Issue 02 / March 2023

News letter

Pantone 289C Pantone 200C

Time is flying! In this edition:

• Principal’s Welcome
Dear Carer, Parent, Student
• Swimming Carnival
We have just passed the halfway point in the Term.
• Sports News
The last 6 weeks have been action packed and this • VET Hair & Beauty
edition of our Parent Newsletter gives you a flavour • Careers & Pathways News
of what we have been doing including the launch of • Year 7 NAPLAN tests
our new House System and the fantastic Swimming • Get Active Kids Voucher
Carnival. Program
Our students are very settled in their new classes and
engaged in high quality learning.
Important Dates
Our teachers have been focused on getting to know the Friday 17th March
students in front of them. Student Free Day:
Staff Professional Learning
We are now in a position to share how students have
focused on responsive teaching
been progressing.
Thursday 30th March
Progress Reports are now available to parents/carers. Parent-Teacher Interviews
Continued 2.00pm – 8.00pm

www.hallamssc.vic.edu.au 1
 Important assessments have taken place and parents/carers
can see individual assessment marks in COMPASS.
Students have also been providing us with feedback on how
they feel about school through the ‘Me and My School Survey’.
This self-report survey is unique to Hallam SC and is completed
by students every Term.
The survey covers;
• Attitudes to learning
• Effort
• Learning confidence
• Motivation and interest
• Goal setting, and
• School connectedness
We know that these are the key drivers of student success.
The individual survey results will be discussed with students
and supports put in place where needed. Attendance
All of this information will be shared with parents/carers at the At Hallam Secondary
Parent Teacher Interviews. The Parent Teacher Interviews will College we expect
be face-to-face on Thursday 30th March and we look forward all students to have
to seeing you here. a minimum of 90%
attendance.
The advice included at
2023 Annual Implementation Plan the end of this newsletter
Every year Government schools develop an Implementation provides Department of
Plan that sets out their key work for the year. It is not all the Education information
work we will be doing but is the most important. on the importance of
attendance. A minimum
Our 2023 Annual Implementation Plan (AIP) focuses on; of 90% attendance is
1. Embedding a tiered, responsive and age-appropriate equal to having no more
strategies to promote students’ wellbeing and than 5 days absence per
engagement - Attendance (A place students wish to Term.
attend)
2. Strengthening systems, structures and processes to Every day of absence
ensure all students have a guaranteed, sequenced and is lost learning and for
developmental learning pathway - Guaranteed and Viable Senior students less than
Curriculum delivered through Responsive Teaching 90% attendance may
(Fulfilling student potential) jeopardise their Pathway.
3. Building all teachers’ capability to provide targeted and If you are concerned
responsive teaching - Professional Learning Communities about your teenager’s
(A true learning community) attendance, please
contact the appropriate
We are already making progress toward achieving these Sub-school
goals. Our Student Free Day on Friday 17th March will see us
take a deep dive into Responsive Teaching - work that is our
evidence-based signature program at Hallam SC.
Kind regards

Simon Sherlock
Executive Principal

2 Hallam Secondary College

Swimming Carnival
On Tuesday 28th February, we had our first swimming carnival in 15 years and our first carnival
as the new Hallam Secondary College.
The student involvement was fantastic and the school spirit was on show with students and
staff dressed in their House Colours.
1st - Yellow House, 2nd - Red House, 3rd - Green House, 4th - Blue House.
A wonderful fun packed day full of student and staff participation.
Thank you to Janan Billings, the PE and Admin teams and Sue, Wolfgang and Deb Collard for
the preparations.
To see more images from the day, please visit our facebook or instagram pages.
Congratulations Team Yellow!

College Newsletter 3
 Sports News
Year 7 - Volleyball Rugby League
Last Friday, Hallam Secondary College sent Congratulations to our NRL Boys team on
a Year 7 Boys and Girls Volleyball team their victory against Victoria University High
to represent the School at Dandenong last Wednesday.
Basketball Stadium. With the students very
Our team were down early on against a team
excited to represent the school, we had some
physically strong team but showed resilience
fantastic results with the Boys winning two
and determination to come back in the
games of their four games and the Girls
second half.
winning all four games and progressing to
the next round to represent the Casey North Thank you to the staff team who supported
Division. the students.

I would just like to congratulate all students

that represented the school for their effort
and behaviour on the day.
Janan Billings

SSV Softball
Congratulations to Hallam’s Rachel Steendam
and Brooklyn Maloney on their selection to
the School Sport Victoria (SSV) 18 Years and
Under Softball Team.
They will compete at the School Sport
Australia Championships to be held at
Werribee Softball Association, Werribee VIC
from Saturday 13 – Friday 19 May 2023.
You can see a full team list via this link:
https://www.ssv.vic.edu.au/team-vic/Pages/
TeamVicTeams2023.aspx

4 Hallam Secondary College

Hair & Beauty
Beauty students have had a busy start and are developing skin care/arm massage skills and are
working on their makeup designs for practical applications.
Students across all Beauty classes have shown enthusiasm and effort in practical tasks and are
working towards completion of first topic.

Hairdressing students across all classes

have made an excellent start. Whole class
engagement in topic theory and practical
skills. We have invited a steady stream of
models each week.
We are looking forward to incursions on
product knowledge from De Lorenzo
technical advisor and students have started
compiling a file of completed practical work.
Some impressive skills emerging.

CAFE Reminder
A reminder that Students will only be served at the Cafe during the Recess and Lunch
breaks. Once the music starts to signal the end of the break, service will stop to ensure
there is enough time to consume their purchase. Food and drink is not allowed in class.

College Newsletter 5
 Careers & Pathways News

Head Start supports students undertaking I am looking forward to meeting more Hallam
School Based Apprenticeships/Traineeships Secondary College students in the coming
(SBATs). Students undertaking a SBAT weeks. The Head Start Office is located in the
attend Hallam Secondary College part time, Senior Centre, next to the Careers Office, come
work part time and attend TAFE Training. by and have a chat, or if I am not present
Mentoring and monitoring is given to students please leave a message in the notebook
throughout their SBAT guiding them towards outside the office and I will come and find you.
full time work once they have completed their
secondary education. Nerida Parsons
I have been meeting with some Hallam Head Start Assistant Director
Secondary students which has been a great Southern Melbourne Hub
experience so far. I am keen to keep meeting 0407 453 705
with and speak with more enthusiastic
Year 11 and 12 students who are considering
entering into an Apprenticeship whilst they Upcoming Careers
are completing their senior studies at Hallam
Secondary College.
Events
Many industries are experiencing a skills Marine Industry Immersion Day
shortage – therefore Employers are wanting to 22nd March , 10am-2pm
engage with the Head Start team to employ Patterson Lakes Community Centre & Nearby
a School Based Apprentice/Trainee in their Marine Precint
business.
The Trades Fit – Young Women in Trades &
We have opportunities in the following areas
Tech Expo
in various locations:
10th & 11th May, 9am-4pm
• Landscaping • Baking Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre
• Business • Childcare
(Warehousing) • Swim Instructor/
• Brick Laying Life Guard
• Glazing • Cabinet Making
• Engineering • Commercial
(Metal Cookery
Fabrication)

SEE CAREERS FOR MORE INFORMATION

6 Hallam Secondary College

Year 7 NAPLAN Tests - 2023
The National Assessment Program – Literacy Exemptions may be granted to students
and Numeracy (NAPLAN) for Years 3, 5, 7 and 9 with significant intellectual disabilities and to
students are held in March each year. students who have been learning English for
less than one year. If your child is eligible for
In 2023, our Year 7 students will take the
support due to disability or exemption, you
NAPLAN tests between Wednesday 15 March
should discuss this with their teacher prior to
and Monday 27 March.
the tests. Parental consent is required before
NAPLAN tests assess student knowledge any support due to disability or exemption is
and skills in writing, reading, conventions granted.
of language (Spelling, grammar and
Students may be withdrawn from NAPLAN
punctuation) and numeracy. The results of the
by their parent or carer. This is a matter
tests provide information for students, parents,
for consideration by parents and carers
teachers and principals and can be used to
in consultation with the principal. If, after
improve student achievement.
consultation, you decide to withdraw your
NAPLAN tests are delivered in an online child, you must sign a student withdrawal
format. This delivers many benefits including: form. These forms are available at the school.
• A ‘tailored test’ design that adapts to Later in the year you will receive your child’s
correct and incorrect student responses personal NAPLAN report. The report will
providing a more precise understanding of describe your child’s particular skills in
student achievement; reading, writing, conventions of language
• Innovative use of technology, including a (spelling, grammar and punctuation) and
more engaging test design and a wider numeracy. The report will also show how
range of item types; your child performed in relation to national
• An extended and more flexible test minimum standards. These describe the
window, allowing schools greater minimum acceptable standards for students
opportunity to schedule the tests at times across Australia.
that suit them best and increasing student
The information you receive as a result of
participation.
your child’s participation in the NAPLAN tests
will be valuable in helping you to assess your
All eligible students are expected to child’s progress in literacy and numeracy.
participate in the NAPLAN tests. Catch up
For more information about NAPLAN, please
tests will be available for individual students
visit the VCAA website or the ACARA NAPLAN
who are absent on test days up to and
website.
including Monday 27 March 2023.
Support will be arranged for students who
regularly uses similar supports for classroom
assessment tasks.

Feedback
We welcome feedback from students, families and members of the community. This
information allows us to see where our strengths lie and also the areas in which we should
seek to improve. Please email Business Manager, Sue Quinn at:
[email protected] or call 9703 1266.

College Newsletter 7
Round 6 of the Get Active Kids Voucher Program
is now open! 
We’re excited to announce that applications
for Round 6 of the Get Active Kids Voucher
Program are now open!  
If your family or child has a Health Care Card
or Pensioner Concession Card, you may be
eligible for up to $200 to put towards the cost
of your child’s participation in sport and active
recreation activities. 
The Get Active Kids Voucher Program helps
eligible families get their kids involved in
organised sport and active recreation activities
by providing financial support for the cost of
membership and registration fees. Eligible
children may be able to receive up to $200
each.
Special consideration also applies for children
residing in care services, as well as temporary
or provisional visa holders, undocumented
migrants, or international students.
To find out if you are eligible, how to apply,
what costs are covered and more, visit www.
getactive.vic.gov.au/vouchers

Frawley Road, Hallam, Victoria 3803 P: 9703 1266

E: [email protected] www.hallamssc.vic.edu.au FACEBOOK-SQUARE INSTAGRAM