GEC College News

From the Assistant Principals

Softball State Championships

Cameron McCutcheon of 8B  recently competed in the U15 Boys Softball State Championships.  Cameron - who was playing for the Glen Eira Moorabbin Softball Association - was part of the winning team that were the undefeated champions!  Sensationally, Cameron played a decisive part in the win, hitting two home runs in the final.  Well done Cameron!

SEAL Program Year 7 Entrance TEST

Registrations for the 2020 Year 7 SEAL Program Entrance Test are now open via the Teaching and Learning tab of the college website. 

Register for the SEAL Test

 

Testing for students will occur on Friday 17th May 2019 from 1pm to 4pm. Note this is a change from the previously advertised date of 10th May.  The test comprises 4 online multiple choice components of 30 minutes each and a 15 minute written expression component.

 

All applicants for the SEAL program will also be asked to sit a 10-minute interview with a panel of teachers as part of the selection process. This is an opportunity for each child to discuss why they chose to apply for the SEAL Program, talk about their strengths and areas they want to work on as a learner, what motivates them to do their best and how they will demonstrate their commitment as a student at Glen Eira College.

Ride To School Day

All students from Glen Eira College are encouraged to ride their bike or scooter to school each day.  However, as part of national Ride to School Day, a special house competition will recognise students who pedal their way to school.  On Friday 22nd March, any student who rides to school will be able to register their ride at the special sign-in display near the canteen and earn points for their house.  Our college House Captains will be there to assist students to sign in and distribute stickers. 

 

Please ensure your bikes are securely locked in the racks provided near the PAC or gym.

 

Posters have been put on display around the school and we look forward to celebrating human powered travel on this special day. 

Alpine School – An exciting opportunity for Year 9 students

I am delighted to announce that Glen Eira College has secured 6 positions at the Alpine School  during term 3 this year. Parents and students are invited to learn more at an information session on Wednesday 20th March at 6pm in the GEC Performing Art Centre Theatre. 

 

Opened in April 2000 as an innovative specialist setting for leadership education, the Alpine School is extraordinarily unique.  Situated at 1600 metres above sea level near Dinner Plain Village in the Victorian Alps, the school provides an intensive, high quality leadership and enterprise program for small teams of Year 9 students selected from Victorian government schools.  At the Alpine School, the curriculum focuses on personal development and team learning projects.

 

The placements, for 3 boys and 3 girls, offers a unique residential education experience for Year 9 students who live full-time at the school for 10 weeks. Students will live and work in a very close environment with up to 44 of their peers; they sleep, eat and do work under the one roof. 

 

There are separate sleeping and showering facilities for both genders. There are 11 rooms in each of the two accommodation wings, one each for male and female. Two students will be allocated to each room.

There is a great deal of independence offered to the students at the Alpine School. Participants are responsible for helping maintain the school, organizing rosters for doing various jobs around the school and generally controlling the nature of their home and place of learning.

 

There are lessons on human relationships that will arise from this lifestyle. Great friendships are made, tolerance is learned and teamwork is created.

 

Glen Eira College’s selection process will include a written application and an interview and will be outlined in full at the information session.

 

I look forward to seeing interested families at the information session.  If you have any questions, I encourage you to visit the Alpine School website (http://www.alpineschool.vic.edu.au/) or contact me at the college.   

 

Aaron Petersen

Assistant Principal

Attendance

Attendance is very important to ensuring your child makes the most of their education. Being late to school will impact on their ability to achieve their best. Remember learning begins at 9am. It is expected that all students will have at least 95% attendance rate at school over the year. It is vital that notes are provided when students are absent or are late. Please note that if your child is not participating in inter-school sport then they are expected to be at school participating in the program for the day (and a program will be run for them).

Reading Comprehension and Maths tests online

Students in Years 7-10 have recently completed Reading Comprehension and Maths tests online to help teachers determine the level of ability and tailor their instruction in classes accordingly. We are very proud of our successful NAPLAN results over a number of years that demonstrate high levels of learning growth from Year 7 to Year 9.

Parent, Student and Teacher Interviews

Our parent, student and teacher interviews are at the following times;

 

Surnames A - K: Tuesday 26th March 2.15pm – 6.30pm

Surnames: L – Z: Tuesday 2nd April 2.30pm – 7.15pm

All students will be dismissed at 2:01pm on the interview days.

 

Bookings will open on Xuno a week prior to each set of interviews. We encourage you to bring your child to the interviews to discuss their progress with their teacher and yourself.

Last Day of Term 1

Please note that on the last day of term 1, students will participate in the cross country run.  The school day concludes at 1.30pm and students will be dismissed from Caulfield Park.

2019 STEAM Frontiers & Applications Tour

Glen Eira College is exploring the opportunity of conducting a Science Technology Engineering Arts & Mathematics (STEAM) Frontiers & Applications Tour in 2019. This tour will be held in Orlando, Florida, USA. This experience is offered as an optional excursion to immerse students in the field of STEAM. On this tour students are given the opportunity to attend the Kennedy Space Centre, iFly, Universal Studios, Disney World and the Florida Everglades. 

 

STEAM: Frontiers & Applications tour is priced at $6,300 per person (broken down into payment installments over a 12-month period), and is an all-inclusive package, including all meals and travel insurance, with only the following items not included:

  • The cost of a passport ($142 AUD for students aged under 16, $282 for those aged over 16)
  • The cost of an ESTA (VISA application for Australian citizens - $14 USD)
  • Any discretionary spending money

We will be holding a Parent Information Session on Tuesday 26th March at 6:30pm in the Performing Arts Centre.

Glen Eira College Hat

A few students are wearing non-college caps to school. We have a school cap that students can wear. Please remind your child to wear the Glen Eira College hat or cap. The school encourages sunsmart practices (e.g. wearing a school sun hat for PE in term 1 and 4) as outlined in the school’s sunsmart policy  http://gec.vic.edu.au/about-us/policies.

Glen Eira 5

Our values and beliefs are encapsulated in our Glen Eira 5, which was created a number of years ago in consultation with staff, students and parents. We seek to live by these values to provide our young people with a supportive learning community. Please take some time to read and discuss these with your child.

 

5 promises teachers make to our students;

  • maintain a safe learning environment.
  • know how you learn and what direction your learning should take.
  • make classes engaging.
  • listen, encourage and support.
  • involve the wider community in your learning.

5 promises staff make to one another;

  • share resources.
  • support one another.
  • work collaboratively to improve student learning.
  • be consistent in applying policies.
  • learn from one another.

5 characteristics you will see in our teaching;

  • differentiate teaching and learning to support and challenge the full range of abilities.
  • structure lessons according to SABRE.
  • be innovative and reflective.
  • be enthusiastic.
  • be accountable for improving student outcomes.

5 things you will see from our students;

  • be enthusiastic and motivated.
  • communicate and be respectful.
  • seize opportunities to participate and learn.
  • work together, acting responsibly and creatively.
  • direct their own learning through questioning and exploring.

5 things you will see from our parents, carers and guardians;

  • be involved and contribute to the broader educational program.
  • play an active role in the child’s learning.
  • support their children in achieving their learning goals.
  • promote the school values.
  • maintain open lines of communication with the school.

 

Nick Hamer-Smith 

Assistant Principal