PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Key Dates

8 June Queens Birthday Public Holiday

9, 10 & 11 June Summative Tasks

12 June Assessment and Reporting Day

(Student free day)

26 June Term 2 Ends at 1.30pm

Mr Nicholas Adamou

Principal

COVID-19

What an incredibly different world we are living in at the moment. Things have changed so dramatically in what seems to be such a short period of time. It has already been four weeks, since we moved to the Remote and Flexible Learning model.

I am sure you will agree with me, that this term will be unique in the history of education in Australia and in the world. It will be something teachers, educational support staff, families and students alike will talk about in years to come as an immense challenge that we faced together.

While it is too early to say that we have won this challenge, it is looking very much like we may have done so. This has come from an immense sacrifice from all of us. I congratulate and thank you all for what you have achieved, in the space of a few weeks. The incredible feedback I have received from parents, students and staff confirms the exceptional effort by all to produce the best possible learning outcomes during this pandemic.

As the Principal of such an outstanding school community, I want to reassure you that we continue to run a quality remote education program (curriculum and extracurricular programs) for all of our students.

The staff have completed a great deal of preparation and professional learning ensuring they were ready for the challenges brought on by the remote and flexible learning and their virtual classrooms.

Thank You to all staff, teaching and non-teaching for your dedication and commitment you have shown in this ever-evolving environment. Of course with everything new there will always be a number of unforeseen situations and teething problems, however, the Principal Team together with the school’s Leadership Team work hard providing guidance and possible solutions to problems or concerns presented in a timely manner.

Congratulations to our students, I could not be more proud of them. They have risen to the occasion, adhering to our school values. They have transitioned to the virtual classrooms very smoothly. I am aware that most of our students are missing the school environment, their friends and teachers, however, they have been amazing in adapting to the on-line learning and Google classrooms. As responsible young adults they are fully aware of the current circumstances we have all found ourselves in. Our students are facing these pandemic challenges with the utmost respect and patience and I thank them for that. I am positive that the situation will improve soon and all students will be able to return to school. Until then, I ask all students to continue to apply themselves and strive for the best outcomes possible.

Also, thank you to all the parents/carers for their understanding, flexibility and care in transitioning to the remote and flexible learning model. The school would not have been able to do this so successfully without the great parental support we have received. To the many parents who took the time to provide us with feedback, I thank you. I always welcome and value feedback, as it provides me and my administration, with guidance on the best course of action to be taken to ensure the school is travelling on the right path, especially during these very trying times.

We have already learnt so much through this adversity and I know we will all continue to learn and grow. I don’t believe school will ever really be the same when we eventually do return back on-site. These challenging times demand that all of us be patient, stay calm and follow the advice by the Chief Medical Officer and the Victorian Government.

Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority - Update

Amendments to the 2020 Victorian Certificate of Education Study.

These amendments are to Unit 4 components of the studies, while Units 1 and 2 remain unchanged. There are also a few changes to Unit 3 in a small number of specific studies. These amendments are in recognition of the move to remote and flexible learning and to address some of the uncertainty for Victoria’s senior secondary students.

The VCAA has undertaken a review of the Unit 4 component of every Study Design consistent with the following key principles:

Maintain adherence to the health advice and directions regarding learning at home and social distancing arrangements at school sites.
Protect the integrity of the VCE as a nationally and internationally recognised high-quality qualification.
Protect the integrity and coherence of the individual Study Designs and provide a rationale for reasonable adjustments.
Reduce school-based assessment tasks where possible to relieve some pressure on students as they move to remote and flexible learning arrangements.
Ensure fairness and consistency across each learning area so that there is no unintended diminution in cognitive demand for this level of learning.
Sustain the content knowledge and skills across Units 1 to 4.
Keep all post-school pathways options open to 2020 VCE students.
Allow small groups of VCE and Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) students to attend on-site for short periods, consistent with social distancing measures and other requirements, if their learning and assessment requirements cannot be conducted at home.

Any adjustment or amendment to an individual Study Design is usually subject to significant scrutiny and consultation, which can take up to 12 months. The process for the review has been necessarily truncated to provide urgent advice to students, teachers and schools.

The reviews focused on reducing school-based assessment tasks where possible to relieve some pressure on students to acknowledge the move to remote and flexible learning arrangements. In completing the reviews and through consultation, concerns were raised that a reduction in school-based assessment tasks alone without consideration of amendment to the scope of the teaching program for Unit 4 will not achieve a reduction in workload for students, commensurate with the disruption to learning experienced by students and teachers.

A review of, and reasonable adjustment in, content and assessment study by study ensures genuine relief for students while maintaining the integrity of the individual Study Design and the certificate. The broad aims and intentions of the studies are still achieved and can be assessed fairly and accurately, while recognising that to be fair to this year's students, some reduction in workload is required.

The adjustments have been achieved by different means for each Study Design as each course has its own particular design characteristics. This is a strength of the VCE which allows for differing combinations of theory and applied learning and different modes of presentation and assessment. It also affords students the opportunity to access a diverse range of studies and pursue different interests, strengths and career goals.

While broad consultation has not been possible, the VCAA formed and consulted with a principals’ reference group with representation from the three school sectors, as well as direct discussions with a number of academics, State Reviewers, Panel Chairs, Exam Development teams, and other relevant personnel. Strong support for the approach of the VCAA has been given through these processes. The VCAA Board and Senior Secondary Curriculum and Assessment Sub-Committee, which bring together educators from across the school sectors, have also been involved as the work has evolved.

A ‘2020 Study Design Unit 4 Review Panel’ also reviewed the advice provided by the VCAA Curriculum Division, both the individual Study Design and study designs across the Certificate. This provided further assurance that the final amendments represent a reasonable adjustment, provide clarity of amendments and maintenance of study design integrity as well as an indication of the workload reduction attained.

Why Choose a

Public School?

At this time of the year, families are making important decisions about choosing a secondary school for their child.

There’s a common, misleading view that if you send your child to a private school, your child will get better results.

But the facts show that this is wrong.

A review of almost 30 academic studies revealed public schools achieve similar student outcomes to Catholic and Independent schools across a range of education indicators. (Cobbold, 2015)

The review showed there were no significant differences between the results of students from public, Catholic and Independent schools in national and international tests and also in university completion rates.

According to the review, first year university students from public schools outperform other students – they achieve higher grades in their first year of university than students from Catholic and Independent schools.

For more information about the review’s findings please go to the following website: http://www.saveourschools.com.au/public-education/studies-show-public-schools-achieve-similar-results-to-private-schools

As a leader in the public school system I believe it’s important that families know about this information because it can help inform their decision-making.

Public schools are just as good as private schools in the area that matters most – developing your child’s potential. The review is one of many pieces of educational research showing that students from the same social background do as well in public schools as they do in Catholic or Independent schools.

There are other good reasons to consider enrolling your child in a public school. They include the following:

Public schools are great value for money compared with private schools, which charge families up to $40,000 each year in tuition fees per child. Tuition at public schools is free, with families paying only for books and some essential items.
Children in public schools learn to get on with a wide mixture of students from different backgrounds. These advanced social skills – cooperation, empathy, problem solving, understanding – are increasingly prized in the modern workplace. They equip students for success in life and in their future work.
High quality teaching is one of the biggest factors that influence student learning. That’s why public schools are intensifying their efforts to enhance the skills of their teachers through mentoring, peer and student feedback and other forms of professional development.

Public schools are the backbone of our nation’s education system. They express our Australian egalitarian values. They provide opportunities for all children to succeed, no matter where they live or what background they come from. They give all children a fair chance to reach their potential and lead a fulfilling life.

As Principal of a public school for a number of years, I am a strong advocate of public education. I am extremely honoured and proud of my current and previous school communities. I am also proud of the outstanding achievements of public school students over the years.

During the Covid-19 Remote and Flexible Learning period, I encourage parents/carers to visit the school website www.ngsc.vic.edu.au and take a virtual tour of our school. Please click on the following link to visit this school’s fantastic facilities.

http://360.tspvic.com.au/ngsc3215/

Once we are back on site and the COVID-19 government restrictions are lifted, I will encourage prospective parents/carers to call the school and book a tour with our Transitions Leader, Mr Stan Koullas, or a Principal Class Officer, to see the school in operation, as per previously. Matching your child’s needs with the right secondary college is crucial to your child’s future success not just in Secondary schooling, but also in their future pathway.

Keeping our students active at home with resources from Melbourne Victory

NGSC together with The Department of Education and Training are supporting all Victorian students to stay active during remote and flexible learning. Research shows that daily physical activity boosts physical and mental health and improves wellbeing. It also helps with concentration, retaining information and solving problems.

A range of engaging, interesting and educative physical activity resources have been collated for teachers, parents and students. These resources aim to support students to stay active, connected to sport and involved in physical education whilst they are at home. For further information please see the FUSE Learning from Home Platform.

Resources include a four-week online football program called Kick it with Victory, developed by Melbourne Victory Football Club, in collaboration with the Department and School Sport Victoria. This free resource is available for teachers to use in their teaching plans or for parents to pass on to children to keep them active while learning from home.

The program continues the Department’s ongoing successful relationship developing and delivering educational outcomes with Melbourne Victory Football Club.

Kick it with Victory features guest videos from Melbourne Victory men and women players and coaches, and daily training videos for beginner, intermediate and advanced levels.

The program aims to achieve physical education and health and wellbeing outcomes for students, and covers topics such as:

keeping students active during remote learning
encouraging participation in sport
building resilience

Week 1 videos are now available, with further videos to be uploaded on a weekly basis.

To access the resource, visit Kick it with Victory.