The Star

From the Principal

Mr Jon Franzin

Dear Parents, Students, and Friends of St Virgil’s College,

Senior School Examinations

Year 10 students commenced examinations this week, and so far, things have been going smoothly. It has been an anxious time for some students leading up to exams, and no doubt for a few parents/carers, so it is good to see some of the weight progressively lifting off the students’ shoulders as exams are completed. With exams concluding next week, there is still plenty of time for students to aim high and develop the necessary skills and attitudes in readiness for Senior Secondary.

 

Next week, Years 11 and 12 students will be commencing examinations, and we wish them well as they prepare for this significant milestone in their academic journey.

Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD)

Every year, all schools in Australia participate in the Nationally Consistent Collection of Data on School Students with Disability (NCCD). The NCCD process requires schools to identify information already available in the school about support provided to students with disability. These relate to legislative requirements under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005, in line with the NCCD guidelines (2019).

 

Information provided about students to the Australian Government for the NCCD includes:

  • year of schooling
  • category of disability: physical, cognitive, sensory, or social/emotional
  • level of adjustment provided: support provided within quality differentiated teaching practice, supplementary, substantial, or extensive.

This information assists schools to:

  • formally recognise the supports and adjustments provided to students with disability
  • consider how they can strengthen the support of students with disability
  • develop shared practices so they can review their learning programs to improve educational outcomes for students with disability.

The NCCD provides state and federal governments with the information they need to plan more broadly for the support of students with disability. The NCCD will have no direct impact on your child, and your child will not be involved in any testing process. The school will provide data to the Australian Government in such a way that no individual student will be able to be identified – the privacy and confidentiality of all students are ensured. All information is protected by privacy laws that regulate the collection, storage, and disclosure of personal information.

 

To find out more about these matters, please refer to the Australian Government’s Privacy Policy Further information about the NCCD can be found on the NCCD Portal.

 

If you have any questions about the NCCD, please contact Mr Michael Farrell, Head of Learning Enhancement at the College.

Staffing Update

I am pleased to announce the following staff who will be joining us in the coming weeks, replacing various staff.

 

H&PE: We welcome Mr Harry Jones, who will be taking on the position of H&PE Teacher (0.6 FTE), replacing Jamie Symons in Term 3. Mr Jones is in his fourth year of a Bachelor of Education at UTAS and will complete his degree later this year. Mr Jones has been employed as a casual teacher at Hobart City High School since 2023 and was also employed as a Teacher Assistant at St Patrick’s College Launceston. Mr Jones has also been the Year 9/10 Cricket Coach for The Hutchins School.

 

Literacy Leader: I am pleased to announce the appointment of Mrs Casey-Lee Hotton to the position of Literacy Leader, commencing on Monday 17 June, replacing Mrs Auksorius. Mrs Hotton has been an Advanced Senior Teacher at Jordan River Learning Federation and previously held leadership positions at Chancellor State College on the Sunshine Coast as Head of the Department of Humanities and Student Services as well as Year 7 Grade Leader. Mrs Hotton holds a Bachelor of Education/Arts from the University of the Sunshine Coast, where she majored in English and Science.

 

We congratulate Ms Maddison Bowerman, who has been appointed to the position of Talent & Pathways Coordinator in the People & Culture Team at Huon Aquaculture. I know Ms Bowerman will be greatly missed by all but understand that this is a wonderful and exciting opportunity for her. We had an opportunity to thank her for her dedicated service to our College community, and we thank Mrs Andrea Riseley, who will be taking on the role of Administration Officer whilst the College advertises for Ms. Bowerman's replacement.

 

On behalf of the College community, we congratulate Mrs Hotton and Mr Jones on their appointment, and I know that they will be warmly welcomed by staff, students, and parents/carers.

 

Best wishes for the week ahead.

 

Jon Franzin 

PRINCIPAL