COLLEGE PROSPECTUS - Drouin Secondary College · specialised learning facilities including: flexible learning areas, senior study centre, science and visual arts hubs, library, auditorium,

SECONDARYC O L L E G E

C O L L E G E P R O S P E C T U S

2 | DROUIN SECONDARY COLLEGE

We have a positive learning culture which is focused on student achievement alongside the building of positive relationships.

COLLEGE PROSPECTUS | 3

Our students’ learning and wellbeing are at the centre of everything we do. We are a well established college that continues to be forward looking and dynamic. We offer the highest quality educational opportunities for all students in our community. We emphasise the power of a strong partnership between our students, staff, parents and the local community.

The College culture is based on our vision and our core values. Our vision states: “Drouin Secondary College is committed to ensuring every student develops the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to positively contribute as a responsible and caring citizen of a changing global community.” Our four core values of Achievement, Respect, Commitment and Community are integral in our day to day life at the College.

At Drouin Secondary College we know all children can learn and achieve learning growth. We have a positive learning culture which is focused on student achievement alongside the building of positive relationships. We work proactively to ensure the young people in our care develop the personal confidence and resilience they need as they grow into young adults.

From Year 8 each student begins their individual pathway. Their course and subject choice is informed by the students’ interests, strengths and needs. Student choice is essential in creating their pathway as is the expert advice of our Pathways Advisers and teachers.

I look forward to welcoming your child and family into the Drouin Secondary College learning community.

Deb Gentle Principal

WELCOME TO

DROUIN SECONDARY COLLEGE


P R I N C I P A L ’ S W E L C O M E


Dear Future DSC Student,

High school is one of the best times of your life. Friends, fun and learning are all aspects that make it one of the most rewarding experiences - and we hope new students will see the beginning of the next chapter of their lives in this light.

First, we’d like to tell you about the excellent academic opportunities that are offered at Drouin Secondary College. Here, you are given the opportunity to accelerate your learning and complete one or more subjects a year early. This will not only give you confidence in your own abilities, but allow you to develop relationships with older students and students with similar interests. In the later years of school these subjects may also contribute to your final Year 12 score.

If you prefer more hands-on activities there are also opportunities to complete classes such as metalwork, woodwork and art as well as programs in which extra camps and team building activities are offered.

There are lots of activities outside class. These include school camps, athletics and swimming days, school productions, choir, football, basketball, netball, soccer, hockey, chess club, art club, debating and many more.

Drouin Secondary has amazing facilities open for use by all students. We have a massive gym, basketball courts, swimming pool, auditorium, music room, library and oval, so you will always have something fun to do at recess and lunch. Also our classrooms are very nice and great to learn in.

And of course we have incredible teachers. Teachers at Drouin Secondary College are not only extremely knowledgeable, but always approachable. At this school you will find that teachers go out of their way to assist you in every aspect of your learning. The teachers also maintain contact with parents, especially in the early years - informing them of important student progress.

Overall, Drouin Secondary College is a terrific choice for students of all talents and interests. We wish you the best of luck and we hope you find our college as rewarding and memorable as we have.

DSC Student Leaders

FROM OUR

STUDENT LEADERSSECONDARYC O L L E G E


Drouin Secondary College is a terrific choice for students of

all talents and interests.


With a growing student population of over 1000 students, our size allows us to maintain a community feel while offering a wide range of subjects, opportunities, pathways, and co-curricular activities, effectively catering for students’ strengths and interests.

The College has a 21st Century approach to curriculum delivery with a strong focus on literacy, numeracy, creativity, thinking and the provision of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Other strengths include a stable, motivated, talented and committed staff and excellent facilities. Our teaching and support staff continually improve their practice through the completion and sharing of targeted professional development based on best practice and research.

The College has a wide range of excellent and specialised learning facilities including: flexible learning areas, senior study centre, science and visual arts hubs, library, auditorium, dance studio and a commercial training kitchen and restaurant. Sporting facilities include a double court stadium, heated swimming pool, oval, hockey field and basketball/netball/tennis courts.

In early 2019, the College completed a $4.5 million building project to develop 21st century learning environments and to accommodate our growing numbers of students. The new buildings have further enhanced our facilities and include a new canteen and a Learning Centre with seven flexible classrooms and an open learning space.

We will continue to grow and improve for the benefit of the students in our college and community both now and in the future.

The College has a wide range of excellent and specialised

learning facilities.

A SNAPSHOT OF

DSCSECONDARYC O L L E G E



Our Vision:

Drouin Secondary College is committed to ensuring every student develops the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed to positively contribute as responsible and caring citizens of a changing, global community.

We believe each core value can be expressed simply in the following statements:

Achievement

o We value and pursue excellence

o We encourage critical thought and questioning

o We have a growth mindset

o We are risk takers and problem solvers

o We make connections between learning in different contexts

Respect

o We build positive relationships

o We are not afraid to express ourselves

o We show compassion for ourselves and others

Commitment

o We value effort and endeavour

o We are resilient

o We seek joy in learning

o We seek to understand ourselves as learners

Community

o We build partnerships with our community

o We embrace diversity

o We help each other

o We are lifelong learners

OUR

VISION AND VALUESSECONDARYC O L L E G E


PARTNERSHIPS WITH

PARENTSSECONDARYC O L L E G E

The College has excellent teachers who work in Professional Learning Teams to continually reflect on and to improve their practice as “lifelong learners”.

Effective teachers at Drouin Secondary College:

1. Are enthusiastic and passionate about student’s learning and their own learning.

2. Have a range of relevant experiences and an in-depth knowledge of content, along with good communication and organisational skills.

3. Positively engage students in learning, providing a range of teaching and learning activities that are relevant to students, which develop thinking and deep understanding.

4. Encourage wellbeing by building positive, caring relationships.

5. Monitor student progress by providing regular, quality feedback to students and parents.

6. Have high expectations of themselves, colleagues and students.

Positive partnerships with families require trust and good communication. Our Learning Group Leaders spend time getting to know the students in their care and their families. Parents have access to an online portal for Moodle and Sentral where they can see their child’s timetable, homework, academic progress, attendance and progress reports.

We encourage parents to be involved in college life through volunteering, reading the Drouin Secondary College News (DSCN) and following events on Twitter or Facebook. We run information sessions for transition into Year 7 and for course selection in later years.

Parents are welcome to contact teachers by email or to make appointments for meetings.

OUR

STAFFSECONDARYC O L L E G E


The structure of our Year 7 program offers all students a core curriculum, which includes a broad selection of arts and technology units. The Accelerated Pathways Program (APP) offers high achieving students a challenging pathway from Year 7 onwards.

The College personalises learning by tailoring pathways for students from Year 8 to 12 by way of a flexible vertical blocking system. Our structure allows for students to accelerate their learning in their pathways of interest and ability. Many middle year units combine both Year 8 and 9 students in the same unit. There are pathways provided at these levels to allow gifted and talented students to access enhancement studies, with many Year 8 and 9 students accessing units at the next level.

Year 10 is considered the first year of a senior pathway where students have a broad range of choices including enhancement VCE units and VET units. We have continued to broaden pathways and to enhance the delivery of our senior years programs at Year 11 and 12 including the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE), Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL), Vocational Education and Training (VET) and Headstart. The College currently offers 35 VCE study options for students as well as VCAL classes at the Intermediate and Senior level and four onsite VET subjects.

The College also provides extra support and interventions in a range of areas. We have an Intervention Team supporting students with disabilities and students requiring Literacy and Numeracy support. We use extra resources to program specialist interventions programs including a “Hands On Learning” program at Year 8 and a Year 9 Trade Pathways Program.

DIVERSE AND TAILORED

CURRICULUMSECONDARYC O L L E G E



Drouin Secondary College identifies supportive and positive relationships between students, staff, parents and the wider community as being vital to the success of young people. We aim to acknowledge and celebrate student achievement, success, improvement and self-awareness.

We believe a school wide positive behaviour approach to student wellbeing is fundamental to reinforcing the College values of “Achievement”, “Respect”, “Commitment” and “Community”. This framework assists in the development of pathways aimed to encourage engagement, purpose, direction and the development of lifelong learners. In 2017, the College became a lead school for the Respectful Relationships Program, which supports curriculum and a positive school culture.

Teaching, modelling and, importantly, rewarding positive behaviour in all aspects of student lives promotes connectedness at College level and in the wider community, and enhances learning opportunities. We encourage young people to develop skills and knowledge that makes connections between the educational programs on offer and their future aspirations and pathways.

Our Whole School Restorative Wellbeing and Learning Culture

We realise that a successful learning culture can only be achieved with a balance of proactive and reactive strategies. We prioritise positive relationships as the foundation for students’ readiness to learn and establishing a positive learning culture is the underpinning Key Element in our Learning Culture Plan.

LEARNING

CULTURE

NETBOOK

PROGRAM



The College has a school wide 1 to 1 netbook program where all students in Year 7 and 10 receive a new netbook for their use both at school and at home. The students will keep possession and have responsibility for these netbooks over each three year period.

The installation of ICT infrastructure such as data projectors and a College wide wireless network and a comprehensive Learning Management System have further enhanced the learning environment for all our students.

The College online curriculum can be accessed by students and parents 24/7 enabling “Learning, Anytime, Anywhere”.


Our partnership with the Drouin Cluster of Schools supports the transition process from our primary schools and includes a comprehensive orientation program. This ensures teachers understand our new students and can support them in feeling confident in their new school.

We also build connections with local primary schools by our students visiting these schools to participate in various programs such as Science in a Suitcase and Sports

activities. We run an Information Day & Evening in May and two Orientation Days in December. Additionally we have a program offering additional transition days for students needing a higher level of support.

We take the time necessary to know and understand our new students whether they are entering Year 7 or a higher level.

CONFIDENT

TRANSITIONSECONDARYC O L L E G E


We believe that happy, healthy and resilient students learn best and we prioritise the care and wellbeing of our students. We have built an excellent Student Wellbeing Team that supports the College’s learning culture. The team works with a case management model and includes two full time Student Wellbeing Counsellors, a Psychologist (1 day/week), a school nurse (2 days/week) as well as two Koorie Education Support Officers.

The Wellbeing Team also supports proactive strategies including teacher understanding of the effects of trauma on learning and the development of young people.

In 2017, Drouin Secondary College was accepted into the Doctors In Schools Program. We have a purpose built facility on site, and have a partnership with a local Medical Practice. This is a valuable service for our college community supporting the health and wellbeing of our students.

STUDENT

WELLBEINGSECONDARYC O L L E G E


The College has a Teaching & Learning Plan which is underpinned by a personalised learning approach.

One element is to provide relevant pathways for our students. We have an innovative curriculum structure that allows vertical movement for all students in Year 8 to 12. Students are able to access units at least one year ahead of their normal year level. For example at Year 10 students are encouraged to complete a Year 11 VCE or VET unit. This initiative is supported by our Pathways Team who provide comprehensive careers and pathways advice and support.

PLAN YOUR FUTURE

CAREERS AND PATHWAYSSECONDARYC O L L E G E

Plan your own adventure through school and into

the future...


Enable students to experience activities that will broaden their learning and social skills


The College has a commitment to offer co-curricular and sporting activities to enable students to experience activities that will broaden their learning and social skills and give students opportunities they may not otherwise be able to access. These activities may have an educational, cultural, environmental, social or outdoor emphasis. For example:

• Inter-house Sports - Athletics, Swimming and Cross-country.

• Inter-School Competitions across a wide range of disciplines such as Sports, Human Powered Vehicles, Chess and Debating.

• Performing Arts - School Production, Instrumental Music, Choir, Rock Band.

• Clubs and Activities - Drouin Leos, Duke of Edinburgh, Chess Club, Art Club, Anime Club, Casual Clothes Days to fundraise for charity.

• Camps, Excursions and Incursions - Careers expos, Central Australia Tour, outdoor education and city camps, international study tours to China, Japan and New Caledonia, mindfulness and wellbeing incursions, etc.

• Presentation Balls, Year 11 Formal and Year 12 Valedictory.

• Student Representative Council.

CO-CURRICULAR

ACTIVITIES & SPORTSSECONDARYC O L L E G E


Drouin Secondary has a long history of supporting and building partnerships with our community, both locally and internationally. Through these connections, we enrich and extend student learning as well as provide opportunities to give back to the communities that support our school.

Our Leos work towards developing leadership, experiences and opportunities for young people to serve their community. Student exchanges to and from our sister schools in China and Japan have strengthened ties and deepened our students’ global understanding.

The College’s DOVE (DSC Overseas Volunteering Experience) program provides students with an insight into culture and history through volunteering in the Cambodian community. To date our students have undertaken library renovations, built a house and painted a school as well as funding books and other school resources. This program has received fantastic support from the local Drouin community and further afield.

Our VCAL students organise the Drouin event for the Mother’s Day Classic, which is an annual fun run/walk to raise funds for breast cancer research.

The College is involved in many other organisations such as the RSL, Rotary, Drouin & District Community Bank, CFA and LandCare to name a few.

COMMUNITY

PARTNERSHIPSSECONDARYC O L L E G E


Please contact the College’s General Office for enrolment enquiries.

ENROLMENT AT YEAR 7

For all enrolments into Year 7 for the following calendar year, please refer to your local Primary School for initial advice. Government Primary schools will distribute the ‘Enrolment into a Secondary School’ form to all Grade 6 students. If your child attends a Private School, contact us directly.

ENROLMENT AT YEARS 8, 9, 10, 11 AND 12

For enrolments at these year levels, enquiries can be made by contacting the College on (03) 5625 1002. A Year Level Coordinator will make an appointment to discuss your child’s needs and provide a personalised tour of the College. The prospective student and at least one parent/guardian are required to attend the enrolment interview.

OUR SCHOOL ZONE

Our school zone is available on findmyschool.vic.gov.au which hosts the most up-to-date information about Victorian school zones for 2020 onwards. For more information on school zones, visit www.education.vic.gov.au and search School Zones.

ENROLMENT

APPLICATIONSSECONDARYC O L L E G E

CONTACT US

Drouin Secondary College52 Main South RoadPO Box 338 Drouin VIC 3818Tel: 03 5625 1002Email: [email protected]

@drouinsecondary @drouinsc

Drouin Secondary College52 Main South RoadPO Box 338 Drouin VIC 3818Tel: 03 5625 1002Email: [email protected]

@drouinsecondary @drouinsc


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COLLEGE PROSPECTUS - Drouin Secondary College · specialised learning facilities including: flexible learning areas, senior study centre, science and visual arts hubs, library, auditorium,