for your continued support throughout the first semester. I look forward to hearing about the many successes of the school on my return later in Term 3.

Annual Report

Our 2025 Annual Report was approved for publishing and can be found on our website or by clicking on the link here 2025 Annual Report

School Highlights - In 2025, our school continued to demonstrate strong growth across learning, wellbeing and student engagement, with 546 students enrolled. Despite serving a community with a high level of socio-educational disadvantage, our students and staff achieved many positive outcomes.

Learning Success - Teacher judgements showed that 73% of students were achieving at or above the expected standard in English and 77% in Mathematics. Mathematics achievement exceeded both similar schools and the Victorian state average, while English results were well above similar schools.

Our NAPLAN results reflected encouraging student growth, particularly in Year 9 Reading, where achievement exceeded that of similar schools. Between Years 7 and 9, over 73% of students achieved medium or high growth in Reading, demonstrating that students are making strong progress over time.

Positive School Culture - Staff survey results highlighted a positive and supportive workplace, with school climate rated significantly higher than both similar schools and the state average. Parent satisfaction also remained above that of similar schools, reflecting confidence in the school's direction and the strong partnerships we continue to build with families.

Students reported improvements in their sense of connectedness and, importantly, confidence in how bullying is managed at school. Both measures were above similar schools, indicating continued success in creating a safe and inclusive learning environment.

Student Engagement - Student retention continues to be a strength, with almost 77% of students remaining at the school from Year 7 through to Year 10—well above both similar schools and the state average. Average student absences also remained lower than comparable schools, supporting improved continuity of learning.

Looking Ahead - While celebrating these achievements, we remain committed to further improving senior secondary outcomes, increasing attendance across all year levels, and continuing to lift NAPLAN performance. Through targeted teaching, wellbeing initiatives and strong community partnerships, we are well positioned to build on the positive progress achieved in 2025.

If you would like to hear more about the Annual Report, we will be holding a open meeting at 5pm on Monday 3rd August, please contact the front office and register your interest by Friday 31st July

First day Term 3 – Student Free

A reminder to families that Monday 13 July, the first day of Term 3, is a student free day. Students will not attend school on this day as all staff from government schools across the Wellington Network will be participating in professional learning.

Throughout the day, our teaching staff will be working with education consultant Michael Rosenbrock to further develop their understanding of explicit teaching. This professional learning focuses on practical strategies that help make learning clear, structured and engaging for all students. Teachers will explore ways to effectively model new skills, check for understanding, provide appropriate support, and gradually build students' independence. These approaches align with the Victorian Teaching and Learning Model 2.0 and are designed to strengthen student learning outcomes across all classrooms.

Our Education Support (ES) staff will also participate in targeted professional learning focused on understanding the functions of behaviour and developing practical tools and strategies to support student engagement, wellbeing and successful learning experiences.

We appreciate your support of these curriculum days, which provide valuable opportunities for all staff to continue building their knowledge and skills to ensure the best possible learning experiences for every student.

Students return to school on Tuesday 14 July for the commencement of Term 3 classes.

Charlie McAllum scholarship

We wish our two Charlie McCallum Scholarship recipients, Xanthe Wade and Bill Huts, every success as they set off on the incredible Kokoda Trek. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity recognises students who demonstrate outstanding leadership potential, resilience, service to others, and a willingness to challenge themselves beyond the classroom. The Charlie McCallum Scholarship was established to honour the legacy of Charlie McCallum by supporting young people to develop courage, perseverance, teamwork, and character through the demanding Kokoda experience. As our students follow in the footsteps of those who served along the Kokoda Track, we know they will embrace every challenge, create lasting memories, and return with a deeper appreciation of leadership, mateship, and personal growth. We are immensely proud of their achievement and wish them a safe and rewarding journey.

E-Bikes and E- Scooters

To help maintain a safe school environment and ensure we meet our legal obligations, we would like to clarify our expectations regarding the storage of e-bikes, bicycles, scooters and e-scooters at school.

Bicycles and E-Bikes

Students who ride a bicycle or a compliant e-bike to school must store it in the school's designated bike racks. Bicycles and e-bikes are not to be taken into classrooms, offices or other school buildings and staff will not be storing them throughout the school day.

Please note that while compliant e-bikes may be ridden under the same road rules as bicycles, modified or high-powered e-bikes may be classified as motor vehicles and are not legal to use as bicycles on public roads.

E-Scooters

Students under the age of 16 are not permitted to bring e-scooters onto school grounds.

Under Victorian road rules, a person must be at least 16 years of age to legally ride an e-scooter on public roads and shared paths, and riders must comply with a range of other legal requirements. As a school, we have a responsibility to uphold these laws and cannot condone or facilitate the use of e-scooters by students who are not legally permitted to ride them.

For this reason, school staff are unable to store e-scooters on behalf of students under any circumstances. If we become aware of a student arriving at school with an e-scooter who is under the age of 16, staff will not take responsibility for it, and families may be contacted to arrange for it to be removed from the school.

Students who are over the age of 16 and bring an e-scooter to school will need to store it in the designated bike rack location.

We encourage all families to discuss these expectations with their children before the start of term three.

Further information about e-bike and e-scooter laws can be found at the following websites:

Victorian Road Safety: https://www.vic.gov.au/road-safety-victoria
Transport Victoria: https://transport.vic.gov.au/

Thank you for your ongoing support in helping us provide a safe and consistent learning environment for all students.

Ms Jennifer Roep

Principal

East Gippsland Music Festival