The Executive Team

Dear School Community

This was always going to be an historic year for Greater Shepparton Secondary College.

 

Prior to New Year’s Day the college didn’t even formally exist. Yet by the end of January, we were welcoming the first students of GSSC – they arrived in new uniforms, in many cases on new bus routes to new campuses, with new classmates and to a new group of teachers.

 

In Term 1 our staff, students and wider community of parents and carers were introduced to many more “firsts” that came with the merger of our secondary schools. These included the appointment of Learning Mentors, the setting up of House and Neighbourhood systems supported by specialist staff, the introduction of new timetables and in many cases, new education pathways and enhanced curriculum.

 

By the end of term, we were rapidly preparing for another first that was certainly not of our own making – remote learning.

 

Since Term 2 commenced in mid-April, GSSC has continued to make history and has been joined by every primary and secondary school in Victoria. Together, we are part of an important health initiative that is helping to slow the spread of the Coronavirus in the wider community.

For the GSSC school community, remote learning has meant managing more change for ourselves, our students and our school community.

 

For teachers, it has meant an immense effort to equip themselves with new and improved remote learning skills. They’ve shown great dedication, and great innovation, to reach out to students. As a single school, our teachers are supporting each other every day to help create the most effective virtual classrooms we can.

 

Our support staff, from information technology experts to health and wellbeing specialists, are making important and steady improvements to our remote learning delivery. The effort to equip our students with laptops and online access has alone been immense while behind the scenes, there has been much care and attention to those families requiring extra support.

 

Our parents and carers are heeding the health message and keeping their children at home unless they have no other option to on-site learning. They’ve been working positively with the college and supporting our teachers’ efforts while they turn their lounge rooms, bedrooms and kitchen tables into temporary classrooms.

 

Finally, our students are experiencing the most change. They are adjusting to an experience unique in living memory. While some have adjusted very well and others less well, it’s fair to say they would all have shared some anxiety and frustration along the way.

 

May I simply convey a sincere “thank you” to our staff and school community for all that you have done in these unprecedented circumstances. To our students, may I also add this: “Keep up the good work – and know you are at the centre of all that we do.”

 

 

Genevieve Simson

Executive Principal

Greater Shepparton Secondary College

 

 

The Executive Team

Greater Shepparton Secondary College