PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Improvement Focus Areas – Striving For Excellence 

We would like to update you on the College's focus areas for the remainder of 2023.  As a school community, we are committed to providing you with a high-quality education and ensuring that your children have the tools and resources you need to succeed both academically and personally.  To achieve this, we have identified two core focus areas for the remainder of this year to narrow and sharpen our shared work.

The first focus area is the implementation of the School Wide Positive Behaviours Framework.  This framework is designed to create a safe and supportive learning environment by promoting positive behaviours and attitudes.  It emphasizes the importance of respect, responsibility, and inclusivity, and encourages students to take ownership of their behaviour and work collaboratively with their peers and teachers.

Through the implementation of this framework, we hope to deepen our culture of positivity and respect within our school community.  We believe that this will not only benefit students' academic achievement but also promote their social and emotional wellbeing which is more important than ever in this post-pandemic era.

The second focus area for the remainder of 2023 is continuing to focus on excellent instruction through the implementation of the SCSC Instructional Model and a Guaranteed and Viable Curriculum.  This involves ensuring that all students have access to high-quality teaching that is based on research and evidence-based practices.  It also involves ensuring that the curriculum is designed to meet the needs of all students and provides them with a solid foundation for future success.

Through the implementation of these initiatives, we hope to provide students with a learning experience that is engaging, challenging, and relevant.  We believe that by focusing on excellent instruction and a guaranteed and viable curriculum, we can help students achieve their full potential and prepare them for success in their future endeavours.

We would like to emphasize that both of these focus areas are integral to our College's commitment to providing students with a high-quality education and creating a safe and supportive learning environment.  We believe that they will help us to achieve our goals and provide students with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed both in and outside of the classroom.

Celebrating Our Students That Give Back

On a sunny May afternoon, the Wurdi Baierr stadium came alive with the spirit of volunteerism as the Shire held a special lunch for over 60 students who have made a significant contribution to the community through their volunteer work.  The event was a way of recognizing and thanking these outstanding individuals for their tireless efforts to make the world a better place.

The students invited to the lunch were those who had volunteered their time and energy in various ways, including helping out at local charities, assisting the elderly, mentoring younger students, and participating in environmental conservation initiatives.  The event was a reflection of the Shire's commitment to nurturing a culture of community service and volunteerism among young people.

The lunch involved some speeches from community leaders, all of whom praised the students for their selflessness and dedication to making a positive impact on society. 

The lunch was a testament to the power of volunteerism and the positive impact it can have on individuals and communities.  It was inspiring to see so many young people who were passionate about making the world a better place, and who had already taken concrete steps towards achieving that goal.

The Shire's gesture of gratitude towards these volunteers was an important reminder that every act of kindness, no matter how small, has the potential to make a difference.  It was a message that resonated with all those present and served as a call to action for others to get involved in their own communities.

Anti-Semitism is NOT OK 

From 29 December 2022, it is an offence to intentionally display a Nazi symbol in public in Victoria.  This symbol is also called a Hakenkreuz or the Nazi swastika.  Symbols that closely resemble these are also banned.  The law does not ban the display of the Nazi symbol for genuine educational, scientific or artistic purposes.  There are very serious penalties for intentionally displaying a Nazi symbol in public.  These can include large fines and imprisonment. 

Unfortunately, anti-semitic sentiments are quite prolific on social media channels that young people can be exposed to and we have found that some students have been drawing the swastika at school on paper or other things which its concerning to us. 

The College is adopting an educative approach to helping our students to better understand the sentiments and hate behind the Swastika’s use.

Any student that is seen to be drawing a Swastika at school, will be given a detention after school in which they will be supported to engage in education about anti-semitism. Parents will of course also be notified.  Students that repeat this behaviour may also be suspended.

Please speak to your child at home about this if you also see them drawing this symbol. There are also some great materials on the Melbourne Holocaust Museum’s website that you can access from home : https://mhm.org.au/education/virtual-learning/

We thank you for working in collaboration with us to ensure that our community is one that is inclusive and well educated about how to avoid hate and discrimination.

Erin Wright

College Principal