CRAIGIEBURN SECONDARY COLLEGE
NEWSLETTER
EDITION 2, TERM 1 2025

 

We are excited to bring you the latest edition of the college newsletter! As we move through the school year, we are proud to showcase school events, year level and student achievements, and stories from around our campus. We are extremely proud to share the incredible work happening in our classrooms and beyond. Thank you for being an essential part of our school community – together we make learning meaningful and memorable. See extracts from the newsletter and for a full view click on the flipbook version below. Your feedback is welcome, see the QR code at the end of the newsletter to provide your valuable feedback to the school Community Team.

We acknowledge the Indigenous lands, waters, and gathering places on which we live, learn, and thrive.�We value the commitment and knowledge of Indigenous peoples, and we honour their teachings from the past that now inform our future. We pay our respects to all Elders of the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation and extend that same respect to Elders of other Indigenous communities with us today. As a college, we make a commitment to taking a step forward in reconciliation and to the preservation of Indigenous cultures in Australia.

Download the Newsletter as a PDF here

Newsletter Extract: A Message from the Principal Team

This term has been a true reflection of the strength of our community, and we are filled with pride and gratitude for all we have achieved. Throughout term 1, our school values; ? belonging, understanding, respect, and growth?Have been at the heart of everything we do, shaping the way we interact and grow together. We welcomed our newest Year 7 students and families at our Family Welcome evening and made it a priority to create an environment where all students and families feel included and valued. Students showcased samples of their work to their parents and had the opportunity to meet with form teachers and other families. With classes now well underway, students are beginning to explore extracurricular activities, helping them to build friendships, develop skills, and engage with the broader school community.

Our specialist programs are now in full swing. Both the Business Academy and the Rugby Academy programs have begun, with students participating in a range of practical learning and development sessions. These programs provide excellent opportunities for students to develop and apply their skills to situations which push them outside of their comfort zone, build resilience and foster excellence.

We continue to build understanding with all members of our school community through open conversations, empathy, and a deeper appreciation for the perspectives of others. Students and staff at our school listen and learn from one another. This term, we have witnessed countless acts of kindness, consideration, and respect in both big and small moments. Whether it’s offering a word of encouragement to a peer or collaborating respectfully in team projects, these actions highlight the importance of treating one another with thoughtfulness and respect.

The recent parent-teacher interviews were another important opportunity for us to strengthen the connection between home and school. These conversations allowed us to celebrate successes, discuss challenges, and set goals for the future together. By working together, we can ensure that every student has the support they need to thrive.

As we look ahead to Term 2, we will continue to nurture our school values, deepen our connections, and create an environment where every student can succeed. We want to express our gratitude to all of our students, staff, parents, and caregivers for your ongoing dedication and support. Your commitment helps make Craigieburn Secondary College a place where excellence, inclusivity, and growth are celebrated.

Hoping you all had a well-deserved and restful break. The Principal Team

Absence Communication

Reporting Absences: Use Compass, email, or call 9308 1144 to provide reasons and estimated return dates.
Automated Absent Messages: Parents receive text messages at 10 AM and 3 PM for absences.
Weekly Unexplained Absence Emails: Unexplained absences trigger Monday emails via Compass.
Bi-termly Unexplained Absence Emails: DET require staged response unexplained absence emails generated to provide reasons for absences via Compass.
Bi-termly Attendance Rate Emails: Overall School and VCE percentage attendance rates generated to keep you on track.
Termly: Assistant Principal generated ‘Nudge Letters’ – demonstrating a students’ attendance trajectories.

Attendance Expectations:
DET requires a 90% attendance rate for student success.
School events and sports days are compulsory.
The ?2-hour rule? means students must attend at least two hours in the morning and afternoon to be marked present.

Managing Lateness & Truancy

Chronic lateness can lead to disengagement! Unexplained lateness results in Compass emails and demerits. Truancy notifications are sent if students are out of class without permission.

Support for Attendance Concerns:
Students with attendance below 90% will receive, Compass alerts, support plans, and school interventions.
Chronic absenteeism may involve DET referrals for further support.

For assistance, contact the Attendance Team at; attendance@craigieburnsc.vic.edu.au or call 9308 1144.

Let?s work together?Every Day Counts!

School Saving Bonus Program

The School Saving Bonus program provides a one-off $400 support to Victorian government school students from Prep to Year 12 for the 2025 school year.
Parents and carers received an email from the Department of Education starting on November 26, 2024, containing a unique code to access the bonus via an online system.
Families can allocate the funds towards school activities, uniforms, textbooks, or a combination of these.

Online access to the School Saving Bonus will expire on June 30, 2025. Any unspent balance after this date will automatically transfer to the family’s account at the school for future use. If you are yet you receive your bonus, please proceed to the following link to access support.

Make sure to allocate the funds before the deadline! https://www.vic.gov.au/receiving-school-saving-bonus

?THE SCHOOL SAVING BONUS WAS SUCH A BLESSING!
I HAVE 3 CHILDREN IN SCHOOL (GRADE 2, YEAR 7, YEAR 8) AND HAVING THIS AVAILABLE TO ME HELPED ME SO MUCH. IT WAS SIMPLE TO USE AS WELL.

I HAD TO LOCATE THE EMAIL I RECEIVED FROM THE DEPARTMENT AND EACH OF MY CHILDREN HAD THEIR OWN UNIQUE CODE (I JUST SEARCHED IN MY EMAIL ?DEPARTAMENT? TO MAKE IT EASIER TO FIND). ONCE I LOGGED IN, IT GAVE ME THE OPTION OF USING IT ONLINE OR INSTORE. I CHOSE IN STORE AND SO I SAVED THE QRCODE FOR EACH OF MY CHILDREN.

WE THEN WENT INTO THE UNIFORM SHOP AND CAMPION. ONCE WE WERE READY TO PAY, THEY SCANNED THE QR CODE AND THEN THAT WAS IT. EASY.

THE DEPARTMENT SENT ME A BALANCE OF WHAT IS REMAINING FOR EACH OF MY CHILDREN WHICH I WILL USE WHEN I NEED TO?
– CSC PARENT

SCHOOL LEADERS

The Year 12 Team would like to congratulate Lisa, Zak, Giovanni, and Tina on being the successful applicants for the 2025 School Captain positions. Lisa and Zak have been selected as the Year 12 College Captains and are joined by Giovanni and Tina as the Year 12 Vice College Captains.

The Year 12 Captains are excited to make a positive change in our school community. With the support of the Year 12 students, our Student Leaders have led various initiatives to foster respect, understanding, belonging, and growth.

One initiative is the development of the Gratitude Wall. This is an opportunity for students to acknowledge the positive impact students and staff have made to one another. This initiative has significantly improved the sense of belonging in our Year 12 Study Centre.

The Year 12 Leaders have also collaborated to develop a childhood photo wall. This has been used to celebrate all the achievements our students have made over the many years of schooling. We hope that this initiative has brought joy and motivation for our students to continue achieving success!

We look forward to seeing all the fantastic initiatives our Year 12 Student Leaders will bring to the school community. Congratulations and all the best for the remainder of the year.

I am pleased to announce our 2025 Year 11 student leadership encompasses of four amazing individuals with a wide range of skills and experience.

• William Hendo
• Antonius Shafeeq
• Teriza Mati
• Ezrah Forbes- Lealiifano

With his passion for soccer, and a wide network of friends, Mr. William Hendo will champion our year level for greater sporting achievements!

Mr Antonius Shafeeq is a soft-spoken student who is very popular amongst his peers. He will advocate for the true student experience by listening to student feedback.

With a strong passion for academics, Miss Teriza Mati is committed to helping students enhance their study focus, while also supporting teachers in building stronger and more meaningful relationships with their learners.

And finally, as a veteran of the 2024 student leadership, Mr. Ezrah Forbes- Lealifaano he will guide and mentor our new student leaders on enhancing our CSC community.
Our Year 11 Student Leadership group look forward to an exciting and busy year ahead!

SWPBS Silver Accreditation

We are proud to announce that Craigieburn Secondary College has achieved Silver Accreditation in School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support (SWPBS)! This milestone reflects our commitment to fostering a positive school culture where all students feel supported to learn and succeed.

At CSC, our core values of Belonging, Respect, Growth, and Understanding are at the heart of everything we do. Through SWPBS, we have strengthened our focus on clear expectations, positive reinforcement, and the merit acknowledgment system to celebrate students who demonstrate these values every day.

Earning Silver Accreditation means we have strong systems in place to support student wellbeing, behaviour, and learning, but our journey doesn?t stop here! We will continue working towards Gold Accreditation, ensuring Craigieburn remains a place where every student feels a sense of belonging, is treated with respect, grows in their learning, and understands their role in our school community.

Thank you to our CSC staff, students and community for your valued contributions to the second edition of our 2025 College Newsletter. Your support and involvement are deeply appreciated as we celebrate and showcase our vibrant school community. Thank you.