Principal’s Message – Issue 6
Dear LSC Community Members,
We are now at the halfway point of Term 3, and our students have been able to experience some fantastic learning opportunities as part of their learning programs.
Excursions and Activities
The college runs a number of excursions and activities designed to engage our students in their learning, as well as build upon concepts studied in their classes. In Term 3, just some of the amazing experiences our young people have had the opportunity to be a part of include:
- Interschool sports, including handball, basketball and futsal this term
- Excursions to Casey Tech School to explore robotics and their use in simulated environments on other planets
- Our Outdoor Education students experiencing the natural environments such as Bushrangers Bay as part of their regular excursions out
- Visits to Monash University for our First Nations students to network with students from other schools, as well as explore tertiary study options
- Incursions focused on health and wellbeing including Digital Thumbprint (online safety and cyberbullying) and Party Ready (CPR, drug and alcohol education and psychological first aid)
- Excursions for our music students, including South East Victorian Region Battle of the Bands, MSO concerts, the Pese Mai choir performing at the upcoming Victorian State Schools Spectacular
- Student-led performances at the annual 4Cs, as well as our VCE VM students leading the event management for this event as part of their Personal Development Skills curriculum
All of these opportunities take planning from our staff, as well as their dedication to running these events. This year, we have also created an Operations Committee chaired by Assistant Principal Ms Kelly Bendon to support us in ensuring we have good quality planning for all excursions and events, including quality risk assessments and considerations for the whole college calendar to protect instructional time.
Pre-Conditions for Learning
At the mid-point of each term is an important time to remind all members of the college community of our pre-conditions for learning. These are deemed to be important ways our young people demonstrate they are ready for learning for every class, every day and include:
- Books and Equipment: It is the expectation that students bring a fully stocked pencil case, their school diary and all required books, textbooks and specific equipment to each and every class. Students can purchase pencil cases with all the basic requirements ready to go for $5 from the Main Office if they need to.
- Uniform: Our uniform has recently been reviewed and designed by our students to provide flexibility, warmth and comfort. It is the expectation that full and correct uniform is worn each day. Students out of uniform will be asked to provide a note from a parent/carer if they are out of uniform and be offered spare uniform to change into for the day where available. Please note that no uniform passes will be provided for non-school jackets, jumpers or hoodies to be worn and these items will be confiscated for the day if students are wearing these.
- Laptops: It is the expectation that all students have their own laptop device for learning. A small number of day loan devices are available from the Library. These are not designed to be used instead of purchasing a device, but rather for students who forget their device for the day or whose device is currently in for repairs. The college partners with edunet in 2024 (and Learning With Technologies for 2025 and beyond) to recommend devices suitable for purchase. The college also subsidises device costs by approximately $180 to support families to purchase devices for their young people.
- Mobile Phones and Headphones: The college has a clear policy that mobile phones and headphones are not to be used whilst on school grounds. Members of the Principal class are on the gates every morning and provide verbal reminders of this as students enter. Students sighted with a mobile phone or headphones will have these confiscated for the day and a breach recorded, with associated consequences being issued.
Community Engagement – New Mural at LSC
The college is proud to have a long-standing relationship with Melbourne City Football Club (MCFC), a prominent sporting organisation with headquarters in the City of Casey. As part of their community sponsorship work, MCFC sponsored the creation of a beautiful new mural at Lyndhurst Secondary College. This mural was designed by urban artist Alex and features a young Koorie person with a focused gaze out over our Study Space courtyard as an acknowledgement of our connection to country, as well as our college values. I wish to thank Assistant Principal Ms Jo Keating for her hard work over a number of months to make this project happen, and look forward to the official launch and celebration of this artwork later this term.
Here is the mural design for all to enjoy:
Ms Eloise Haynes
Principal