Message from our School Council

Please find below the Top 5 Messages from our recent School Council Meeting, held on Tuesday, 8th September. 

NEW UNIFORM, NEW LOGO - BUT DON'T PANIC!

That got your attention! But no, PSC isn’t changing its uniform or logo! Instead, the School Council were given a sneak peek at the new uniform for our VET students. The VET mini-cluster, made up of PSC, Koo Wee Rup, Officer and Edenbrook, will now have a shared uniform for students to wear when attending VET days across the four schools. The new uniform brings a real sense of professionalism and is designed to give students a taste of the workplace environment. And then there’s the logo! It cleverly brings together elements from all four schools’ existing logos to create something unique for the VET program. The designs were put forward to the committee, with the successful design created by our very own Manjit Kaur (Year 9).

Pretty clever, Manjit! We think you’ve done a fantastic job!

MAKING SUN SMART EVEN SMARTER

The Uniform Subcommittee has been busy looking at ways we can improve sun smart practices across our school… and there’s plenty happening! It’s been a collaborative effort, with student, parent and teaching staff all bringing ideas to the table. Some of the improvements include integrating the UV app into our school communications, reviewing access to shaded areas, introducing new non-branded sun smart hats, and looking at how we can better protect students from the sun during sport, excursions and camps.

We’re looking forward to seeing these ideas come to life when the sun shines in Term 4 and beyond!

SRC - CONNECTED, CARING AND MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Our SRC continues to show just how much social awareness and connectedness matter, with another great run of important awareness days. They brought the school community together for Wear It Purple Day, celebrating and supporting LGBTQIA+ young people and promoting inclusion, acceptance and the message that everyone has the right to be themselves. Then came R U OK? Day, encouraging everyone to check in with the people around them, start meaningful conversations and remember that simply asking “Are you OK?” can make a real difference. And finally, Bullying No Way Week, which focused on standing together against bullying and creating a school environment built on kindness, respect, safety and inclusion.

The SRC puts genuine heart into everything they do, and it really shows. They’re helping create a school community where looking out for each other isn’t just a nice idea, it’s something we actively do.

WHAT DO FAMILIES WANT? OVER TO YOU!

A few meetings ago, we were asked a pretty important question: What do families want from PSC? We’ve started refining the ideas raised so far, with the aim of turning them into some clear areas of focus and action. While School Council is there to represent the voice of our families, we also recognised that we’re only one part of the picture… so we want to hear from you too!

Some families may have received the Parent Opinion Survey. If you have, we’d really encourage you to take the time to complete it and be honest in your feedback. The survey link is randomly distributed, so not every family will receive one, but every response counts.

And this won’t be the only opportunity to have your say. Over the coming months, there will be other ways for families to share their ideas and help shape the direction of our school.

In the meantime, if you have something you’d like to share, feel free to contact Aaron Smith via (pakenham.sc@education.vic.gov.au). We’d love to hear from you!

EVOLVING SCHOOLS

A Forum that our Principal, Mr. Aaron Smith, attended earlier in the year spoke to the concept of Evolving Schools whereby schools are increasingly being seen as Community Hubs in support of students and families. Professor Frank Oberklaid spoke at the Forum and he is one of Australia’s leading paediatricians and child development researchers, and he champions the importance of the early years in shaping lifelong health, learning and wellbeing, where his work emphasises prevention, early intervention, child mental health and developmental assessments (Centre for Community Child Health, 2026). His work also strongly advocates for integrated services that support children and families. More and more schools can be seen as Community Hubs to help students and families access such services in support of their development and future – we at Pakenham Secondary College will continue to play a vital role in supporting our families.