Principal's Report
In term two SCHS is undertaking our school review. This is a vital initiative undertaken by the Department of Education every four years. This comprehensive review is designed to assess our school’s strengths and identify areas for improvement, ensuring that we continue to provide the highest quality education for our students. Reflection, both self-reflection and external evaluation, is essential to our growth and success. By examining our practices through an internal lens and seeking external perspectives, we can celebrate our achievements, identify areas for improvement, and set clear goals for the future.
The review process is multifaceted, involving classroom observations, focus groups with staff, and discussions with student groups. These activities allow us to gain a well-rounded perspective on our current practices and performance. Additionally, we place great importance on the feedback from our school community, including parents and guardians, whose insights are invaluable in shaping our future direction.
Classroom Observations:
This week and next, our review team will be visiting classrooms to observe the teaching and learning environment. These observations provide critical insights into the effectiveness of our instructional strategies, the engagement levels of our students, and the overall atmosphere within our classrooms. The feedback from these observations will help us identify best practices and areas where we can work to make the learning even more effective for our students.
Staff Focus Groups:
Engaging with our dedicated staff is a cornerstone of the review process. We have organized a range of staff focus groups that examine all aspects of learning and wellbeing in our school. These groups will allow teachers and education support staff to share their perspectives on our school’s strengths and challenges comprehensively.
Student Perspectives: Understanding the student experience is crucial to our review. We will be conducted focus group discussions with students across all year levels, including both our student leaders and those without leadership positions. This allows them to voice their opinions on what is working well and what could be improved which I am sure will be enlightening and will play a significant role in shaping our future strategies to ensure that our students feel supported, challenged, and inspired.
Parent Involvement:
We recognize that parents and guardians are key stakeholders in our school community. Your perspectives are essential in creating a holistic view of our school’s performance. To facilitate this, we are inviting all parents to participate in our online parent focus group, which will be held on Thursday, 23rd May at 1:45 pm. This virtual session will provide a platform for you to share your thoughts and suggestions directly with the review team. Your input will help us to understand your priorities and concerns, ensuring that our strategic planning aligns with the needs and expectations of our community.
If you are interested in participating in the online parent focus group, please email Paula Leheny at paula.leheny@education.vic.gov.au. We highly encourage your involvement as it will enrich our understanding and help us to create a more effective and inclusive educational environment.
Setting Our Goals:
The insights gained from the review process will be instrumental in setting our goals for the next strategic plan. By leveraging the strengths identified and addressing the areas for improvement, we aim to develop a clear and actionable roadmap for the future. Our objective is to foster an environment where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally.
The school review process is a valuable opportunity for reflection and growth. It enables us to celebrate our successes, address our challenges, and plan strategically for the future. We are committed to continuous improvement and look forward to collaborating with our entire school community to achieve our shared vision: "To develop academically able young people from a wide range of geographical and cultural backgrounds to be well-rounded, intellectually curious, engaged citizens."
Thank you for your ongoing support and partnership in making our school a place of excellence.
Martha Goodridge-Kelly
Principal
Contact Us
Phone: (03) 8734 2800
Email: suzanne.cory.hs@education.vic.gov.au
School Website: www.suzannecoryhs.vic.edu.au