From the Principal Class Team
Dear Parents and Guardians
We have no doubt that many of you would be aware of what a busy time we have had so far this term. Students and staff have been involved in lots of different activities – the Athletics Carnival, Grade 6 Taster Days, the Year 7 Expo, Year 11 Careers Expo, Years 7 & 8 excursions to the zoo and NGV, camps, the Beacon Business Breakfast, iTrack mentoring and the ANZAC Day ceremony. In all of these events, we have been so proud of our students for the leadership they have shown, their sense of community, and the way in which they have modelled the school values. They are a real credit to themselves, their families and their teachers.
Welcome to our new staff
This term, we are very pleased to welcome several new staff to our school. Mr Simon Kardash joins the Information Technology Department; Mr Mark Brosas joins the Wellbeing Team as Student Counsellor; we also welcome Ms Iris Lee and Ms Thuy Ho to our Individual Needs Department in Speech Pathologist and Life Skills Mentor roles respectively; Ms Taylah Bennett joins the Senior Sub School as the Administrative Assistant to the team, and Deb Darvell is our VASS Administrator / Accelerus Officer.
Beacon Business Breakfast
A key event in our Business and Community Partnerships Calendar is the annual Beacon Business Breakfast. This event acknowledges and celebrates the many diverse partnerships we have with businesses and with community organisations, and the significant role that these play in the lives of our students.
On Wednesday 2 May, the Year 10 Beacon Ambassadors, Iqra Siddique, Jennifer Co, Taylah Tran and Promesse Ineza, hosted the 13th Beacon Breakfast, which was attended by over 35 business and community leaders.
Former student and College Captain of 2015, Eangano Singehebhuye, was the key note speaker. As well as studying Biomedical and Exercise Science at Victoria University, Eangano is involved in a range of community projects including The Huddle at North Melbourne Football Club, organising local sports groups, and preparing to walk the Kokoda Trail. Eangano spoke passionately about his years at the school, and about the experiences he was exposed to through programs sponsored by our business partners. He described the impact of these opportunities on his post school pathway and on his outlook on life. Eangano is a true leader, and it was a privilege to have him speak at the Beacon Breakfast.
We also had the pleasure of hearing from Year 12 VCAL students Wendy Truong and Kenny Ly, who outlined the VCAL program and reflected on their work placements and the valuable skills and knowledge they have gained from weekly attendance at their workplace. Wendy and Kenny were excellent representatives of VCAL and the benefit of this program.
Congratulations to Mr Brendan McFarland and Ms Lynda VO for their work in coordinating this excellent event. Together with the Beacon Ambassadors, they are already planning the major business and community partnerships event, the Beacon Bonanza Day to be held on Tuesday, 4 September 2018. This event includes sessions on ‘speed careering’ and we warmly invite community and business people who would like to contribute by speaking with Year 10 students about their careers to contact Brendan McFarland at the College.
Mid Term Progress Reports
Teachers will be completing mid term progress reports in all subjects for students in Years 7 to 12 by Thursday, 17 May. The reports will be made available to parents on Compass by Friday, 25 May.
Students who are at risk of not satisfactorily completing any of their subjects will be interviewed by their Year Level Coordinator to support them to address the issues identified.
Parents will be contacted where a student is at risk in two or more subjects. If you have any concerns about your child’s progress, please don’t hesitate to call their Coordinator.
Similarly, if you need a new Compass password, please contact the Office on 9366 2555, and this will be arranged for you.
Watch this presentation for a demonstration of Compass and where you will find your child's progress report.
Introducing our new School Council
We are pleased to introduce to you our School Council for 2018, following the welcoming of new members and election of office bearers at the March meeting.
Ms Tracy Nero, Community Member, President
Ms Helen Le Tran, Parent Member, Vice President
Ms Kerrie Dowsley, Principal
Mr Quan Nguyen, Community Member
Ms Piera Biondi, Committee Member, DET Employee Member
Ms Cathy Armstrong, Secretary, DET Employee Member
Mr Craig Jennings, Treasurer, DET Employee Member
Ms Lynna Boo, Committee Member, Parent
Ms Vasiliki Havelas, Committee Member, Parent
Ms Jacquie Janceva, Committee Member, Parent
Ms Andrea Mollica, Committee Member, Parent
Ms May Phan, Committee Member, Parent
Vacancy, Parent
Ms Liz Hedger, Business Manager, Visitor
Mr John Coulson, Assistant Principal, Visitor
Ms Tracey D'elton, Assistant Principal, Visitor
The Department of Education has introduced the requirement for schools to have two student representatives on their Council. Mr Billy Rowland, Student Leadership Coordinator, is currently conducting a nomination process for these positions.