Dear Parents/Carers,

The start to Term 2 has been incredibly busy for both students and staff at LSC. As a school, we are working hard to ensure that all students have every opportunity to learn, as well as make sure we are working continuously on our improvement agenda as a college as part of our strategic plan.

Illness and COVID-safe practices

As we enter into the colder months, we have seen the number of students and staff becoming ill with winter colds, as well as an increase in reported cases of COVID-19.

It is important that we all continue to follow key COVID-safe practices, including the following:

Using air purifiers provided in each space
Regularly washing and sanitising hands
Maintain social distancing
Wear a mask (recommended)

Most importantly, we are reminding all members of our community that if you are displaying any COVID-19 symptoms, please stay home and complete a test. Students that are at school and displaying COVID-19 symptoms will be sent home with a parent/carer to help reduce the risk of transmission.

We also ask parents and carers to login to Compass to register any absences. Alternatively, you can call the school to register absence.

Our Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) program from the Department of Education is continuing into Term 2, so all students have been provided with the required RATs to conduct tests twice per week. As a school, we recommend doing this Monday and Thursday mornings.

If any student tests positive for COVID-19, you must contact the college to notify us. Our office team will also provide you with further information about how students can continue to access learning from home during any isolation period.

2023 curriculum planning and revitalising

As part of our Key Improvement Strategies, we as a college have been examining the current curriculum structures and offerings for our young people. I am pleased to announce that we are in the final stages of develop, with plans for our 2023 curriculum to provide students more voice and choice in their learning. This includes:

Opportunities for additional literacy support for identified Year 7 and 8 students as part of their timetable
Guided choice options where students can choose to focus on particular areas of interest in core subjects including Science and Humanities
New elective offerings for Years 9 and 10 students
Greater VCE subject offerings for Year 11 and 12 students

We are also busily planning for the introduction of the new VCE Vocational Major which will replace VCAL from 2023, with a team at LSC working on developing the structures and offerings within this element of the VCE.

We will be releasing updated information regarding our curriculum structures and offerings in our handbooks towards the end of this term as part of a revamped course counselling process.

Student learning forum

On Tuesday 10th May, a sample of students in Years 9 and 10 engaged in our first student learning forum for the year. The focus on this forum was to consult and gain feedback from students on proposed changes to curriculum structures and programs for learners at LSC for 2023 and beyond.

Approximately 25 students worked in groups to review current structures and programs, then compare these to proposals, noting the strengths and weaknesses, as well as asking questions and providing suggestions.

We also used this as an opportunity to gain some feedback on our uniform, in particular looking at how we can make the uniform more comfortable and warmer during the winter months.

I thank the students and staff who contributed to the forum’s planning and operation and look forward to being able to incorporate this feedback into planning at the college.

Positive pre-conditions for learning

In late Term 1, we commenced our work on bringing in positive pre-conditions for learning. This initially focused on the key areas of mobile phones, equipment and uniform. As we get back into the term, some of our students slip back into old habits, so we are asking staff to continuously emphasise and follow up with students not meeting the basic pre-conditions.

We will continue to regularly monitor our data surrounding these, including number of breaches, detentions issued and other information to track successful implementation.

For our parents and carers, we ask that we work together in partnership to support all our young people to be fully resourced for learning.

NAPLAN testing period

In weeks 3 and 4 of this term, our Year 7 and 9 students have been completing their NAPLAN tests. For the first time, these have all been online and I thank the team of staff for their extensive planning and preparation for NAPLAN, as well as a big thank you to staff supervising sessions, many of whom have taken on additional sessions to help us facilitate this effectively.

NAPLAN results are used by schools in many different ways. For us at LSC, a key indicator is the amount of growth a young person manages to display over time. This growth indicator is critical in telling us that our curriculum and teaching practices are having a positive impact on students.

I want to congratulate all our students who successfully completed their NAPLAN and having been in many sessions over the past two weeks, commend students on their diligence and positive attitudes displayed.

As always, I thank all members of our LSC community for your ongoing support of our college, and our work in ensuring the best quality education opportunities for our young people.

Ms Eloise Haynes

Principal

Junior School

Year 7 Science