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Principal’s Report

Principal’s Report – 26 June 2026

As we reach the end of another busy and rewarding term, it is an opportunity to reflect upon the many achievements and rewarding experiences that continue to shape our vibrant school community. Term 2 has once again provided our students with a vast array of opportunities that have strengthened their learning and their sense of connection and as such, they have continued to grow both academically and personally.

The last couple of weeks have seen our Senior School students complete Semester One examinations across all subject areas. Once again, I would like to acknowledge the maturity with which our students approached this period and commend them on their preparation and focus. Likewise, our Middle School students have been wrapping up assessments, with Year 9 students experiencing their first exam period at the College with English and Maths exams taking place last week. I congratulate them on their positive mindset and excellent adherence to exam processes and protocols; skills that will place them in good stead moving forward into their senior years of schooling and beyond.

Beyond the classroom, this term has been rich with a wide range of events and opportunities that allowed our students to explore their interests and talents. Our students have been involved in sporting events, drama performances, dance workshops, music concerts, leadership opportunities, STEM excursions, cultural celebrations and fundraising events. These experiences not only build confidence and connection but also highlight the diverse strengths and passions within our school community. It’s been inspiring to see students step up, support one another, and make the most of what our school has to offer.

I would also like to take this opportunity to express my sincere thanks to our dedicated teaching and education support staff for their unwavering commitment to providing the best possible learning experiences for our students. I also extend a heartfelt thank you to our families for their continued support and partnership in nurturing the growth and development of our young people.

Please note – Term 3 commences on Monday 13 July.

Year 12 Formal

The Year 12 Formal was held last Thursday 18 June at The Grand on Princes Reception Centre in Mulgrave. Attended by over 300 students and 40 staff, the Year 12 formal is not only a right of passage for our senior students, it also provides a much needed opportunity to take a breather from the demanding routines of their final year and simply enjoy each other’s company.

The Formal is a highly anticipated events for our Year 12 students and one of the final milestones of their secondary schooling. This year’s event did not disappoint. It was a wonderful evening of celebration and a fitting end to the term for our Year 12 students who have finalised their Unit 3 studies and undertaken their first external exam for 2026 with the GAT taking place last week.

As is always the case at this event, our students were revelling in the opportunity to get dressed up and share this milestone in their final year with their peers and teachers.

A big thank you to the Senior School team and student leaders for all the work behind the scenes that made this event possible and particularly to Kate Barresi, our Senior School Secretary, who plays such a significant role in ensuring the success of the evening.

EDSC once again supporting the Big Freeze in 2025

East Doncaster Secondary College continued its tradition of hosting a Big Freeze event on Tuesday 23 June.  We are very proud to contribution to the fight to find a cure for Motor Neurone Disease.

It was great to see an impressive number of students and staff bravely accept the challenge and be drenched by buckets of ice to raise money for this great cause. Our Assistant Principal, Cameron Campbell, felt the cold more than most as he bravely withstood five buckets of ice and cold water being dumped on him all at once. What a great sport!

It has been wonderful to see so many in our school and wider community donate to the cause. We are currently sitting at $2853 raised from donations coming in in support of our MND team members. This is an outstanding achievement and shows the power of our community coming together. With donations also received through gold coin donations for our out of uniform day that accompanied this event and proceeds of a sausage sizzle generously supported by Rotary Manningham City, we were overjoyed to raise $7267.60 well over our initial goal. Donations remain open for those who would still like to contribute. Details can be found on Compass newsfeed. Sincere congratulations to all those involved and a heartfelt thank you to all that donated!

Winter Music Concerts

Our Winter Concert series are an absolute highlight of our College calendar. There is nothing quite like the power of music to elicit joy and bring people together and this year’s concerts have done just that. On Wednesday evening in our Performing Arts Centre, our instrumental music students and our Music staff delighted and thoroughly entertained us with the final two Winter Music Concerts in the series.

We were wowed on Wednesday evening by captivating duets, breathtaking solos and truly joyous ensembles. It is also incredible to see how significantly our groups have grown in numbers and talent. There were too many highlights on the evening to name all individually, but I am sure that every audience member left with a huge smile on their face after the closing performance of the Concert Band with their final performance, A Dua Lipa Duo, having everyone bopping in their seats. Our Music program continues to engage and impress. Congratulations to all students involved and much thanks to our Director of Instrumental Music Coordinator, Carl Williams, for the work he does with his team behind the scenes to make these concerts possible. I would also like to recognise our phenomenally talented Instrumental Music teachers who are so committed to their students and go above and beyond for their students to grow in skill and confidence.

A further thank you to our wonderful Parent and Friends Association who provided us with a wonderful array of sweet and savory treats between concerts. Their support of our College is greatly appreciated.

Cycle 3 student reports

A reminder that our College Cycle 3 reports will be published at the end of week 1, Term 3.

For students in the senior school, our Cycle 3 reports early next term will provide constructive feedback that informs their practices as they strive for a highly successful year and completion of their VCE examinations.

For all our students, I would like to reinforce that Cycle Reports provide an important opportunity to recognise and celebrate their achievement and also reflect upon how this informs their future learning goals.

Although the reports are archived for the duration of your child’s enrolment at our College, I would strongly advise that you download your own copy and save this to your home computer for your future use.

Planning ahead for Term 3

NAIDOC Week

NAIDOC Week falls during the school holidays (5 July – 12 July), EDSC will be celebrating during Term 3, Week 1.

We look forward to lunchtime celebrations on Tuesday 14 July in the Middle School courtyard, and a staff vs students ‘EDSC does Marngrook Footy’ game on Thursday 16 July.

National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. You can support and get to know your local Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander communities through activities and events held across the country.

This year’s theme: 50 Years of Deadly. For five decades, NAIDOC Week has celebrated the voices of our communities steady, unapologetic and proud. Each year, its themes have called for truth, celebrated culture, honoured resistance, and reminded the nation of who we are.

Backstage Pass- Our school production is coming!

Our students have been hard at work getting ready for our 2026 Production Backstage Pass.

Written specifically for East Doncaster Secondary College, Backstage Pass follows five current superstars as they step into the spotlight at a glamorous red-carpet event. Behind the flashing cameras and cheering fans, we quickly discover that fame is not as effortless or as glamorous as it seems.

For many weeks, our cast, crew and staff have invested countless hours rehearsing, creating and collaborating to bring this performance to life.

Involvement in productions of this nature are incredibly valuable to the growth and development of our young people. With every week that passes, they develop increased confidence, strengthen their capacity to work within a team, communication skills, strengthen creativity and build resilience. All skills that extend well beyond the stage.

I encourage all members of our school community support our remarkable young people by purchasing tickets and attending what promises to be an entertaining and memorable event. Two shows only – Thursday 13 August & Friday 14 August. Don’t miss out!

Senior School Course Selection and Course Counselling in Term 3

Term 3 marks an important stage in the year for students in Years 9–11 as they begin considering future pathways and making decisions about their learning programs for the years ahead. I encourage students and families to engage with the information and supports that the College provides during this time.

We have upcoming Information Evenings for current year 9 and Year 10 students. These evenings will provide students and families with the opportunity to explore subject options, career aspirations and post-school pathways through a series of information evenings.

Year 10 2027 Information Evening: Thursday 23 July

Year 11 2027 Information Evening: Tuesday 28 July

Another key component of effectively transitioning our students into the senior school, is our course counselling process.

Course counselling is an incredibly valuable process in which members of the College leadership team conduct one-on-one discussions with our students about their future pathways into VCE and beyond. To enable this to occur, students in Years 9, 10 and 11 will have one or two days where they will learn from home.

On our upcoming course counselling days, students will learn from home by logging into Compass, where they will follow lesson plans provided by their teachers. Students will also have a scheduled online meeting with a course counsellor to discuss their pathways. Parents are encouraged to attend if they are available.

These days play a vital role in supporting students and families as they make important decisions about future pathways and subject selections. By dedicating time to one-on-one meetings, we are able to provide personalised guidance, answer questions, explore options and ensure that every student is equipped to make fully considered and well-informed choices. This investment in time helps us work in partnership with families to develop learning programs that best support each student’s interests, strengths and aspirations.

Tax Deductible Donations – End of Financial Year 30 June 2026

Each year, as the end of the financial year approaches, we ask our families and community members to consider giving a tax-deductible donation to the School’s Building Fund.

Making a tax-deductible donation to our Building Fund before June 30 is a great way to boost your tax return while making a lasting impact on our school.

Thanks to the generosity of our community in the past, money raised has been used across the school to build and improve our facilities and meet the demands of growing enrolments. This year, we have already used donated funds to build a new basketball court to cater for more students to be active during recess and lunch times.

In addition, Building Fund donations will be directed to expanding our Senior School study area to enable the larger cohorts of students to work individually and collaboratively, with space to hold exams and tutorials for our VCE students.

Please seriously consider donating to our Building Fund either personally, or from your business, or both!

Any voluntary donation over $2 is Tax Deductable. If you make a donation via Compass, Tax Receipts can be accessed immediately online.  Feel free to contact the office if you have any queries.

Please see

Tax Deductible Receipts instructions

Student Enrolment Census Data Collection – Student Family Occupation

Every year the Department of Education conduct a Student Enrolment Census in August which helps determine the level of our school’s student-based funding.

To ensure that the College is able continue to provide quality programs and an efficient learning environment for our students it relies on being supported by Department funding. Student Family Occupation details are an important component used by the DE to formulate our correct level of funding. These details are originally collected on your child’s enrolment form but are often not up to date.

For this census to be accurate we ask that all family details are up to date, including parent occupation and occupation code, employer and all contact details. Please complete the data collection form, even if you believe your details have not changed, and return to the College Reception by Friday 17 July. For assistance with identifying what occupation code to use please refer to the attached document.

It is also vital that families maintain up to date contact information. If your details change, we ask that you please complete the Updated Details Form and return to Reception or via email to east.doncaster.sc@education.vic.gov.au . This form is published in each edition of the College Newsletter.

EDSC – Change of Details form/Student Enrolment form

August Census letter to parents 2026

Families will also shortly receive an automatically generated student enrolment form via email. We ask that you check the details are up to date. If any changes need to be made, please complete the form and return to Reception by Friday 17 July.

Thank you for your assistance. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any queries regarding this matter.

Karen Boyle
College Principal

 

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