Welcome

Welcome back to all families and a special welcome to new families joining the College for the first time. Our first assembly in the first school week, saw our new Year 7 students given a warm welcome to the College. At the same time our Year 12 students received their badges, officially inducting them into their final year of schooling. Both of these traditions are a special part of the Norwood culture.

College Direction

So much was achieved last year in terms of improved student outcomes and the 2025 Annual Implementation Plan seeks to further this progress. Our priority goals for the year include:

Maximise the achievement and learning growth of all students, and
Improve the health, wellbeing and engagement of all students.

We understand that the achievement of these goals is a partnership between school and home. As such, we would ask that together we prioritise school attendance. Our teachers can do their best work when students are in class. Students are better connected to their friends when they attend school regularly.

College Community Events

Last week we welcomed VCE families to a VCE Information Session in our new Senior School Building. This was a lovely opportunity to go over the requirements of the Victorian Certificate of Education, share tips of effective study skills and offer support for wellbeing strategies.

This week we met our Year 7 families over a relaxed BBQ and information session. We are thrilled with the way our newest students have settled into the College. Thank you to the many families who attended. As a staff, we really enjoyed getting to know you better.

Pupil Free Day reminder

Please ensure you have Friday, 7 March marked on your calendar as a Pupil Free Curriculum Day. On this day, our staff will be working in teams to explore student learning data in order to differentiate our teaching and learning programs. A strong focus on the day will be the analysis of our 2024 VCE data in order to reflect on student performance as a way of informing our teaching practice this year. Teachers value the opportunity to collaborate together to ensure the best learning outcomes for our students.

School Council Membership

Membership of School Council offers parents a unique position to be involved in the governance of their child’s school. Council members are exposed to a broad range of decision-making from finances to educational programs and major events such as Camps and Tours. Reflection and discussion at Council provides us with variety in opinions and experiences as Council has staff, parents and students as members. This year we have a number of vacancies in the following membership categories:

4 Parent
0 Department of Education
2 Students
3 Community

Details regarding the Election Process are included below. Parents are encouraged to consider being a part of this important decision-making body. Interested parents/carers should contact Lucia Churchward via the General Office.

Form 2: notice of election and call for nominations

An election is to be conducted for members of the school council of (school name below)
NORWOOD SECONDARY COLLEGE

Nomination forms may be obtained from the school and must be lodged by 4pm on

Wednesday, 5 March 2025

The ballot will close at 4pm
Wednesday, 12 March 2025

Following the closing of nominations, a list of the nominations received will be posted at the school.

The terms of office, membership categories and number of positions in each membership category open for election are as follows:

Membership category
Parent member

Term of office	Year
From the day after the date of the declaration of the poll in	2025
to and inclusive of the date of the declaration of the poll in	2027

Number of positions:	4

Membership category
School employee member

Term of office	Year
From the day after the date of the declaration of the poll in	2025
to and inclusive of the date of the declaration of the poll in	2027

Number of positions:	0

Membership category
Student member

Term of office	Year
From the day after the date of the declaration of the poll in	2025
to and inclusive of the date of the declaration of the poll in	2027

Number of positions:	2

Following the closing of nominations, a list of the nominations received will be posted at the school.

If the number of nominations is less than the number of vacancies, a notice to that effect and calling for further nominations will be posted in a prominent position at the school.

Principal signature: Jackie Harris

NORWOOD SECONDARY COLLEGE SCHOOL COUNCIL ELECTION PROCESS AND TIMETABLE 2025
EVENT	DATE
a. Notice of election and call for nominations	Wednesday, 19 February 2025
b. Closing date for nominations	Wednesday, 5 March 2025
c. Date by which the list of candidates and nominators will be displayed	Thursday, 6 March 2025
d. Date by which ballot papers will be prepared and distributed	On or before Friday, 7 March 2025
e. Close of ballot	Wednesday, 12 March 2025
f. Vote count	Thursday, 13 March 2025
g. Declaration of poll	Friday, 14 March 2025
h. Special council meeting to co-opt Community members(the principal will preside)	Tuesday, 25 March 2025
i. First council meeting to elect office bearers (the principal will preside)	Tuesday, 25 March 2025

Attendance