Principal's Report
From the Principal
The commencement of Term 4 heralds a time of great challenge, excitement and activity at our College.
As this term unfolds over the next 11 weeks, we complete several crucial assessment tasks across all year levels and seek to consolidate the knowledge gained throughout the year. We will bid farewell to our VCE class of 2022 after they have completed their final VCE exams throughout November. We will welcome our new students during Orientation Day in December and we will further prepare for the academic challenges of 2023 in our VCE Orientation and Advance Programs.
A reminder that Cycle 5 reports will be published in two weeks – please access the Compass Learning Management system to view those reports. Following this, our Year 10 and Year 11 students will commence the final phases of their course studies before preparing for end of semester examinations in November. For our Middle School Year 7-9 students, it is equally as important to ensure that their academic year concludes in a positive and productive fashion that will act as a springboard to continued academic progress in 2023.
I addressed our students in Assemblies last week about the importance of maintaining high expectations in all aspects of college life here at East Doncaster. Such expectations, when coupled with behaviours and a mindset that embodies the values of the College, set the foundation for the consistent successes we enjoy at our College. I observed that with such tremendous disruption and challenge in the past two years, the College-wide messaging of such expectations and goals have most probably and understandably not been as central or as clearly understood. This would especially be the case for our Middle School students who entered the College in times of turmoil and uncertainty. I reinforced my firm belief that real and meaningful learning takes application and above all, effort. With such application and effort, I maintain that anything is possible and we should not put boundaries upon what we can achieve. I also observed that when such expectations are not upheld, when such application or effort is not evident or when the College values are not consistently and reasonably applied, it is then that we experience a disconnect and decline in behaviours or learning outcomes. We should, and I think we do, regularly celebrate all manner of achievement and progress at East Doncaster Secondary College, however, it is always very important to reflect and focus upon the crucial elements that most contribute to such positive outcomes.
Finally, I observed that there can be a tendency during term 4 of a school year to taper off and, at times, reduce such effort and application. My challenge to all our students was to finish this year as we mean to start next year – with a sense of optimism and with their learning progress at a standard that will enable and ensure further growth and improvement in 2023.
The VCE Class of 2022
Our VCE Unit 3 & 4 students are in their final preparations for their upcoming examinations, which for most students begin on Wednesday 26 October with the English/EAL examination.
Last week we conducted an assembly with our Year 12 students and spoke to the students about expectations for behaviour and protocols for the upcoming examinations. Our Coordinators took the opportunity of reminding our Year 12 students of their responsibility to continue to be EDSC citizens and community members who show courtesy and respect to our students and school, and the wider community, in their celebratory events over the next few weeks.
On Monday evening we opened our Annual VCE Art & Technology Exhibition with the presentation of student work in The John Landy Centre. An exciting and diverse range of Art, Visual Communication Design and Product Design & Technology folios was on display, a result of the creative processes of our Year 12 and 11 students who have undertaken Unit 3 & 4 VCD, Product Design & Technology and Studio Arts studies in 2022. The standard of the displays, including the Media Studies films - displayed on Tuesday evening in the Performing Arts Centre, was once again very high and a testament to the effort of our students and the technical support, mentoring and guidance of our teachers. Thank-you to Warwick Bennett, Brett Lamb, Gene Easton, Rebecca Parker, Ebony Pham and all the Arts and Technology teachers involved in these events.
Next week, our Year 12 students are engaged in a series of “Master Classes” to provide final focus and revision activities for our students as they strive to be fully ready to meet the challenges of the examination period.
This stage of the year can be quite demanding for our students and their families. In such circumstances, experience suggests that it is best to attend carefully to the basics – this includes establishing and implementing a study plan, ensuring a balanced diet and regular sleep patterns, maintaining periods of recreation to clear the mind and relax and turning off mobile phones and social media forums whilst studying or sleeping. Finally, it is important to make use of the availability of teachers for support and guidance right up to the exam itself. The fantastic resources and last-minute tips provided by teachers can be overlooked or under-estimated in this busy period, however, I would encourage all students to maximise the use of their best resource – their teachers.
On Tuesday 18 October, we will conduct our Valedictory Dinner for students and their parents at The Grand Receptions, 90 Cathies Lane, Wantirna South, before conducting our Final Assembly once again for students and their families, which will commence at 11.00 am on Friday 21 October in our Sports Stadium.
Our Year 12 students have had to endure significant challenges to their education over the past three years– all their time as Senior School students at our College. Throughout this, they have been respectful and supportive of each other, our teachers, our College and what we are trying to do for them and all students of EDSC. They are warm and considerate young people who are already maturing to fine young citizens and I wish them all the very best for their future pathways.
On behalf of our College community, I sincerely wish our students all the best in their examinations.
Please note that due to the Final Assembly and the celebrations we will undertake with our Year 12 students on Friday 21 October, all students in Years 7-11 will be dismissed from the College at the conclusion of Period 4 (12.40 pm).
The Beatles Spring Music Concerts
Our annual Spring Music Concerts returned to our Performing Arts Centre on Thursday evening with two concerts presented. These concerts were a wonderful celebration of our Instrumental Music program and offered something for young and old with the music of the famous English band ‘The Beatles’ being recognised as the central theme.
Congratulations is extended to all students and their teachers for presenting an exciting and musically varied event. Special thanks to music director Norm Grimmett and Head of Instrumental Music, Carl Williams for their organisation of the evening. The night was compered by our Music Captains Sadaf A and Samantha C who did a wonderful job educating the audience about the musical items selected. Highlights included a well-deserved recognition of the Year 12 Instrumental Music students who were involved in their final concert performance at our College and an uplifting finale with all ensembles included.
Norm Grimmett acknowledged the support of the parent community, in particular the parents of our Year 12 graduates. Our wonderful Parents and Friends Association provided tea and coffee at interval break between concerts - thank you to those who attended.
Mobile Phone Policy
The Department of Education has asked schools to remind their communities of the State-wide ban of mobile phones during the course of school days.
All College community member should be aware that the Department of Education mandated a policy that establishes from Term 1 2020:
- students who bring mobiles phones to school must have them switched off and securely stored during school hours
- the school must provide secure storage for mobile phones that are brought to school.
Exceptions to the policy may be applied if certain conditions are met.
Schools have been required to develop a local mobile phone policy, as we have done from the commencement of 2020, that must include how this ministerial policy will be implemented. Schools will manage non-compliance in accordance with their existing student engagement policies.
This policy is a state-wide mandate. We are being directed to implement this.
With the severe challenges of the past three years, it is understandable that this policy has not been front of centre of normal College operations. It would seem, however, to be timely reminder to all staff, students and parents and we would ask for the support of all parents in assisting us to implement this policy.
Professional Practice Day - Monday 31 October
The Department of Education and Training has advised schools to hold each teacher’s allocated professional practice day on the same day for all staff in Term 4. As a result of this directive, Monday 31 October has been scheduled for our Professional Practice Day. Students will therefore not be required to attend school on this day. If circumstances arise that would require child supervision on this day, parents and guardians are asked to contact the College with a written request by Monday 24 October.
Teachers will be leaving lesson plans for students to follow on Compass. Work left for students to complete will focus on consolidation and revision activities rather than new content.
Outstanding Student Achievement
EDSC Success at EMR Track and Field Championships!
A small team of EDSC students proudly represented our College at the Regional Track & Field Championships last Tuesday. A more detailed report on this day can be read later in this Newsletter on the Sports News page, however I wanted to both acknowledge and congratulate the students who participated on this day.
A special mention is afforded to Allegria B who won the 12-13 Years Girls Long Jump, Callum O who won the 18-20 Years Boys High Jump and Flynn W who finished second in the 16 Years Boys 1500m – all making to the SSV State Track and Field Championships to be held on Monday 17 October at Lakeside Stadium (Albert Park).
We wish them well!
After the region and state events were cancelled in 2020 and 2021, it was great to once again see our students participating in track and field at this level and doing extremely well!
Congratulations to these students and the rest of the team that represented the College on the day!
Tennis Success
It is wonderful to able to report that the achievements on the tennis court from our Year 8 student, Jiwoo P, continue to be impressive.
Jiwoo recently won both the singles and doubles events at the 2022 Williamstown Bayside Tennis Junior Zone Event held over the school holiday period.
Additionally, Jiwoo has been invited to participate in the Pat Pearce Memorial Shield Junior Carnival as a representative player of the East region tennis team - one of the four teams in Victoria. It is considered an honour and a real achievement to be invited to play as a representative player of the region.
We wish Jiwoo all the best for her continued success on the tennis court – well done, Jiwoo!
John Roberts
Principal
2022 Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey
Our school is conducting a survey to find out what parents/caregivers/guardians think of our school. The Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education and Training that is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behavior, and student engagement. We encourage all families to participate in this survey. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies.
A random sample of approximately 30 per cent of parents/caregivers/guardians have been selected to participate in this year’s survey, which has been sent via email.
The Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey will be conducted from Monday 15th August to Friday 16th September.
The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the fieldwork period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. The online survey will be available in a range of languages other than English. These include Arabic, Vietnamese, Simplified Chinese, Chin (Hakha), Hindi, Japanese, Somali, Turkish, Punjabi and Greek.
The survey results will be reported back to our school at the end of September. This information is then published in the College’s Annual Report to the Schools Community, which is published on the EDSC website and updated at the end of Term 1 every year.
If you have any further queries regarding this survey, please contact Reception.
Advertise in our College Newsletter
Do you have a business or are you part of a community organisation?
Do you want to reach over 1,000 families in the area every fortnight?
Our fortnightly e-newsletter has space available at either A5 or full page and can include direct links to your website (no social media sites).
Pricing:
$25 - A5 size per edition
$50 - A4 full page per edition
$10 – for community groups A5 size per edition
$200 - per term
$700 - per year
Email the attached form to
east.doncaster.sc@education.vic.gov.au or contact us on 9842-2244 for more information.
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.