Another busy and rewarding fortnight has passed at Glen Innes High School, with plenty happening across our classrooms and wider school community.

This week, we celebrated Book Week, providing a wonderful opportunity to recognise the importance of reading in the lives of our young people. Reading is about so much more than academic achievement; it builds vocabulary, imagination and critical thinking, while helping students explore new ideas, perspectives and experiences. Encouraging our young people to read regularly, whether for learning or enjoyment, is something we can all support both at school and at home.

As part of our Book Week celebrations, we were also fortunate to welcome author and artist Michelle Toft to Glen Innes High School. Michelle worked with our students to create their own beautiful silk paintings inspired by her artwork and stories. It was wonderful to see students engaging so enthusiastically in the creative process and having the opportunity to learn directly from a visiting artist and author. We thank Michelle for sharing her creativity, knowledge and experiences with our students.

A reminder to our families that Parent-Teacher Evening will be held on Wednesday 9 September from 3:30pm to 6:30pm. Families are encouraged to book a time to meet with their child’s teachers, and if you require assistance making a booking, please contact the school and our staff will be happy to assist. These face-to-face conversations are incredibly valuable. They provide an opportunity to discuss your child’s progress, celebrate their achievements, identify areas for further development and, importantly, talk about how we can work together to support their learning. Strong partnerships between families and the school make a genuine difference for our students, and we look forward to seeing many of you on the evening.

It has also been a busy period of assessment across the school. Our Year 12 students have now completed their HSC Trial Examinations, while our Year 11 students will soon begin preparing for their upcoming examinations. Our Year 10 students have also been completing their HSC Minimum Standards assessments. These assessments measure the literacy and numeracy skills students need for everyday life, learning and work. Students need to demonstrate the HSC minimum standard in reading, writing and numeracy to be eligible for the HSC credential. Students who do not demonstrate the standard on their first attempt will have further opportunities to complete the assessments and receive support from the school. We will continue to work closely with our students to ensure they understand what is required and are supported to achieve success. I would like to acknowledge all of our students who have approached these assessments and examinations with maturity and persistence, as well as our staff who continue to support them throughout this important period.

Another exciting focus for our school is the reboot of Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL). PBL provides a whole-school approach to creating a positive, safe and supportive learning environment. At its heart is the importance of being clear and consistent about the behaviours and values we want to see across our school, explicitly teaching these expectations, recognising students who demonstrate them and responding consistently when expectations are not met.

Importantly, we want our renewed approach to PBL to genuinely reflect Glen Innes High School and the community we serve. We have already begun meeting with staff and students to explore what PBL should look like at our school into the future, and the next important voice we need at the table is that of our parents, carers and wider community.

We will be holding a PBL Community Forum on Thursday 15 October from 5:30pm to 6:30pm. This will be an opportunity for our community to learn more about PBL, hear about the work already underway and, most importantly, contribute ideas about the values, expectations and culture we want for our school.

For PBL to be successful, it requires the commitment and support of our staff, students, families and wider community. We genuinely value community voice and hope to see as many families and community members as possible come along. We welcome people to join the conversation with a positive and solutions-focused mindset, recognising what is already working well at Glen Innes High School while also considering where we can continue to grow and improve. This is an opportunity for us to work together to strengthen a school culture where high expectations, positive relationships, respect and a strong sense of belonging are shared by everyone.

There is much to look forward to as we continue through the term. Thank you, as always, to our students, staff, families and wider community for your ongoing support of Glen Innes High School.

Natalie Hill

Principal

Glen Innes High School

Dates to Remember