End Of Term

Term 1, 2019 will conclude at 2.30pm on Friday 5th April. We wish all members of the Newcomb Secondary College Community the very best for the Easter holiday break. Term 2 commences on Tuesday, 23rd April.

Mid-Semester Reports

The Mid-Semester Reports will be available on Xuno on Thursday, April 4th. These reports will give both parents/guardians and students a snapshot of their term 1 work. The information in these reports will provide students and families with an opportunity to reflect on how they have approached their learning during term one. These reports are made available before the Parent/Teacher/Student Conferences so that full and informed discussions can occur.

Parent/ Teacher/ Student Conference Bookings

During week 2 of next Term, we will stage our Parent/ Teacher/ Student Conferences in the Learning Resource Centre (Library). These conferences are an important part of a student’s learning and offer an opportunity for rich conversations between students and their parents/guardians focussing on a student’s areas of strength, areas for further improvement and assessment achievement levels.

The dates for the conferences are -

• Thursday May 2nd May 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm

• Friday May 3rd 9:00 am to 12:00 Midday 

Bookings for a conference should be made on Xuno. In doing so, you will be able to manage your time and view the availability of teachers. If you do not have Xuno access, please contact the school and provide an email address, the school will then send you login information. Bookings can also be made by students directly with teachers. If all other methods fail parents/guardians may contact the office and make a booking through the office.

Mr Phil Honeywell, Principal

Mr James Murphy, Assistant Principal

Mr Scott McLeod, Assistant Principal

College Council

The March meeting of Council took place last Thursday evening. At the Annual General Meeting, the 2018 Annual Report was presented.  

We thanked the outgoing executive: President: Mr Mick Graham, Vice President: Ms Cassie Clift, Treasurer: Mr Shane Elevato (and co-opted stand-ins Mr James Murphy and Mr Scott McLeod) and Secretary: Ms Karen Warneke – with support from Mrs Lara Field. We co-opted Student Leader; Jack as a Community Member and welcomed new parent Alison and new student Chloe. We also thanked departing members Karen Warneke and Luka Binks. 

We then elected a new executive. Congratulations to Mr Mick Graham who was re-elected as President, Mrs Cassie Clift who was re-elected as Vice-President, Mr Scott McLeod who was elected as Treasurer and Ms Alison Woodard who was elected as Secretary.

In summary, the following people make up the 2018/19 Newcomb Secondary College Council:

Parent Representatives

Michael Graham, Cassie Clift, Maryanne Cleasby, Angela Hancocks and Alison Woodard

DET Representatives

Scott McLeod, James Murphy, Lara Field and Glenn Hopgood

Community Representatives

Jack Terrill and Sue Case

Executive Officer

Phil Honeywell

We then proceeded onto the first meeting of this newly elected Council.  Among the items discussed were school enrolment zones and the imminent completion of the (mostly food technology) renovations in C Block.  We also approved a number of excursions including the Senior and Junior Band Camps, the Year 7 Camp and an Outdoor Education Bush Walk.

Senior Sports Wrap Up

On Friday 8th of March our Senior Students participated in the Inter-School Sports Competition for cricket, and tennis. Below are some further details about how some of our teams faired on the day.

Senior Cricket Men

On Friday Newcomb SC participated in the Senior Cricket competition. The first match of the day our boys batted first and put a competitive total on the board, with Ethan Barby and Sean Biemans being the outstanding performers with the bat. Unfortunately, we could not manage to defend this total however, despite our best efforts in the field. It was a similar result in our second match, when we faced with the challenge of taking on the ever strong Geelong High. The boys displayed outstanding competitive spirit and sportsmanship, but unfortunately couldn’t get the win to cap off such a great effort. Well done boys!

Senior Tennis

Newcomb fielded both a men’s and women’s team in the Senior Competition this year at Geelong Lawn Tennis Club. All students were cooperative, supportive, played the matches to the best of their ability and represented the school well, which was extremely pleasing.  Whilst out Senior Boys lost both matches to Northern Bay and Belmont despite the best efforts, our Senior Girls won against Lara, but lost a close match to Bellarine and also Belmont. A great effort by all.

Athletics & Swimming Sports 2019

During Term 1 2019, both the NSC Athletics and Swimming Carnivals were held. Despite both carnivals being held within the space of only a few days, the weather our students and staff were faced with was a stark contrast.

Wild winds and a heavy morning downpour threatened to potentially postpone our Aths, but the sky’s cleared and the show fortunately went on. To our student’s credit, enthusiasm was not dampened by the less than ideal conditions, with students dressing in house colours and participating in events as planned. Some of the more popular events for the day proved to be the 3000m Walk, 100m Sprint and High Jump, whilst the most laughs were definitely had during the annual Egg and Spoon Race.

The following Monday played host to our annual Swimming Carnival. On this occasion however, we were blessed with a pleasant summer’s day. It was once again pleasing to see many of our students stepping out of their comfort zone, and donning the togs in support of their house.

As the carnival progressed into the afternoon, lanes were traded for inflatable rafts, toys and more as novelty events took over the Kardinia Pool. Teamwork and strategy was on full display amongst our students as they worked in houses in pursuit of a blue ribbon.

Congratulations To The Winning House...Harrison

At the end of the day there can only be one winner. What a year it was for Harrison, taking out both carnivals! Congratulations to all house members, whilst honourable mentions are in order for all who participated in an event across the carnivals. Well done.

Information Evening- 6.30pm Monday April 1

The Newcomb SC Information Evening is next Monday April 1. During the last week, the Transition team led by Mr Rowan Klingberg has visited our local primary schools for a presentation and passed out an invitation to all perspective grade 5 and 6 students. Our Music team also spent time this week at Leopold PS introducing students to instruments and having lots of fun.

A reminder to any perspective students and families, that we are more than happy to arrange a tour of the school with you simply by contacting the administration office to arrange a suitable time. 

The Newcomb SC Information Evening on Monday April 1 commences with tours of the college at 6.30pm and a presentation at 7.00pm. We look forward to a great evening!

Interim Reports

Staff are currently working on student’s interim reports. These reports will be distributed to students and families before the end of this Term. These reports are part of our focus on regular feedback and can form the basis of ongoing conversations with students and their families with teachers about improvements to learning growth and outcomes. We welcome all students and families to engage in this feedback process and encourage contact with teachers for further information. 

Parent, Teacher, Student Conferences

The Parent, Teacher, Student Conferences will take place in the second week of Term 2. The conferences will be staged in two time slots, Thursday May 2 (4-7pm) and Friday May 3 (9-12pm). In the last week of this term, you will have the opportunity to book in a conference time with teachers. This can be done on Xuno. If you have any issues or concerns about this process, simply contact the administration office for support in making necessary bookings.

Upcoming Calendar Events

• NSC Information Evening- 6.30pm Monday April 1

• Year 12 Media Student Film Talk- Wednesday April 3

• Girls as Leaders in STEM (GALS) excursion- Wednesday April 3

• End of Term 1- Friday April 5 (2.30pm dismissal)

• Start of Term 2- Tuesday April 23

• ANZAC Day- Thursday April 25

• P/T/S Conferences- Thursday May 2 (4-7pm) & Friday May 3 (9-12pm)

Mr Phil Honeywell, Principal

Mr James Murphy, Assistant Principal

Mr Scott McLeod, Assistant Principal

P-TECH Presentation to the Leaders for Geelong Group                 

Last Wednesday afternoon we welcomed 30 representatives from the Committee for Geelong Leaders for Geelong Project.  They attended to learn more about our P-TECH initiative and how we are building new curriculum in the Getting Ready for the Outside World (GROW) program.  After our presentation we were able to take our guests to visit a Year 7 GROW class.  Hopefully these types of visits and presentations will lead to further opportunities for our students in these unique programs.

In partnership with Deakin University Geelong and the Deakin Newcomb Teaching Alliance, Year 7, 8 and Year 9 Newcomb Secondary College students recently had the opportunity to work alongside Deakin pre-service teachers as part of the Masters of Applied Learning and Teaching in an immersion activity structured around their individual data pertaining to BAS Reading testing and student voice.

The learning of students is enhanced when they are supported to develop intentional strategies that promote learning. They need to understand what it means to learn, who they are as learners and their own learning growth. As well as the knowledge that their student voice counts and is important to us.

This project offered a number of potential benefits for participating Newcomb Secondary College students including the opportunity to participate in BAS testing, reflect on their own data and discuss their individual feelings towards student voice at NSC. These tests and surveys will form part of student progress checks, reflections and goal setting.

The Testing results and individual student voice surveys will be collated for classroom teachers. We are hoping to see improvement when they are surveyed again in November 2019. This took place at Newcomb Secondary College, as part of their weekly program.  

College Council 

This Thursday we have the Annual Reporting Meeting of the Newcomb Secondary College Council. This will be followed by the co-opting of community members, the election of the Council Office Bearers and then the first meeting of the new College Council. This meeting will take place in the Language Centre.

Information Evening - Monday April 1

The Newcomb SC Information Evening is fast approaching, on Monday April 1. During the last week, we have visited our local primary schools and been encouraged by the positive feedback and conversations about our college and the programs we offer to our students. Those grade 5 and 6 students we spoke to were very enthusiastic about their upcoming transition into secondary school and many were excited to be not only attending our Information Evening, but equally about joining Newcomb SC in 2020. Over the next week, Mr Klingberg and his Transition team will be visiting students in our local primary schools for a brief presentation and to pass out information and an invite in a letter to all perspective grade 5 and 6 students.

Last week, Newcomb SC was featured in an article in the Geelong Indy. Many of you may have seen the feature already. For those of you who missed it, click on the PDF below and it will direct you to a copy of entire full page feature. Equally, if you haven’t done so already, please keep up to date with all the latest information, features, activities and achievements of the college and our students on the Newcomb Secondary College website https://www.newcombsc.vic.edu.au/new/index and Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/newcombsecondarycollege/

A reminder to any perspective students and families, that we are more than happy to arrange a tour of the school with you simply by contacting the administration office to arrange a suitable time. 

The Newcomb SC Information Evening on Monday April 1 commences with tours of the college at 6.30pm and a presentation at 7.00pm.

Upcoming Calendar Events

• On-2-Wheels: Eastern Beach Ride- Wednesday March 20

• NSC College Council Meeting- Thursday March 21

• On-2-Wheels: Melbourne Ride- Monday March 25

Mr Phil Honeywell, Principal

Mr James Murphy, Assistant Principal

Mr Scott McLeod, Assistant Principal

Information Evening

On Monday April 1st, we will be staging our 2020 information evening. This night is an important one for families of students from grade 4 to grade 6 for which they are still agonising over their secondary college selections for their son or daughter. The information evening is a great opportunity for Newcomb Secondary College to open its doors to the public and showcase the amazing programs and facilities that we have to offer, and that we all know run here at the college on a daily basis. Parents, guardians and prospective students from our local area for whom Newcomb Secondary is their nearest local school will be able to participate in guided tours of the facilities and witness the programs in action, listen to a presentation from our Principal and Transition team and share in some light refreshments and conversations with Newcomb Secondary College staff. The night commences with tours of the college at 6.30pm and the presentation at 7.00pm.

Upcoming Calendar Events

• Driving Learning Excursion- Friday March 15

• Outdoor Education: Surfing- Monday March 18

• On-2-Wheels: Eastern Beach Ride- Wednesday March 20

Mr Phil Honeywell, Principal

Mr James Murphy, Assistant Principal

Mr Scott McLeod, Assistant Principal

College Council Elections                                         

Following the nomination process the number of parent nominations are fewer than the number of vacancies in this category, I declare that the following parents have been elected to the Newcomb Secondary College Council for the next 2 years: Maryanne Cleasby and Alison Woodard. 

With the number of DET nominations equal to the number of vacancies in this category, I declare the following DET members elected to the Newcomb Secondary College Council for the next 2 years: Mr James Murphy and Mr Scott McLeod.

With the number of student nominations being greater than the number of vacancies we will now conduct a ballot to determine the successful nominee.

Mr Phil Honeywell, Principal

Mr James Murphy, Assistant Principal

Mr Scott McLeod, Assistant Principal

Feedback Focus

During Week 5, teachers will be focusing on providing feedback to all of their students based on their learning progress to date. All teachers will aim to give each student feedback that is individualised, relevant and accessible. Often this feedback will appear as a Markbook item in Xuno, which students can then view from within their own Xuno platform. Parents and guardians should also be able to review this feedback, and are encouraged to contact the school for support regarding any Xuno-related technical enquiries.

During Week 6, teachers will be participating in the process of moderation. This enables teachers from both within and across teaching teams to compare work from their students, to celebrate student learning success and ensure consistency with the assessment process. 

In other news, this Thursday our students (with the exception of Groups 71 and 72, who will be at the beach) will be participating in a survey with The Geelong Project. The Geelong Project is a partnership between Geelong-based secondary schools, Barwon Child Youth and Family (BCYF) and Headspace.

The purpose of this partnership is to support young people with the completion of their secondary school education, and over recent years has provided a range of supports to our young people. Any parents or guardians are most welcome to contact Mr Murphy for further information.

To the students of Groups 71 and 72, have a great day at the beach – bring a hat and plenty of sunscreen!

Senior School Feedback

This week staff will be providing detailed assessment and progress feedback on student achievement on particular set tasks or in their subjects or particular assessment tasks. This feedback will be published on Xuno. We encourage Senior School students to take particular notice of the feedback, discuss with their teachers and make the necessary improvements. Should you have any issues accessing the feedback on Xuno, please contact the college. 

School Photos

School Photos took place on Monday. Upon having their photo taken, student’s received a personalised flier from Athur Reed Photos with a unique code and instructions on how to view their images and purchase different online packages of photos accordingly. For more information, go to order.arphotos.com.au or call 5243 4390.

Upcoming Calendar Events

• Tuesday Feb 26- Year 7 Immunisations (all Year 7’s)

• Wednesday Feb 27- AIR4 Aeorspace- Avalon Air Show (Selected Y7’s)

• Thursday Feb 28- Beach Day (71 & 72)

• Thursday Feb 28 & Friday Mar 1- Backed up the Future- Geelong Tech School (74) 

• Friday Mar 1- Avalon Airshow Careers Expo (Selected 10-12’s)

• Friday Mar 1- School Photos Catch-ups

• Thursday Mar 7- Beach Day (73 & 74)

• Thursday Mar 7- Elevate Session (Year 10- 12)

• Friday Mar 8- VCAL Melbourne CDB excursion

College Council

The February meeting of the Newcomb Secondary College Council took place last Thursday evening.  Amongst the items discussed were our planning processes for 2019 and progress on our facilities improvements in C Block.  Council also approved some outdoor education and Year 7 excursions.

College Council Elections

Nominations for the election of the new College Council close today—Tuesday, 26th February, 2019 at 4.00pm. 

A list of candidates, nominators and seconders will be displayed in the Newcomb Secondary College Office by Thursday, 28th February, 2019. If an election is necessary, the appropriate documentation will be distributed to parents and/or students and the ballot will close on Tuesday, 12th March, 2019 at 4.00pm.

Mr Phil Honeywell, Principal

Mr James Murphy, Assistant Principal

Mr Scott McLeod, Assistant Principal

School Carnivals- Athletics & Swimming Sports

Congratulations to those students who participated in the Athletics and Swimming Sports conducted over the last two weeks. It was especially pleasing to see such enthusiasm for the activities involved in both days and such great colour at the venues.

Sport days are an important part of the school experience and allow students to show their athletic talents both on the track, in the field and in the pool. Pleasingly many students achieved great personal results, whilst also contributing to the overall team outcome. Well done to all!

School Photos

School Photos will take place on Monday February 25th. Students are expected to attend the day in full school uniform and will be called to have their photo taken at some point during the day. Students have received an information sheet from Athur Reed Photos with instructions on how to purchase different packages of photos. For more information, go to order.arphotos.com.au

Upcoming Calendar Events

• Monday Feb 25- School Photos

• Tuesday Feb 26- Year 7 Immunisations

• Thursday Feb 28- Beach Day 71 & 72

• Thursday Mar 7- Beach Day 73 & 74

• Thursday Mar 7- Elevate Session (Year 10- 12)

 Mr Scott McLeod

College Council

The February meeting of the College Council will take place in the Language Centre on Thursday evening.

College Council Elections

The process for the election of the new College Council has now commenced. Nominations for the three parent and the two staff representative positions are now open and called for.

Nominations will close on Tuesday 26th February at 4.00pm. The list of candidates, nominators and seconders will be displayed at the Newcomb Secondary College General Office by Thursday 28th February 2019.

If an election is necessary, I will distribute the appropriate documentation to parents and the ballots will close on Tuesday 12th March, 2019 at 4.00pm.

The parents whose time on Council has expired are:

·         Maryanne Cleasby (eligible for nomination)

·         Kelly Timms (eligible for nomination)

·         Gail Fearnhead (eligible for nomination)

 The student whose time on Council has expired is:

·         Luka Binks (eligible for nomination)

Of course, nominations are able to be received from any parents and students  and we would encourage parents and students to consider being part of the College Council.

 The Department of Education and Training members whose time on Council has expired are:

·         Mrs Liz McNamara (eligible for nomination)

·          Mr Shane Elevato (not eligible for nomination)

 Community members whose time on Council has expired are:

Karen Warneke

Olive Bultman

The Newcomb Secondary College Council can also co-opt four people into the Community Members category of Council with the College Student Leaders traditionally filling some of these positions.

Other information concerning the College Council elections can be found in this newsletter. Nomination forms can be obtained from the General Office, or ring the office and a form can be sent home.

Therefore the February meeting of the College Council (this week) will be the last of the present Council and the Thursday 21st March meeting will be the first of the new College Council.

We would like to thank our retiring members for their contribution to Council.

Junior School News

It has been a busy start to the Term; already we have had our Athletic and Swimming Sports events and work is well and truly underway across all subject areas.

It was terrific to see such a great level of participation and enthusiasm from our youngest students across our major college sporting events, and very encouraging to see so many students from across all house groupings supporting one another’s achievements.

Highlights for me included seeing Amelia Cleasby and Georga Ward sharing first place in the 400 metre race, and Asata Frost literally running herself into the ground at every possible opportunity! 

Achievements have also been abundant in the classroom, and it has been terrific to see so many students receiving Anchor Awards from their teachers for being a learner, being respectful and working together.

Most notable here is Dannika Carroll, who has already received three nominations for her achievements in English and Food – congratulations Dannika, keep up the great work! 

Things are starting to get busy now. I would encourage all of our students to stay organised, and to not underestimate the importance of writing reminders and priorities down in your student planner. Remember as well that you can make contact with your teachers on Xuno if ever you have questions or concerns about your learning.

Mr Murphy

Newcomb Secondary College understands that staff and/or students may sometimes like to bring items of personal property to school. 

The Department of Education and Training does not have insurance for personal property of staff, students and visitors. Newcomb Secondary College does not take responsibility for items of personal property that are lost, stolen or damaged at school or during school activities. Damage to personal property brought to school is the responsibility of the owner of that property. 

Newcomb Secondary College encourages staff and students not to bring items of value to school, or to obtain appropriate insurance for such items. 

If students bring items of value to school, they will be confiscated and stored securely at the School until the end of the day, when the items may be collected by the student and/or parent. 

This policy applies to all school activities, including camps and excursions.  

Mr Phil Honeywell, Principal

Mr James Murphy, Assistant Principal

Mr Scott McLeod, Assistant Principal

Senior School News

I have been really impressed with the way Senior School students have started their year of learning. The environment in each classroom has been positive and students have attended to their studies in a responsible and organised manner. 

Last Thursday at Deakin University, our Year 11 and Year 12 students participated extremely well in the annual Kick Start Day. It was great to see our college leaders be so involved in the activities of the day which included a Trademark session. We are looking forward to the presentation of the final set of Trademark statements, which will set the standard for not only student’s approaches to their learning but how they will carry themselves in both Newcomb Secondary College and the broader community.

Bus Travel

Travel arrangements of students to and from school is a major aspect of every student’s school life. As a college, we are conscious of this and as such are always looking to lobby to improve the bus service schedules for our students. We are currently working closely with Geelong region of Public Transport Victoria to review the college Public Bus services. Hopefully I will have more information to provide in the coming weeks.

Students are reminded, that Newcomb Secondary College has high expectations on them whilst they travel to and from school within the community. Behaviour at bus stops, and on the transport services must reflect that of positive behaviour and respect expectations and standards equal to those of what we expect within the college grounds. 

Upcoming Calendar Events

• Monday Feb 18- NSC Swimming Carnival (Kardinia Pool)

• Monday Feb 25- School Photos

• Tuesday Feb 26- Year 7 Immunisations

Mr Scott McLeod

Assistant Principal

Kick Start Day

“Exhausting!” was the quote one student gave at the end of Kick Start Day last Thursday. The day was start to finish full of presenters, information and activities. A brief sample of life at Deakin as a university student, a pathways talk from Mr Horsted, and resilience and wellbeing from Chiara and Mr Sinclair were some of the activities which students participated in.

The afternoon saw separate seminars for each of VCAL, Year 11 VCE and Year 12 VCE students, depending on the year each group has ahead of them. The main event to many students was the collaborative creation of a shortlist of terms that the Senior School could use as a trademark.

Currently this list contains 12 words; Resilience, Motivated, Belief, Pride, Self-Motivated, Disciplined, Respectful, Reliable, Hard Working, Role Models, Enthusiastic, and Consistent. This will be further narrowed down by students in the coming weeks until 5 terms are selected to represent the Senior School. Watch this space!

Sharing a space, it’s all about mutual respect.

The Language Centre is the new home of the Senior School in 2019. Its freshly painted interior has a layout that presented some unique challenges and opportunities for the students and teachers who now inhabit it throughout the school day.

The centre’s open plan design and singular kitchenette have meant that parts of the space are shared by teachers and students, particularly at the lunch and recess breaks. Discussions between staff and student leaders, as representatives of their peers, have so far lead to a successful sharing of this space.

‘Mutual respect’ seem to be the watch words as staff and students allow each other space when it is apparent that is required, such as for study or lesson preparation. At the same time it has allowed for more frequent and transparent discussions between staff and student on matters relating to school, such as attendance, uniform or classes.

But it’s not all business, and some lunchtimes have seen staff and students engaged in courteous conversations about favourite television shows or sport as they shared a table to eat their lunch. A far cry from the dusty old E-Block, sharing the Language Centre space has the potential to be one of the great experiences for Year 12 students in 2019 and beyond.

Mr Jeremy Sinclair

Start of the 2019 College Year

Last Wednesday we welcomed back our students to the 2019 school year. It was great to see everyone and there was a general excitement as staff and students commenced their year. 

We started with a whole school assembly with some general welcomes and reminders on expectations for how we work together. 

We welcomed new students, of course at Year 7, but also at other year levels and we welcomed new staff: Assistant Principal, Mr Scott McLeod and in the office, Ms Lisa Marin. Keep an eye out for some short introductions in the coming weeks. 

We then moved to year level assemblies, where the organisational practicalities of being ‘Ready to Learn’ were supported, before getting straight into our classes for lesson 2.

Lockers and Combination Locks

All students have been allocated with a student planner and a locker. All students must have a lock on their locker – the school cannot take responsibility for the contents of student’s lockers. Year 7 students have been supplied with a MASTER combination lock which will be charged to the family account.

If students at other levels wish to buy a combination lock they can be purchased directly from the General Office for $10.00.

Year 7 Update

The next generation of students at Newcomb Secondary College have certainly hit the ground running! Consistent feedback from all members of the College has highlighted how polite and courteous these new students are, and all should be commended for the positive way in which they have made one of the biggest transitions in their life!

The jump from primary to secondary school represents a key turning point in a young person’s life, and this can be stressful for many. I would remind our students that they have a range of people who will help at any given opportunity if they are experiencing any difficulties or challenges. Ensuring our students have a successful and enjoyable start to Year 7 is the priority of the Student Support Team. 

We have some very exciting dates coming up, including the Year 7 Beach Days on Thursday the 28th of February (71&72) and Thursday the 7th of March (73&74), as well as our Year 7 Orientation Camp later this term (more information will be distributed over coming weeks). It will also be great to see our Year 7s getting involved with the College Athletic Sports (12/2) and the Swimming Carnival (18/2).

Well done once again to our Year 7 students for their encouraging and enthusiastic start to 2019!

Mr James Murphy, Assistant Principal

Senior School News 

It’s hard to believe that not only is it 2019, but we’ve already had a week of school! In the Senior School students and staff have all hit the ground running. Following our successful orientation programs at the tail end of 2018 our students knew what to expect and had commenced learning immediately on the first days of school. But the in class learning isn’t all that’s going on for the Senior School at Newcomb Secondary College, we have a couple of exciting events coming up to help our students prepare for the year ahead.

This year we have included the Year 10 cohort to the Senior School. What this means for our Year 10 students and equally those in Years 11 & 12 is that they are now considered role models of the college. We expect Senior School students to be leaders within the college for their fellow peers and display positive interactions with staff, fellow students, have respect for the school, their learning and themselves, present well and carry themselves in a positive and responsible manner at all times. 

Kick Start Day 2019

This is a great opportunity for students to collaborate in teams, strengthen relationships with their peers and staff, undertake presentations on study skills, resilience, career pathways and trademark as well as set goals for 2019.

First up we have our Kick Start Day on 7/2/19. Traditionally we have held separate days for Years 11 and 12, but with the delineation between year levels becoming ever more blurred it was time to combine these days into one. On this day all Year 11 and 12 students will be bussed out to Deakin, Waurn Ponds, to participate in a number of school and Deakin lead workshops. They’ll learn about some of the formalities of the VCE/VCAL system they are enrolled in, have some pathways discussions, create a trademark for the Senior School and learn some valuable skills to help deal with the challenges of their final years at NSC. This is a great opportunity for students to collaborate in teams, strengthen relationships with their peers and staff, undertake valuable presentations as well as set goals for 2019.

Elevate Study Skills Session

A month after our Kick Start Day we have our first Study Skills session to help our students learn or polish the skills they need to be ready for their major assessments. This will be for Years 10, 11 and 12 and whilst many participated in some sessions last year, the content of this seminar will be entirely new.

Following the successes of 2018, with NSC being identified as one of the top 25 most improved schools in Victoria, we have high hopes for 2019. A new venue, some exciting opportunities and a great year lie ahead. 

Language Centre

We are pleased to be able to provide Senior Students with the Language Center as a space solely for students in Year 12 to relax with their peers during down time, study privately or collaboratively and chat to key Senior School staff leaders. As a school, we pride ourselves with being able to provide students with high quality facilities for learning and trust that students in Year 12 will respect the space provided to them, act responsibly and maturely as young adults in it throughout the year.

Athletics Day 2019

Athletics Day is nearly upon us, being held on Tuesday the 12th of February (week 3). Remember, you are making a positive contribution to your house just by participating! So don’t hesitate to get involved in what is a fantastic day! 

Furthermore, remember to bring along a water bottle, hat and to regularly apply sunscreen throughout the day. 

House Captains

Congratulations to the following Year 11 students who have been elected as House Captains for 2019…

Curlewis: Jack Speed & Hamish Sentance

Drysdale: Kaysha Pitman & Julia Scaffidi

Harrison: Lachlan Illes Gerdes & Erin Glover

Wills: Bianca Merlino & Tim Payne

Upcoming Calendar Events

• Thursday Feb 7- Kick Start Day (Year 11 & 12) at Deakin University

• Tuesday Feb 12- NSC Athletics Carnival (whole school) at Landy Field

• Monday Feb 18- NSC Swimming Carnival (whole school) at Kardinia Pool

Further information on these events is contained in this newsletter.

Mr Jeremy Sinclair

Leading Teacher- Head of Senior School

Newcomb Secondary Welcomes New Assistant Principal Mr Scott McLeod 

Firstly, I would like say that I am very excited to be joining Newcomb Secondary College and look forward to working closely with the fantastic staff, students and wider community in providing an outstanding education for our students. I have been truly blown away with the warm welcome I have received by all members of the college community and am in admiration of the positive culture that exists within the school.

In my role as an Assistant Principal, I will be working with the Senior School team (Years 10-12)  to ensure that we deliver programs that meet student’s pathways, deliver best practice teaching and learning in the classroom that caters for all students, and provide appropriate and suitable student support and management systems. In what is a very important stage of a student’s life, we will ensure that all students are provided with the necessary tools and skills that enable them to not only be best informed and prepared for their chosen pathway, but equally are in a position to thrive in the jobs of the 21st century.

Mr Scott McLeod, Assistant Principal

2018 End of Year Reports

Just a reminder to all parents that the 2018 end of year reports are available online. Parents and students are able to access reports as a PDF via the Xuno portal. Xuno can be accessed via any device with internet access including computer, tablets and phones. If you need a reminder about your Xuno login details please contact Mr Stephen Bath at the College.

Students not returning to Newcomb 

If you know of any student not returning to Newcomb Secondary College this year, could you please ask them to contact the office on 5248 1400.

Mr Phil Honeywell, Principal

Mr James Murphy, Assistant Principal

Mr Scott McLeod, Assistant Principal