PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
2 June 2023
Another fortnight has rolled by and we've started to roll into the end of a busy Term 2. Last Tuesday it was announced that Western Heights College was successful on being funded in the 2023/2024 State Government Budget, with capital works funding of $7.55 million to build a competition-grade gymnasium. This is very exciting news for our community after years of advocacy and I applaud our students, staff, parents, and carers, past and present, for their support and resilience throughout this journey. The hard work now starts with planning. The initial planning process is called the Asset Management Plan (AMP) Phase 1. The purpose of the AMP Phase 1 is to describe the school’s future educational directions in the context of its functionality, space allocation and condition.
The AMP Phase 1 outlines the specific characteristics of the school, its learning, teaching and curriculum models and the programs and organisational structures that will take the school into the future. It is developed by the school in collaboration with the school community. School community engagement is critical to the AMP process as this will ensure educational direction regarding teaching and learning reflects local community’s aspirations.
Aligned with the school’s educational directions and informed by department policy, the school’s AMP Phase 1 informs the master planning process and ensures current capital works projects, including the funding for our new gymnasium and longer-term asset management strategies can be achieved.
The audience for the completed AMP Phase 1 is the school community, the VSBA and the project architect. The VSBA will guide the school through the first phase of the AMP process with support from regional staff. To support this process, I invite all parents and carers to take 10 minutes to provide some feedback to the following survey questions in the link provided below:
The results of this survey will help to shape our school’s new upgrades. It is important that we complete the survey by Wednesday 14 June.
Once completed, AMP 1 must be endorsed by the school council president and Principal before submission to the department regional office for review and endorsement. Once endorsed by region, the VSBA will approve the AMP Phase 1 and the school will receive a letter from the VSBA advising of the approval of AMP Phase 1. AMP Phase 1 is due to the department by July 19, 2023. We will then move to selecting an architect and specifically completing a masterplan and design work for our new school gym.
Exciting and busy work ahead for our community!
Curriculum Day – Pupil Free Day
Friday 9 June is a curriculum day for all staff and a pupil-free day for students. There will be no timetabled classes for students whilst staff attend a day developing curriculum, building on their PLCs, professional learning and preparation for their peer observations and preparing for next term's school review.
Year 7 Camp
Year 7 Camp for 2023 was conducted earlier this week near Kyneton. It was a fabulous opportunity for students to work together and continue to develop teamwork, their social connection, wellbeing and resilience. A big thank-you to Ms McCarthy for her leadership and to all students and staff for their commitment to attend the camp.
VCE GAT Test
Rapidly approaching on Thursday 15 June for all Year 12 students and any student completing a Year 12 VCE subject is the GAT. We wish them well with this test and process.
High Ability Learning (VHAP)
This term we have been thrilled with the progress of several of our Year 7 and 8 students who have been identified centrally via the Department of Education and invited to take part in the Victorian High Ability Program (VHAP).
VHAP consists of ten-week online courses in Mathematics and English. Students engage in synchronous Webex classes with their teachers. They can also engage with the course material on VSV Online outside of the class time. In the VHAP English course, students explore links between reality and fiction by observing the world around us and our journeys into fictional worlds. VHAP English empowers students through cultivating confidence and a willingness to take academic risks.
In the VHAP Maths course, students embrace the “why” of maths, not just the “what”. Students and teachers dive into the philosophical implications of mathematical topics.
There are opportunities for differentiation within the course. Students can choose to work at a pace comfortable for them or be extended.
VHAP promotes development of key skills such as teamwork, collaboration and resilience.
The program is a safe space for high-ability students to stretch their wings, encounter change and challenge, and confront fears around making “mistakes".
Congratulations to all our students who are engaging with this learning during Term 2 and we wish the group of students well in Term 3 who will either be continuing with this learning or joining the program.
Sporting Success
Congratulations to all students in the past fortnight who have represented our school in school sport. Our college was successful in cross country, AFL, netball, soccer, and basketball in the past two weeks. Most pleasing was the feedback from the community about how our students conducted themselves with humility, a sense of community and care for each other and others. Keep up the great work!
King's Birthday Public Holiday
There will be no school on Monday 12 June as it is a public holiday for the Kings’ Birthday.
Have a great weekend and take care,
Fiona Taylor
Principal
Child Safety at WHC
Western Heights College is a child safe organisation committed to protecting students from all forms of abuse.
Our College has stringent protocols in place and endeavours at all times to be fully compliant with the Child Safe Standards set out under Ministerial Order 870.
Our College has the following documents and policies in place to achieve compliance with the Standards. All of these documents are available for downloading on our website or contact the school for a copy.
1. Commitment to Child Safety
2. Child Safety Policy
3. Child Safety Code of Conduct
4. Child Protection Policy and Procedures
Annual privacy policy reminder for 2023
Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy.(found on the college's webpage)
Please take time to remind yourself of our school’s collection notice, found on our website. For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy — information for parents and carers on the webpage. This information is also available in 10 community languages:
* Amharic
* Arabic
* Dari
* Gujarati
* Mandarin
* Somali
* Sudanese
* Turkish
* Urdu
* Vietnamese.