Welcome to the 2024 school year!
Welcome back and Happy New Year. The students have hit the ground running and there have been a lot of positive signs throughout all the year levels.
Year 12s completed their study camp; holiday homework is being chased up and our newest Year 7s have settled in well.
At this year’s whole school assembly, the theme was about being the best possible version of yourself and to bring your A game to school every day. Connections are vital, friends are vital, EFFORT is vital and looking after each other is vital.
We have already completed our swimming sports carnival and all the students who attended had a fabulous time. It was great to be part of the vibe of the day – students who chose not to attend, need to make more of an effort to attend these whole school days as it builds connections and culture.
Please allow me to introduce our Student Management team to you – the structure has not changed from last year, except for Year 11, where Ms Sleit will be the only Learning Engagement Leader.
Thus:
Junior School: Sub – School leader and Acting Assistant Principal – Ms Mel Findlay
Year 7 LELs – Mr Matthew Morris and Ms Samantha McLean
Year 8 LELs – Ms Taylor Turton and Mr Anthony Craig
Year 9 LELs – Ms Meredith Savage and Mr Steven McCrae
Senior School: Sub – School leader, Ms Emily Hay
Year 10 LELs – Mr Tony Taylor and Mr Anthony Gale
Year 11 LEL – Ms Grace Sleit
Year 12 LELs – Ms Rebecca Holmes and Mr Sean Reid
Please contact the relevant Sub-School with any query you may have, and they will happily assist you with most matters. Of course, as a community, we have an obligation to each other to ensure that all our conversations are professional, respectful and solution focussed – we want everyone to flourish.
Staffing in 2024
We welcome the following new staff into our college community and wish them all the best. Please make them feel welcome.
Ms Prue Bon – Literature and Eng
Mr Anthony Craig Year 8 LEL, Health and PE
Ms Lana Nunis – Director of Mathematics
Ms Katrina Owen – Music and Instrumental Music
Mr Eythan Sendeckyj – Maths and Science
Mr Tim Watson – Maths
Ms Kiara Flavel – Outdoor Ed and Sports assistant
We are still short an English teacher and we hope to fill that position as soon as possible.
‘School Fit’, MYLNs and TLI in 2024
With continued funding from the Department of Education in 2023/4, the Tutor Learning Initiative (TLI) will continue, as will the Middle Years Literacy and Numeracy program. (MYLNS is targeted at Year 10 students whose data from their Year 9 NAPLAN show that they require additional support)). Both programs are aligned in assisting selected students in achieving their personal best.
To that end, teachers are setting students a ‘School Fit’ Learning Task that requires completion by the end of this week. Staff will provide feedback on Compass and parents are encouraged to read that feedback and set some achievement goals that reflect the learning continuum. There will be teacher follow-up for those students who did not complete the task.
Building Upgrade
The work continues behind the scenes, to start a new classroom building as soon as possible. The build is not like a household renovation or new home build. The DE and the VSBA work towards a set of criteria that must include sustainable materials, a workforce that hires a certain percentage of apprentices, IT and climate regulations and very stringent child safe standards.
As stipulated in previous newsletters, G block will stay in commission until the new educational facility is built. Once that happens, G block will be demolished, and some new sporting facilities will be built on the site.
James Barut – Principal
