The Lakes South Morang College - Issue 10

ISSUE 10 2026

Term 3, Week 4

Student Social Scene

Student Agency & Engagement

School Council Report

Secondary Math in Action!

What’s on @ The Lakes

Aurora After Dark

COLLEGE REPORT JACKIE GREAVES STUDENT AGENCY & ENGAGEMENT

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

College Report

Policy Spotlight

The Lakes South Morang College respectfully acknowledges that beneath the significant River Red Gums that feature across our school's landscape lay the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri-Willam people of the Kulin Nation. We have already enjoyed several exciting events to begin the term. Celebrating 100 Days of School for our Prep and Year 7 students was a wonderful highlight, bringing excitement, laughter and a strong sense of community across our College. Through engaging activities and shared celebrations, students marked this important milestone in their learning journey, reflecting on their growth, achievements and the many successes they have experienced so far. We have had an exceptional start to Term 3. Students have returned with enthusiasm, energy and a positive attitude, embracing new learning opportunities and applying themselves in the classroom. It has been wonderful to see students engaged, motivated and ready to make the most of the term ahead.

School Council Report

Student Perspective

Curriculum

College Connection

Term 3 Calendar

What’s on @ The Lakes

Community Noticeboard

The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter PRINCIPAL REPORT

These weekly events provide opportunities for students to build new friendships, demonstrate teamwork and proudly represent their House while living our College values of Leadership, Teamwork, Learning and Respect. We look forward to continuing to grow our House culture throughout the remainder of the year. Communications Action Team - The Communications Team successfully planned, produced and published the inaugural Student Leadership Podcast, celebrating the many achievements and highlights from across the College. This term, the team will continue producing podcast episodes that showcase important school news, student experiences and leadership initiatives. They also regularly update the Learning Street televisions with announcements, upcoming events and celebrations, helping keep our school community informed and connected. Learning Action Team - The Learning Team continues to place student voice at the centre of improving teaching and learning across the College. The students developed a Learning Styles Quiz and designed year-level surveys to better understand how students learn most effectively. This term, the team aims to collect responses from every student before analysing and sharing the findings with teachers to further support differentiated classroom practice. The team is also planning a Study Skills Week, where VCE teachers will begin lessons by sharing practical study strategies and learning techniques with students. Responding directly to student feedback, the Learning Team has refreshed the Learning Coach Program for Term 3 and is currently analysing teacher survey data on the implementation of student voice and agency in classrooms. The findings will be shared with both staff and students later this term. Wellbeing Action Team - The Wellbeing Team continues to create opportunities that support students' health, resilience and sense of belonging. Following the successful introduction of Wellbeing Wednesday last term, the team surveyed students to better understand the most common sources of stress experienced across the College. This term, they are putting student feedback into action by introducing classroom feedback boxes where students and teachers can share ideas, suggestions and concerns. They are also working towards establishing lunchtime clubs that will encourage students to develop new interests, build friendships and strengthen their connection to the school community.

Another major highlight was our Secondary Health and Wellbeing Day, which provided students with meaningful opportunities to explore ways to maintain healthy bodies, build positive relationships and strengthen their mental wellbeing. Throughout the day, students actively participated in a range of engaging workshops that encouraged reflection, discussion and the development of lifelong wellbeing skills. We were privileged to welcome a range of expert presenters who generously shared their knowledge and expertise, including The Man Cave, She Shed, Sexual Health Victoria, DPV Health, Whittlesea Community Connections and Headspace. Their sessions provided valuable learning experiences that will continue to positively influence our students' health, wellbeing and personal growth. A special thank you goes to our School Nurse, Michele Riali, for her outstanding leadership and organisation of this important event. Thank you also to all staff, presenters and volunteers who contributed to making the day such a positive and impactful experience. Together, we continue to foster a school community that values health, wellbeing and lifelong learning. We look forward to more of these engaging opportunities during the term.

STUDENT AGENCY, ENGAGEMENT & LEADERSHIP

Our Student Leaders continue to make a significant contribution to school life by strengthening student voice, building school culture and creating opportunities for every student to connect, engage and lead. Strengthening Student Voice – Student leaders have played a key role in supporting the Attitudes to School Survey, assisting students across all year levels to feel informed, comfortable and genuinely heard throughout the process. The feedback has been extremely encouraging, with many students recognising the positive improvements made to their learning environment and overall school experience. Throughout Term 3, our leadership teams will analyse this valuable feedback to ensure future improvements continue to reflect the needs, experiences and ideas of our students. Building House Culture - Our House Competition Program continues to strengthen connections and build an outstanding sense of community across the College. Every Monday and Friday at recess, Student Leaders organise inclusive and engaging activities that encourage participation, teamwork and healthy competition. Students compete for valuable House points while enjoying activities such as sport, Mario Kart, UNO, colouring competitions, classic games and general knowledge quizzes.

READ OUR COLLEGE HANDBOOKS FOR

POLICY SPOTLIGHT

YARD DUTY SUPERVISION POLICY

Events Action Team - The Events Team has organised and supported a range of whole-school events that encourage student participation, connection and school spirit. They have assisted with the preparation and delivery of our Song, Dance and Drama performances and coordinated both Pyjama Day and the World Cup Dress-Up Day. These events provided fun and engaging opportunities for students to participate in themed activities while strengthening our positive school culture through inclusion, celebration of diversity and community spirit. This term, the team's focus has shifted to planning our End of Year Celebration Day. They are working collaboratively to create an exciting event that celebrates students' achievements throughout the year and provides an opportunity for the College community to come together, recognise success and finish the year on a positive note. We are incredibly proud of the passion, initiative and leadership demonstrated by our Student Leaders. Their dedication to strengthening student voice, creating meaningful opportunities and bringing our community together continues to make a lasting impact across the College. We look forward to seeing their ideas come to life throughout Term 3 as we continue to build an inclusive, connected and thriving learning community. We are excited for a term filled with connection, courage and growth as we continue to empower every student to discover their strengths, embrace learning opportunities, pursue their aspirations and make a positive difference within our College community.

https://www.thelakes.edu.au/uploads/8/3/9/0/83901006/yard_ duty_and_supervision_policy_2026.pdf

Appropriate supervision is an important strategy to monitor student behaviour and enables staff to identify and respond to possible risks at the College as they arise. It also plays a vital role in helping the College to discharge their duty of care to students. The Principal is responsible for ensuring that there is a well organised and responsive system of supervision and yard duty in place during College hours, before and after school, and on excursions and camps and other College activities. Staff are responsible for following reasonable and lawful instructions from the Principal, including instructions to provide supervision to students at specific dates, times and places. Supervision should be undertaken in a way that identifies and mitigates risks to child safety. Before and after school The Lakes South Morang College’s grounds are supervised by College staff from 8:50am until 3:15pm (Secondary Campus), or 3:30pm (Primary Campus). Outside of these hours, College staff will not be available to supervise students. The areas that are supervised before and after school include: Primary Campus: Gordon’s Road and The Lakes Boulevard entrances. Secondary Campus: Gordon’s Road and Jardier Terrace entrances.

Jackie Greaves Learning Specialist – Student Agency & Engagement

Families will be encouraged to contact Camp Australia 1300 105 343, or via http://www.thelakes.edu.au/out-of-hours- care.html for more information about the before and after school care facilities available to our Primary Campus community.

The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter SCHOOL COUNCIL REPORT

Hi all,

We are also excited to welcome back OMG Decadent Donuts for walk-up purchases, and a coffee van will be onsite to keep everyone warm and caffeinated. Thank you to the parents and carers who expressed interest in a Chocolate Box Fundraiser. The Expression of Interest process was undertaken to determine demand before placing orders. We are currently finalising arrangements, with the fundraiser likely to be launched towards the end of Term 3. Parent Opinion Survey Throughout August, families are encouraged to keep an eye on their inbox for the Department of Education's Parent Opinion Survey. We would greatly appreciate your participation. Last year we achieved an excellent response rate, which provided valuable insights for our leadership team. Historically, participation has been quite low, and a small number of responses does not provide a meaningful representation of our community's experiences and perspectives. The more families who complete the survey, the more accurate and useful the feedback becomes in helping us guide future planning and improvement initiatives. Connect with School Council School Council values the perspectives of our families and is always keen to hear your ideas, questions and feedback. Whether you have a suggestion, concern, topic for discussion or simply want to learn more about School Council's work, please don't hesitate to get in touch. You can contact me directly at amanda.farrelly@education.vic.gov.au or chat with one of our parent representatives:

Welcome to Term 3, it is hard to believe we are already more than halfway through the year! While winter still has a firm grip, its nice to see the days are starting to get longer and to know that spring is just around the corner! As always School Council has been busy supporting initiatives that benefit our students, families and broader school community. Below is a snapshot of discussions and decisions at our most recent meeting, along with a few important reminders and upcoming events.

School Council Meeting – 21 July 2025 At School Council’s most recent meeting on 21 July we:

Received an update from the City of Whittlesea regarding our ongoing advocacy regarding traffic safety improvement along Gordons Road between The Lakes Boulevard and Jardier Terrace. Speeding in this area, particularly during school drop- off and pick up times, has been a long-standing concern for both the College and Merriang SDS. Following the accident on the corner of Gordons Road and Lanata Street in March, we again raised our concerns with Council. A traffic study was then conducted and has confirmed that speeding along this road is occurring at unacceptable levels. As a result, City of Whittlesea has advised that this section of road will be escalated to consideration for future road safety treatments in upcoming budget cycles. In the interim, there will be an increase in Victoria Police and the possible deployment of Council’s Speed Observation Trailer to help reinforce the 50 km/h speed limit. Heard from our Primary School Captains, who provided an update on their leadership initiatives, conference participation and upcoming student-led events. Discussed the latest on the industrial action measures and their impact on school operations. Received an update on the replacement of drinking taps across both campuses. Locations and quantities are currently being confirmed, with further information expected at the next meeting. Approved a request from South Morang Football Club to install a gate providing access to the Primary Campus oval to support facility hire on Sunday mornings commencing in 2027. Discussed the impact of the recent national emergency alert siren test. Approved seed funding for the Year 12 cohort to support a celebration morning on their last day of school. Approved funding to subsidise an additional two Man Cave workshops for our Year 10 students. Fundraising Our Fundraising Subcommittee has been busy preparing for this year's Father's Day & Special Persons Breakfast and Stall. Families and carers from both campuses are warmly invited to attend. This is one of our key community events and provides a wonderful opportunity to connect with other families while celebrating the special people in our students' lives. A reminder that egg and bacon rolls must be pre-ordered this year. Pre-orders will help us accurately plan quantities and streamline service on the day, reducing wait times for everyone.

Jenny Archibald (Primary) Laura Johnson (Primary)

Jo Mallappa (Primary & Secondary) Veronica Marsh (Primary & Secondary) Katie Morris (Primary) Anna-Lisa Tewma (Secondary) Grant Voss (Primary)

School Council meets twice each term on Tuesdays at 5.30pm, and visitors and observers are always welcome.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Term 3.

Amanda Farrelly School Council President

The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter

Celebrating 100 Days!!

100 Days Brighter in Prep!

What an exciting day celebrating our first 100 days of Prep! We marked the milestone with lots of fun, laughter and learning, including making fairy bread, decorating delicious biscuits, showing off our best moves at a disco dance party, and spending time with our wonderful Big Buddies. It's hard to believe how much our Prep students have grown over the past 100 days. They have become more confident, independent and capable learners, and we are so proud of everything they have achieved. Here's to the next 100 days of learning and adventure!

Celebrating our Year 7 Students! The students had a wonderful day filled with connection, reflection and plenty of fun. They tested their knowledge with Teacher Trivia, created time capsules to capture their first 100 days, and shared notes of kindness with each other and their teachers. We then headed to Bounce, where the students had an absolute ball and, of course, we couldn’t leave without them battling Mr Serra on the beam! Back at school, we finished the day by creating a Positivity Chain, with students writing down things they are grateful for from their first 100 days. It was a lovely way to reflect on the friendships, experiences and memories they’ve already made.

COMMUNICATION THROUGH CONVERSATION The Communication Action Team is excited to launch The Lakes News, a new podcast for The Lakes South Morang College. With the theme “Communication through conversation,” the podcast will share student voice, school updates, interviews, events, achievements, and stories from across our college community.

Stay tuned as we bring The Lakes to life through meaningful conversations.

What’s happening in Year 9?

As a Year 9 student, I’m really excited about all the events coming up this year, especially City Experience. It will be a great chance to spend time with my friends, explore new places, and try things I haven’t done before. I’m also looking forward to making new memories and learning more outside the classroom. I think these experiences will make this year even more fun and unforgettable. Term 3 is shaping up to be an exciting and busy term with many opportunities to get involved. One highlight is Wakakirri, where I feel incredibly excited and honoured to be part of such a supportive and talented group of students and staff. Together we have been working on our performance, Roots Between Us, which we will present at the Clocktower Centre on 5 August. I’m also looking forward to the Year 9/10 girls' basketball tryouts, with the chance to represent the school in a round-robin competition against local schools if I make the team. Finally, being part of the DDP has been an amazing experience. After our last showcase, we went straight back into rehearsals to prepare for the next performance, and we were also excited to receive our DDP uniforms, which we now proudly wear every Tuesday morning. One of my favourite parts of Year 9 so far has been taking part in the Man Cave event. It was a really enjoyable experience because it gave us the chance to step away from normal classes and have honest conversations about things that are important in everyday life. I liked how everyone was encouraged to share their ideas, listen to each other, and support one another. The activities were interesting and made me think more about being a good friend, showing respect, and having the confidence to be myself. It also helped me realise how important teamwork, communication, and looking out for others can be. Overall, I thought Man Cave was a great experience, and I’m really glad I had the opportunity to take part in it because I learned a lot and made some great memories with my classmates.

Jahmin Year 9 Communication Captain

The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter CURRICULUM

BRINGING MATHEMATICS TO LIFE THROUGH HANDS-ON LEARNING

Mathematics is far more than numbers and formulas. It is about thinking critically, solving problems, communicating ideas, and working collaboratively. Across Years 7–12, our Mathematics students engage in hands-on learning experiences that challenge them to apply their knowledge in authentic contexts while developing the skills needed for success both inside and outside the classroom.

YEAR 7 In our Year 7 classrooms, learning mathematics is an active and collaborative experience. Students regularly participate in revision games that encourage them to recall concepts, explain their thinking, and apply their knowledge in a fun and engaging environment. Playing a Jeopardy-style revision game was a hit with students in 7C. Team competitions have become another valuable part of the learning program, encouraging students to discuss different approaches, justify their reasoning, and learn from one another. Students also became data investigators by designing and conducting surveys of their peers, collecting, organising, and analysing real-world data before presenting their findings. Through problem-solving activities, students learned that perseverance, creativity, and teamwork are just as important as finding the correct answer. These collaborative experiences helped students understand that mathematics is often about sharing ideas and exploring different strategies. Working together allowed students to build confidence, strengthen communication skills, and appreciate that there are many ways to approach a mathematical challenge.

YEAR 10 Our Year 10 students explored probability through an exciting game design project that combined creativity with mathematical reasoning. Working in teams, students were challenged to create their own games that appeared fair when someone first read the rules. However, behind the scenes, students carefully calculated the probabilities to ensure the games were actually unfair. This required them to think critically about chance, outcomes, and expected results while considering how easily people can be influenced by appearances rather than mathematical evidence. After designing their games, students tested them with their classmates, who analysed the rules before calculating the probabilities for themselves. The project sparked lively discussions about fairness, risk, and decision-making, while reinforcing the importance of using mathematics to question assumptions and make informed judgements. It also highlighted how collaboration played a vital role in refining ideas, checking calculations, and creating engaging challenges for others to solve.

SENIOR MATH Our Year 11 and 12 Foundation Mathematics students recently extended their learning beyond the classroom as part of their School-Assessed Coursework (SAC) preparation by visiting a local driving range. Using Toptracer technology that was in use at the driving range, students collected real-life data on golf ball distances, providing them with an authentic dataset to investigate. Back in the classroom, students organised their data, analysed trends and variation, and applied statistical techniques to draw meaningful conclusions. Collecting their own data gave students a deeper understanding of how mathematics can be used to interpret information and support decision-making in practical situations. The excursion also reinforced the importance of teamwork. Students worked together to collect accurate measurements, compare results, discuss unexpected outcomes, and support one another in interpreting the data. Through these shared experiences, they discovered that mathematics is often a collaborative discipline, where communicating ideas, questioning assumptions, and evaluating evidence are just as valuable as performing calculations. Hands-on learning experiences across Years 7–12 demonstrate that mathematics extends well beyond the classroom. Whether students solved challenges as a team, designed probability games, conducted surveys, or used advanced technology to analyse real-world data, they developed confidence, resilience, and problem-solving skills that will benefit them long after they leave school. By creating opportunities for students to investigate, collaborate, and apply mathematics in meaningful contexts, we are fostering curious learners who recognise mathematics as a powerful tool for understanding the world around them. Most importantly, students discovered that some of the best mathematical thinking happens when ideas are shared, questions are encouraged, and challenges are solved together.

The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter COLLEGE CONNECTIONS

STUDENTS SHINE AT AURORA AFTER DARK The City of Whittlesea came alive on a winter evening as the Aurora After Dark festival transformed Aurora Village into a vibrant celebration of art, music, food and community. Held to mark the official launch of the Outside Gallery Galada, the free community festival brought together residents of all ages to enjoy live music, interactive workshops, light installations, public art, family activities and late-night dining. A highlight of the evening was the opening of the Outside Gallery Galada, a permanent outdoor exhibition space that will showcase locally created artworks throughout the year. The gallery celebrates the creativity and diversity of the City of Whittlesea while providing an accessible platform for local artists and young creatives to share their work with the wider community. The Lakes South Morang College was proudly represented by five talented student artists whose creative contributions now form part of the striking illuminated Light Box installation at the entrance to the Galada Community Centre. The featured students were Gloria (Year 10), Sebastian S (Year 11), Loretta T (Year 10), Rubi A (Year 10) and Dante Y (Year 11). The artworks were developed during a collaborative workshop at the Whittlesea Tech School, led by acclaimed Melbourne artist Tai Snaith. Students created original collage artworks and visual elements, which Snaith thoughtfully incorporated into her larger landscape collages for the final public installation. Tai Snaith is a Melbourne-based artist, illustrator and author whose multidisciplinary practice spans collage, painting, ceramics, installation and public art. She is widely recognised for her beautifully illustrated children's books published by Thames & Hudson and for creating large-scale public artworks that celebrate storytelling, nature and community collaboration. Her work is represented in major public collections, including the National Gallery of Australia and Artbank. The official opening recognised the importance of community participation in the arts. During the ceremony, the Mayor acknowledged and congratulated the Lakes’ students for their contribution, thanking them for helping shape a new chapter for public art in the City of Whittlesea. The students' work stands as a lasting reminder of the role young artists play in enriching community life and strengthening cultural connections. We are incredibly proud of Gloria, Sebastian, Loretta, Rubi and Dante for representing The Lakes South Morang College with such creativity and professionalism. We really hope they will treasure this memory and use it as inspiration in order to continue to create art. We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to the families, staff and community members who attended the opening and supported our students. Seeing our young artists celebrated within the wider community was a memorable occasion and an inspiring reminder of the power of art to bring people together.

TERM 3 CALENDAR

MON

TUE

WED

THU

FRI

Jul 13

Jul 14

Jul 15

Jul 16

Jul 17

Week 1

Year 11 & 12 Basketball All Day Year 8-10 Incursion All Day

VCE Chemistry Excursion All Day

7:30am Athlete, Artist & Dance Development Program

Year 1-3 Swimming 11.30am - 1.00pm

3:15Pm Wakakirri Rehearsals 3:15Pm SAC & CAT Redemption

3:15Pm SAC & CAT Redemption

Jul 24

Jul 20

Jul 21

Jul 22

Jul 23

Week 2

Primary Assembly 9.15am

Primary Breaky Club 8.15am - 8.45am

Year 5/6 Interschool Sport 9am - 11am

7:30am Athlete, Artist & Dance Development Program

Year 1-3 Swimming 11.30am - 1.00pm

School Council Meeting 5pm

3:15Pm SAC & CAT Redemption

Jul 27

Jul 28

Jul 29

Jul 30

Jul 31

Week 3

Primary Breaky Club 8.15am - 8.45am

7:30am Athlete, Artist & Dance Development Program

Year 5/6 Interschool Sport 9am - 11am

3:15Pm Wakakirri Rehearsals 3:15Pm SAC & CAT Redemption

Year 1-3 Swimming 11.30am - 1.00pm

100 Days of Prep 100 Days of Yr 7

3:15Pm SAC & CAT Redemption

Aug 3

Aug 4

Aug 5

Aug 6

Aug 7

Week 4

Primary Assembly 9.15am

7:30am Athlete, Artist & Dance Development Program

Primary Breaky Club 8.15am - 8.45am Wakakirri Performance All Day

Year 5/6 Interschool Sport 9am - 11am

Year 3/4 Incursion All Day

Year 1-3 Swimming 11.30am - 1.00pm

3:15Pm SAC & CAT Redemption

Aug 10

Aug 11

Aug 12

Aug 13

Aug 14

Week 5

Primary Breaky Club 8.15am - 8.45am

Year 5/6 Interschool Sport 9am - 11am

7:30am Athlete, Artist & Dance Development Program

Year 4 Excursion All Day

Year 7 & 10 Immunisations All Day

Year 1-3 Swimming 11.30am - 1.00pm

3:15Pm SAC & CAT Redemption

Aug 17

Aug 18

Aug 19

Aug 20

Aug 21

Week 6

7:30am Athlete, Artist & Dance Development Program

Primary Assembly 9.15am

Primary Breaky Club 8.15am - 8.45am Year 5 & 6 Camp Wednesday - Friday Secondary Learner Reviews 10.30am - 6.30pm

Science Week

Primary Open Morning 9:15am - 10:00am

Year 10 Design Excursion All Day

Year 9 My Career Insights Monday-Tuesday

Year 9 My Career Insights Thursday-Friday

Year 1-3 Swimming 11.30am - 1.00pm

Year 5/6 Interschool Sport 9am - 11am

School Council Meeting 5pm

3:15Pm SAC & CAT Redemption

Aug 28

Aug 24

Aug 25

Aug 26

Aug 27

Week 7

7:30am Athlete, Artist & Dance Development Program

Primary Breaky Club 8.15am - 8.45am

Pupil Free Day All Day

Year 10 Media Excursion All Day

Year 2 Incursion All Day

Year 1-3 Swimming 11.30am - 1.00pm

3:15Pm SAC & CAT Redemption

Aug 31

Sep 1

Sep 2

Sep 3

Sep 4

Week 8

Primary Breaky Club 8.15am - 8.45am

7:30am Athlete, Artist & Dance Development Program

8:00am - 8:45am Father’s Day Breakfast

Primary Book Week Assembly 9.15am Bookfair Opens on Primary

Book Week

Year 1-3 Swimming 11.30am - 1.00pm

Year 5/6 Interschool Sport 9am - 11am

Father’s Day Stall

4pm Deadline for Father’s Day Stall & Father’s Day Bacon & Egg Roll Orders via CompassTix

3:15Pm SAC & CAT Redemption

Sep 7

Sep 8

Sep 9

Sep 10

Sep 11

Week 9

Year 5/6 Interschool Sport 9am - 11am

7:30am Athlete, Artist & Dance Development Program

Primary Breaky Club 8.15am - 8.45am

3:15Pm SAC & CAT Redemption

Sep 14

Sep 15

Sep 16

Sep 17

Sep 18

Week 10

Year 9 City Experience Monday-Thursday

Year 5/6 Interschool Sport 9am - 11am

Primary Assembly 9.15am

Year 3 Incursion All Day

1:15pm End of Term - Students Dismissed

Year 7 DigiTec. Excursion All Day

3:15Pm SAC & CAT Redemption

Whole School

Primary

Secondary

College Events

Assessment

Pupil Free Days

The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter WHAT’S ON @ THE LAKES

WELCOME TO THE 2026 VICTORIAN PREMIERS’ READING CHALLENGE

The Victorian Premiers’ Reading Challenge is now open, and The Lakes South Morang College is excited to be participating. The PRC application offers a range of exciting features including: Access to a library catalogue (including book images and blurbs) A modern user-friendly interface Rewarding students with badges as challenge milestones are achieved The option for students to mark books as a favourite, give them a star rating or complete a book review.

TO LOG IN:

1. Go to https://vprc.eduweb.vic.gov.a u/searchbooklist. 2.Select the School/Student button. 3.Select the VPRC login option. 4.Enter your username and password (sent home with Primary students) 5.Select Login.

The 2026 Challenge theme is ‘Stories to discover. Stories to tell’.

It is not a competition; it is a personal challenge for children to read a set number of books. Prep to Year 2: Read a total of 30 books, with 20 or more of those books from the Challenge book list Year 3 to Year 9: Read a total of 15 books, with 10 or more of those books from the Challenge book list Year 10: Read a total of 15 books, with 5 or more of those books from the Challenge book list.

You can also contact our school’s Challenge coordinator Laura Adams with any questions you may have!

The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

OFFICE HOURS AT THE LAKES Parents/carers are welcome in our office areas when they are making payments, bringing a child in late or picking up a sick child from sick bay. Students are not to use these areas before school or after school. The Lakes South Morang College’s grounds are supervised by College staff from 8:50am until 3:15 (Secondary Campus), or 3:30pm (Primary Campus). Outside of these hours, College staff will not be available to supervise students. If a student is not collected before supervision finishes at the end of the day, the Principal or nominee staff member will consider whether it is appropriate to: attempt to contact the parents/carers attempt to contact the emergency contacts place the student in an out of school hours care program (Primary Campus only) contact Victoria Police and/or Child Protection to arrange for the supervision, care and protection of the student.

BELONGINGS, AMBULANCE & INSURANCE Private property brought to school by students, staff or visitors is not insured and the Department of Education does not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage. Parents and carers are reminded that the Department of Education does not provide personal accident insurance or ambulance cover for students. Parents and carers of students who do not have student accident insurance/ambulance cover are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance attendance/transport and any other transport costs.

ACCESSING LEARNING TASKS AND ACADEMIC REPORTS

Please also be aware that both the Primary and Secondary Campus offices will close at 4:00 pm each day.

Please support us in making sure all students are safe.

ATTENDANCE - EVERY DAY COUNTS If you are aware that your child will not be attending school due to illness or other circumstances, please contact either office to ensure our attendance records are accurate.

Ways of communicating absences include: Placing a future Absence Request through the Compass

Education Portal; Calling the office;

As required by the Department of Education, all schools must notify parents/carers informing that their child is absent. Please inform the office of absences before 10am each morning.

Please call 9404 9000 if you have a service or upcoming event you would like to promote through our Newsletter.

PHOTOGRAPHING, RECORDING AND FILMING CONSENT thelakes.edu.au/uploads/8/3/9/0/83901006/photographing_filming___recording_of_students_policy_2024.pdf The Photographing, Filming and Recording Students Consent Form is provided by The Lakes South Morang College at enrolment. Recent Departmental changes to this policy mean that this now only has to be completed once during your child’s educational journey at The Lakes. As a component of our transition to Compass, all families across the College will be sent a message on Compass or contacted by a member of staff in regards to Permission to Publish for your child provided at enrolment. If at any time parents/carers wish to give or withdraw their consent, they can by contacting the College or completing the form below.

NO HAT - NO PLAY We will be enforcing our ‘No Hat, No Play’ policy in Term 1 and 4 on the Primary Campus. Wide-brimmed hats (with the school logo), are available at the uniform shop. ROAD SAFETY AROUND THE LAKES SOUTH MORANG COLLEGE The Lakes South Morang College is situated near busy roads with heavy traffic throughout the day, with particular attention to the front of our school, where we have several busy intersections and shared pathways with Coles, Collingwood Language School, Merriang SDS and the Kinder. We strongly remind all families that students must always use the designated school crossings. We are increasingly noticing students exiting or entering vehicles while crossing or weaving through traffic, which poses a serious risk. Please use the designated drop-off zones and encourage your child to cross only at supervised crossings. Holding your child’s hand near roads and vehicles is a simple but effective way to support their safety. Please also take the time to talk with your child about how to stay safe near parked cars, footpaths, and driveways.

YEAR 5/6 NOTEBOOK PROGRAM - 2026 We’re writing to inform you of an important change to our technology program for Year 5 and 6 students starting in 2026. After careful consideration and in consultation with the School Council and broader school community, The Lakes South Morang College has made the decision to transition from iPads to Windows touchscreen notebook computers for students in Years 5 and 6. This move aligns our Primary and Secondary learning experiences and brings our technology use in line with most primary schools across Victoria, who have already adopted Windows-based programs. It also ensures our students are better prepared for the digital expectations of Year 7 and beyond. Why Are We Transitioning to Notebooks? While iPads have served many learning purposes, they are limited in supporting the broader skills needed in upper primary and secondary education. Windows-based touchscreen notebooks: Offer a full desktop computing experience Support keyboard proficiency and multitasking Provide compatibility with the software and systems used from Year 7 onwards Offer improved file management, software flexibility, and better integration with our college systems Devices purchased through our approved portals will be

supported at The Lakes in Years 7 and beyond. Support stylus use for handwriting and drawing

The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

LUNCH ORDERS: Download the app to setup an account and select The Lakes South Morang College. Orders need to be in by 9am on the day.

The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter COMMUNITY NOTICEBOARD

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