As we approach the mid-point of Term 4, the College continues to be busy with learning and activity. Term 4 is always interesting in schools as we continue the learning journey of all students at the same time as planning celebration events – such as our end of year Awards and Presentation Evening to be held on Thursday 28 November as well as planning for 2025.

The start of Term 4 has been positive – and that included our whole school assembly which was a great opportunity to recognise our students’ achievements as well as to share with them plans that are coming for this term and 2025. This term the assembly fell on Remembrance Day which was an important moment for us to pause and reflect on the significance of this day.

STAGE 2 BUILDING WORKS UPDATE

All members of our community may have seen the progress of our Stage 2 buildings, and it is exciting to think that in 2025 we will have students learning out of these spaces. With the finishing touches now being completed on our new learning spaces we are commencing student orientation into these spaces, so we are set up for success in 2025.

Stage 2 facilities include:

• Learning Neighbourhood Building B
• Visual Arts Building
• Performing Arts, PE and Food Technology Building
• Hardcourts
• Sports Oval

This is great news for our community and students and means that we will be able to provide high quality learning experiences in high quality facilities. Make sure you check out our social media pages for updates and photos!

YEAR 7 2025 AND SCHOLARSHIPS

On 29 October we had the pleasure of welcoming our new cohort of Year 7 students and their families who will join us in 2025. We heard from some of our current students as well as our own staff as we help set up our new cohort for success.  The new year 7 class will graduate from Greenvale Secondary College in 2030 and we look forward to having a strong relationship with them across this time!

Recently we have also been shortlisting the 2025 Scholarship applications. With over 40 applications received we will be conducting interviews with 10 shortlisted students. 4 scholarships will be awarded!

VISIT FROM MINISTER FOR YOUTH

On Friday 18 October, the Minister for Youth – Natalie Suleiman and our local MP Iwan Walters spent some time at the College listening to our students on matters that mean the most to them. It continues to be pleasing that our state politicians are wanting to hear from students at Greenvale and this was a useful session for our students to be able to share with our state politician’s ideas that can influence new policy as it is being developed.

A lot has been happening this term to make us proud of the fabulous students and staff at Greenvale Secondary College! Our Year 9 students have continued to work on their pathway to the senior school and beyond and have also had their City Experience which was not only enjoyable, but hugely beneficial for the students. We are preparing for Awards Night, and can’t wait to celebrate the success of our high achieving students. We have just finished interviewing each of the student leader applicants for 2025 and will announce the 2025 SRC on Awards Night.

We look forward to Grade 6 Orientation Day on December 10. We were impressed by the incredible number of Year 7 students volunteering to come in to school on the day and be mentors which demonstrates all of our values: Excellence, Leadership, Respect and Teamwork.

Assessments will be finalised for our students by December 6 (Week 9). Wednesday to Friday of Week 10 (Dec 11, 12, 13) will be Activities Days for students who have completed all assessment and had steady attendance. The college has Redemption Days in place to support students who have not completed these two hurdles. Any student who has not completed their Common Assessment Task (CAT) in class by Dec 6 will be enrolled into a Learning Redemption Day where they will have the opportunity to complete the CAT(s) under supervision. We believe that it is important to provide this support to students to enable them to succeed in their learning.  Students whose attendance is below 70% are required to attend Attendance Redemption, instead of End of Year Activities. Redemption opportunities are strategies in place to assist students and maximise their learning.

Term four has been a very busy term for the year 9 students and we are now on the run home for the year (but still a lot to get through before we all have a well-earned rest).

This term saw the start of the Connect external experiences. The year 9 students were introduced to tertiary education with visits to La Trobe University and RMIT University to explore the campuses and what university life was like. As we know university may not be for everyone so the students also explored Kangan TAFE to immerse themselves into what TAFE options are and how they can differ to university which will help students next year when selecting if they want a Vocational Major (VCE VM) or traditional Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) pathway in year 11 and 12.

The other external experience the year 9 students have undertaken is the City Experience Program. Wednesday November 13 was the first day where students made their way into the city on their own to meet at Federation Square and where they then explored the city– visiting the Magistrates Court, Immigration Museum and a partaking in a Great Race through a portion of the CBD. Students and staff reported back that the day was a great success especially with the students exploring sections of the city they hadn’t seen before. We’re looking forward to days 2 and 3 in the coming weeks.

As we draw towards the end of the term, the students will be completing their final round of CATs for the year but also this year the students will be introduced to exam sessions as they will complete an exam for their English and Mathematics studies. These exams are part demonstrating their understanding of what has been covered in class but also to ensure they are aware of the expectations and procedures which they will need to follow for VCE exams in a few years time. The exams are Monday December 9 for English and Tuesday December 10 for Mathematics. The exams on both days will be 9:00-10:30 followed by a 30-minute HeadStart session with information about their year 10 studies with students dismissed from school at 11:00.

At the recent assembly we also presented our Values Awards. It was very pleasing to see the students who had received the most positive recognitions in areas they may not usually receive them for receive the award. The August Values Award recipients were:

Photos of award recipients have been included in this report.

We are looking forward to a productive final stage of term 4.

EXCITING UPDATES FOR YEAR 7 AND 8

All students in Years 7 and 8 recently enjoyed a school tour of our new facilities, including the stunning Learning Neighbourhood, Visual Arts Building, Gymnasium and Performing Arts Building, as well as the new oval and basketball courts. The students were excited to see how these spaces will enhance their learning and recreation experiences.

MINI ORIENTATION SUCCESS

Our Mini Orientation Day was a huge success, thanks to our fantastic Year 7 students, who provided guidance to our new Year 7 cohort. Their leadership and support were greatly appreciated.

Looking ahead, we are eagerly anticipating the Statewide Orientation Day on 10th December, where an additional 20 Year 7 volunteers will help ensure a smooth and welcoming transition for our new students.

ASSESSMENT WEEK

Assessment Week is just around the corner! We encourage students to start preparing early to feel confident and ready. Teachers are available to provide extra support during this period, so students are encouraged to reach out for guidance.

Let’s make this a productive and successful week for everyone!

VALUES AWARDS

At our last assembly, we proudly presented the Values Awards to students who have consistently demonstrated our core school values. For Year 7, Alyssa D’Amico was recognized for Excellence, Ruby Rhoades for Leadership, Aasiyah Doutie for Teamwork, and Aydin Yavuzcan for Respect. In Year 8, the awards went to Ela Yazicioglu for Excellence, Christopher Phillips for Leadership, Taylos Buyukbilcin for Teamwork, and Ilhan Yazicioglu for Respect.

These students have set an inspiring example for their peers, and we look forward to celebrating even more outstanding achievements at our upcoming Awards Night.

GREENVALE SECONDARY COLLEGE’S NEW ERA IN SPORTS TRAINING

Greenvale Secondary College is excited to announce an innovative change to our sports training program, aimed at enriching student engagement and skill development across various sports. Starting this term, all sports training sessions will transition to period 5 on Fridays during Enhancement time. This shift offers a unique opportunity for our students to immerse themselves in sports in a structured yet dynamic environment, balancing academic and athletic pursuits in an engaging way.

The move to Friday afternoons provides students with a chance to finish their week on a high note, channelling energy and enthusiasm into skill-building and teamwork. By integrating training into the Enhancement period, students now have dedicated time to focus on sport without the pressures of conflicting academic commitments. This approach supports our vision to foster well-rounded individuals who are empowered to reach their potential in all areas of their schooling.

During these sessions, students across the junior levels will have access to coaching in sports like Australian rules football, basketball, athletics, and many others. Our experienced coaching staff, have developed tailored programs for each sport, focusing on building fundamental skills, strategies, and fitness levels in an environment that promotes growth and teamwork. Students are encouraged to set personal goals and work towards them each week, with the support of coaches who are dedicated to helping every student reach new heights.

The transition to Friday afternoon training aligns with Greenvale’s commitment to student well-being, promoting physical activity as an integral part of a balanced lifestyle. It is our goal to inspire students to take pride in their sporting accomplishments while building lifelong habits of health, fitness, and resilience.

The music department has been very busy over the past few weeks with many different performances taking place. On Monday 26 August at our year level assemblies, we had the opportunity to showcase some of our vocal students and one of our guitarists. They all did an outstanding job performing to their peers.

Earlier in the year we introduced another performance opportunity to help build our musicians confidence by performing in a smaller setting to a small audience. With these performances, the students who perform invite a couple of friends each creating a welcoming and encouraging environment for them. On Friday 30 August we held two of these performances during recess and lunch in the music portable. We had flute, saxophone, trumpet, violin, keyboard and vocal solos and duets. It was fantastic to see the students gain performance experience without the pressure of a large audience.

On Monday 2 September we had two more performances in the library over both breaks. On display we had solos and duets from the following instruments: violin, drums, bass guitar, French Horn and keyboard. The second performance ended with our school ensemble performing a piece called A Little Bit of Swing. Both performances attracted a huge audience which was great to see.

At Greenvale College we offer a wide range of instruments for students to learn (including voice) and accept new students all throughout the year. Students can even hire their chosen instrument from the school (subject to availability). If this is something you are interested in please collect an enrolment form from the office or from one of our music teachers. Students who learn an instrument outside of school are welcome to join our school ensemble which is held 3:10pm – 4:00pm each Wednesday. Please see Mrs. McPhail for more details.

CASUAL DRESS DAY

Friday, November the 22nd, students were encouraged to participate in a causal dress day! To take part, students were required to bring a gold coin donation which will support White Ribbon Australia- an organization dedicated to raising awareness on gender-based violence and fostering respect and safety within our communities. By participating, not only did students help promote change and unity, but also had fun wearing creative, colourful, or simply comfy clothing in classes throughout the entire day. Thank you to all who supported the event!

Some would say that they can already feel the silly season coming on.  Here at Student Services, we would say that Term 4 is one of the busiest and most exciting terms there is. With the year rounding up we review the current year and start planning for 2025.

Students and families, if you have any ideas about what you would like Student Services to provide in 2025 please contact Tanya via tanya.vella@education.vic.gov.au with your thoughts.

CANINE COMPREHENSION

This term, Greenvale Secondary College is hosting Canine Comprehension.  A little different in terms of traditional support where dogs are utilized as a means of communication, learning and support.

SEMESTER 2 GOLD AWARD

It’s with great pleasure that we announce to you the winners of the Gold Award for Semester 2.
This award goes to the top 5 earning Positive Recognition points recipients for each year level.  Throughout Semester 2 these students have demonstrated TEAM WORK, RESPECT, EXCELLENCE and LEADERSHIP at a high level.

YEAR 7
Cole Taylor
Aydin Yavuzcan
Mia Abela
Isabella Giannini
Issac Merhi

YEAR 8
Saara Shetye
Vian Alex
Sarah Dolmay
Christopher Phillips
Jordan Stenhouse

YEAR 9
Janah Abdulwahab
Sofia Zovko
Keera Grigorakis
Dilara Calis
Daniel Parisi

To celebrate, on the 2nd December these students have been invited to attend Artvo and lunch at the Docklands.
Congratulations to you all!

INCLUSION AND DIVERSITY COMMITTEE

Greenvale Secondary College is committed to creating a school community where all members of our school community  are welcomed, accepted and treated equitably and with respect regardless of their backgrounds or personal attributes such as race, language, religious beliefs, gender identity, disability or sexual orientation so that they can participate, achieve and thrive at school.

In 2025 the school would like to introduce an inclusion and diversity committee which would have members representing students, parents/ carer and school staff. 

The roles and responsibilities of the committee would include:

Organizing celebrations and acknowledgement of a number of key days/ weeks   

Education to the school community in relation to Respectful Co-Existence

Role Model and Champion of Respectful Co-Existence

If this is something that interests you, please email an expression of interest to greenvale.sc@education.vic.gov.au

FINANCIAL SUPPORTS FOR FAMILIES

State School Relief

The State School Relief agency provides financial assistance via vouchers and items to students/ families who need additional support with a number of items. These items include

School Uniform Vouchers  x3 per year of $85 each

School Shoes

Stationery Kits

If you require support in this area please email a request to greenvale.sc@education.vic.gov.au

Food Hampers

The food bank has generously donated some food hampers for families who could do with some extra food support.  If your family would like a food hamper please call the school or email the school at greenvale.sc@education.vic.gov.au

NEW BOOKS @ GSC LIBRARY!

We’re excited to share our new non-fiction series, perfect for student interests and study topics:

DK Myths Series:

• Explore the world of ancient Chinese gods, creatures, and heroes through vivid illustrations and captivating stories.
• Egyptian and Greek Myths – Fascinating tales of gods, goddesses, and heroes from ancient Egypt and Greece, ideal for students interested in history and storytelling.

KNOWLEDGE ENCYCLOPEDIA SERIES:

• Knowledge Encyclopedia – A broad resource covering various topics, perfect for research or general exploration.
• Transport! – A visual journey through the history and future of transportation, ideal for students interested in science and engineering.

OTHER DK SERIES:

• The Psychology Book – Part of the Big Ideas Simply Explained series, introducing students to key psychological theories and thinkers.
• World Religions – An exploration of global religions, helping students understand diverse cultural perspectives.

These series additions support both curriculum needs and student curiosity, providing resources that inspire learning and global understanding.

INTRODUCING GENRE STICKERS

October was Dyslexia Awareness Month, and we highlighted our Dyslexic-Friendly collection, featuring accessible books by Barrington Stoke. These titles, including The Small Things, Football Mad Series, and World Burn Down, now have yellow spine stickers for easy identification.

More genre stickers are coming to our library! A genre sticker is a label on a book’s spine that shows what kind of story or topic it covers, like mystery, adventure, science, or history. These labels make it easier for students to find books they’ll enjoy. Stay tuned!

MEET OUR ADMINISTRATION TEAM

 Elizabeth Cullen – Business Manager

Liz is responsible for all HR, finance, facilities and operations matters at the College. Please be in touch if you need to discuss how the College can best support you and your students.

 Connie Midiri – Daily Organiser/Timetabler/First Aid Officer

Connie is responsible for daily organising and the school’s schedule. Connie also coordinates student’s first aid and medical information.

Daniel Jackson– Administration Officer

Daniel is the first point of contact at Reception and can help you with any enquiry.

Annie Remeysen – Attendance and Engagement Officer

Annie is a member of our Student Engagement Team and is responsible for monitoring student attendance. Annie is a well known face in the Greenvale basketball community and can also assist with CSEF or financial hardship applications.

Kate Wilson– Attendance and Engagement Officer

Kate is a member of our Student Engagement Team and is responsible for monitoring student attendance. Kate is a former staff member at Greenvale Kindergarten and Roxborough Park Primary and will be well known to many.

Nazira Kirim-Esen – Enrolments Officer

Naz is responsible for all new student enquiries to the College. Naz can guide families through all enrolment processes and is able to assist in the Turkish language as required.

Susi Dombrzalski – HR and Office Manager/Executive Assistant

Susi is Executive Assistant to the Principal and can assist with meeting and scheduling requests. In addition, Susi looks after all staff HR matters. She is also a member of the Greenvale Secondary College parent community.

 Shweta Bhatti – Finance Manager

Shweta is responsible for all accounts payable and receivable. You can get in touch if you have enquiries about billing and payments.

Our Administration Team are always happy to assist and support all students and families at the front reception daily. Our Administration Office is open 8:00am – 4:00pm Monday to Friday. We are committed to doing our best and if you ever have any questions or queries, we are here to help.

2024 PARENT PAYMENTS AND EVENTS  

Schools provide students with free instruction to fulfil the standard Victorian curriculum and we want to assure you that all contributions are voluntary. Nevertheless, the ongoing support of our families ensures that our school can offer the best possible education and support for our students. We want to thank you in advance for all your support, whatever it may be, during your time at Greenvale Secondary College. It will make a huge difference to our school and the programs we can offer.

If you are not able to contribute per the amounts listed in the parent payment arrangements policy, you are encouraged to make any dollar contribution that you are able to. Any amount helps contribute to the resources and educational opportunities the College is able to provide to all students.

All payments can be made through Compass Pay or at Reception.

You can find more information about the College’s 2024 parent payment arrangements here: 2024-GSC-Parent-Payment-Arrangements-FINAL.pdf (greenvalesc.vic.edu.au)

Please note that deadlines for payment and consent for activities, camps and excursions is strict. No exceptions will be made. This is to allow the College adequate planning time before an event to know firm numbers of students who will be participating. This cut off is usually 2 days prior to the event (sometimes longer in the case of camps).

2025 PARENT PAYMENTS

Greenvale Secondary College is looking forward to another great year of teaching and learning and would like to advise you of our voluntary financial contributions for 2025.

You can find more information about the College’s 2024 parent payment arrangements here: 2025-GSC-Parent-Payment-Arrangements-FINAL.pdf (greenvalesc.vic.edu.au)

These have been endorsed by School Council and we have endeavoured to keep costs as low as possible for families.

ARRIVING LATE TO SCHOOL

Students who arrive late to school, after 8:50am, must sign in through the Compass Kiosk either using their student card or Compass Login details.

Parents/Guardians can either use the Compass Kiosk to sign their child in late or contact the Office on 8393 0000 advising us why their child will be late.

EARLY DEPARTURE FROM SCHOOL 

We realise that at times you need to pick up your child early from school. When your child needs to be picked up early from school, please either contact the Office on 8393 0000 or send your child with a note to bring into Office Administration letting us know the time you will be picking up your child. This will ensure the class teacher will be notified when your child needs to leave class.   

When picking up your child early, you are required to come into the Administration Office and sign your child out through the Compass Kiosk. 

We request you pick your child up at the change over time between periods and do not pick your child up early after 2:45pm to minimise disruption to classes. 

UNIFORM  

Students who are not in Full School Uniform, we ask that a note is brought to the Administration Office explaining why your child cannot wear their full school uniform, so a uniform pass can be issued for the day.   

PURCHASE OF UNIFORMS

Uniform items can be purchased from Noone Imagewear,. 420-440 Craigieburn Road, Craigieburn. Online orders call also be placed directly at https://www.noone.com.au

LAPTOP LOAN PROGRAM 

The College has laptops available for loan should your student forget theirs or if they need a replacement for a short period of time. These must be loaned out from the IT Office each day and returned at the end of the day.   

COMPASS LOG IN  

Families requiring assistance with their Compass login should contact the Administration Office on 8393 000 and we can assist you with your login details and password. 

VOLUNTEERING 

If you’d like to volunteer at the College, please complete this form. The College needs helpers for excursions, camps, sporting events, in the Library and for general working bees!    

LOST PROPERTY 

The College collects lost property that is handed in and this is stored at Reception. All unclaimed items will be disposed of at the end of each term. 

We strongly recommend that all items are labelled and named so they can be easily identified and returned to you.  

The team at Reception can also organise replacement Student Planners, student locks and/or ID cards for purchase if needed. 

FIRST AID  

Unfortunately, we know that students sometimes fall ill or hurt themselves while at school – accidents happen! The College has first aid trained staff and a well-equipped first aid room.   

The Office will notify parents or emergency contacts if there is a serious injury. You may be asked to collect your student if we cannot care for them at school. The Office may also contact you to seek your advice about how you’d like us to manage your child.  

Please remember to update the College with any important medical information so we can be aware and support. Any medication provided to the College must come in it’s original packaging with Pharmacy label and a completed medication authority form.  

Please discourage your child from contacting you via mobile phone – if they are unwell, they can come to the Office at any time and we will contact you as needed.   

CANTEEN ORDERS 

Families can order their child’s lunch through Compass each day, before 9:30am.  Students are to go to the canteen to collect their orders at the start of Break 1 or Break 2.  

If you miss the cut off for lunch orders, you are welcome to bring lunch or money to the Administration Office so your student doesn’t miss out. Please note, there are no IOUs available through the Canteen. 

KEY DATES

ATTENDANCE – IT’S NOT OK TO BE AWAY! 

Daily school attendance is important for all children and young people to succeed in education and to ensure they don’t fall behind both socially and developmentally. Children and young people who regularly attend school and complete Year 12 or an equivalent qualification have better health outcomes, better employment outcomes, and higher incomes across their lives. It is important that children develop habits of regular attendance at an early age. 

We realise some absences are unavoidable due to health problems or other circumstances. But we also know that when students miss too much school – regardless of the reason – it can cause them to fall behind academically.  

It is important that you contact the school as soon as possible on 8393 0000 or log onto the Compass Portal to inform us of your child’s absence.  

We also ask parents/guardians/carers to regularly monitor their child’s attendance through the Compass Parent Portal. 

EVERY DAY COUNTS 

A day here or there doesn’t seem like much but…