It’s been a productive start to Term 1 and a little alarming that we are starting the second half of it this week.

This week marks an even greater return to normalcy with the need to wear masks limited to situations where physical distancing is not possible. We are enjoying seeing the faces of our school community more completely.

In another sign of normalcy, our Unit 1 Outdoor Education classes are away on camp this week. It is the first camp since this time last year. We know they will love their time along the Great Ocean Road.

Tutor Learning Initiative

We are delighted to have classroom intervention tutors working closely with classroom teachers to support students who required extra support following the period of remote learning in 2020. The students are making great progress with the additional assistance provided.

Captains Conference

On Friday 19 February we held our first Captains’ Conference for the year. The students explored the different facets of leadership including the human, technical, cultural and symbolic and they increased their awareness of the fact that leadership is about positively influencing others. They provided input about the needs of the school with regard to facilities and feedback about the Masterplan development and finally they began planning what actions they would carry out as Captains this year.

School Council 2021

While the Student Representative election process is still running, I am delighted to announce the parent and staff representatives for School Council in 2021.

There were the same number nominees as vacancies, so there was no need for an election. We welcome:

Parent Representatives:

Gaby Chapman – new council member

Sean Cooney – returning

Stefan Gruenert - returning

Dave Oakley – new council member

Staff Representatives:

Katie Archibald – returning

Sarah Burns – new council member

The full Council will be announced after our upcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) to be held on Thursday 18 March 6:00 pm. The outstanding success of the school in 2020 will be presented at this time, followed by the first meeting of the new school council.

At the AGM we will hear from our school captains about the pressing issues and their goals for the year. We are still discussing whether the AGM will be held on site or via video conferencing so that more community members may attend.

Masterplan Redevelopment

In 2017 the Department of Education and Training approved the Masterplan developed by Baldesso Cortese Architects and Planners which addressed the school’s primary needs, with a staged plan, designed to immediately improve our STEM-based facilities and release land on the site.

The realisation of the Masterplan would mean Northcote High can continue to service the needs of the community and provide world class educational opportunities well into the middle of the 21st Century.

The plan is mapped out to minimise disruption to our students and teaching staff. The initial stages of development are outlined below, in priority order.

Stage 1: Three storey STEM Centre and Food Hub

A three-storey building is planned for the centre of the school. This will update and increase the number of STEM-based facilities, equiping our students with the key critical, creative and design skills required for their successful futures. This building also accommodates a new canteen.

This development provides the vertical school solution which is the only way to address the need for recreation and outdoor learning space.

Indicative Cost for STEM Centre and Food Hub (Stage 1): $13.5 million

Stage 2: Double storey Resource Centre – Library and Hall

This stage sees the construction of another central double-storey building, which accommodates a new Resource Centre – Library, Student Wellbeing and Careers Centre and flexible, general purpose classrooms, that can be opened up to accommodate assemblies and other large community gatherings.

The Resource Centre will provide flexible learning spaces for team teaching and differentiation, as well as spaces for essential research and collaboration. The current Student Wellbeing and Careers and Pathways facilities in the main building will be relocated centrally, as part of an integrated service centre for students seeking help with learning, wellbeing and pathways. The vertical structure, minimises the building footprint to create space needed for more recreation and outdoor learning on campus. Finally, it provides an assembly space, essential for continued community and culture building.

Indicative Cost for Resource Centre – Library and Hall (Stage 2): $10.7 million

We continue to advocate on behalf of our school community for funding for at least Stages 1 and 2.

Focusing on Strengths – first

In our work with Dr Lea Waters at the end of last year and the beginning of this year we focused very much on strengths. When we look to our own, and for each others’ strengths we are both empowering and positive. This does not mean that we ignore weaknesses or areas for development, but we can leverage strengths to support these development areas.

The stressors and traumas of the year just past require us to take a nurturing and positive approach. I encourage our parent/carer community to read The Strength Switch, by Dr Lea Waters, to help you navigate the challenges of adolescence and support our own strengths-based approach at school.

I have been delighted to see Connect groups busily decorating their strengths trees and silhouettes and celebrating each others strengths.

We look forward to meeting families at the Year 7 picnic on Wednesday

Best wishes to all

Sue Harrap

Principal

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