Welcome back to Term 2! We hope that the holiday break offered all members of the Newcomb SC community an opportunity to relax and refresh in preparation for another busy school term. I trust that the holiday break offered many highlights shared with those close to you.
Primary School Program, School Tours & Information Evening
It is fair to say that the holidays came at a good time for us all- we certainly had a big end to Term 1! Throughout Term 1, we welcomed grade 4, 5 and 6 students from far and wide, from our fantastic feeder schools and those further beyond into the college to experience life as a Newcomb Secondary College student. Our brilliant staff conducted classes in Food, STEM, Science, Technology, PE and more during these sessions, showcasing our fantastic learning programs and facilities. The feedback from our visiting Primary School students was overwhelmingly positive, the engagement and smiles on their faces said it all!
Further to this, we opened the college doors for school tours. Again, these tours were extremely successful with high attendance numbers witnessing the college in action during a regular school day. It was pleasing to have conversations with those in attendance who took note of the calm learning environments, supports from staff and the overall welcoming atmosphere of Newcomb Secondary College.
Finally, on March 25, we staged our highly acclaimed Information Evening. It is an event that is filled with enthusiasm, excitement and wonder from all who attended. Newcomb staff speak with high passion about their love of learning and their passion for their subject area. They also demonstrate their dedication to students of this community- after all, our staff’s relationship building skills, guidance and wellbeing supports are amazing.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those involved with the Primary school programs, school tours and Information evening planning and facilitation. It is very humbling to see so many students volunteer to stay back and support these community events. They do so simply because they are proud of their school. Thank you.
Attendance Records- Term 1
In this week’s edition of the newsletter, I encourage you to take note of the Attendance article. The article highlights the positive number of students who had a perfect 100% attendance record in Term 1 as well as the number of students who achieved 95% attendance records for Term 1. It is an amazing achievement. If you were one of the students in either category- congratulations. If you missed out in Term 1, I challenge you to be one of the students for Term 2- over to you!
Reconnecting with our ‘High Expectations’ Focus 2024
It was important at the start of Term 2 to reconnect our entire school community with our goals and targets for 2024, that being our ‘High Expectations’ culture. As was shared at the start of the school year, and was re-enforced at Monday’s assembly, we can all be quite proud of Newcomb Secondary College’s dedication towards and success in Creating Positive Outcomes for all students. Our Positive Futures Framework offers guidance for the skills and attributes necessary for success in any chosen career pathway, we have a system wide recognised Wellbeing program utilising Berry St resources and professional learning to guide and feature highly on all student growth tables for Literacy and Numeracy. Student Voice and Agency is celebrated, and our commitment to School Wide Positive Behaviour allows Newcomb SC to have a safe and orderly environment for learning together.
To compliment these areas of success, and in support our work in Berry St, in 2024 staff will continue to focus on supporting students with ‘High Expectation’ and ‘Good Oder’ practices. Research tells us that students who display consistent behaviours, have high expectations and predictable routines are more organised, maximise learning opportunities and achieve the greatest success. Aligned with our college values of ‘Learning, Respect & Working together’ as assessed in our positive learning qualities report cycle every five-weeks, ’Good Order’ practices will enable our classroom learning environments to be spaces that are calm and orderly, where positive learning interactions are a feature and remain the focus.
The ‘Good Order’ Focus areas that are expected and reinforced with students our assembly today are-
Students will line up outside the classroom before each class with all learning materials.
Students will enter the room in an orderly manner, sit & remain seated, and keep devices shut until instructed to open by the teacher.
Students will respect the learning equipment- and leave the room in a neat, tidy state.
There will be opportunities in class for structured movement directed only by the teacher- at all other times, students will remain seated for learning.
Only one student will be granted permission by the teacher to leave the classroom at any time using the ‘Pass-out’ card.
As you can appreciate, these ‘Good Order’ expectations, under our ‘High Expectations’ theme are quite simple and not hard for students to adhere to but will allow each and every class to begin in a positive fashion and remain conducive to best practice learning outcomes. We encourage you to take the time to speak about these measures with your student at home and set about determining what High Expectation outcomes look like with your student and in your family. We appreciate your support of our endeavour to provide organisational guidance, predictability, and high expectations to our student community in 2024. Today is our starting platform- our base level expectations so to speak. Please do keep an eye out for further ‘Good Order’ & ‘High Expectations’ foci over the coming weeks.
Student Uniform & Presentation
Yes, summer seems to have passed us by for now. The weather is starting to get colder and the days shorter. At Monday’s assembly, I acknowledged that Term 2 becomes one of the most challenging times for our students to meet their High Expectations standards on uniform. The main culprit is the ‘hoodie.’
It was great to see the efforts made by most students regarding presentation within our Newcomb Secondary College community. We receive many positive comments from our community about the way students present. It is also noted how great our college uniform looks. Each student is a role model for the college, and we ask that they always represent the college well, as well as representing themselves and their families also.
Leadership, Student Support and Home Group teachers will be making a concerted effort to ensure all students are dressed in correct uniform in 2024. We too ask for your unwavering support with this focus also. Students who present in the incorrect uniform will be asked to provide a reason and a plan to address the situation with their Home Group teachers and Student Support coordinators. Should a positive outcome not be possible, Leadership will contact respective guardians to discuss the matter and determine an outcome.
More information on uniform will be shared in the coming weeks- in particular, a move towards a uniform bank where replacement items will be provided to students to wear for the day when they present to school out-of-uniform.
The Newcomb Secondary College uniform provider is PSW and if support is needed with uniforms, do not hesitate to contact our Wellbeing team.
Department Policy- Mobile Phone
I wish to take this opportunity to direct our community to a couple of key policies that schools are expected to action. Mobile phones continue to be a challenge in schools and can cause harm to students and learning when used during the school day. Students are expected to have their phone securely placed off and away during the school day. We provide secure lockers for students to keep their devices and each classroom also has secured lockers should a teacher ask a student to place it in one because the student had their phone out during class, rather than off and away in their locker as is expected and required.
Can we also ask that parents and carers refrain from contacting students during the school day on their Mobile Phones. If important messages are needed to be delivered to a student, do not hesitate to contact the Administration office and we will relay the message to your student.
Department Policy- Building a Positive Community Relationship
To help make sure that your child feels supported at school you must work with the school to create a supportive environment. This will also help meet your child's learning and wellbeing needs. Here at Newcomb Secondary College, we are proud of the relationships we foster with our community and look to work closely and collaboratively as a team together in the best interests of all students.
The Respectful Behaviours in the School Community Policy defines standards of behaviour for all adult members of the school community. It also defines unacceptable behaviours and consequences for such behaviours. This helps to ensure schools are safe, supportive, and respectful places for work and learning for all students, staff, and other adults. In line with our High Expectations agenda in 2024, please take a moment to review the Department’s policies and resources on this important part of our partnerships together- Building a positive relationship with your child's school | vic.gov.au (www.vic.gov.au)
Letters of Recognition- Students
It was great to be able to send out over thirty-five letters of recognition to students and their carers at the end of Term 1. These letters were in acknowledgement of the observations made from staff and shared with me, or observations I have made myself of our wonderful students. Offering positive acknowledgements and recognition is something that I really appreciate and value doing for students, and I look forward to continuing to produce many more letters to many more students throughout the rest of the year!
Building Works- Newcomb Secondary College & Woolworths
Throughout Term 2, staff, students, and our community will need to be considerate of building works that will be taking place in both our school grounds and Woolworths.
At Newcomb Secondary College, works will commence and be completed on-
350 new lockers in Area 1 & 2
Two new Basketball Courts outside C3, 4 and 5
Bicycle Storage Shed next to the Bus Sheds
College Perimeter Fenceline
Construction fence lines and occupancy from the builders will start to commence next week.
We ask that our community respect the Occupational Health and Safety requirements and relevant instructions during the construction phase. We are certainly looking forward to the exciting works being completed and thus shared with our students and community who deserve nothing but the best.
You will have noticed that the beginnings of major works taking place alongside the college at Woolworths. These works include renovations of Woolworths and thus the store will be closing for a period of time to facilitate the construction. We will share more specific details with you when they come to hand, but at this stage, we ask that you prepare for adjustments to drop-off and pick-ups, or movement within that carpark vicinity during the phase of the major upgrade works.
Welcome back to Term 2! I hope that you had a great Easter break.
In Term 1 of 2024, across all year levels, 64% of absences remain unexplained – something that we hope our college community can assist us with by accessing Compass and attending to your student’s absence reason.
Of the absences provided with a reason, 20% are due to Medical, 10% listed as Parent Choice (unapproved)
and a combined 6% noted as Truancy, Refusal or Family Holiday.
At Newcomb Secondary College, we strive for high attendance to support your child’s learning, and social, emotional and mental wellbeing. We endeavour to work with and support all families in our community; we all want and need to do better for our students.
We can provide the best supports for students and families when absences are explained. Protecting the safety and well-being of students through the reporting and monitoring of absenteeism is the responsibility of both parents/carers and Newcomb Secondary College.
Communication is a critical component in ensuring all students can maximise their learning and engagement. If your student is struggling with attendance due to anxiety, health, truancy, refusal or another barrier, please let us know so we can work together to support your student. We understand that there are barriers preventing attendance and prioritise support for those families. There are a range of resources available to support you with helping students to re-engage and improve school attendance.
95%
attendance rate is the equivalent of missing 10 days per year.
90%
= 1 day per fortnight or 20 days per year.
85%
= 30 days per year (chronically absent)
80%
= one day per week or 40 days per year.
Research has shown that consistent student attendance at school is directly linked to better health, social and employment outcomes.
We have 30
students with perfect attendance of 100% and 130 students above 95%; a huge congratulations and thank you to these students and their families.
A few friendly reminders:
If your student has any outstanding unexplained absences for Term 1, please access the Compass portal to view and enter reasons for these absences.
If your student must be absent, please contact the office as soon as possible on the same day.
Please avoid booking family holidays during the school term.
Please aim to only keep students home if they are too unwell to attend.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your student’s attendance, or if you or your student requires any support with school refusal, please contact the school on (03) 5248 1400 or the school’s attendance officer.
With our new Be Bold Be Heard group meeting to plan their year for the first time towards the end of Term 1, they brainstormed how they could kick off their 2024 campaign.
After deciding to start small and focus on the gift of giving, our girls decided to ask our wonderful Newcomb Secondary College community for donations to go towards Geelong Mums. Being so close to Easter, the girls wanted to share some joy with those who may not be in a position to experience Easter the way many of us would.
We want to say a massive THANK YOU to our fabulous community for the incredible donations that were given. The donation (which can be seen below) was greatly appreciated by the crew at Geelong Mums.
Newcomb Secondary College is fortunate enough to have a Doctors in Schools Program running 2 days a week.
We have both a GP, and Mental Health Nurse that attend onsite to run a clinic on a Tuesday and Wednesday. This clinic is for any student in Years 7-12. The appointments are bulk billed, meaning that there is no cost to families.
Appointments can be made by either contacting the schools Wellbeing Team or calling Bellarine Community Health on 5253 0400.
Students may access this service to address any of the following:
Physical pain or issues
Health lifestyle (sleep, diet, nutrition, exercise)
Mental health
Sexual health and contraception
Sexuality and gender identity
Body image
Scripts
If you would like to know more, please contact Jane Osborne in our Wellbeing Team.
A lot of things go unsaid between young people and their parents, especially when it comes to mental health. The following campaign aims to open up conversations between parents and young people to help identify mental health. Every week we will promote a new topic this term.
How to start a mental health conversation. Please click on the link below or scan the QR code to access the information sheets.
The After School Homework Club is in Room B2 every day except Thursdays. Students are welcome to attend to catch up on classwork, complete homework, receive individual tutoring or to work with classmates on a group project. They may attend for 15 minutes to sort out just one problem or they may attend right up to 5pm to accomplish a greater amount of learning. Those who attend will be awarded a positive learning chronicle (with reward token) and will be offered food.
We’re excited to let you know that entries for the 2024 Insight Creative Writing Competition
are OPEN. If we have any budding writers from Years 7–12 at our school, please enter! We’d love to see your work.
Here is a quick reminder of the guidelines Insight have made to help students get even more creative with their entries.
All year levels have an upper limit of 1400 words. There is no minimum word limit.
We accept other creative writing forms in addition to short stories, including poems, scripts and more.
This year’s theme (Beauty in the unknown) is optional, giving entrants the freedom to write about anything that inspires them.
To download the submission form and view all conditions of entry, please click below.
We know access to high-speed broadband is a necessity in the 21st Century. Yet sadly many families and school students are still unable to access the internet at home and that this can place students at a significant disadvantage.
The Albanese Government is providing up to 30,000 families with free broadband for one year, as part of their plan for a better National Broadband Network (NBN). Already, 1,000 families now have home internet thanks to the School Student Broadband Initiative.
This helps ensure that students can reach their full potential, by helping them to stay connected at home so they don’t fall behind.
To check your eligibility please refer to the contact details below:
