Middle School News - Year 7 to 9

Middle School News

Hello everyone and welcome back to EDSC for Semester 2 2020. Although, this is not the ideal start to the school term having missed a week due to an extended holiday break, I can safely say the transition back to remote learning has been a great success. I would like to thank all students and staff for their work, patience and understanding during these unprecedented times.

Semester long subjects seem to be the most challenging for staff, as they get to know their new students and understand how they learn and operate from afar. I would strongly suggest that students engage as much as possible during these lessons to help teachers get to know them as individuals and not just a voice behind a screen.

Bright spots are still occurring during remote learning! There have been many comments made to me from teachers about the students in their classes, some of the work being produced and the college values on display. These are summarised below.

Resilience: For coping with another round of remote learning.

Care and Compassion: Displaying understanding and patience during lessons when best laid plans go astray. Technology has its limitations sometimes.

Teamwork: Students problem solving by working together via chat to answer questions to issues.

Excellence: Work being produced.

Fairness: Online behaviour and letting teachers teach without disrupting the lesson.

Respect: Respecting each other’s right to ask questions without any negative comments being posted.

Curiosity: Asking questions, exploring new ways of doing online work, asking for extension work and investigating new technologies.

I think that although there is a lot of uncertainty and anxiety in the community at this point in time, it is really important that everybody remains calm, listens to the health advice on offer and think about how you can inject some positivity into your lives as we work and study from home. I hope everyone in the school community remains safe and well and I can’t wait until everyone is allowed back to school again to resume our regular teaching and learning program.

Justin Bond

Head of Middle School

Science Olympiad

For the first time this year, Australian Science Innovations are offering a Junior Science Olympiad as well as their senior competitions. The Junior Science Olympiad is an opportunity for students in 7-10 to compete against students around Australia in a free, online competition that will be held on 21 August.

Entries are now open and details can be found at https://www.asi.edu.au/programs/australian-science-olympiads/junior-science-olympiad-exam/

Students who enter should send an email to Ms Kissane to be added to the Microsoft Teams group for the East Doncaster Science Olympians where we will be sharing tips and tricks and working on Stile units to help build some Science muscles.

Anna Kissane

Science Teacher

Student Compass ID/Library/PTV Cards

Please remind all students that they must carry their Student Compass ID/Library/PTV Cards with them at all times.

ALL students must sign in/out with their card at the General Office when they are arriving late or leaving early for any reason. A reminder that Year 12 students are required to sign in/out at The John Landy Centre Compass Kiosk.

The cards are also used for any student photocopying that is done at school. The EDSC Student Compass ID/Library/PTV is also the student PTV (Public Transport Victoria) cards. They are required to carry this card as student identification while travelling on public transport.

Students who are yet to collect their 2020 card are asked to please go to the Library. If a student loses their card, parents/guardians are able to re-order a replacement card via the Compass parent portal.

POSTPONED Clubs at EDSC

Please refer to the attached information if you are interested in joining one of the fabulous clubs we run here at EDSC.

clubs 2020.pdf

2020 College Charges

Year 8 to 12 Letter to Parents and College Charges 2020 Oct 2019 Specific High End Subjects.pdf

John Roberts

Principal - Executive Officer

East Doncaster Secondary College Council

1 to 1 Digital Learning Program 2020

In 2020 we will continue with our whole school 1 to 1 Digital Learning Program for all students.

Our Year 7 students will be required to purchase a laptop, Year 8 students will continue with their laptop from 2019 and Year 9 students will use their iPad for the final year .

The purchase of these devices is crucial to the learning program as students will access eBooks rather than an extensive number of expensive textbooks. Our Year 10, 11 and 12 students require a laptop.

Details of the 1 to 1 Digital Learning Program for all students and important information regarding suitable devices are detailed in the attached policy.

2020 Years 7-12 1_1 Program.pdf