Simon Jones

Assistant Principal

Years 10 - 12

Our Year 12 VCE students, as well as a significant number of Year 11’s, have done their final preparations for their VCAA written examinations, which commenced with the English exam on October the 31st. All students have been provided with a copy of their individual exam timetables and need to ensure that they arrive at school at least 20-30 minutes before the start of each exam. Students have been informed of equipment that is allowed in each exam as well as exam room rules and regulations. Students have undertaken a thorough program at school to ensure that they are ready to perform at their best in the exams including holiday revision classes, practice exams and revision lectures. Of course, students should have been studying consistently at home as well in the lead up to their exams. Students need to consider their individual exam timetables and work out the best way to prepare for each exam, as some students will have clusters of exams and others will find that they may be more spread out, depending on their program. I wish all students well with the upcoming exams and believe that the school has prepared them very well throughout their senior years so that they can face this challenge with confidence and a high degree of familiarity.

Students in Years 10 and 11 are in the process of completing their studies for semester 2. We have only a short time left before final submission of work and then move into revision before the end of year exams. Students will receive their individual exam timetables and need to ensure that they present on time with required and allowable equipment. These exams replicate and build towards the Year 12 VCE exam experience as far as possible so that students are getting as much preparation as we can offer. Students with clashes or requiring rescheduling of exams must see their Head Of Year or Ms Bastin well in advance to arrange this.

Final progress reports are now available on Compass and it is vital that these reports are read carefully and acted upon where necessary so that the transition to the next year of schooling is a smooth one. Students are required to demonstrate that they have the right attitude, skills and effort to progress to the next level and this is not automatic.

As always, we will run a Jumpstart program to complete the year where students begin next year’s timetable with new classes and teachers. Work in the next year level begins in earnest and it is expected that all students who will be returning in 2019 attend this program.

It is certainly a busy term, however it always seems to pass quickly so it is important that students and parents are familiar with key dates and what lies ahead. These things can be found on the College calendar on our website and also on Compass.

Andrew Wynne Assistant Principal

Years 7-9

Term 4 has seen the Dromana College Junior School buzzing with activity and learning. I make sure that every day I get out amongst the students, both in the classrooms and in the yard, and there is always a positive and dynamic atmosphere in all the junior sub school areas. Over the last few weeks students have been assessed for the progress they have made throughout the year, testing has taken place and the semester has wound up for another year.

This is an important term as it marks a transition for all of our year levels. On November 26, Jumpstart began, and on that day, Year 7 became Year 8, Year 8 became Year 9 and for Year 9 it is the important transition from the junior school to the senior school. Students at first may find this unsettling as they have to adjust to new classmates, new teachers and unfamiliar areas of the school, but it allows for a very smooth start to 2020, with a focus on settling in and achieving their personal best.

The Year 9 transition is significant. As they progress into the senior school, under the leadership of Simon Jones, the Assistant Principal in charge of senior students, and a new team of coordinators, they enter a new world where the focus is clearly on future pathways, of VCE and VCAL and all that goes with these programs. Since Year 7, this cohort have been a wonderful group of students and I look forward to following their progress as they complete their senior years of schooling.

Good luck to all students on these transitions.

Chad Ambrose

Assistant Principal

Learning and Teaching

This year Dromana College completely changed our approach to NAPLAN. Instead of focussing on student’s results, we instead focussed on how much they had improved from Year 7 to Year 9. This change in focus was underpinned by a huge amount of work form our teachers and year level leaders, and the results of this work is unbelievable. Put simply, the amount each Dromana College student improved from Year 7 to Year 9 was more than the average across the state, in all five of the NAPLAN areas. To illustrate this point I want to talk about three Year 9 students: Michael, Beau and Madison. These are their real names, but at their request I will leave out their surnames. These three students improved twice as much as most Australian students. In Year 7 their results for Numeracy were well below Year 7 level, but in the space of two years they have gone from well behind their peers to having caught up to them. An amazing effort that is the result of their hard work and the dedication of their teachers at Dromana College.

I would particularly like to congratulate the:

Year 9 Leaders: Jess Lukies, Liam O’Donnell and Peta McGinley
English Domain Leader Anne Sim and the English staff
Maths Domain Leader Megan Downie and the Maths staff
Learning and Teaching Leaders Jodi Wilson (Numeracy) and Steph Pearce (Literacy)

Finally, a huge congratulations to the Year 9 students whose commitment to doing their personal best and the results achieved, now sit as a shining example to the rest of the school community.

Year 9 News

Semester 2, Year 9 Art