Assistant Principals' Reports 

DREW KING

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL 

JUNIOR SCHOOL 

With the official start to spring and the nearing of the September holidays there is a real buzz in the air around the school.

One of the many highlights of Term 3 for the year 7 students was seeing the students connect with the local community as part of the Community Engagement Program. Once again, students impressed us with their willingness to get involved as they participated in small actions that can make a big difference within Dromana College and in the local suburbs of the Mornington Peninsula.

Term three, for year 8 started with the respectful relationship’s curriculum where students focused on respect for self and respect for others. To start, the students wrote letters to their future selves about what they liked about themselves and what they wanted to achieve in the future, these were then sealed up for them to read at the end of year twelve! They then focused on respect for others where they completed team building activities and participated in the Flourish Girl and Man Cave incursions. 

Throughout this year the Year nine students undertook a new initiative called the Empowerment Project set up by Miss Grant and Mr McLaren, where each student is assigned a mentor teacher and together, they write an Individual Learning Plan and set four goals for the coming year. After two years of difficult circumstances this is designed to cater their educational experience to their own learning interests and intentions. This term students have been reflecting on those four goals and why they were either achieved or not achieved and why. This initiative has been met with great success, with students showing such maturity and capacity to understand their own purpose in school. 

Once again, I would like to thank all the students and staff for their hard work and commitment in making Dromana College one of the leaders in education on the Mornington Peninsula. 

Have a wonderful and safe holiday break . 

STEPHANIE PEARCE 

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL 

TEACHING AND LEARNING

It is hard to believe we are at the end of Term 3! This term we received our Attitudes to School Survey results for 2022, and what a cause for celebration they were! As a learning community we can be proud to have growth across all key measures from Years 7-12, and positive endorsement above 75% for our learning targets of motivation and interest, stimulated learning as well as effective teaching time. Thank you to our students for their honesty, feedback, and reflection. Our commitment now is to effectively respond to this data to ensure Dromana College remains a school that supports all students to feel safe, happy, and successful in their learning environment. 

Our student leaders, under the guidance of Student Leadership Leader Alex Woolley, developed and implemented a Teach the Teacher workshop for staff this term in which students brought their voice into discussions for school improvement in their chosen area of developing study skills. It was a very well-received professional learning opportunity, and I speak on behalf of all staff when I say how appreciative we are for the time and effort the students gave to this meeting. We are already looking forward to the next one!

Our scheduled Curriculum Day this term focused on Effective Differentiation and Individualised Learning. We heard from William De Jean who re-energised us all to ask ‘Who is lifting the weights’ in our classrooms. This is a question that has defined our teaching and learning culture for several years, so it was great to welcome William back as we consider the next steps in our journey. I would like to extend thanks to our Professional Learning Team for their hard work and organisation in bringing this day together. 

The development of the 2023 book list is currently underway. New subjects and resources have been added to further enrich the breadth of our learning program across Year 7-12. The book list will be available to families on Friday 28th October. More information will be communicated via Compass early next term. 

Lastly, thank you again to the whole college community for your ongoing support during what always proves to be a busy term. Enjoy the break and I look forward to a positive and strong finish to Term 4 once we return. 

SIMON JONES

ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL 

SENIOR SCHOOL 

It has been a very busy term. The recent Year 10 formal at the Frankston Arts Centre was a great success and thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended. The students all looked fantastic and great fun was had by all. Well done year 10 and to Mrs O’Toole who organized the event with her committee of dedicated students.

The GAT exam (General Achievement Test) took place on the 7th September in a new format. Year 12 VCAL students sat Section A which assesses skills in literacy and numeracy against new standards introduced this year. Year 12 VCE students and year 11’s doing a year 12 study also sat Section B which tests general knowledge and skills. For VCE students the GAT is also used to check that VCE external assessments have been accurately and fairly assessed and can be used if a derived exam score is required. Students have been given a GAT brochure outlining all details.

Our year 12 VCAL students left us at the end of term and will then begin their post-school journey. We wish them all the very best in their future endeavours whether it be further study or venturing into the world of work and thank them all for their individual contributions throughout their time at Dromana.