Issue 2 06 Mar 2026

PROCEDURAL REMINDERS

Sometimes, students and families may forget the correct procedure for how we do things at North Geelong Secondary College. This section will be designated for little reminders about areas that pop up throughout the year.

Uniform passes

If students are out of uniform on a particular day, a note from home needs to be submitted to the relevant sub-school before the beginning of the day, this will then be placed on Compass.

If students require an extended exemption to the uniform, a Uniform Exemption - Return Plan form can be picked up from the sub-school office, this is required to be filled out with a medical professional with included strategies on how we can support the student here at school.

Students riding bikes

We encourage students to ride their bikes to school, however we need to be mindful of being as safe as possible. Students are to walk their bikes when they enter the school grounds and across any road crossings on the way into school.

Senior Coursework

It is now the time of year where many students in Year 11 or 12 will be sitting their first assessments for many subjects. Getting into a good study rhythm early in the year, even before an upcoming assessment it is vital for students to be successful. Often students can ‘cram’ the night before a test and we want to avoid this as much as possible.

We suggest Year 12 students aim for 15 hours of study a week, this can be hard sometimes with juggling social life, sports and part-time work, but students get one chance at year 12 so sometimes sacrifices must be made. The Senior-Sub School Team is happy to help any student out with time management and setting up a study timetable that will best work for them.

Progress Reports

The first round of progress reports have been released, these can be found through Compass. At North Geelong SC we put a high value on attendance, as when a student is not at school they are not learning. You may see that if your child has received a ‘Never’ for attendance (79% or less) they will have also scored lower for ‘Participates in Learning’ and ‘Progress in Learning’.

Student Managers look through the progress report averages to identify possible students at risk. Often there are times where prolonged absences can’t be avoided, and that is taken into consideration when identifying students that need to follow up. Overall, progress reports are a way to give families an overview of progression but also to help identify students who need extra support.

School Photo Day

Tuesday 10/3. Students are to wear academic uniform, and blazers are to be worn by students in years 7-9. Photos can be ordered through Compass.

SRC

Student voice means giving students meaningful opportunities to share their opinions, ideas, and perspectives about their learning, school environment, and decisions that affect them. It promotes engagement, inclusion and increases learning opportunities. Students have been applying for year level captaincy and membership of the SRC. The bravery and resilience shown by students as they give their speeches has been phenomenal. They have shown that they are keen to promote student voice and work towards their goals. Well-done to all.

Be Bold, Be Heard

This initiative is about to become a statewide initiative. In 2025 a few schools across the state have engaged with their own program and all our local schools have again got on board. This initiative empowers teen girls to speak up and make change. The program committee reviewed its logo and determined that the program centres around the values of Empowerment, Connection and Equity. We had the great fortune of having Ms Lorimer utilise her graphic design skills to create the new logo and we are so pleased with her work.

The first forum was held at GMHBA stadium on Wednesday and our MC was Ms Solly who, paired up with a student alumni Annabelle  (GHS) to deliver a fantastic event. Speakers such as Shannon Graham, Roxie Bennett and Kate Dalton were inspiring and, upon ending the day were surrounded with girls pressing for more inspiration. I want to thank Ms Solly, Mrs Baird and Mrs Evans for their commitment to deliver a fantastic response from our 15 students on the day. These students will embark on a change management journey to take action in a few different ways. We look forward to seeing what they can deliver.

Year 10 Resurgence

It is hard to believe but we are now more than 5 weeks into the year, and the Resurgence program has started to really meet some of its goals. Students in year 10 who have a passion for applied learning have embarked on this new program and are starting to kick some goals. So far we have had visits from industry, Headstart and guest speakers. Students have completed their white card training and are looking into getting some mentoring from staff in coming weeks. In addition to this the students organised and provided catering services for the international women' s day morning tea on Friday.