Acting Principal - James BarutCollege Council President - Heike ReichAssistant Principal - Jonathon RogersAssistant Principal - Janine McMahonBusiness Manager - Jayne Thompson

Emerald Secondary CollegeFortnightly NewsletterEmerald Secondary College is a Learning Community

Term 1 - 2020:25th February 2020 - Issue No. 2Important Dates:Every Wednesday: Homework Club - Help is on Your Way 3.20pm - 4.30pm in the Library

FEBRUARYWed 26th: Yr 12 VCE Parent/Student InformationEvening6pm-7pm EPAC

MARCHWed 4th: Yr7WellbeingDayMon 9th: LabourDayPublicHolidayTue 10th: Yr11OutdoorEdCaving ExcursionThu 12th: Parent/TeacherInterviews 4pm-8pmFri 13th: Parent/TeacherInterviews 10am-2pm

In this Issue:• Principal’s Report• Assistant Principals Report• Brad Battin MP Visits Yr 8 Students• Host Families for Japanese Students• Homework Club• All Stars Marshall Arts Academy• Cardinia Shire Community Fun Run• Rotary Club Debutante Ball 2020• Upper Gully Juniors Football Club• Emerald Junior Football Club U14s all

Girls Team• Parenting Teens - Parents Building

Solutions• Cockatoo & Hills NILS

Principal’s ReportThe Journey Thus FarTheyearhasbegunwellforallourstudentsandtheworkisrampingup!

InmywanderingsaroundtheCollege,IpoppedintoseveralclassesfromYear12,allthewaytoouryoungestcohortandthisiswhatIobserved:

• AYear12Maths’class,wheretheteacherwasengagingthestudentsinsomehighlevel,problemsolvingequationsthatwerefarbeyondthecognitiveabilitiesofthisPrincipal!

• AYear7Englishclassthatwasundertakingsomesilentreading–youcouldhearapindropandthenyoucouldalmosthearthebreathingofthecharactersfromthetext

• AYear8Technologyclasswheretheteacherwasmovingaroundtheclass,adjustingsawhandlingtechniquesasthedesignfromtheircomputerscamealiveinathreedimensionalformat

• AYear11VCALclassassistingtheCollegemaintenancemanagerwithfootingsforanewretainingwall,understandingtheimportanceofdrainageandcivilcompliancearoundOH&Sparameters

• AMiddleSchoolOutdoorEdclassthatwasreadingmapsandworkingcollaborativelytogethertounpackthelessonobjective

AllthisishappeningatEmeraldSecondaryCollege–engagementandstimulatedlessonsaremadevisibleandtransparentonCompass,sothestudentsareclearontheLessonObjectiveandSuccessCriteria,asperourInstructionalModel.Asassessmentsarecompletedacrosstheschool,teacherswillmeetintheircurriculumteamstomoderateSACs(SchoolAssessedCoursework–Year11and12)orCATs(CommonAssessmentTasks–Years7–10)accordingly.Thisprofessionalpracticeregulatesconsistencyacrossallclasses,ensuringthatahighmarkforapieceofworkinMrsA’sEnglishclass,wouldalsoreceiveahighmarkinMrB’sEnglishclass.

Thismeticulousattentiontostudentassessmentisimportantandeducationalresearchindicatesthatthebiggestinhibitorofstudentlearninggrowthisvariabilitybetweenclasses.Theskillstaught,andtheassessmentsundertakenneedtobeconsistentacrossacurriculumarea.

Thisishappeningtodayandwillhappentomorrowandwillhappenallyear.

Greatkids.Greatteachers.Greatschool.

Council ElectionsThisweekweclosedourofficial2019SchoolCouncil.TherearesomeopeningsforourparentstojoinSchoolCouncil.Goodgovernancestrengthenscommunityconfidenceintheschoolcouncilandhelpstoensurethecouncil’sreputationismaintainedandenhanced.Goodgovernanceenablesthecounciltoperformefficientlyandeffectivelyandtorespondstrategicallytochangingdemandsandeducationalchallenges.

NominationformswillbeavailablefromMonday24thFebruaryandneedtobereturnedbyMonday2ndMarch.

Thearticulatedgoalsofastrong,collegial,unitedSchoolCouncilallowseffectiveperformanceofschools,toactwithintegrity,andtorespondstrategicallytochangingdemandsandeducationalchallenges.Goodgovernancereliesontheprofessionalethicalleadershipoftheprincipal,thepresidentandtheindividualschoolcouncilmembers,andtheestablishmentofeffectivemeetingprocedures.

Welookforwardtoyourongoingsupport.

College ToursCollegeTourshavenowcommencedandinterestedfamiliesarewelcometobookinatimetotourthecollegeviaourwebsite.Tourswillcontinuethroughouttermone,culminatinginourOpenNightonMonday,23rdMarch.Moredetailswillbereleasedclosertothedate.

School PhotosMSPhavecompletedtheirphotoshootofallourstudentsandphotoscanbeorderedviawww.msp.com.auatalaterdate.TheCollegewillreceivetheproofsfirsttocheckforaccuracy,thenoncethattickoffisestablished,wewillinformfamilieswhentheorderingcanbegin.PleasecheckyourorderformtoaccessyourShootkeyCode.

Year 7 Parent Coffee MorningItwasgreattoseesomanyparentsattendourinauguralYear7Parent‘BacktoSchool’CoffeeMorning.ParentsmetwithourYear7StudentManager,MsSemaYildirimandafteranupdateabouthowtheYear7sweretransitioning,itwasofftovisitclassesandseeouryoungestcohortinaction.TherewasarealwarmthandunderstandingoftheveryimportantpartnershipthatneedstobeestablishedallthewaythroughtoYear12.Thankyoutoalltheparentswhoattended,thankyoutoalltheYear7teacherswhodroppedbytosayhello,toMsSharonNagelfororganisingthemorningteaandamassivethankyoutoMsYildirimforleadingtheevent.Welookforwardtorepeatingthemorningtowardstheendofthisterm.PleasekeepaneyeonCompassNewsfeedforupcomingdetails.

James Barut - Acting Principal

Assistant Principals ReportAttendanceWhilstonlyearlyintheyearwehaveanumberofstudentswhohavebeenmissingschoolforavarietyofreasons.Ifyourchildisgoingtobeaway,pleaseapprovetheabsenceonCompassorcontacttheAttendanceOfficers.Ifyounoticethatyourchildhasmissedaclassandyouhavenotapprovedit,pleasealsocontacttheschoolandwewillhelpyouchasethisup.

Camps and ExcursionsCampsandexcursionsareafabulouswaytoengageourstudentsinlearningopportunitiesoutsideofthenormalclassroomsetting.Areminderthattheseactivitiescanonlyrunifthereisenoughstudentswillingtoparticipateinthem.Year7campisfastapproaching,thisisagreatchanceforstudentstocementrelationshipswithboththeirteachersandother students.

Parent CommunicationPleaserememberthatthecollegealwayswelcomesparentstocommunicatewiththeco-ordinatorsandteachingstafftobestsupportthestudentsintheirlearning.PleasebemindfulthattheCollegeisworkinginaclimateofrespectfulrelationships.Assuch,weexpectinteractionsbetweenco-ordinators,staffandparentstobeprofessional,respectfulandsolutionfocused.

Buildings and Grounds updateIamverypleasedtolettheCollegecommunityknowthatwehavehadthelastoftheairconditionersinstalledinGblockovertheweekend.Iamsurethatthestudentsandteacherswhousethisspacewillappreciatethemorecomfortablelearningenvironment.

Jonathon Rogers - Assistant Principal

Year 12 Retreat Day #1OnMonday24thFebruaryourYear12studentsheadedofffortheirfirstofthreeretreatdays.Thestudentswereabletoworkinteamstobuildtheirconfidenceandteambuildingskills.Theyundertookactivitiessuchasanobstaclecoursewhichinvolvedcrawlingthroughtunnelsandalotofmud!Thefirstchallengeofthedaywasarrivingtoschoolby7:40am!

Thepurposeofthefirstretreatdaywasforstudentstocreatememoriesandchallengethemselvesinavarietyofdifferentactivities.Thiscanbeabenefitforstudentsastheylookforwardtothechallengesandgoalstheywillfaceintheupcomingyear.

Brad Battin MP Visits Yr 8 StudentsOnTuesday11thFebruary,BradBattentheLocalMPforGembrookvisitedESCtospeaktoallourYr8Students.HumanitiesstaffarecurrentlyteachingstudentsintheJuniorSchoolthetopicof‘Civics’and‘Howtobeanactivecitizen’.Itwaswiththisinmind,thatweinvitedBradtoourschooltospeaktoourstudentsabouthowtheycanbecomeinvolvedintheirlocalcommunitiestomakeapositivedifference.

BradwasabletogivearangeofexampleswhereyoungpeoplelivingintheseatofGembrookwereabletocreatepositivechangesinarangeofareas,includingthetreatmentofanimalsandgreateraccesstoservicesforyoungpeople.

Studentsweregiventheopportunitytoaskquestionsandmanyraisedtheirhandstoaskquestionsandmakecomments.

Aspartoftheirstudies,studentslookintotheroleofparliament,theimportanceofmakinganinformeddecisionwhenvotingandtheroleofactivistsinmakingadifferencelocallyandbeyond.BradBattin’svisithelpedstudentstounderstandtheirplaceintheworld,howtheycanbecomemoreactivelyinvolvedinwhathappensaroundthemandhowtousetheirlocalmemberofparliamentinthisprocess.Franca Mosca - Humanities Teacher

Year 12 VCE Information eveningOnWednesday,26thFebruaryYear12VCEstudentsandparentsareinvitedtoEPACat6pmtohearinformationregardingundertakingandcompletingtheVictorianCertificateofEducation.PresenterswillincludeJeremyMacKinnon(SeniorSchoolLeader),TomWatson(Year12LearningEngagementLeader),andShaneCloster(PathwaysCo-ordinator).

Comealongandhearvitalinformationneededforthestudent’sfinalyearoftheVCEandalsobeyond.

Year 12 VCALOurVCALstudentshavebeenhardatwork,bothatschool,theirworkplacementsandalsointheirTAFEcourses.Atschool,thestudentshavebeenworkinginteamstocomeupwithaprojecttofundraiseforacharityoftheirchoice.ThetwoVCALclassesarealsoplanningacamptohelpfireravagedcommunities.Anexampleofhowourstudentswillassistthecommunitieswillbethroughrebuildingfencesforpropertiesthathavehadtheirfencingburntinthebushfires.Wearelookingforwardtohearingmoreaboutthiscampandalsoseeingthephotosoffencesbuiltbyourstudents.

Handsonlearningatitsbest!Janine McMahon - Assistant Principal

Host Families for Japanese StudentsWewillbehostingstudentsfromoursisterschoolinJapan,MimasakaSeniorHighSchoolnextmonthfromSunday15thuntilSaturday29thMarchandwearestillinneedofmorefamilieswhocanhostastudentduringtheirstay.PleasecontactMrKawakamiorsendyourchildtohisofficeinGBlocktogetmoreinformationifyoucansupportourexchangeprogram.Daisuke Kawakami - Languages Domain Leader

Ph: 0467 049 139 E: emerald@allstarsdefence.com.au

Location: Emerald Secondary College Court - 425 Belgrave-Gembrook Road, Emerald VIC

Register and be part of the Fun! https://tinyurl.com/CardiniaFunRun2020

SUNDAY 1st MARCH 2020

Pakenham Racecourse, 420 Nar Nar Goon-Longwarry Road, Tynong 3813

10km RUN @ 8.20am 5km RUN/WALK @ 8.30am

All entry fees donated directly to the Casey Cardinia Foundation

to support local community groups

For more information about the event please scan the code and see our website

A Project of The Rotary Club of Emerald & District Inc

2020 Debutante Ball

SATURDAY 13th June 2020

For further information and to

download an application form, go to www.emeraldrotary.org.au

Phone enquiries: Shalini Penny 0417 038 707

PARENTS BUILDING SOLUTIONS

Wednesdays 19, 26 Feb, 4, 11, 18 & 25 March 2020 .

DATE:

TIME:

WHERE:

COST:

For bookings and enquiries contact:

How to get your teenager to listen,without having to yell?Building a better relationship

Feeling  stuck  or  struggling  with your teenager?Discuss and share strategies thatwork.What’s happening emotionally,physically and socially with yourteen?

with our teens.

FREE: Bookings essential

Felicity Wooden - Well Being Leader - 5968 5388Email: wooden.felicity.f@edumail.vic.gov.au  orJasbir Singh at Parentzone on 0431 203 177, Email: jasbir.suropada@anglicarevic.org.au

Emerald Secondary College425 Belgrave-Gembrook Rd,

Emerald  Vic  3782

9.30am to 12.00pm

Wanted

Emerald Junior Football Club is looking for players for a U14’s ALL Girls team (born 2006-

2008). No experience necessary. Just be willing to train and play with your mates and

have lots of fun.

For More Information Contact Adam 0413 732 380 Clynt 0408 348 073