Message from the Principal
Karen Harris
Principal
It has been a busy and challenging first term. We have enjoyed being able to again welcome visitors to the school site, offer external excursions and camps as part of our school activities, as well as stage whole-school events such as the swimming carnival. Students have settled back into regular school life, the cocurricular program is up and running and we are looking forward to the events of Term 2. We wish you all a safe and happy holiday break in the meantime.
I extend a very warm welcome to our confirmed 2022 School Council. Congratulations to Shahab Kasmai, who has assumed the office of President, to Scott Brain who has taken on the position of Vice President, and to Elise Edwards who was returned to the office of Treasurer to continue her good work.
Our School Council members bring a wealth of personal and professional experience to the table and includes five (5) BSC staff members, six (6) Parent Category members, three (3) Community Category members and four (4) Student Category members.
Parent Association is gearing up for a busy year ahead. New members are always welcome (many hands make light work) and they are keen to consider new ideas and approaches that new members can bring to the table. Please contact Claudia Johnson if you are interested in joining the association.
I take this opportunity to acknowledge the significant contribution made by parents Kylie Moreland and Deb Gough who have co-chaired PA for a number of years and are now standing down. On behalf of the school community, the School Council thanks Deb & Kylie for their considerable investment of time and effort, not to mention the can-do, cheerful and enthusiastic attitude they have consistently brought to their work. We wish them well in 'retirement' and look forward to new and existing members taking their place.
The college was very pleased that our Year 12 students could enjoy their Formal event this year. This traditional rite of passage was sadly missed in 2020 and 2021, and so the occasion was highly anticipated by both students and staff. approximately 20 staff members attended including myself, Tas Michael (Assistant Principal) and Oki Gardner (Senior School Leader).
The Principal Team are currently undertaking professional learning courses with key staff, through the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership (formerly the Bastow Institute) including Innovating for Student Engagement and Leading Mathematics. Both of these courses have strong links to the Key Improvement Strategies in our 2022 Annual Implementation Plan.
In term 4 this year, our school will undertake its strategic review and write the next 4 year Strategic Plan. we will be consulting students, staff and families as part of this process. Our data collection will commence in Term 2.
The Principal Team have been conducting regular school tours throughout the term, accompanied by student representatives from Junior and Middle School. Tours have been extraordinarily well attended, with students encouraged to interact with visitors, to answer questions and to share their personal experience of life at BSC. Visitor feedback tells us that the addition of student representatives on tours has been highly valued, providing authentic, first-hand student perspective to the tour experience.
In addition, our very capable School Captains, Ryan Wu and Sienna Seychell, have been leading extra tours on Tuesday afternoons in order to meet high public demand. I thank Ryan and Sienna for generously donating their time and shared experience to introduce visitors to our unique school community.