Principal & School Council Report

Principal's Report

Students, staff, award sponsors, parents, family, distinguished guests, - Welcome to Edenhope College Awards evening for 2019.

We are here tonight to acknowledge and celebrate student effort and achievement throughout the 2019 school year.

There are a few I’d like to thank for support over the year that I’ve been acting principal:

Sally for your support - for putting up with the odd early morning that I’d sneak off to school.

Thanks to the 2019 Leadership Team which consists of Rachel Tiddy, Emma Wallace and myself, which went from five members at the start of 2019, back to the three of us. 

Members of the school council – thank you for your efforts with policy, finance and general meetings. I urge any parent who want a voice within the school to step up when the call is put out for new committee members (next March/April). The role on school council is very rewarding.

Parents and Friends Association - Thank you for the little things you continually do around the school. This year they designed and supported the introduction of a school sports shirt, which the students love! Part of my principal role in 2019 was quality assurance for their excellent muffins and slices – a role I will continue with into 2020. The students also enjoyed the return of the canteen throughout the year.

Parents and family - who come and support their children at school functions – like tonight, sport events, parent teacher interviews, reading in the classroom/at home etc. It’s proven in education that those supports strengthen student outcomes.

Brian O’Leary for your chaplaincy and operating the breakfast club on Wednsday/Thursday mornings along with Nathan Perks, Kirra Hessey & Crystel Rhys-Davies.

Sponsors of the awards for tonight. Thank you for continuing to support our students.

Staff of 2019 – for your teamwork and cooperation, and going that extra mile, during what has been a very busy and challenging year.

Lastly, to the students. You are the reason we are here. Well done, you’ve made it to the end of another of the year, packed with learning and academic endeavours.  To the Year 12 class of 2019, congratulations on completing thirteen years of education and completing your VCE! Your futures are bright, and we are proud to have had you as students at Edenhope College.

2019 saw some long standing members of staff move on to begin new chapters in their lives. We have also employed some outstanding staff throughout the year.  Our staffing profile is the most stable it has been for quite a number of years. In 2020, we return to four primary classes, with smaller teacher/student ratios. Our primary area has always been a strength of the school and we’re looking to continue it.

I would like to call the following teachers, who left our service in 2019, forward. Kathryn Duncan and Robyne Rainsford, thank you for many years of dedication to the education of Edenhope College students. Please accept this token of our gratitude for your service.

Michelle Lowe, Sarah Domazchenz and Jane Fitzgerald, please come forward. Thank you for the service you have given to Edenhope College and its students.

Shane Adams, please come forward. Please accept this certificate in recognition of six years of service on School Council, with one of the roles being the presidential. Thank you for your ongoing dedication and support.

I’d like to call the following CRT’s forward (if they are here), to receive a small token of our thanks. They have worked tirelessly in 2019.  Amanda Light, Cassie Stringer, Jake Anders, Judy Munn, Matt Cooper, Leonie Lang, Rachel Farran, Robyne Rainsford, Simone Mueller.

Mates Mentoring has been part of our school for the last 5 years (we were the first school to implement the program locally), and it continues to be a fantastic program under the wellbeing banner. It is a program that people from the community can volunteer for. You visit the school once a fortnight at a time that suits and spend time with a student. It is a holistic program for both mentor & mentee. The program will be continuing in 2020, so keep an eye out if you feel you can make a difference.

Our 2019 Annual Implementation Plan had us focussing on reading comprehension across the school and continuing to develop our School Wide Behaviour Support Program. These initiatives will continue into 2020, but will be accompanied with a focus on comprehension within the mathematics domain. We’ve employed a learning specialist to support this and have acquired a ‘Mathletics’ software program to compliment this for all primary students. Our IT technician Varlin Duncan has acquired 50 new laptops and these will be distributed to senior students at the beginning of 2020. 2020 also sees the end of our current Strategic Plan, and as such, we will be having a school review in Term 3, which will set the direction for the next four year Strategic Plan.

Just a couple more things in finishing up, 2020 will see a new mobile phone/device policy that the Victorian Government has put into all schools. The policy states that mobile devices must remain locked in student lockers for the entirety of a school day, unless there is an exception granted by the principal or assistant principal. These exceptions could be medical reasons, educational purposes or compassionate reasons. A mobile phone policy will be updated to the school website where you can obtain most school policies. All locks for lockers will be supplied by the school at no cost.

Apologies if I’ve missed anyone.

Thank everyone for your support while I have been Acting Principal in 2019.

Trevor McClure

Acting Principal

School Council Report

Good evening staff, students, parents, families and members of the Edenhope College community. 

I would like to thank you all for coming tonight to celebrate students’ achievements for 2019. It is a busy time of year for all and I’m sure the students all appreciate you being here.

I’d like to acknowledge my fellow school council members, and thank them for their time and effort in contributing to the smooth running of the Edenhope College School Council.

I am proud and privileged to have been elected as your School Council President for 2019. The Edenhope College School Council aims to assist in improving student learning outcomes, foster our dedicated teaching staff, lead school and community conversations about key issues and challenges in education and promote meaningful parent and community participation at the school. School Council has had a productive and enjoyable year.

Edenhope College School Council consists of a diverse mix of parents, teachers and community members, who support and challenge each other regularly to ensure we deliver the best outcomes possible for Edenhope College and its students, whilst ensuring a united approach to continual school improvement. 

School council has three main responsibilities: Finance: ensuring proper records are kept of the school’s financial operation. Strategic Planning: The development and monitoring of the school strategic plan, and Policy Development and Review: updating policies that reflect Edenhope College values and support the schools broad direction outlined in its strategic plan.

With 147 students to challenge and grow we can only do this with the help and support of teachers, support staff and the engagement of our wider community.

Our active Parents and Friends Association enhances and supports the school community by providing opportunities, such as social interaction and participation in classroom activities. They are the parent voice within the school environment, whose common interests relate to the education and schooling of Edenhope College students.

At Edenhope College, we would love to see more parent engagement and involvement in your students’ learning journey, and we encourage the entire Edenhope College community to get involved with the school.  Research has proven that parent involvement at your students’ school leads to all children doing better. Students learn more and succeed at higher levels when home, school and community members work together and play collaborative, complementary and supportive roles to support learning and development.

Thank you to all families for your commitment and engagement at Edenhope College. I trust that your children are getting the most out of their time at school.  For families who wish to find out more about what Edenhope College can offer, pop in anytime to the front office, or consider joining School Council or Edenhope College Parent and Friends Association.

Thank you.

Nikki Hollis

School Council President