Aspire News | August 2024 Edition

New Buildings

Recently groundwork has begun to establish new relocatable buildings for the 2025 school year. These building have been built brand new for our school and will be ready for the 2025 school year. The addition of these buildings will help us achieve our intended permanent capacity of about 1200 students.

Year 7 2025

In the last few months, we have been finalising the enrolments of our latest cohort of Year 7 students for 2025. At this point we are expecting to welcome a cohort of about 220 students to the school in Year 7. Demand for place at the school has remained high but we are managing our growth through the implementation of a Enrolment Management Implementation Plan with support of the North Western Region. This plan (EMIP) allows us to prioritise school enrolment for families living within the enrolment zone and manage our growth sustainably. This year is the third year in a row where we have received well over 400 applications for Year 7 enrolment- displaying exceptionally high demand for places at the school. As described above, we are managing this demand effectively to prioritise the needs of our immediate community.

Planning for 2025

A significant number of events and actions are already underway to get students ready for the 2025 school year. Program and subject selection for current Year 9 and 10 students have now been completed, current Year 8 student subject selection will open shortly and Year 12 programs will be finalised soon. In addition to this, we are actively recruiting a significant number of teachers for 2025.

Welcomes

We have welcomed a number of new teaching staff in recent weeks and across this term and across this term.

• Olivia Carr- Arts Learning Specialist
• Maxwell Mather- Art and Food Tech Teacher
• Greg Coles- Music Teacher
• Arthur Walker Trew- Science Teacher
• Eve Harding- English Teacher

We have also welcomed back J-Mara McDonald to Humanities and PE and Matina Konstantinakos is back from leave.

From Thursday the 29th August, I will be travelling on school business for approximately 10 days. Kyle Schutz will be Acting Principal in my absence.

Colin Burke

Reset Learning

Elevation Secondary College prides itself on its innovative approach to education. Following extensive research, the school leadership team has implemented and will continue to support Reset Learning as an additional support offering for our students.

Reset Learning has proven to be an invaluable educational opportunity, with data showing a significant and positive impact on student effort, motivation and performance. Students are selected based on Compass behavioral data. When it becomes evident that a student has lost motivation to learn, is not trying their best, or is struggling with respectful behavior in class, they are considered for this effective new strategy.

Students work in a typical classroom environment with activities specifically designed to re-engage them. They are supervised by experienced Learning Specialists and work respectfully alongside their peers. The high quality of work completed during these sessions and the positive behavioral changes observed in many students have been particularly encouraging.

As mentioned, Reset Learning has already yielded great results, and this program has now become a standard part of the educational support offerings at Elevation Secondary College. Many students have reported a positive sense of achievement and have reintegrated into their regular classes in a positive manner. Students continue their learning during half of recess and half of lunch, while all Department guidelines for mandatory break times are followed. Reset Learning also includes an after-school detention, providing a learning-focused alternative to multiple ongoing detentions or suspensions. This approach can also be more convenient for families, given work commitments, making it also a more manageable solution for parents and guardians.

Reset Learning is intended to be a temporary measure for relevant students and reinforces the core purpose of school: to immerse oneself in education. When selected, student attendance (which families have access to view on Compass) will be recorded as Reset Learning. We look forward to continuing this successful initiative and providing innovative and effective reteaching measures at Elevation Secondary College.

Should you be interested in finding out more, please email andrew.stock@education.vic.gov.au 

School Arrival Time

We remind all families that our designated arrival time for students is 8:30am. This allows students enough time to access their lockers, catch up with friends, and prepare for their classes. Please note that the bell for the start of lessons rings at 8:43am.

To help meet this schedule, we recommend preparing uniforms and school bags the night before and aiming for a screen-free bedtime by 9:30pm. We also ask that families adjust their morning routines to ensure students arrive by 8:30am.

Student Equipment

Bringing the right materials to each lesson is essential for your child’s success and ensures they can fully engage in their learning. Proper supplies help students stay organized, participate in lessons, and complete their tasks effectively. Key items include, but are not limited to:

• Stationery: Pencil case, pens, pencils, erasers, ruler, and sharpener.
• Exercise Books and Folders: Separate exercise books for each subject.
• Diary: For tracking assignments and due dates.
• Laptops
• Textbooks

To support your child in being well-prepared for class, we encourage families to check that they have all the necessary equipment and to purchase any additional items as needed. A well-stocked pencil case and organized folders can significantly enhance a student’s ability to focus and succeed in their studies.

For a list of recommended supplies, please contact the front office for the booklist. If you have any questions about your child’s needs, feel free to reach out to their Mentor Group teacher. We appreciate your cooperation in ensuring your child arrives at school ready to learn and thrive!

Angela Lane, Sonia Loudon, Kyle Schutz & Andrew Stock

Assistant Principals

Dear Parents & Carers,

In Term 4 2024, families with a child enrolled in a government school from Prep to Year 12 in 2025 will receive the one-off $400 School Saving Bonus.

The $400 School Saving Bonus provides families with support for education-relation costs, such as school activities and/or school uniforms and textbooks.

The School Saving Bonus is not available for full-fee international students. home schooled students, TAFE students and students attending kindergarten in 2025.

Actions for Parents and Carers.

Before October 18th 2024, the Department of Education is asking parents and carers to:

• Complete Enrolment: If your child, or children are changing government school for Term 1 2025, or starting Prep or Year 7 in 2025. For more information, read about Enrolling in School.
• Check your contact information: Ensure your email address and phone number is up to date with us. You can check this information by contacting us directly.

We need to ensure your contact information is up to date as the Department of Education will email you twice.

• In October, to verify your email address
• In November, with your $400 School Saving Bonus

Pplease check your junk mail regularly to make sure you do not miss an important email.

To learn more about the School Saving Bonus Information sheet for government school parents and carers is attached to this news article or visit vic.gov.au/school-saving-bonus.

Year 7

It has been an exciting and enriching term for our Year 7 students, filled with both celebration and education. In Week 4, we held a Junior Assembly where we proudly acknowledged students who participated in Inter-School Sports, the Chinese Reading Competition and the David Williamson Writing Competition.

Recently, our students also took part in the ThinkUKnow Police Proactive Session, led by guest speakers from the local Victoria Police. The session covered important topics around E-safety, bullying, and image sharing, equipping our students with valuable knowledge to navigate the online world safely.

Year 8

This term, our Year 8 students have been participating in Welcome Circles, an initiative helping to build strong connections with their peers and teachers. The sessions are run during Mentor Group by their Mentor Group teacher where students gather to share their thoughts in a supportive environment. By participating in Welcome Circles students start the day feeling connected and more prepared and positive for the day ahead.

Student Learning Conferences

Thank you to all parents and guardians who participated in our recent Student Learning Conferences. These meetings are an invaluable opportunity to strengthen the partnership between families and our school, ensuring that we are all working together to support the development of our students. We appreciate your continued involvement.

Ready to Learn

We kindly ask for your support in helping your child be prepared for each school day. Arriving by 8.30am sets a positive tone for the day ahead. It’s important that students come equipped with the necessary materials, including pens, one book per subject, textbook, etc. so they can fully engage in their learning. Additionally, wearing the correct uniform fosters a sense of belonging and commitment to our school expectations of Aiming High, Working Hard and Being Good. Your efforts at home make an impact in your child’s success at school and we appreciate your continued support.

Courtney Gorham & Gulsen Tankir

Year 7 & Year 8 Level Leaders

Year 10 Mentor Group Futsal Competition

Students participating in the Year 10 Mentor Group Futsal Competition will be competing from the 3rd of september to the 17th of October. Well done to all students that have put up their hand to participate in the competition. Students will need to look at the draw for more details. Students are required to bring runners in their bags and bring them to games before swapping with their school shoes.

Start of the school day

The school gates open at 8.30am every morning for students to give themselves time to prepare for their classes for the day.

At 8.45am, the music will start to play, to let the students know to collect items from their lockers and head to Mentor Group. This is where they will hear announcements of the day and meet with their Mentor Group teacher.

Logging Absence

If your child is not attending school due to medical or personal reasons, please log on to compass and mark as away with specified reason. If you are unable to log this on compass, contact the school to inform us that they will not be attending as soon as possible.

If you are going away for a prolonged amount of time such as a holiday, please complete an application for extended leave form form the school.

This is how you can add attendance notes on the Compass mobile app.

James Devlin

Year 10 Leading Teacher

Senior School

SAC Calendar

The Senior School is currently in the process of making SACs (School Assessed Coursework) visible on Compass. You may notice a green box on students’ Compass profiles, indicating an assessment for a specific subject and the session it will be conducted in. Please ensure you are checking this daily and liaising with classroom teachers for any updates.

If you are absent on the day of a SAC, please remember that you must provide a medical certificate or a statutory declaration. Submit this to the Senior School so that arrangements can be made for you to complete the assessment.

Study Habits

As we approach the end of the year, it is important that students effectively prepare for their exams in November. For VCE students, studying most nights is very common. Each student has a Coursework Checklist for each subject, and it is important that once coursework is completed, students shift their focus to revision. This can include activities such as creating mind maps, flashcards, graphic organisers and more.

In Term 4, we will be holding a seminar for our VCE students, where they will receive guidance on effective study strategies for assessments and exams.

Asli Dulger

Senior School Leader

Careers & Pathways

VCE:VM Update

We would like to congratulate students on attaining units in ‘Providing Basic Emergency Life Support’ and ‘Providing First Aid’. Please see the report from Adriel Rodriquez. Our students attending VET courses at Kangan TAFE & Melbourne Polytechnic will complete their first half of their certificate by the end of October this year. This is an exciting time as they reflect on their learning for the year. Please read Brodie Campbells report on the benefits of VET. 

In addition, more students have signed up for a School Based Apprenticeship and Training (SBAT). Congratulations to Cooper Sinclair who has just signed up for an automotive apprenticeship.

Report on First Aid

On Monday the 5th of August the VCE:VM cohort completed a First Aid course. The first thing that was done was an introduction to the first aid course. After that we were taught DRSABCD and how to do CPR. We practice CPR on Dummies, an adult one and a baby one and were taught the differences of doing CPR to an adult and a baby. We were also taught about different acronyms so that we can remember. We also got taught different sicknesses like hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia. Teachers also taught us how to deal with someone who has asthma and how to use an asthma puffer. 

In the afternoon we had to complete a multiple choice test demonstrating our learning for the day.

The first aid course is very important because it could teach us how to keep someone alive till emergency services come and take over or even save someone’s lives. It also is a very great knowledge to know that we know how to help someone who is hurt because we have the knowledge which was taught to us when we learnt first aid. 

Adriel Rodriquez

How VCE:VM is helping me achieve at TAFE

Taking VCE:VM this year got me a spot into building and construction at Kangan TAFE in Broadmeadows. I wake up early and get myself there every Friday. I’ve made new friends and learned so much: like how to make tools with timber and how to use the right equipment and how to use them properly like nailing and making half cuts with a circular saw, coping saw, back saw and chisels and hand planes. As part of the building and construction we do stuff for architects like drawing house scales and how to use scale rulers. We are going to learn how to use nail guns and saws –  mostly power tools and we got to get our white card for free so we can use that for going into a construction site and we got our first aid certificate for free. 

We do a lot of work on the computers. We have done OHS stuff and our SWIMS.

By the end of this they could help us get a job. It gives us a lot of tickets and it doesn’t just look at one construction job it looks at multiple things like concreting, carpentry, cabinet making, architect. I have a good teacher who teaches us everything that we need to know. 

We finish at 3:30 so it gives us more time to learn about stuff compared to school that finishes at 3.

Brodie Campbell

National Science Week

Science Week was a great success, with this year’s theme, Species Survival– More than just sustainability, bringing attention to the role of Science in helping species thrive in a rapidly changing world. This week aimed to foster students’ curiosity and enhance their inquiry skills through hands-on activities.

Each lunchtime, students participated in engaging experiments and games in the science labs. Activities included:

• Testing “whale snot”
• Building ecosystems in a jar
• Testing reaction speeds
• Extracting DNA from strawberries
• Making slime
• and more!

These sessions sparked a passion for science by making complex topics approachable and fun. By exploring how species adapt and survive, students gained insight into the real-world impact of scientific innovation.

Science Week also highlighted the vast array of career possibilities in fields such as biology, environmental science, and biotechnology. Through active exploration, students were encouraged to think critically and develop problem-solving skills.

It was a wonderful opportunity to ignite interest in the next generation of scientists, conservationists, and innovators. Also a big thank you to the Science Faculty and especially Ms Jessica Smith (Science Domain Support) for organising and running these practical sessions!

Helping your child succeed in Science

To help your child succeed in science, one effective strategy is to encourage the use of the Claim, Evidence, Reasoning (CER) framework when writing responses. This framework helps students construct clear, logical answers based on scientific observations.

• Claim is a statement or conclusion that answers a question
• Evidence includes the scientific data that supports the claim
• Reasoning explains how the evidence justifies the claim by connecting it to scientific principles that were taught in class.

Example:

Jessica Beach

Science Learning Specialist

Library News

Book Week 2024 Wrap Up

Bookmark Design Competition

A big thank you to everyone who got involved in our Bookmark Design Competition. Each year we continue to receive more excellent entries, making our job as judges all the more difficult! We will be deliberating over the next few days and an announcement will be made at the end of week 8.

Dean Rankine Comic Drawing Workshops

As part of our Book Week celebrations, the ESC Library hosted Ledger and Stanley Award-winning comic book artist, writer and illustrator Dean Rankine, who conducted comic drawing workshops with students from years 7-10. This was very exciting for our students, many of whom are fans of the comics Dean illustrates including the Simpsons Comics, Futurama, Rick and Morty, Invader Zim and Oggy and the Cockroaches.

The comic workshops were a hit, with students working on facial expressions and drawing on colour theory to create zany characters, and ultimately, a four-panel comic. Many students went home that day with original signed artworks from Dean himself. 

“It was really good, a lot of it was full of jokes and fun and it was more social than art usually is” – Joshua, 7F

“I really enjoyed it because it gave me fun ideas that I can continue to draw with and gives me inspiration so I will not quit.” – Sandy, 7F

“It was really cool learning more stuff about comics. It was interesting learning about all the things that make up a character and Dean taught us about how faces and eyebrows express emotions.” – Lillie, 7F

David Williamson Writing Competition Anthology Update

The Elevation Press is gearing up to release the first David Williamson Writing Competition Anthology, featuring the shortlisted entries in full and excerpts from the long list. Keep an eye out over the coming month for publication details and information on how you can get your copy.

Premiers’ Reading Challenge

Premier’s Reading Challenge is nearly over! The Premier’s Reading Challenge is finishing on Friday 6th September! For all students participating, make sure you’ve included all the books you read during the challenge in the PRC website by then. 

To be in the running for prizes, students must have nominated their reading goal. If you have not done this, you can still do so by seeing Kate in the library.

Library Reminders

• Return your overdue books!
• Check your emails for overdue notices!
• Holiday borrowing is encouraged!

Weekly Schedule

• Mondays and Wednesdays are Game Days (Chess League is on Wednesday)
• Tuesdays and Thursdays are Whisper Days. Students who cannot adhere to Whisper Day rules will be asked to exit the library.

Ellen Stephens

Manager, Library and Information Services

Early Leaving Policy

School attendance is very important.
Students are required to attend school for the entire day. If there is an unavoidable reason for a student to leave school early on a particular day (such as for a medical appointment) a signed note from home must be provided.
Pickup times should coincide with recess and lunch.
 
Process: 

• Student brings a note from home explaining the absence and the intended departure time (recess or lunch). The note must be signed and dated by a parent/guardian
• Student presents the note from home to the Mini School Admin Office before Mentor Group.
• Student receives a signed Early Leaver note from the mini school.
• At recess or lunch – the student brings the early Leaver note to the Administration Office and signs out.
• Student is picked up

If a pickup time can only be during a timetabled period, the student must show their signed Early Leaver note to their classroom teacher at the designated time and then present to the office to be picked up.
 
School staff will not be collecting students from classes during timetabled periods.
 
It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they arrive at the office for pickup at the designated time.
 
Learning is extremely important at Elevation Secondary College. Please note that staff cannot collect your child or put an announcement over speakers during class time.

Recess and Lunch Times
Recess –  10:56 – 11:24am
Lunch – 1:20 – 2:02pm

Aspire Recognition Week (ARW) and Prize Process

Aspire Recognition Week is about taking the opportunity to reflect on the students that are demonstrating the school values of Aim High, Work Hard and Be Good in their everyday school life.

During ARW, students have the opportunity to use the Aspire points that they have earned and spend them at the Aspire Shop. 

Students can request a prize from the Aspire Shop through their Mentor Group Teacher. At the end of the week their Mentor Group teacher will give them their prizes. The Aspire shop is constantly looking to update the prizes that are available to all students. Students are encouraged to come down to the front office to see what prizes are currently on display!

This Aspire Shop is mainly run through support and donations from local businesses. If you would like to offer something into the Aspire Shop as a prize for students, please contact the school on 8339 8000 in regards to the Aspire Shop.

Aspire of the Month

Students can be recognised and nominated for demonstrated exceptional values of Aim High, Work Hard and Be Good within the school community. At the end of each month, the student that has achieved the greatest Aspire in each category is rewarded with an Aspire of the month Certificate and an exclusive prize only available by achieving Aspire of the Month.

There is a different one for each School Value. Who will be the first student ever to collect the set?

Aspire of the Month

This year we are introducing ‘Aspire of the Month’. This is to recognise students that have demonstrated exceptional values of Aim High, Work Hard and Be Good within the school community.

Aspire’s of the Month– August 2024

Aim High: Jasleen 7B

Work Hard: Aaron 7A

Be Good: Rayan 9G

Previous Aspire of the Month Winners!

Aim High	Work Hard	Be Good
Zeynep 11C Saviru 8F Daksh 8E Orion 9C Hayder 9A	Malak 8B Morees 9B Ali Sina 9H Burhan 10H Akshat 11D	Pavani 8C Thejashree 11A Ridha 8D Melody 7E Omar 10B

This Aspire shop is mainly run through support and donations from local businesses. If you would like to offer something into the Aspire shop as a prize for students, please contact the school in regards to the Aspire Shop.

If you have a notice that you would like to share with our Elevation community, please email the College at elevation.sc@education.vic.gov.au. In the subject line, please mention ‘Aspire News’.

Hume Sports Aid Grant

This grant is designed to encourage young people aged 24 years or younger in Hume City to participate in sports and physical activities through financial support.

College Uniform Store
The uniform shop will no longer operate at the College as Noone have leased a new store right here in Craigieburn Junction shopping precinct and have officially opened their door to for business.

The new store is located at:
Shop A2-E
420-440 Craigieburn Rd, Craigieburn 3064
Store located on Cr Craigieburn Rd and Aitken Blvd next to Carpet Call in the Shopping Precinct.

Trading hours are:
Monday-Friday 9am-5pm
Saturday 9am-1pm

Sustainable School Shop

Any Parents/Guardians who are looking to buy or sell their second-hand uniforms or text books please visit the Sustainable Schools website to list or purchase items: http://www.sustainableschoolshop.com.au

So far the results have been very good and we encourage families to take advantage of this method of buying and selling second-hand items.

Here is a how to guide to get you started:

Curriculum & Student Free Days

• Friday 29th November
• Tuesday 10th December

Public Holidays

• Melbourne Cup Day- Tuesday 5th November

Events in Term 3

• Organ Pipes National Park Geography Excursion 10-11th September
• R U OK? Day- Thursday 12th September
• Year 9 ABCN Tech Expo- Thursday 12th September
• Year 7 HPE & Humanities Excursion- Tuesday 17th September

2024 Term Dates

Term 1	Tuesday 30th January (Year 7), Wednesday 31st January (Year 8-11) – Thursday 28th March (1.20pm Finish)
Term 2	Monday 15th April – Friday 28th June (1.20pm Finish)
Term 3	Monday 15th July – Friday 20th September (1.20pm Finish)
Term 4	Monday 7th October – Friday 20th December (12:22pm Finish)