Principal's Report

From the Principal

As we move towards the last weeks of the term and the semester, we are commencing a peak time for student assessment, which may see some of our students feeling slightly anxious and apprehensive. It is important to listen attentively to your sons and daughters and to use this time as a teaching moment and a learning experience. As parents you can assist your children, our students, to build their self-management skills by working with them on strategies to help organise their time effectively, to identify the ways they best organise and revise for tests and exams and by working with them on breaking down extended, more complex tasks. The resilience developed during these busy weeks of a school term is a valuable tool to prepare our young people for the challenging rigours of VCE and Tertiary examinations and the multitude of tasks within the workforce in later years. As stressful as these moments may seem, and that is genuine, they can lay a positive platform for the coping mechanisms and organisational skills that we develop as adolescents moving into adulthood.

In developing these approaches, our students will feel more confident. Students who are completing semester exams are encouraged to prepare a study timetable and to find a study space away from distraction and interruption. Please do not hesitate to contact your sons' and daughters’ subject teachers if you have any questions about their learning program or for further information on study techniques.

National Reconciliation Week (NRW)

This week we have celebrated National Reconciliation Week (NRW), which is held annually from 27 May to 3 June. These dates mark two significant reconciliation journey milestones – the successful 1967 referendum and the High Court Mabo decision, respectively. This year’s NRW theme is Be Brave. Make Change. It is a challenge to us all to Be Brave and tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation so we can Make Change for all.  To do this, Reconciliation Australia is asking everyone to make change, beginning with brave actions in their daily lives – where they live, work and socialise.

During National Reconciliation Week our teachers in selected subjects and Student Leadership Team have provided a range of opportunities for students and staff to learn about our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ shared histories, cultures and achievements. 

As a College, we still have a lot to learn about the journey and challenges of our First Nations peoples, both in the past and in the present. We look forward to and are committed to these learnings. 

New Victorian Child Safe Standards and Ministerial Order No. 1359

In July 2021, the Victorian Government announced that 11 new Child Safe Standards (CSS) will replace Victoria’s seven current Child Safe Standards and principles from Friday 1 July 2022. These new Child Safe Standards are more closely aligned with the National Principles for Child Safe Organisations. For more details about the standards and the changes taking place from 1 July, please refer to the Commission for Children and Young People (CCYP) information sheet via the link below. 

New-Child-Safe-Standards-Information-Sheet.pdf

Our College Administration and Leadership teams have been focusing on the transition to the new standards and will present our updated policy on the new Victorian Child Safe Standards and Ministerial Order No. 1359 to the College School Council at our June meeting. We will continue to work together as a community to further strengthen our culture of child safety and wellbeing at the College. 

 Year 9 City Experience

Last week has once again seen our Year 9 students participating in the College’s City Experience program. Students from 9G-9L were challenged to expand their knowledge of the City and the many interesting and important places it contains in a manner that helped to develop their independence and sense of self-responsibility. During their week in the city, the students participated in an Amazing Race, visited Sea Life display at the Melbourne Aquarium, Old Magistrates Court, The Royal Botanic Gardens, The Shrine of Remembrance, The MCG, Old Melbourne Gaol, City Watch-House, the Koorie Heritage Tour and the Queen Victoria Market.

In between the tram trips around the city precinct, the walking trails along Bourke, William, Flinders and Collins Streets, the lunchtime stops at the food-courts, a little window shopping and the entertainment from the city buskers, our students had the opportunity to participate in an array of enjoyable and educational pursuits that certainly expand their horizons from the immediate sphere of our local community. For many of our students this experience sets a real benchmark in their independence and adds a level of confidence in their ability to successfully operate in the wider margins of our community. Indeed, this experience becomes pivotal in preparing our students for the challenges of our Work Experience Program in Year 10.

Congratulations should be extended to our Year 9 students for the manner in which they represented the College in the city both this week and earlier in Term 2, our staff members who supervised the program and to the Year 9 Coordinators, Adam Robb, Giulia Catalano and Kate Hesselmans, along with our Head of Middle School, Justin Bond and Middle School secretary Bree Murphy for their organisation and management of the program. 

Victoria’s Senior Secondary Education is changing

From 2023, the new VCE Vocational Major will replace Intermediate and Senior VCAL. This means the VCE will recognise different students equally. Students will have more education choices, a higher-quality curriculum and better workplace experiences – preparing them for further study, training at TAFE or work.

From 2023, more students will study the VCE. That is because the VCE will include the Vocational Major, a 2-year program that sits within the VCE. Next year, some schools will also be offering the Victorian Pathways Certificate for those who need flexibility in their learning. An information and awareness campaign, Many Talents, One VCE has recently been released by the Department of Education explaining the changes.

These changes are a result of the Review into Vocational and Applied Learning Pathways in Senior Secondary Schooling (the Firth review). The review found that needed to be improvement in accessing and undertaking vocational learning in schools. Schools currently offering VCAL will switch to the VCE Vocational Major from 2023. At East Doncaster Secondary College next year, we will be offering VCE Vocational Major. Some schools that do not offer VCAL will expand their options to include the VCE Vocational Major. Our Pathways Coordination Team are available to answer questions and to support EDSC students as they make decisions about their final years at school. Now students will have greater access to high-quality, relevant vocational education and applied learning opportunities. For more information, go to vic.gov.au/oneVCE

Winter Warmers Music Concert

A reminder that our Winter Warmers Music Concerts will be conducted next Tuesday (7 June). After a few years of being unable to offer live music concerts to our College community. It is with great anticipation that we welcome back our Instrumental music students and ensemble to the stage of our Performing Arts Centre.

Winter Concert 1

6:45-7:45pm

Showcased in the College Performing Arts Centre featuring the premiere of this year’s Beginner Band, as well as the Clarinet Ensemble, Senior Vocal Group, String Group and Symphonic Band.

Winter Concert 2

8:30-9:30pm

Showcased in the College Performing Arts Centre featuring the premiere of the 2022 Junior Strings, as well as the Chamber Strings, Concert Band, Euphonix Vocal Group, and the Stage Band.

Please note that EDSC Parents and Friends Association will be selling refreshments between the two concerts.

Big Freeze at EDSC Special Event 

A further reminder that the East Doncaster Secondary College community is once again involved in raising funds for the Fight MND campaign this year.

A team of students and staff are working behind the scenes to raise funds for this great cause. As has become a College tradition, the top fundraisers and some special guests on the day will be invited to complete the ‘Ice-Bucket Challenge’ on our Big Freeze Day – Thursday 9 June.

Students and families are also able donate via our specialised link;

https://hub.fightmnd.org.au/diy-big-freeze-8/edsc (click join team) or donate by clicking 'give now'.  Remember no amount is too big or small to fund vital research to help find a cure for MND. Please see below for an excerpt from the MND website:

“More than 2,000 Australians are currently living with MND. The disease causes the nerve cells controlling movement, speech, breathing and swallowing to slowly die. Thanks to the (fundraising) work of Neale Daniher and the Daniher family, two new drug trials have commenced and another two are scheduled to begin later this year. The Daniher’s are calling on all Australians to continue to support the cause, so enough funds can be raised as quickly as possible, so that every Australian MND patient can access a new drug trial.”

Reporting and Assessment Day – Friday 24 June

I would ask that students and parents please note that Friday 25 June will be a pupil-free day as our teachers are given the opportunity of completing learning task and examination corrections and commencing their Cycle 3 reports.

This day, the last day of Term 2, has seen our planning for events in this term somewhat compromised and complicated due to this term only being a nine-week term (instead of the usual ten-week block that is usually available).

It is firmly acknowledged that pupil-free days in either the last or first week of terms are not viewed as an ideal fit. It is not envisaged that we continue with this practice and timeline in future years.

Visitors to the school – a reminder of our College policies

East Doncaster Secondary College seeks to provide the community with an open and friendly learning environment. At the same time, one of our highest priorities is to ensure the safety of our students, staff and resources. We thank you for your cooperation in adhering to the following visitation policies and procedures:

• All visitors must report to the General Office upon arrival.
• If you are a parent or guardian who needs to contact your child, the reception staff will provide assistance.
• Only people attending on official school business will be permitted to enter the school grounds.
• Visitors are not permitted to enter the school grounds unless supervised by a member of staff.
• As our teaching staff have timetabled commitments, it is important prior appointments are made.
• Upon arrival, all official visitors and contractors must log their presence by signing in at the touch screen kiosk located in the General Office.
• Visitors must also sign out using their visitor pass on departure.

Parents and Friends Association

I wanted to pay a special tribute to the wonderful members of our Parents and Friends Association for their ongoing support and willingness to offer positive ideas and involvement in many areas of our College life, as recently evidenced by their Bunnings and Election Day Sausage sizzles and their operating of the refreshment canteen next Tuesday evening at our Music Concert. The time our parents commit in these events is substantial and warmly appreciated.

I hope that all readers have been noting the information on the PFA page of our College Newsletter and would strongly recommend that you have a look at their dedicated space in this edition of our Newsletter to get an indication of their contributions.

Thanks, yet again, to our PFA!

John Roberts

Principal

Parent Payment arrangements for 2022

The Parent Payment arrangements for 2022 are available via Compass on your home page under “Course Confirmation/Payments”.

Payments can be made through Compass or directly to the College via credit card or cash using the College Payment Envelope (when the General Office re-opens to parents).

If you do not wish to pay via Compass, please ensure you return a copy of the completed form to the General Office, available under “pay in person at the school” link at the bottom of the page in Course Confirmations/Payments, or you can request a copy from the College via 

parentpayments@eastdonsc.vic.edu.au

Payments were due by Tuesday 23 November 2021

Your ongoing support of the College allows us to continue to offer a broad range of programs and enhanced curriculum experiences.

Please refer to the attached Parent Payments Policy and further links to information via 

https://www2.education.vic.gov.au/pal/parent-payment/policy

College Philosophy

At East Doncaster Secondary College we have a strong tradition of academic excellence and we aim to promote and sustain a reflective learning culture. We want students to experience a sense of achievement and growth in their academic, personal, social and emotional development. We have high expectations of our students’ commitment to being mutually supportive and striving for success as learners. We are proudly multicultural with a student population from 43 nationalities including a number of International Students. 68% of our students speak a language other than English at home.

A student’s life at school is full of opportunities, being rich and varied with a range of co-curricular activities in music, sport, productions, debating, clubs as well as camps and international experiences for the educational and personal development of students. Our students are vibrant, energetic, and talented young people. There are many student leadership opportunities and we aim to continue to increase student access to decision-making and self-determination as learners.

We endeavour to create a "Culture of Curiosity" with goals of ensuring learning improvement for every student – every student, every period, every day.

Our school’s purpose is to develop passionate learners who are critical thinkers with the confidence and capability to engage in the global community.

Care and Compassion, Curiosity, Excellence, Fairness, Resilience, Respect and Teamwork are the core values that underpin the culture of our school as we embrace the challenges of 21st Century learning.

We aim to sustain a learning culture that provides every student with a sense of achievement and of being their best in their academic, personal, social and emotional development.

Privacy and Data at East Doncaster Secondary College

East Doncaster Secondary College uses a number of digital platforms to support your child’s education, such as Compass, Google Drive and Office 365. 

The College has an Information Security Policy and complies with the Department of Education and Training Privacy Policy.  Click on the below link to access these documents.