Newsletter 01 - 12 February 2016

SDC News
Sunbury
Downs
College
No1: February 2016
Welcome to
Dear Sunbury Downs College Community
The new academic year has commenced with a focus on providing a
smooth induction and transition into schooling life.
The staggered start on Thursday 28 and Friday 29 January provided
all students in each year level the ability to settle in and prepare for
the academic year ahead. The College welcomes the new Year 7
cohort and all new enrolments across year levels to our school community.
Thank you for choosing Sunbury Downs College and welcome to our great school.
We believe that being a member of this community is a privilege and one that holds rights and responsibilities. It is pleasing to see
that families and young people want to join us on our educational journey.
The College continues to be upheld in our community as one that holds the key values at the core of 21 st century learning. As the
Principal I thank you for choosing us as the educational provider for your child and look forward to our ongoing working relationship
to provide high quality teaching and learning to our students, staff and parents.
Staffing Update
At the end of Term 4 last year I accepted the resignation of Vicky Horton who will start a new teaching position in the Catholic Education sector. Vicky has been a teacher at the school for a 9 year period with a key role in Production as the Producer and also in
teaching in the Technology Key Learning Area. The College extends its congratulations to Ms Horton and wishes her well in her future endeavours.
It is with pleasure to inform you that Katherine Wharton has been appointed to a Leading Teacher position at Maribyrnong Secondary College. Ms Wharton has been at the school for the past 4 years and worked predominantly in the Outdoor Education teaching
area and also held positions of responsibility and acting leading teacher positions in curriculum and student management. The College wishes her well as an educational leader in her new school.
During the holiday period William Taylor accepted a teaching position at Parkville College. Mr Taylor has been a teacher in the PE/
Health Key Learning Area and also taken on positions of
responsibility in student management. We extend our
congratulations to him in his new role.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Mr Roberto Cosner has been appointed to this position
18 Feb
Year 7 Meet and Greet BBQ
and we warmly welcome Roberto to the College.
19 Feb
Swimming Carnival
Ms Belinda (Lindy) Brants will be the Year 7 Coordinator
01 Mar
Year 12 Student and Parent Information Evening
for 2016/2017 to replace Will Taylor in that Position of
14 Mar
Labour Day (Public Holiday)
Responsibility.
15 Mar
Progress Information Meeting bookings open
A new member of our maintenance team has been appointed recently, Mr Joey Debrincat, who will certainly add tradeskill and value as a maintenance officer at the College.
18 Mar
22 Mar
24 Mar
24 Mar
24 Mar
Athletics Carnival
Progress Information Meetings (student free day)
College Council Meeting
SRC Casual Clothes Day
End of Term 1—Students dismissed 2:15pm
AD D RESS: P. O. BOX 62 5, SU NBU RY. VI C. 3 42 9 Tel epho ne: 03 97 44 73 66 Facsimile: 0 3 9 744 16 04
Email: sun bury.d own [email protected] Web Site: www.sunb urydow ns .vic.edu.a u
WEBSITE LINK: http://www.sunburydowns.vic.edu.au/newsletter.pdf
New Staff for 2016
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Alison (Ali) Bant – Maths & VCAL teacher
David Bentley - Arts teacher
Peter Bonanzinga - Maths/Science/Physics teacher and Head of Science
Belinda (Lindy) Brants - Art/VCAL teacher and Year 7 Coordinator
Peter Compston – Outdoor Education teacher
Delia Disipio - Italian teacher and Literacy Support Facilitator
Sharon Franks – IT teacher and eLearning Coordinator
Carla Gangi - VCAL and English teacher
Matthew Gray - Maths teacher
Jane Miller – Food Technology teacher
Danijela Novakovic – Maths/Science teacher
Kristen Orange - Maths/Science teacher
Laura Pagano – Later Years Administration Assistant
Sarah Readman - PE/Health and Psychology teacher
Oliver Taylor - Environmental Science, Geography, Science and Humanities teacher
Joshua Traum - Music teacher
Kirby Trist - English/Humanities teacher
This newsletter will have a short brief on each new staff member as we congratulate and welcome them to our wonderful
school.
Returning Staff
After a period of leave including travel and embarking on parenthood respectively, we welcome back:
 James Alexander - Maths/Science teacher and Year 12 Coordinator
 Alice Clifford - English teacher and ACE Student Coordinator and Program Leader
We know they will enhance the work to be done in 2016.
Meetings with Staff Members
The College has a structured meeting schedule for staff as we continue to provide continuous improvement to the teaching and
learning of students in Years 7-12. We ask members of the community to arrange an appointment to arrange have a meeting
with a staff member when required. We strive to provide you the best service at all times and want to meet our obligations in
doing so. Please ring or email the relevant staff member to confirm any meeting requests.
Reflection of 2015-VCE Results
The College congratulates the class of 2015 for their excellent VCE results. There were many individual accomplishments that
reflected the College motto ‘Confidence to Achieve’. I extend my thanks to the teaching and education support staff for their
work with the students. The College results as published were very pleasing with a VCE Study Medium score of 30 and a total of
4.0% of Study Scores at 40 or above. The College continues to deliver high quality teaching and learning that leads to successful
outcomes for our students, which is mirrored in these results.
College Dux for 2015
Congratulations to the College Dux for 2015 Samantha Sweeney. Samantha was presented with a certificate at our first College
Assembly and spoke to the community about her achievement and future pathway.
Top Arts
Lucy Wilson of Year 12 in 2015 produced work that has been selected for Top Arts. Lucy gained entry into the Victorian College
of the Arts (VCA) for printmaking and drawing.
Congratulations to the Art Domain staff for their support of Lucy in providing the necessary teaching and coaching for this successful achievement.
Sunbury Downs College
‘Confidence to Achieve’
Page 2 Parent Newsletter NO 1
Kwong Lee Dow Scholarship 2015
Congratulations to Natasha Luz & Neha Khairajani, who have been successful in obtaining courses at the University of Melbourne
through this scholarship program. This will provide each of these young students with links to tertiary learning environments and
networks beyond school. We wish them every success in their future studies!
Leadership and Positions of Responsibility
Please view the Leadership and Positions of Responsibility document on the Compass portal for this information.
School Structure that supports learning
Each student at Sunbury Downs College is in a Homegroup. The Homegroup Teacher plays an important role in the relationship
between the school and home environment and is the person to contact in the first instance for students and parents. The
Homegroup Teachers are supported by a team of Year Level Coordinators, Mini School Leaders and an Assistant Principal. Below
is the Mini School Structure for the Middle Years and Later Years.
Mini-School Structure
Each Mini-School is led by an Assistant Principal who oversees student attendance, learning, achievement and outcomes, engagement, wellbeing, transition and pathways of students.
Please find below the names of the key personnel in each of the Mini-Schools.
Middle Years: Years 7 – 9
Assistant Principal:
Mr David Casas ([email protected])
Leading Teacher:
Middle Years Mini
School Leader
Ms Stephania Augello ([email protected])
Year 9 Coordinators:
Ms Courtney Ryan ([email protected])
Ms Susan Smith ([email protected])
Year 8 Coordinators:
Ms Tiffany Stevens ([email protected])
Ms Samantha Gierveld ([email protected])
Year 7 Coordinators:
Ms Muce Hasan ([email protected])
Ms Belinda Brants ([email protected])
Later Years: Years 10 – 12
Assistant Principal:
Mr Cameron Stow ([email protected])
Leading Teacher:
Later Years Mini
School Leader
Ms Tiffanie Radziminski ([email protected])
Year 10 Coordinator:
Ms Rita Barichievich ([email protected])
Mr Michael Sperling ([email protected])
Year 11 Coordinators:
Mrs Fabiana Johnston ([email protected])
Ms Sarah Zapparoni ([email protected])
Year 12 Coordinator:
Mr James Alexander ([email protected])
VCAL/VET Coordinator
Mr Dwayne Stojcevski ([email protected])
ACE Student and
Program Coordinator
Ms Alice Clifford ([email protected])
Sunbury Downs College
‘Confidence to Achieve’
Page 3 Parent Newsletter NO 1
The Mini-School structure at Sunbury Downs College ensures that our educational provision is student-centred and provides
the best results for each student. If you have any questions about the progress or wellbeing of your child please do not hesitate to make contact with the relevant Home group teacher, Year Level Coordinator or Mini School Leader. Positive working
relationships are central to making an impact on the growth of young people and in particular teaching and learning at Sunbury Downs College.
Student Planners – Communication between Home and School
The Student Planner has many purposes including being a personal study organiser and a handbook on College processes and
policies. Importantly, it is a vehicle for communication between teachers and parents. It is expected that Home group Teachers and parents sign the Planner every week. The signing of the Planner indicates that you have read all the messages and
also homework requirements for the week. It also symbolises that we are working together to make a difference to the learning growth of your son/daughter. Thank you for your support of the College in continuing to create a strong partnership in this
way.
Payment of Fees
The College extends its gratitude to families that have met all their current financial obligations. We continue to strive to build
on improving the quality of our teaching and learning, facilities and increasing our resource provision. We ask all families to
settle accounts before the end of Term One.
If parents/guardians are experiencing difficulties with the payment of College fees, please contact the Finance Officer (Mrs
Wendy Tingley) to make an appointment to discuss the matter.
I thank the community for working with us in making a difference to the education of our students at Sunbury Downs College.
Facilities Upgrades and Improvements
There has been an array of building/facilities work on site.
 Portables have arrived and are located between the Gym and Grand Corridor building. We have been very fortunate to have
a new building with air conditioning, heating and ceiling fans.
 The Education Resource Centre (ERC) has had a face lift. A fresh coat of paint and new carpet has been installed.
 The ERC office has been redesigned with a new photocopy office. College Photocopiers are located in this new space for
staff.
 Student access to the Administration building has altered due to the ongoing building works. All student and parent access
is via the front doors of the building until further notice.
 Staff toilets in the Administration building have been upgraded. Other staff toilets near the Technology Wing and Middle
Years Office are also being upgraded and to be completed in the near future.
 A number of internal offices have been established to provide working spaces for the roles in Administration and also the
changes to the leadership structure.
 The staffroom has been recarpeted and new vinyl has been laid.
 Upgrade to the staffroom kitchen area will be a work in progress throughout the term.
House Swimming Sports
The House Captains supported by the House Coordinator Nick Harding will work with all students and staff to engage in the
House Swimming Sports carnival. I look forward to seeing students participating in House Colours at next Friday’s carnival
Swimming Sports (19 February 2016). All students are required to attend and engage in the spirit of competition and participation.
The House Program certainly highlights skills of teamwork, community and achievement at all levels.
Sunbury Downs College
‘Confidence to Achieve’
Page 4 Parent Newsletter NO 1
SRC and Student Leadership
Over the next few weeks, students appointed to SRC Leadership positions for 2016 will begin their work as leaders of the Student Representative Council. The SRC program for Years 7-12 will be led by Student Leadership Coordinator Michael Davison
for Term 1. In Term 2 Mr Christian Brink will return from leave to take on the role of Student Leadership Coordinator Years 1012 and Mr Michael Davison will continue as the Student Leadership Coordinator for Years 7-9.
The College looks forward to students across all year levels engaging in leadership and also providing links to the student voice
at Sunbury Downs.
Private Property - a reminder
Please be aware that private property brought to school by students, staff or visitors is not insured by the school or covered
by school insurance, and that it is not the responsibility of the Department of Education & Training if that property is lost, stolen or damaged. Therefore students are discouraged from bringing any unnecessary or particularly valuable personal items to
school. Personal items brought to school are done so at the owner’s risk.
Student Accident Insurance Arrangements
The Department does not provide personal accident insurance for students. Parents and guardians of students are reminded
that they are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance
attendance/transport and any transport costs. Reasonable low cost accident insurance policies are available from the commercial insurance sector.
College Council 2016 Elections
Sunbury Downs College Council members are united in governing the College to provide the best choice for education in the
Sunbury and broader areas. We are in the Council Election period. Further information will be provided via the Compass portal and through eCommunications regarding this process.
Newsletters 2016
The Compass portal provides access to members of the Sunbury Downs College community for published newsletters. Please
read the latest newsletter by logging on to Compass.
Sunbury Downs eCommunication Strategy
This year the College will continue to uphold its commitment to share information with the College community.
eCommunications are sent to parents/guardians so there is an understanding of news and activities in and around the College,
as well as how best to support your child in their learning at school.
Please ensure you have provided your current email contact details to the Principal’s Assistant, Louise Ferguson, in the Administration Office to ensure you receive all relevant communications.
Thank you once again for your support in our very smooth start to the school year.
We are looking forward to an exciting Term 1 as we build on our wonderful College culture here at Sunbury Downs.
Ms Maria Oddo | Principal
Sunbury Downs College
‘Confidence to Achieve’
Page 5 Parent Newsletter NO 1
STAFF
NAME
ALI BANT
Science Teacher.
Ali is teaching Mr Brink's classes
while he is on leave. Ali has many
years experience as a teacher and
has also worked as a Research
Scientist with the Department of
Primary Industries
DAVID BENTLEY
PETER BONANZINGA
Head of Science. Maths, Science
and Physics Teacher.
Peter has a degree in Mechanical
Engineering and has been teaching in the Victorian public school
system for 16 years.
LINDY BRANTS
Maintenance Officer.
John has a trades background and
experience in maintenance in
schools. He is looking forward to
the development of the facilities
upgrades and renovations in and
around our school in 2016.
PETER COMPSTON
Maintenance Officer.
Joey joins our maintenance team
with a vast trades background
which includes ship building. He
is looking forward to getting to
know the staff and students and
keeping our facilities in prime
condition.
DELIA DISIPIO
Principal’s Personal Assistant.
Louise joins the Sunbury Downs
College Administration Team with
vast experience in an office environment, both within the Education Department and the private
sector. She enjoys travelling.
SHARON FRANKS
JOHN CAUCHI
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JOEY DEBRINCAT
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LOUISE FERGUSON
PHOTO
Sunbury Downs College
‘Confidence to Achieve’
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PHOTO
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Arts and Visual Communications
Teacher.
David is an accomplished artist
focussing on painting. He has a
passion for all things art and design related, he enjoys film and is
excited about being part of the
set design team for production.
VCAL, Numeracy and Technology
Teacher and Year 7 Coordinator.
Lindy is looking forward to getting
to know the Year 7’s at Sunbury
Downs College as their coordinator and being involved in the Middle Years programs and activities.
Outdoor Education Teacher.
Peter has a vast experience in
Outdoor and Environmental Education. He is looking forward to a
relaxing honeymoon after his
wedding in June He is also looking forward to sharing his love of
the outdoors with his students.
Literacy Support Facilitator and
Italian Teacher.
Delia is a teacher with over 25
years experience. Instilling a love
of reading and writing in children
is her passion and it was therefore
inevitable that she would become
a Literacy Coach.
IT Teacher and eLearning Coordinator.
Sharon has many years teaching
experience. It is Sharon’s focus to
help assist all students to learn
and apply their knowledge in the
classroom through activities and
eLearning opportunities.
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STAFF
CARLANAME
GANGI
No photo
JANE MILLER
KRISTEN ORANGE
PHOTO
SARAH READMAN
PHOTO
JOSHUA TRAUM
Sunbury Downs College
VCAL Teacher (Literacy, Work Related Skills) and Year 7 English
Teacher.
Carla is passionate about VCAL
and the pathways it offers students. Carla holds a Bachelor of
Arts in English and Drama.
Food Technology Teacher.
While living in Tasmania, Jane
worked extensively in the hospitality industry as well as teaching
technology. She has a passion for
food and in her spare time enjoys
creating new recipes. She is also a
trained barista.
MATTHEW GRAY
Maths Teacher.
Has worked as a mathematician in
the engineering industry before
becoming a teacher. Matthew
comes to us from Queensland and
in his free time enjoys soccer and
music.
DANIJELA NOVAKOVIC
Maths and Science Teacher.
Danijela is really looking forward
to getting to know the students
and staff and embracing the culture at Sunbury Downs College.
This will involve hands on learning
and promoting curiosity.
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Maths, Science and Chemistry
Teacher.
Prior to teaching, Kristen worked
as an engineer specialising in
coastal engineering, involved in
major projects such as the Channel Deepening Project and the
Desalination Plant in Wonthaggi.
LAURA PAGANO
Later Years Administration Officer.
Prior to joining the Sunbury
Downs College team Laura
worked in retail, customer service
and administration. She is excited
by the prospect of assisting students with their learning and supporting staff.
Human Development, Psychology
and PE Teacher.
Sunbury Downs College is Sarah’s
first teaching appointment and
she is excited about the year
ahead. Sarah also holds a Bachelor of Applied Science.
OLIVER TAYLOR
Environmental Science and Geography Teacher.
Prior to teaching, Oli worked as an
Environmental Scientist in Contaminated Land and Ecology. He
is looking forward to seeing his
senior students thrive and taking
them on exciting excursions.
Music Teacher.
Joshua eats, lives and breathes
music and is excited about making
music part of the Sunbury Downs
College students lives. This will
involve the development and
growth of our VET Music Program.
KIRBY TRIST
‘Confidence to Achieve’
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English Teacher.
Kirby graduated from La Trobe
University in 2015 and is looking
forward to spending her first year
as a teacher at Sunbury Downs
College.
Page 7 Parent Newsletter NO 1
Sunbury Downs College
‘Confidence to Achieve’
Page 8 Parent Newsletter NO 1
A Message From
Camps Sports and Excursions Fund
The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps ensure that no student misses out on the opportunity to join their
classmates for important, educational and fun activities. It is part of making Victoria the Education State and the Government's commitment to breaking the link between a student's background and their achievements.
CSEF will be provided to eligible families to cover the costs of school trips, camps and sporting activities. If you hold
a valid means-tested concession card or are a temporary foster parent, you may be eligible for CSEF. A special consideration category also exists for asylum seeker and refugee families. The allowance is paid to the school to use
towards expenses relating to camps, excursions or sporting activities for the benefit of your child.
The annual CSEF amount per student is:
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$125 for primary school students
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$225 for secondary school students
How to Apply
Contact the school office to obtain a CSEF application form or download from the CSEF website
Key Dates
All applicants must complete and lodge their submission by 29 February 2016. This applies to 2015 applicants seeking funding in 2016.
SchoolMate
Want to find out more about what your child is learning at school this year?
Need practical tips about what you can do at home to help support your child's education?
Download SchoolMate today! SchoolMate provides you with an overview of what your child is learning at school, and
suggests ways that you can get involved in your child's education.
Benefits of SchoolMate:
 Shows you what your children are learning in school in each subject in every year from Prep to Year 10
according to the Victorian AusVELS curriculum;
 Provides advice about you can do at home to help their child learn;
Provides ideas for books and apps which you can download, borrow or buy which are related to their child's school
work.
Developed by the Department for Education and Training, SchoolMate works on iPhone, iPad and Android phones
and tablets and is available for free download in the App Store and Google Play.
Emergency Management Protocols @ SDC
In light of recent media surrounding school evacuations & hoax phone calls, we would like to re-iterate protocols we have in
place at Sunbury Downs College to ensure the safety of all students:
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Evacuation & Lockdown drills are undertaken to ensure we communicate procedures required in the unlikely event of
an emergency
These drills are unable to be announced prior to undertaking them, so that we present realistic scenarios as best we can
The College will inform our families and the community in the event of an Emergency Management drill, or where a
matter of emergency has arisen at the school
Appropriate measures in accordance with DET requirements are undertaken to ensure the safety & security of all students and staff members
We ask that, in the event of a drill or emergency situation, parents & family members do not contact the College, as this would
limit communication access to Emergency Services. We thank you for your understanding & cooperation in this matter and
thank you for entrusting us with the safety of your child/ren.
Sunbury Downs College
‘Confidence to Achieve’
Page 9 Parent Newsletter NO 1