Newsletter 8

At Broadford Secondary College, we know that attendance and punctuality matter. Missing classes or regularly arriving late can quickly add up and impact learning, organisation, and classroom connections.

To support students early, we run Reflection sessions for students who receive truancy referrals or develop patterns of lateness or missed classes every Tuesday and Thursday. These are not a punishment, but an opportunity for students to meet with Sub-school Leaders and an Assistant Principal to problem solve, discuss barriers, and work on strategies to improve attendance and engagement.

Families are encouraged to contact the school if attendance concerns are becoming regular, if mornings are becoming difficult, or if students are frequently receiving Reflection notifications. Early conversations with Year Level Coordinators can often help identify supports and strategies before attendance patterns become larger concerns.

A few weeks ago, our Tagalog speaking students and teachers gathered for morning tea and building connections. The students enjoyed the food, and we were brave in getting to know each other, many for the first time, through conversation and some games.

Many thanks to Ms De Vera, Ms Villa and Mrs Pearson for attending and sharing stories, and to Ms Shanthi Anthony (Leading Teacher - English as an Additional Language), Mitchell Shire Cluster of Schools, for her organisation of the event.

On 19th May Deklyn and Millie represented Broadford Secondary College and were competing against other schools in the area at the Melbourne Gun Club in the Yarra Valley. Millie won Senior Girls.

Did you know that Mitchell Shire has a sister city in Japan called Honbetsu?

Over the past 35 years we have arranged for Mitchell shire residents to visit Honbetsu. We have also had host families from Mitchell looking after Japanese students when they visit here. This sister city relationship has been a great way for people in Mitchell Shire to experience Japanese culture.

Are you interested in visiting our sister city – Honbetsu – in Japan?

We (the Mitchell – Honbetsu committee) are very pleased to be able to announce that we are sending a group of Mitchell Shire residents over to Honbetsu, our sister city in the September school holidays.

We would love to have some representatives from B.S.C. to represent the youth side of Mitchell Shire. You would have the opportunity to stay with a Japanese family and really experience everyday life in Japan.

We have called a meeting for Wednesday 3rd June, 7.00pm at Norcen House, High St, Wallan for a Q and A evening and discussion on the proposed delegation. Everyone is welcome to check it out before they make a decision.

If you are keen, you can register your interest by sending an email to mitchell.honbetsu@gmail.com

People can choose to decide their own travel plans, but the main dates must be included in their travel plans.

• Arrive in Sapporo (Hokkaido Island) by Wednesday the 23rd September. Stay 2 nights. We can help with hotel locations.
• Buy local train ticket on the Thursday as a group.
  Travel by train on the Friday as a group to Obihiro (the nearest large town to Honbetsu)
• From there you will be collected by Coach and taken to Honbetsu.• Delegates will then be looked after for 5 nights.
• This would include, catering, sightseeing, meeting the locals and some homestay. A great cultural experience!!!
• On the morning of Wednesday 30th September, delegates will then depart and be taken back to Obihiro.
• From there they can continue their journey or can then go back to Sapporo and fly home.

All of this can be discussed at the meeting.

This can be a great way of experiencing first time international travel in a safe way with others.

Are you interested in hosting a Japanese student from our sister city, Honbetsu?

Also - in October, we have 24 students and 5 adults visiting Mitchell Shire, so we are also asking for any family or person who is interested in hosting, to register their interest by email.

Arrival date Friday 16th October. Departure date Tuesday 20th October. 4 nights.

If you have any questions or would just like to find out more about hosting in October, please contact Gayle Phillips at this email: mitchell.honbetsu@gmail.com

You can also contact Steph Paton (Japanese teacher) at BSC if you would like to find out more.

INFORMATION FOR PARENTS

Every Victorian child should have access to the world of learning opportunities that exist beyond the classroom. The Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund helps ensure that no student will miss 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 outcomes.

HOW TO APPLY

New applicants should contact the school office to obtain a CSEF application form or download from the website below. If you applied for CSEF at your child's school last year, you do not need to complete an application form this year unless there has been a change in your family circumstances.

You only need to complete an application form if any of the following changes have occurred:

• new student enrolments: your child has started or changed schools this year.
• changed family circumstances: such as a change of custody, change of name, concession card number, or new siblings commencing this year.

Check with the school office if you are unsure
School camps provide children with inspiring experiences in the great outdoors. Excursions encourage a deeper understanding of how the world works while sports teach teamwork, discipline and leadership. All are a part of a healthy curriculum.

CSEF is provided by the Victorian Government to assist 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 $400 for primary and secondary school students.
For more information about CSEF visit: Camps, Sports and Excursions Fund

The conveyance allowance is a form of financial assistance to help families in rural and regional Victoria with the cost of transporting their children to their nearest appropriate school/campus. The conveyance allowance is available to eligible students travelling by public transport, private car and private bus. The conveyance allowance is also available to eligible students whose nearest school is not serviced by a free school bus.

Eligibility criteria:

• The eligibility criteria varies depending on the type of school attended and where it is located. Students attending a government or non-government school must:
• Attend their nearest government or non-government school/campus appropriate to their year level at which admission is permissible
• be enrolled at a school/campus outside Melbourne’s metropolitan conveyance boundary
• reside 4.8km or more by the shortest practicable route from that school/campus attended
• be of school age (5 to 18 years old at time of application) and reside in Victoria.

Please follow the link:
https://www.education.vic.gov.au/PAL/conveyance-allowance-form-1-car-private-travel.docx

If your child is currently enrolled in Year 11 and doing a unit 3 and 4 subject, this pathway may be for them. The Centre for Higher Education Studies (CHES) offers a selection of early university entry subjects as a further extension for students at Broadford Secondary College. Your child can go beyond Year 12 by studying a first-year university subject as part of their final year of VCE.

What is involved

Students can enrol in a Higher Education Studies program and do 2 semester-long subjects (over one year) of a first-year university subject instead of one of their Year 12 VCE subjects.

The program is a flexible learning model with options for online and in-person lessons, where students can balance their studies at their school as part of their overall VCE program.

The university subjects are fully subsidised – no cost to students.

Refer to Centre for Higher Education Studies – Higher Education Studies for the course handbooks with full details about the 39 subjects available through CHES, and recordings of previous information sessions.

VCE subjects available through CHES

In addition, CHES offers select VCE subjects that may interest students undertaking years 10, 11 or 12 in 2027 if these are unavailable at our school. These subjects are:

• Algorithmics: units 3 and 4• Classical Studies: units 1 and 2• English Language: units 1 to 4• Extended Investigation: units 3 and 4• Philosophy: units 1 and 2• Specialist Mathematics: units 1 to 4.

How to apply

The first step for an application is for interested students and their parents or guardians to speak to Vanessa Morrow, Acting Assistant Principal, as applications require school approval. If you feel your child is a suitable candidate or if you need further information, please speak with us.

CHES enrolment applications close on Friday 21 August 2026. To confirm eligibility for the university subjects, refer to Centre for Higher Education Studies – Higher Education Studies.

For enquiries directly to the Centre for Higher Education Studies (CHES):

• phone: 03 9063 1170• ches@education.vic.gov.au• https://ches.vic.edu.au – to register for their information sessions (VCE on 2nd June, HES on 10th June 2026)