Newcomb Secondary College Newsletter

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TUESDAY 14th July 2015 ISSUE: 20

Coming Events

Wednesday, 15th July Intermediate Boys Hockey, Bellarine Dev. Boys & Girls Soccer. XUNO Session for parents.

Thursday, 16th July SEAS Workshop 11.20am (Yr 12 VCE students). Visit from ACU at lunchtime for Yrs 11 and 12.

Friday, 17th July Intermediate Girls Hockey. GROW at Gordon.

Monday, 20th July Senior Girls Hockey. Barwon Div. Boy/Girls Soccer. Intermediate Girls Netball/Badminton. Tuesday, 21st July Senior Boys Hockey. Wednesday, 22nd July Intermediate Boys and Girls Soccer Finals. Thursday, 23rd July Connect Assembly. Senior Sport Badminton/Table Tennis/Girls and Boys Netball and Soccer. Cheap Thrills Performance, Years 9 and 10. Year 12 Student, Parent and Teacher Conferences, 4pm to 7pm. Friday, 24th July GROW at Gordon.

Welcome Back I hope that everyone had an enjoyable mid-year break and are feeling refreshed and enthusiastic, ready for the challenges of Term 3, 2015.

During this term most students will start making course selection decisions for 2016 and be thinking about their potential pathways beyond secondary schooling.

This will be a conversation for all of us as we recognise how the world of work has (and is) changing. Newcomb Secondary College will continue to be a leader in effective pathway development and I expect this to continue as we strengthen existing partnerships and develop new ones with both tertiary institutions and industry. More on this in the coming weeks.

For our Year 12 students, Term 3 will be their final ‘full term’ of secondary education - we encourage them to stick to a study plan and use their remaining study time productively.

We started the term with a short whole school assembly to welcome everyone back and help to reset our minds into being organised and 'Ready to Learn'.

I also posed the question to our students - wouldn’t it be great for as many of us as possible to take part in the ‘Run Geelong’ event in November. What a great way for us to be supportive of our broader community. Also, more on this to follow in the coming weeks.

Staffing News At the end of Term 3 we wished a number of departing staff members farewell. Jon Varney has gained an IT Support position closer to home. Leanne Earls has retired after 16 years as a Learning Mentor. With the canteen now being operated differently, Mary Perry and Ann McGeady have finished in their roles as Canteen Support.

Two other long serving members of staff have also retired. Phil Wight has retired after 27 years with the Department of Education and Training, in recent times as a Careers Teacher supporting hundreds of our young people as they take steps into adult life. Colette Brennan has also retired after 42 years with the Department. Colette has worked in both primary and secondary settings, as a Literacy Coach, as a Leading Teacher in the Program for Students with a Disability and in recent times as an Assistant Principal.

We wish all of these individuals well in their future careers or retirement.

College Council: Student Leaders: Student Leaders: President: Yvette Ramsay Mitchell Allen Toby France

Vice President: Vidas Kymantas Amanda Clydesdale Bailee Jones

Exec. Officer: Phil Honeywell

81-85 Bellarine Highway Newcomb VIC 3219 Phone: 03 5248 1400 Fax: 03 5248 3523

Email: newcomb.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au Website: www.newcombsc.vic.edu.au SMS student absences: 0416 907 351

Semester 1 Report Collection By now I hope that most families have accessed and read their student’s End of Semester 1 Report. As previously mentioned we have now moved to a digital format for reports to allow you all to save and print reports as needed. We hope this new system is also helping solve the problem of lost reports due to changed address or the need to send extra copies to other family members.

If you have been unable to access reports there are a number of things you can do –

All students should be able to open, save and print their reports at school and can also access their own report via Xuno log on from our school website

Families without Internet access may ask for a report to be printed for them by contacting the College Office If you can not access Xuno for any reason please go to the Contact Us page on our website and submit your details so we can

forward your log on information It is very important that all students read and discuss their reports with their family to help each student move forward with their learning and make the most of their classes.

Year 12 Student, Parent and Teacher Conferences If you are a Year 12 parent or guardian you will be receiving a letter with the schedule of your appointment times with your young person’s teachers for Thursday, 23rd July. If you are unable to attend at the allocated times, please contact the school office to re-schedule. It is extremely important that these conferences are attended so you can support your Year 12 student over the last few months of the school year, prior to their exams. Conferences will be held in the Library Resource Centre from 4pm to 7pm.

Student, Parent and Teacher Conferences for Years 7 to 11 These conferences will be taking place in the Language Centre in Week 5 of this term on Thursday, 13th of August. Students are to talk with their parents regarding suitable times and then schedule the conferences with their class teachers, through the school organiser. This is on page 15 in the Middle Years Organiser and page 23 in the Senior Years Organiser. Interviews will be from 4pm to 7pm.

Mr Phil Honeywell, Principal Mr Shane Elevato, Assistant Principal

Mrs Liz McNamara, Assistant Principal

IT NEWS

Parent Computer Information Sessions With all of the new things we have been introducing this year there may be some parents that are feeling left behind when it

comes to their student’s computer use at school.

· We have opened a portal for you to buy student computers through JB Education or students can bring their own computer

that you have bought somewhere else

· We have introduced Xuno and opened up student data and details to parents over a secure Internet Portal

· We have launched a new phone app to allow you to stay in touch on your mobile phone

· We are continuing to develop more class work that uses computers each day to assist learning

To help you keep up with all of this we would like to offer parents a chance to come to information sessions designed to give you a “hands on experience” to see what all of the changes mean to students and parents.

Beginning this term there will be a series of sessions that will be held in the Learning Resource Library on a Wednesday afternoon. If you would like to learn more about any of the topics mentioned please keep a check on our calendars in the newsletter and we will also announce session details via the App and Xuno messaging.

Stephen Bath IT Manager

IT Parent Information Session To start things off we will be running a Xuno information session beginning tomorrow from 3.45pm until 4.30pm. This session

will focus on -

· how to log on to Xuno

· where to find student reports

· main sections of Xuno for parent information

· the Xuno Message Centre

Bookings are essential so we can prepare enough room and information for everyone. Contact the school on 52481400 if you

would like to attend.

DEET Data Collection Form A reminder to parents to please return the Parent Occupation Form to the General Office by tomorrow.

Parenting Your Teenager A 4-week program which examines what is normal teenage behaviour,

the four cardinal sins of parenting teens, communicating with your teen

and managing those tricky situations.

Commencing: Monday 24th August

Time: 7.00pm-9.00pm

Location: Ariston, 245-249 Pakington St, Newtown

Contact: Regional Parenting Service Ph: 5272 4817 Cost: Gold Coin Donation

Tuning into Kids Tuning into Kids is a six session parenting program to help children learn

to understand and regulate their emotions which in turn leads to becoming

more resilient.

Commencing: Thursday 13th August

Time: 7.00pm - 9.00pm

Location: Ariston, 245-249 Pakington St, Newtown

Contact: Regional Parenting Service Ph: 5272 4817 Cost: $15 or $5 conc.

Parenting after Separation Parenting after Separation is a 5-week or weekend program designed to sup-

port separated parents and their children. This is not a group to teach parents

how to parent, but rather how to adapt to separated parenting and manage

challenges such as parenting from a distance, conflict with an ex-partner and the

children's reactions and responses. The group allows plenty of time for ques-

tions and discussion.

Date: Contact Lifeworks for dates & times

Location: 38 Myers St, Geelong Cost: Contact Lifeworks

Contact: Lifeworks Ph: 1300 543 396

An intake interview is required prior to entry into this group. An additional fee for this inter-

view is charged. Please call to arrange an intake appointment for the next scheduled course

Newcomb Secondary College

LAMINATING

SERVICE

$6 per metre trimmed

$4 per metre untrimmed

Lamination up to 800mm wide and

unlimited length

Contact: Jean at Newcomb Secondary

College for more information

5248 1400.