Volume 42: Number 5, 15 April 2016

Important Dates

Principals Report
An Exciting Challenge
After being in an Acting Principal capacity in Term 1, the
first day of this week - the start of a new, fresh Term,
held a personally exciting element for me as I
commenced my role as substantive Principal of East
Doncaster Secondary College.
After being a teacher, leading teacher and Assistant
Principal at various stages over my thirteen year tenure
at this College, I would firstly like to say to our College
community that the opportunity to assume the position
of College Principal is an enormous honour, challenge
and privilege.

Apr

Jun

My focus, as a leader, is set firmly on empowering

others, helping them identify their areas for growth and
being able to sustain their commitment to the
collective good of the school community. As College
leader, I want our students to be very clear about what
I stand for, and how committed I am to their success.
The key to the pursuit of excellence in an effective
school, I believe, is the development of a culture where
both students, teachers and parents recognise the
potential, capacity and value of learning and work in
partnership to make this a reality.
Contd...

Year 7 Swim-Survive Program period

18-22

Year 9 City Experience - (9A,B,C,D & E)

25

Anzac Day Public Holiday

27

2017 US/NASA Advanced Space

Academy Tour Information Evening
7-8pm - Performing Arts Centre

May 3

The prospect of continuing to work with the members

of the East Doncaster community to achieve excellence
in all aspects of school life is an exciting one and I look
forward to meeting that challenge in all aspects that
the Principals role will afford me.
As a College Principal, first and foremost I am an
educator with a passion for teaching and learning. I will
endeavour to continue to visibly influence the teaching
and learning environment at EDSC so that opportunities
are continuingly created for others to make a difference
in learning in order that our students grow as young
people and flourish as members of our local and global
communities.

12-29

Year 7 2017 Open Night

6:00-9:30pmEDSC Sports Centre

Staff Professional Development

Workshop Day - ALL students
dismissed at 12:40pm

9-13

NAPLAN test week (Year 7 & 9)

19

Athletics Carnival - ALL students

23-27

Year 9 City Experience (9F,G,H,I & J)

Year 7 Immunisations
Chickenpox and Dose 2 of HPV

6-10

Year 10 & 11 Exam week

13

Queens Birthday Public Holiday

14

Year 9 Exams

17

Assessment & Reporting day for Staff

STUDENT FREE DAY

24

Last day of Term 2

Students dismissed at 2:30pm

East Doncaster Secondary College can truly be proud of

its recent outstanding achievements. If it is, however,
to serve the current student population and those of
the future, the College must be willing to acknowledge
that it is on a journey of continuous improvement and
the inherent challenges that this presents.
If you would like to discuss any element of life at East
Doncaster Secondary College, I would invite you to
Contd...

contact me at the College. I look forward to discussing

our College goals and aspirations with our community
members.
School Council 2016/17
Our newly formed School Council convened for the first
time on Wednesday 23 March.
We were very pleased to welcome our new parent
representative; Catherine Mortimer
Recent School Councils have been vibrant, supportive
and focussed on creating a college that will deliver
sustained excellence in teaching and learning. The
recent completion of the Sports Stadium and the soon
to be opened Performing Arts Centre are just two
examples of the vision our School Council has had for
East Doncaster Secondary College. Im certain that our
current School Council will continue to work on behalf
of our entire College community to help guide us in our
continual improvement agenda.
Our School Council for 2016/17 is comprised of the
following representatives:
Parent Representatives: Malcolm Abbott (President),
Stefan Kazakis (Vice-President), Rajbans Kaur, Nick
Milani, Cyrus Tengra and Catherine Mortimer
DET Representatives: John Roberts (Executive Officer),
Karen Boyle, Marianne Lee and Lisa Bull.
Community
Members:
Parents
and
Friends
Representative (to be confirmed) and two Student
Representatives School Captains, Richard Sun and
Saraid Taylor
ANZAC Day Commemorations at EDSC
The College will be commemorating ANZAC Day in a
number of ways over the next week.
Eight members of our Student Leadership Team will be
representing the College at the Rotary Club of
Templestowe Schools Anzac Day Service next Thursday
at the Templestowe Reserve involving every Primary
and Secondary School in the Manningham network. Our
School Captains will lay a wreath at the memorial
during this ceremony.
Student leaders are selling ANZAC Day badges on behalf
of the Doncaster RSL during lunch and recess breaks up
until ANZAC Day. We will also be conducting assemblies
at the College next Friday, April 22, hosted by our
student leaders, to commemorate ANZAC Day and its
significance for our nation.
Contd...

It has become a proud tradition at East Doncaster for us

to respect the efforts of our service personnel
throughout numerous conflicts and continue to
encourage our young people to strive to be global
citizens committed to the ideals of world peace.
Student Achievement - State Swimming Finals
It was very pleasing to see that the East Doncaster SC
Swimming Team enjoyed such a successful day at the
EMR Finals held at Ringwood Aquanation pool in the
last week of Term 1. Our team competed to a very high
standard on the day to achieve our goal of a top ten
regional finish.
This result means that we will have two of our
outstanding swimmers, Kayla Costa and Emilia Doherty
representing our College in the upcoming SSV State
Swimming Carnival on Tuesday 19 April. This will be
complimented by having Josh Sist, Pyper Byrne and
Ellyse Byrne represent the College on Wednesday 20
April in the diving component of the State Finals. This is
a great achievement by all of these students and I wish
them all the best for their participation in such a
prestigious competition next week.
To compliment this, it is also exceptionally pleasing to
note that Kayla Costa participated in the Australian Age
National Swimming Championship last week in
Adelaide, winning gold in the 14 years Butterfly and 16
year 4x100m relay congratulations to Kayla for her
superb efforts and achievements!
Our Director of Sport, Michael James, has included a
more detailed report of the Swimming Carnivals within
this Newsletter.
John Roberts
Principal

High School Musical On Stage

The time for our High School Musical On Stage school
production draws near, and we are inviting you to come
and witness your fellow peers perform their rendition
of the story we all know and love.
Performed in the brand new Performing Arts Centre
from 18 - 21 May 2016, details will be available on our
College website. Be sure to book your tickets via
TryBooking using the link below. First in best dressed,
so hurry!
https://www.trybooking.com/KVUC
The Production Team

School Tours for prospective parents

Prospective parents who would like to see the school
at work can book a school tour online through
Trybooking.com.
Tours will take place on selected Tuesday and Thursday
mornings from 9:15-10:15am and bookings are
essential.
To book, click on the link via the home page of the EDSC
website.
You can also click on the following link :http://www.trybooking.com/Booking/
BookingEventSummary.aspx?eid=179832

Open Night for prospective parents

If you know anyone who is interested in enrolling their
child at EDSC they are welcome to attend our Open
Night on Tuesday 3 May in the EDSC Sports Centre.
No bookings are required and escorted tours of the
school will commence from 6pm. The Principals
address will be held at 7:30pm.

Parents and Friends report

SAVE THE DATE AGM & NEXT MEETING
The Parents & Friends Committee will be holding its
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING next Monday 18 April at
7:30pm in The John Landy Centre. All committee
positions will be declared vacant, including President,
Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Communications
Officer and General Members.
It is a very rewarding and enjoyable experience being
on this committee with many dedicated and
knowledgeable people. We meet monthly to discuss
school related topics and receive valuable input from
our Principal. We have all made a lot of new friends
and each activity has proved to be a fun and enjoyable
experience for all involved.
Please consider being a part of this dynamic team in
2016.
COMING SOON - The NEW 2016/2017 Entertainment
Book.
Watch this space

Health Centre News

Dates of Year 7 Immunisations
2 June

Chickenpox and Dose 2 of HPV

14 Sept.

Dose 3 of HPV and catch up

program for absentees.

Term 2 2016 - Uniform reminder

Rose Howarth
School Nurse

Second hand Uniform Shop

Good quality second hand uniforms are available for
purchase between the hours of 9am-1pm every day.
We appreciate all the generous donations, however we
are unable to accept any more uniform donations at
the moment as our cupboard is bursting at the seams.
Rose Howarth
School Nurse

All students are required to have the EDSC School bag

as they are a part of the standard College Uniform. You
can purchase very cheap nearly new bags from the
second hand uniform shop between the hours of 9am1pm daily. There are also new bags available to be
purchased at the General Office for $43.
All students are to wear the complete school uniform
both at school and on their way to and from school.
This is a reminder that in Term 2 our students should be
wearing their winter uniform. Please refer to the
College Uniform Policy.

Information Evening - US/NASA Space

Camp Tour
ADVANCED SPACE ACADEMY US/NASA SPACE CAMP
TOUR 2017 - INFORMATION EVENING
The College is holding an optional opportunity for
interested students (and their parents) who are
considering applying for the 2017 tour.
This information session, on the proposed 2017 Space
Camp will outline the application process, program,
itinerary and indicative cost to parents and prospective
tourers (students).
There will be an opportunity for parents and students
to ask questions.
This tour is primarily aimed at current Year 9 & 10
students, with Year 8 students welcome to apply.
Attendance at this Information Evening will not
influence the selection prospects of applicants.
Wednesday 27 April 2016
Performing Arts Centre (PAC)
Starting at 7:00 pm
Kim Schwarz
Maths/Science Teacher

Middle School News

Middle School Staff

Student Reports

Head of Middle School

Kate Leaumont
leaumont.katrina@eastdonsc.vic.edu.au
Year 7 Coordinators
Lily Trist
trist.lily@eastdonsc.vic.edu.au
Amy Nettelbeck
nettelbeck.amy@eastdonsc.vic.edu.au

Year 8 Coordinators
Sally Polidano
polidano.sally@eastdonsc.vic.edu.au

Brett Lamb
lamb.brett@eastdonsc.vic.edu.au

Year 9 Coordinators
Errin Wilson
wilson.errin@eastdonsc.vic.edu.au

Jonathan Davies
davies.jonathan@eastdonsc.vic.edu.au

Middle School Study Sessions Years 7-9

Students from Year 7 to 9 are invited to join the "Study
Sessions" on Tuesday nights from 3.30pm - 4.30pm in
the 400 block.

Camp was terrific. We had many activities such as

mountain biking, skate boarding, giant swing, surfing,
canoeing and much more. My personal favorite was
surfing because it required persistence and resilience.
You had to be persistent because you had to keep
trying to fix your mistakes on the surfboard, and you
had to be resilient and not give up.
At Anglesea Recreational Camp I made many new
friends by sitting at their table during meals and
introducing myself to them. I also met new people from
other classes by sitting at the BBQ area and introducing
myself to people there. I think it was a good idea for
students to sit on tables with new people. On camp I
made a stronger bond with my cabin mates. Not only
did we hang out at lunch times or math classes, but we
lived together for a few days. This meant we got to
know more about them, their fears and what is
challenging for them. We now know more about each
other and are closer friends than before. Year 7 camp
was a great experience. Camp is a memory that will live
on forever!
By Hayley Petdro 7J

Please fill in and return the attached Permission Slip if

you want your student to attend.
If you have any questions about these sessions please
speak to Ms Polidano.

Contd...

On the Year 7 camp I

had a lot of great times,
including when I went
surfing. That was the
first time I had ever
gone surfing and I stood
up on the board about 10 times, but most of the time
that I stood up I had help from the teacher or from
Hamish our instructor.
Another great time that I had was when I did the giant
swing, I challenged myself to go all the way to the top
which was 18 meters tall. I had a lot of fun doing
kitchen gardening, because we got to go and see their
chickens and their vegetable garden, and in the
vegetable garden we got to pick some tomatoes. We
even got to see the instruments that their maintenance
guy made they were pretty cool. After that we had to
choose if we wanted to make scones or if we wanted to
make smoothies; I choose to make scones and they
were very delicious.
On the last day of camp some people got certificates. I
was lucky enough to get the resilience one because
even though I hurt my hand I still tried to do things.
By Athina Kotsimbos 7J
Camp, an experience I
will never forget.
It may seem easy,
mountain biking, but
you have no clue how
hard it was for me. I was worried about doing it in front
of my group and failing, so decided not to participate. I
still lingered on the thought of doing it, but I was too
scared. After a while, I reluctantly decided it was time,
that I was just wasting my energy on useless thoughts. I
took a chance, and I completed the course. Snap, just
like that. Minutes after we started the course, the
instructor had such an expression that I could tell she
was worried I'd injure someone. That made me laugh
inside; I'm not that much of a hazard. I did crash into
my friend, though, but we both recovered laughing.
Things will seem impossible, the only thing stopping
you are your thoughts. You must realise that everything
is possible and the only thing you have to do is try.
by Esha Serai 7B

Year 7 Camp was the

best! I had so much fun
and I'm sure if I asked
any Year 7 they would
say the same thing. But,
what made it so fun?
Well have I got a story to
tell you!
First of all, being with your friends is the best, but
having your friends around at camp, what could
possibly top that?! I had a great time with my friends
and made lots of new ones too.
And don't get me started on the activities. I mean,
skateboarding, canoeing, giant swing, vertical
challenge, mountain biking, kitchen garden, night walk,
night time games, watching movies and the
unforgettable surfing! Every single activity was so much
fun. Some were harder than others but all of them were
a great experience. My personal favourite was surfing,
of course! It was the first time I ever went surfing and it
was totally mind blowing! I really thought that I was just
going to fall over and over, but even though I fell over
countless times, I stood up and rode the waves a lot
too.
Now, we're all big food lovers, and we were all kind of
worried if the food was going to be, you know edible!
We stressed over nothing! The food was absolutely
delicious! Especially after some of the tiring activities
and games, the food just charged us up for the next
round of games.
Overall, camp was the best time ever! Id do it all over
again in thewink of an eye! I rate Year 7 Camp 5 out of
5.
by Devanga Amaratunga 7D

Senior School News

Senior School Staff

Students are encouraged to use their networks to

identify possible employers. They are also encouraged
to use the listings of previous Work Experience
employers that are available any recess and lunchtime
in the Careers Room. These are grouped by occupation.
Students are welcome to photograph relevant pages so
they can be accessed in the vacation. They are also
welcome to speak to Ms Joosten and Ms Kennedy if
they need particular support.

Head of Senior School

Michael James
james.michael.m@edumail.vic.gov.au
Year 10 Coordinators
Evan Jones
jones.evan@eastdonsc.vic.edu.au
Gayle Dimitriadis
dimitriadis.gayle@eastdonsc.vic.edu.au

Janine Joosten
Work Experience Coordinator

Year 10-12 - Senior School students After school Study Sessions

Year 11 Coordinators
Melissa Quintal
quintal.melissa@eastdonsc.vic.edu.au

All students from Year 10-12 are invited to come to The

John Landy Centre after school each night from 3.305.00pm.

Paul Basford
basford.paul@eastdonsc.vic.edu.au

The "Senior School Study Sessions" are an opportunity

for students to catch up on homework, collaborate with
peers or work with teachers when they are available for
extra assistance.

Year 12 Coordinators
Jarrod Sturnieks
sturnieks.jarrod@eastdonsc.vic.edu.au
Lynette Smith
smith.lynette@eastdonsc.vic.edu.au

Throughout the year, we hope to have many exstudents drop by to also offer their advice and
assistance to our students when possible. Parents/
guardians please note, these are not timetabled
supervision sessions for staff, any extra assistance
offered is done in addition to the normal after school
requirements for our teachers.
I would like to thank staff in advance for their offer of
support.

Year 10 - Work Experience

Year 10 students are reminded that Work Experience
arrangement forms are due on 15 April and 10 June.
Students are expected to complete two different one
week placements. Many students have secured a
position, which is wise given the competition for places.
At least one week of work experience is to be secured
by 15 April 2016.
Contd...

If you have any questions about these sessions please

speak to Ms Catalano.

Sports News
EDSC SUCCESS AT EASTERN REGION SWIMMING
The East Doncaster SC Swimming Team had a successful
day at the EMR Finals held at Aquanation (Ringwood) in
the last week of Term 2.

SUCCESS FOR KAYLA AT THE NATIONAL SWIMMING

CHAMPIONSHIP!
On the back of her performances for EDSC, Kayla
COSTA participated in the Australian Age National
Swimming Championship last week in Adelaide.
It is my great pleasure to announce that Kayla won gold
in the 14 years Butterfly and 16 year 4x100m relay
well done, Kayla!
This is a significant achievement for Kayla, who is a
talented sportswoman with a big future in her chosen
sport - all members of the EDSC community are proud
of what she has achieved and wish her the best of luck
in the future!

A 30+ strong team of students (mainly consisting of

relay teams) competed outstandingly on the day to
achieve our goal of a top ten regional finish.
Considering the standard of swimming in Eastern
Region schools, this is a significant achievement for East
Doncaster SC and one we as a school community should
be proud of.
Some notable performances from the day:
Kayla COSTA (Year 9)
1st 15 years 50m Butterfly
1st 12-15 years 100m Butterfly
1st 15 years 50m Freestyle
1st 12-15 years 100m Freestyle
Emilia
DOHERTY
(Year 9)
1st 15 years
50m
Breaststroke

Both Kayla and Emilia will

represent EDSC in the SSV State
Swimming Carnival on Tuesday
19 April well done to both
these
outstanding
young
swimmers! Also, we will have Josh SIST, Pyper BYRNE
and Ellyse BYRNE representing EDSC on the day after in
the diving component of the State Finals, we wish them
the best of luck also!
Contd...

CHISHOLM CHEETERS WIN THE 2016 EDSC HOUSE

CROSS COUNTRY
In perfect weather conditions, the 2016 EDSC House
Cross Country was held at Ruffey Lake Park in the last
week of Term 1.
In a day full of outstanding athletic endeavour, the
Chisholm Cheeters (748pts) led the field in a
competitive days cross country ahead of Bradman
Brumbies (570pts), Dunlop Dragons (488pts) and
Sutherland Scorpions (435pts) who filled out the
minor placings.
Overall, it was great to see high levels of enthusiasm
from all Middle School students and those Senior
School students who took time out of their busy
schedule to run in an attempt to qualify for the
Whitehorse Division Cross Country in two weeks.
From an individual perspective, the year level results
are as follows:
Year 7 Girls
1st Kristy ARULRAJAH
2nd Elisha COX
3rd Petra EDWARDS
Year 7 Boys
1st Kristian ZALAC
2nd Luke MCMANUS
3rd Con MOUTAFIS

Contd...

Year 8 Girls
1st Chloe LOK
2nd Hannah SENIOR
3rd Christina DORAZIO
Year 8 Boys
1st Luke KNIGHT
2nd Wen Kang LOH
3rd Brendan DU
Year 9 Girls
1st Gemma POTTER
2nd Chloe LEAUMONT
3rd Daphne WONG
Year 9 Boys
1st Erfan NASIRI
2nd Emanuel EMMANOUILIDIS
3rd Nick SCALA
Senior Girls
1st Caitlyn YEE
Senior Boys
1st Brendan LEE
2nd Brendan LIM
3rd Brett MACISSAC

Michael James
Director of Sport

Careers News
VCAL News
VCAL Students Learn to be Safe
On 22 March VCAL students attended a road safety
event at the new campus of Box Hill Institute at Lilydale.

providing this opportunity. We

hope that the whole community
enjoys
the
gardens
and
landscaping that the VCAL
students helped to create.

The
event
was
sponsored by atEAST
and local Rotary clubs
and presented by RYDA.
Students learned about
the ways to anticipate
risks and avoid crashes.
They heard Genevieves
Story, that of a local girl
who died with her friend in an accident. Students met a
young man in After the Crash who had been seriously
injured in a crash and whose life and abilities have been
changed forever. Car safety and stopping distances
were the focus of demonstrations by professional road
safety instructors.
This was a valuable opportunity for students to prepare
to be safe road users. Our thanks is extended to local
Rotary Clubs and atEAST for their support.
VCAL Students hone their gardening skills

Janine Joosten
VET & VCAL Coordinator

Year 10 Work Experience

As part of the
program
to
contribute to the
community,
VCAL students
undertook
to
plant around 600
Kangaroo Paws
and a number of flowering eucalyptus trees in the
surrounds of the new Performing Arts Centre.
Their skills improved as the day progressed and
students certainly displayed great teamwork and
communication skills.
Special thanks to Angie
Nianiakos who spent the
day with the students
and to Don Dobson for
Contd...

Year 10 students are due to have one of their Work

Experience placements organised by today, 15 April
2016.
The Careers staff were off campus on Friday 15 April
2016, so students are asked to hand any outstanding
forms in to the Careers Office on Monday 18 April 2016.
Any students who are having difficulty obtaining a
placement are asked to see Mrs Joosten in the next
week.
Congratulations to all those students who have
organised one or both placements. Also, thanks to
families who provide valuable support to students in
finding an employer.
Janine Joosten
Work Experience Coordinator

Humanities News
Much has been happening in the Humanities faculty
over the last few weeks of Term 1.
Year 8 Coast Fieldwork Trip
On March 9 we went on a
fieldwork trip to coastal towns of
Port Phillip Bay. We visited
Sandringham, Seaford, Half Moon
Bay and Patterson River.

Le Lycee Jean Racine established in 1988, is a secondary

school, situated approximately 40kilometres south-east
of Amiens and 100km north of Paris. This is in the heart
of the Western Front, where a significant number of
Australians fought and lost their lives from 1914-1918.
The Lyce has a student population of approximately
750 students (some students are boarders), including a
few students from abroad.

At each of these sites we

observed
different
coastal
landforms and processes. We made use of our
surroundings to collect data for our Fieldwork Report.
The day was interesting and a great experience which
gave us the opportunity to educate ourselves about the
local beaches. We were able to learn about some of the
coastal management practices in place and talk about
the changing environment.

As part of our studies the two classes will communicate

first via letter and then via a blog to discuss how
communities commemorate their fallen and to learn
from students who are situated in the towns where
much of the fighting took place. On 25 April, the
students of the Lycee will also be remembering French
and Australian soldiers who lost their lives as they
attend services in their own community. This is a rich
learning opportunity for our students, who would
otherwise not be able to access information from the
World War One battlefields.

Overall we had a good and productive day outdoors,

with a particular highlight being the food at Half Moon
Bay.
Written by Year 8H

We are looking forward to the next stage of the project

as we begin to make connections.
Lucy Marshall
Humanities Teacher

Year 10 History Holocaust Museum visit

Year 10 History classes have been looking at the Rise of
Nazi Germany and visited the Jewish Holocaust
Museum in Elsternwick to gain a deeper understanding
of this period of History. Students watched and
discussed a documentary, listened to a survivors
testimony, and were given a guided tour of the
Museum displays. Students were moved and inspired
by stories of survivors of the Holocaust and their
message we are all human beings.

Year 9 ANZAC Centenary Schools Link Project

Students in both Year 9G and 9J will begin liaising with
students from our French link school Le Lycee Jean
Racine. These students will be immersing themselves in
the study of World War One in the next few weeks as
we prepare for ANZAC Day commemorations. As part of
the curriculum for Term Two they will look into the
causes of and impact of World War One. A particular
focus of ours is to study the experiences that our
soldiers had when fighting overseas.
Contd...

Have you applied for the Camps, Sports

and Excursions Fund (CSEF)?
Parents are reminded that if you hold a valid meanstested concession card or are a temporary foster
parent, you may be eligible for the CSEF. A special
consideration category also exists for asylum seeker
and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the
school to use towards expenses relating to camps,
excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your
child.

Student Lunches
Just a reminder to parents that we are unable to deliver
lunches to students during school time. If your student
has forgotten their lunch, it can be left at the General
Office but it is the students responsibility to come and
collect it.
(They do not always hear the PA
announcements).
Hot or Take-away food is not
appropriate to be left.
Our canteen is open at Breakfast, Morning Tea and
Lunch times every day.

The annual CSEF amount per student is:

$225 for secondary school students
How to Apply:Refer to the attached CSEF application form, collect a
form from the College or download from the CSEF
website. Applications close 3 June 2016.
Further Information:For the CSEF application closing dates and more
information, please see:
Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund

School jumpers/jackets
PLEASE NOTE: It is important to name your students
jumpers/jackets!
If a student loses their jumper/jacket and it has their
FULL name CLEARLY marked, if it is found it will be
returned directly to the student during class.
These jumpers are expensive and there are many left
around the College grounds after sport and after
lunch. Wherever possible, they will be returned if they
are labelled with the students full name.

Second hand Book Sales

The College is conscious of the need to
provide an efficient process for
families to be able to buy and sell their
second-hand textbooks and other
student resources.
We would like to inform you of the Colleges new
initiative to provide parents with the ability to trade
these second-hand items via the Sustainable School
Shop. www.sustainableschoolshop.com.au
Please click here for further information regarding
buying and selling books via the Sustainable School
Shop. Secondhand Textbook Trading User Guide
Refer to information further in the newsletter and the
School website under Parent Information.

Our schools purpose is to develop passionate learners

who are critical thinkers with the confidence and
capability to engage in the global community.

Care and Compassion, Curiosity, Excellence, Fairness,

Resilience, Respect and Teamwork are the core values
that underpin the culture of our school as we embrace
the challenges of 21st Century learning.

Creating a Culture of Curiosity

Student Absences
If a student is unable to attend school, is going to be
late or needs to leave early ..
The school must be informed of ALL absences, whether
it be illness, appointments, holidays or any other
reason. You can do this via the following options.

The easiest way is to log in to Compass with your

Parent Login and ADD A PARENT APPROVAL .

Calling the absence line BEFORE 8:30am on the

day of the absence. Phone: 9842 2244 (dial
option 1)

Sending a note with the student for early

departures. Teachers will not allow students out
of class without a note or an approval on
Compass.

Any unexplained absences will be followed up with an

SMS notification if their child/ren are absent without an
explanation. Please do not reply to this SMS as this
service is not available.

Late passes
Students arriving late must go straight to the General
Office to sign themselves in via the Compass Kiosk
otherwise they will be recorded as absent. Students
must carry their EDSC Compass Student Card with
them at all times. It is necessary to use this card to
sign in and out via the Compass Kiosk. If a student has
lost/misplaced their card they must replace it by placing
an order online through Compass.

Students will not be permitted to leave class and sign

out without presenting a note from a parent/guardian
to their teacher or having an approval on Compass.
This note needs to be put in the box beside the Kiosk in
the General Office when the student signs out. An
approval can be loaded on Compass instead of
providing a note, however this must be loaded before
the time of the students departure.

Payments to the College

Phone messages from students will not be accepted.

Student/Library Cards

Students can make payments at the following times:

8:00am-8:45am, recess, lunch and after school.
Parents may make payments from 8:00am-4:00pm.

PLEASE REMIND ALL STUDENTS THAT THEY MUST

CARRY THEIR STUDENT/LIBRARY CARDS WITH THEM
AT ALL TIMES.
ALL students must sign in/out with their card at the
General Office when they are arriving late or leaving
early for any reason.
All Student Library Cards from last year will continue
working until students receive their new 2016 cards in
the coming weeks.
The cards are also used for any student photocopying
that is done at school.

When making payments in cash please ensure that the

correct money is enclosed in the payment envelope,
as many students do not come to collect their change.
All payments for excursions must also include the
permission form in the payment envelope and be
returned to the general office prior to the excursion
payment due date. Parents are reminded that receipts
for payments are no longer being issued. A statement
showing payments made will be provided upon request
from the General Office. For payments that are tax
deductable, receipts will be posted home. If a parent
requires a printed receipt, this must be requested in
writing on the payment envelope. Receipts will be
posted within 14 days of the transaction.
Do not hesitate to contact the General Office if you
have any enquires regarding the College Charges or if
your account details have changed.

Student Locker Security

We would like to remind Parents and Students that it is
the students responsibility to ensure that their locker is
securely locked at all times.
Students who have not arranged to supply a suitable
padlock for their locker will be asked to purchase one
from the General Office.
All students from Year 7 to 12 have an iPad or laptop
for school work. Please refer to the 1-to-1 Learning
Program policy for further information on Caring for 1to-1 devices. Replacement combination padlocks are
for sale throughout the year from the General Office for
$20.
The school will not be held responsible for
items that are not properly secured in
lockers.

All parents can view Reports and upcoming events/

excursions that are occurring at the College by visiting
the Compass Portal.
Please remember to log on regularly to check the latest
news, update attendances and use Compass to contact
teachers if needed.
All parents should have their Parent Compass Login
details. If you do not have these details, please contact
the college on 9842 2244 and we can email or re-post
this for you.

Parent Details
Have you moved house or changed phone numbers?

Student Accident Insurance

Parents and guardians are reminded that the
Department of Education and Early Childhood
Development does not provide personal accident
insurance for students while at school or during any
school related activity including camps and excursions.
Parents and guardians are responsible for paying the
cost of medical treatment for injured students,
including any transport costs. Student accident
insurance policies are available from some commercial
insurers. These cover a range of medical expenses not
covered by Medicare or private health insurance. It is
also highly recommended that families have Ambulance
Victoria Membership Cover if it is not included in your
private health cover. Ambulance costs are very
expensive and are not covered by Medicare.

If so, please remember to fill in a Change of Details

form (attached to the newsletter). A form can also be
collected from the General Office. Please return this
form as soon as possible. It is important that we have
your most current details for general purposes and in
case of an emergency. It is also important that you
keep your mobile phone and email address details up
to date on Compass. This is to ensure you do not miss
out on vital information including student attendance
alerts.

Canteen Hours
Students are reminded that the Canteen is open before
school from 8.30am until 8.45am, then again at Recess
and Lunchtime only.
Students will not be served while classes are in
progress.

Excursion/Sporting Event reminder

Please be reminded that all students in Years 7-10 are
required to attend classes if they return from an
Excursion/Sporting event early. They are required to
attend classes even if the event has finished earlier than
expected. They are required to stay until 3:15pm.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

Year end is in sight and now is the time to consider buying and selling second-hand textbooks.
Sustainable School Shop provides the second-hand textbook trading system for the school. Our schools 2016
booklist/textbook information for years 7-12 has been uploaded and is ready to use on the Sustainable School
Shop website. To get started, go to www.sustainableschoolshop.com.au and either register as a parent or log-in if
youre already registered.
Buying second-hand textbooks
Click Find Books, select your booklist, and tick the boxes of the books you need. The system will show you the correct second-hand books to buy. Click Member With Most Matches to see who has most of these books, or click
Cheapest Books. You'll receive Ad Match emails when newly listed books match your wanted ads.
Selling second-hand textbooks
Get your books home and list them for sale asap. Click Sell Books and follow the prompts, the system will assist ad
construction and provides a pricing guide. Write the availability date in your ads if your books are still being used.
To sell books that are not on your old booklist, please click MyAds/Create Ads and follow the prompts.
Other tips
Searching for second-hand textbooks begins as soon as the new booklists are distributed.
People with wanted ads always get first choice of the newly listed books for sale.
Be mindful to price your books reasonably, this is a competitive marketplace.
Don't make special trips when collecting books, just fit it into your normal routine.
Only buy second-hand workbooks that have not been written in.
Many book suppliers have very good returns polices that will enable you to continue looking for second-hand texts,
even after submitting your new book order - check your suppliers returns policy.
Be considerate to others by delisting your ads promptly as your books sell - this assists everyone using the service.
To delist, log-in, click the red Delist button and then the sold button on the right side of your ad.
Please remember, by recycling your textbooks you are helping another family in our school community.
We trust this is of assistance and wish you well for the coming trading season.
Regards,
Sustainable School Shop