Principal Introduction
Dear Students, Parents and Carers,
This week, EMC in collaboration with the THRIVE network and the St Kilda Football Club, proudly welcomed Dr. Ben Robbins, the Head of Mental Health & Wellbeing at St Kilda Football club, to speak to our community. Ben discussed key strategies to support the mental fitness required in our everyday lives. He provided practical strategies and everyday explanations on how we can improve our mental fitness and in turn, enhance our daily performance. Ben described the red brain negative thoughts and distractions and the blue brain focus and how we can spend more time each day using the blue part of our brain. His examples drew on the application in an elite sporting setting and he articulately showed how these strategies can be applied to every aspect of our daily lives, leading to higher levels of engagement, fulfillment and success. The great news is that EMC is building these strategies into our curriculum and supporting our students to THRIVE and providing them with the tool kit to deal with red brain moments.
This term we have seen several of our sporting teams experience outstanding success, with the Yr 7 Girls Softball team and the Yr 9 Soccer team making to state finals. I would like to congratulate all students that have represented our College with pride and participated with such enthusiasm and determination. We are very proud of your effort no matter the outcome. I would like to thank the sport coordinators for their work in creating these opportunities and the coaches that have supported so many students to be prepared and ready for competition.
This year the Victorian Government has released a new set of Child Safe Standards. Currently the College is contextualizing these standards and will be launching new Child Safe policies in Term Three. These policies are in place to support the young adults in our care and provide a clear framework of support and action. Key changes include new requirements which will:
- involve families and communities in organisations’ efforts to keep children and young people safe
- have a greater focus on safety for Aboriginal children and young people
- manage the risk of child abuse in online environments
- have greater clarity on the governance, systems and processes to keep children and young people safe.
More information about the standards can be found at https://ccyp.vic.gov.au/assets/resources/New-CSS/New-Child-Safe-Standards-Information-Sheet.pdf
Homework / Study policy - as we emerge from COVID and lockdowns it is important that our students develop the routines and strategies that will support their learning and accelerate their achievement of outcomes. The College is in the process of developing and ratifying a homework/study policy which frames the high expectations that we have for learning and the support that can be provided at home to ensure that students are successful in their learning. We know that moving information and skills from short term to long term memory requires multiple exposures and practice at home will support students to retain the learning covered in class. This will give students confidence when performing on assessments. This policy is directly related to our new vision statement and values. We want every child to realise their potential, and be proud of their learning.
Our College has recently established a new vision, purpose and set of values.
Vision:
An inclusive environment that supports our community to realise their potential.
Purpose:
By creating curious and resilient learners who excel in a connected and global community.
Values:
Respect, Empowerment, Aspirations, Courage and Honesty
These values will be unpacked during Semester Two. With an initial focus on Respect - students know Respect is important but they sometimes struggle to define what Respect is and how we demonstrate it in our behaviour and actions. We will work with our student community so that we have a common understanding of the concept of Respect for Self, Others and our Environment. In preparation for this important work, I ask that you provide opportunities where your child can build their knowledge and understanding of this important value.
Our College continues to be innovative and supportive of personal, social and academic needs of our community. This term we have employed a health promotion expert to support the College to bring together and enhance current health and well-being initiatives to support a whole-of-school approach to health and well-being. With the goal of enabling students to increase control over, and to improve their health. Students will explore seven key health areas, which include:
- Healthy Eating and Oral Health
- Physical Activity and Movement
- Sexual Health and Wellbeing
- Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Sun Protection
- Safe Environments
- Tobacco, Alcohol and Other Drugs.
Based on the World Health Organization's Health Promoting Schools model and aligned to key policies and guidelines including the Victorian Curriculum, Framework for Improved Student Outcomes and School Improvement Framework.
When we combine this with the pathway program, THRIVE Positive Education framework, and School Wide positive behaviour framework we supporting students to develop the skills, knowledge and attributes for success in school and life.
At our curriculum day we launched a new literacy strategy called Functional Language Framework - 3L Language and Literacy for Learning. This is an evidence based literacy framework which will see teachers across all curriculum areas delivering the skills required for students to engage with the specific language and language patterns of the content (reading) in each domain so that students can access the understandings of the content and express their knowledge and understand of the content (writing). This will help promote academic achievement and performance. It is a significant investment by the College to ensure that all students develop their literacy skills required in learning.
Finally, I wanted to thank the community for their continued support during an incredibly busy Term Two. We have successfully navigated a term full of learning and school based activities, emerging ready and positive for a massive Term Three. Next term we see the launch of the new Victorian Government School Agreement. This will see the continued implementation of Professional Practice Days for teachers and we will look to reduce the impact of this absence on student learning. I hope that Term Three sees the end of the COVID and Flu cycle and students are well and ready for learning.
Kind regards,
Dean King
Principal