Principal's Report 

Dear students, parents and carers,

Welcome to Term 2 and its many opportunities. Congratulations to the many students who contributed to ANZAC Day ceremonies around the region. Congratulations to Mel Lees and her team for what many long-term staff described as the most moving and respectful College ANZAC Day ceremony experienced for many years. 

Here are some updates.

Technology

• Year 10 Chromebooks have been rolled out and Year 10 students are required to take the device to each lesson.
• A Year 11 survey this week revealed that 50% of Year 11 students are not bringing a device to school. 37% of Year 11 students do not have a device. This causes uncertainty in the preparation of lessons and lost time borrowing devices. We need a solution to this problem quickly. It will probably involve a long-term Chromebook loan to students who do not have a device, and a requirement that all Year 11 take a device to all lessons.

Devices are another learning tool and I am not overstating their impact on learning. Used poorly they mask ineffective learning. Used well, in balance with other modes and resources for learning, they allow for better differentiation, collaboration, resource sharing and student independence. 

Staffing

We have been impacted by the teacher availability challenges of regional NSW but things are looking up after our latest recruitment efforts. Ryan Saban replaces Ian McKenzie (LSL) teaching PDHPE for the remainder of the year. Victoria Vlasoff and Tahlia Urquhart started fulltime employment this term. Victoria is currently supporting a variety of classes with students with additional needs and Tahlia is teaching English. Amy Gambrill joins us on May 10 as a Stage 4-5 Maths teacher. Olivia Guilbert joins us at the start of Term 3 as a Stage 4-6 PDHPE teacher and Kylie Mulholland commences at the same time as Leader of Inclusion. 

At the end of last Term we farewelled and extended our thanks to Marlene Tremain-Beveridge who left us for part-time work and study opportunities, after giving excellent service as a Student Support Teacher. 

Support staff provide the foundation for effective running of the College and that team has been strengthened by the addition of Stephanie Briley in Finance/Administration, Martina Hutchinson in Administration and Denham Harry and Paige Berthold in Behaviour Support. 

Student Plans

I have recently written Student Support Plans to align with the Living Well, Learning Well Framework. These include an Individual Behaviour Support Plan, Individual Behaviour Risk Management Plan, Student Wellbeing Plan, Attendance Plan, and Class Learning and Behaviour Plan. These will be used across the Diocese to bring greater consistency of student support practice. 

Our work to support students replace unproductive behaviours was a focus of Term 1. It continues in Term 2, with students now well-aware of their obligations not to interrupt the learning of others or the work of teachers and support staff. Students who persist with these behaviours, in the absence of evidence of a social, emotional, behavioural difficulty, will move quickly to a Behaviour Support Plan. Students who require additional support will have a Personal Plan managed by our Student Support Teachers or a Wellbeing Plan managed by Middle Leaders. Again, adult support from staff and parents/carers is essential to getting a desired good outcome from these plans. 

Thank you for your continued support.

All the best

Mr Rod Whelan - Principal