Principal Team Editorial

Our start to Term 4 has been very positive – as the weather improves and the days get longer, there seems to be a spring in everyone’s step!

It would be remiss of me not to start with our Year 12s as we farewell some of our students who have finished their final school assessments and those who are knuckling down and preparing for exams. The holidays for many of our 12s and their teachers, was a ‘working’ holiday with a schedule jam-packed with revision lectures in the first week, and practice exams in the second week. Over the next month, I encourage all Year 12s who are doing exams to study hard and have no regrets. It's a great opportunity to realise the positive outcomes you can achieve through hard work and application, not just this year but at the culmination of your whole schooling journey. 

Primary School Day

Last Tuesday we invited local Primary School Principals to our Year 12 Primary School Day as we celebrated and acknowledged the formative years of their education from prep to grade 6. It was a great opportunity to reconnect with primary teachers and educators, and play some games that were reminiscent of the ‘old school days.’ 

Next Friday, we look forward to the official last day of school for our Year 12s and celebrating with them, in Wantirna College tradition, with parents and an official farewell assembly. Our Year 12 parents have been invited to come along for a morning tea before joining students at the assembly. As a parent, it’s a special day - you remember your child’s very first day in prep and you get to book-end that memory with their very last day of school as a Year 12 student who is now an adult about to embark on the next chapter of their lives.

Principal for a Day

It was my great pleasure to kickstart a new initiative at Wantirna College to have a student being appointed as the Principal for a Day and shadowing me throughout a ‘regular’ day. Deng Kuot in Year 10 was nominated by multiple students and teachers and spent Tuesday 8 October in the ‘big chair.’ Throughout the day, Principal Deng met with students and staff and I thoroughly appreciated the student perspective he provided on a range of different initiatives. 

Principal Deng’s Editorial

What Makes a Good Principal?

I believe a good Principal is actively involved with their school community, can connect with both students and staff, and is able to make difficult decisions when necessary.

What Does the Principal Do?

The role of the Principal involves various tasks. One of their primary responsibilities is to handle administrative duties, including approving events, managing staff, and overseeing daily operations. The Principal also leads meetings and supports other staff members in their specific roles at the college.

My Day as the Principal

My day as the Principal began with the morning briefing, where different staff members discussed various topics related to their respective areas. This concluded with me speaking to the staff and sharing my topics. 

After the briefing, I assisted in conducting interviews for new staff members for 2025. We then went on a Learning Walk to observe students’ engagement in their learning. I was proud to see that the students were actively participating and appeared to be having fun while learning. During the day I also learned why the staff love the coffee machine so much!

Following the learning walk, I assisted Ms. Wallis with some paperwork before heading out for yard duty. The yard has been improving each day, and the environment is thriving. Great work, Wantirna students and staff—keep up the excellent effort! Not long until the entries for the Do The Right Thing competition close, so keep them coming, Wantirna!

Year 12 Primary School Day

For the Year 12 Primary School Day, we welcomed all the primary school teachers and principals to celebrate the Year 12 students' journey throughout their schooling. The Year 12 students seemed to enjoy celebrating with their peers and teachers. Wishing all the Year 12s good luck with their exams and congratulations on 13 years of schooling!

To sum up my day, it was enjoyable to work alongside Ms. Wallis and witness all the great work she does as the Principal. I believe this initiative is valuable and provides insight into what happens behind the scenes in managing a school, especially one of our size! I wish the next students who are Principal for a Day good luck and encourage them to ask plenty of questions so they can get the most out of the experience.

Parent Forum – Strategic Plan for 2025-28

I look forward to this term’s Parent Forum on Tue 19 November where I will be sharing our Strategic Plan for the next 4 years. I encourage all parents to come along to the forum – it’s a great opportunity to find out more about the school, connect with other parents and provide feedback to the Principal Team. 

We hope to see many of you there. Please follow this link to RSVP for catering purposes:

https://forms.office.com/r/HZrvD4JGW0

Carrie Wallis

Principal