Acting Principal's Report

Dear families and community members,

I am very excited to welcome everyone to our 2023 school year.  It is thrilling that I will be your Acting College Principal for this year.  I come with experience and knowledge from Mordialloc College where I was the Assistant Principal for the past four years.  During that time, I oversaw several aspects including Middle School Program (Years 7-9), Grounds and Facilities, Assessment and Reporting, Curriculum, Data, Learning Support, and Intervention (MYLYNS and Tutoring), Literacy Improvement, Mentor Programs, Professional Learning Program for all staff, Student Leadership, Teaching and Learning, and Wellbeing for both staff and students.

Within my first week and a half of being at the school, I have been able to visit many classes, meet numerous staff and students, and observe several lessons. I appreciate and thank those students and teachers who have welcomed me into their rooms and allowed me to participate. 

Along with new students at various year levels, it was wonderful to see our new Prep students join the school.  We continue to have new enrolments join us this week as well.  We now have 63 prep students bring our total to more than 970 students across the college.  When I met our Year 7 – 12 students in the assembly on Monday morning, we started by welcoming the Year 7 students, applauding them as they entered.  This was to signify their transition from completing primary to starting secondary.  We wish them all the best with the start of their secondary schooling. In Year 12, their final year of secondary schooling, we have 63 students enrolled.   

Year 7 Welcome Evening

Thank you to Fiona Wallace, our Year 7 – 9 Learning Community Leader, and the Year 7 team for organising the Welcome Evening on the first day of school.  We saw many supportive parents and carers attend with their eager students who knew exactly what they were doing and where to find their lockers and classrooms.  I found it to be a meaningful way to ensure our Year 7 students were ready for their first day.

Hello Night for Primary Year Levels

What an event!  A great turnout by all.  It was lovely to see and meet so many families.  The Hello Night was an opportunity for families to meet the teachers and support staff working with their children this year.  Classrooms were opened and students guided their parents and carers around the grounds. 

Year 6 Captain Speeches

These took place this week where we saw up to a dozen students speak to all our Year 5 and 6 students, explaining why they wanted to be captain.  I felt privileged to have been part of that and to hear each student speak.  I am relieved that I don’t need to decide which students will become our captains for this year!  They were all terrific! We will show the results of the selection process in our next Channels issue. 

We greet our new and returning staff

We are lucky to have the following people join/ return to our school:

• JENN CLARK has many years of experience in education in Family Day Care.  Jenn will be joining our Integration Team. 
• DAVID CZECH known well across the college in his Chaplaincy role and will be continuing this for three days per week and joining the Integration Team for one day per week. 
• JOHN FORDE, a familiar face in his 2022 role of teaching PE to P-12 students.  This year, he will be teaching 7-12 PE. 
• HANNAH FOSTER will be working in the Year 1 classroom.
• JACQUI GAHAN will be working with the Wellbeing Team and focusing on the P-6 year levels.
• BRIDGET HURLEY is not a new face to the college. Bridget will be working with the Year 5/ 6 Team.
• GEORGIA KEOGH is new who recently taught at Cobram Secondary College.  Georgia will be joining the Humanities/ English Team.
• ANN KILPATRICK is no stranger to us.  Ann is back for Term 1 to replace Lawrie MacDonald in the Mathematics Team whilst his is on leave. 
• CAITLIN KING, a past student, will be joining our ES Team in 2023.
• LANA MARSH is new to teaching and will be taking P-6 PE part-time whilst continuing to study. 
• WILL MITCHELL, a past student, is excited to take on the role as Sports Trainee.
• KELSEY O’NEILL, once a student then a staff member, has now joined the Admin Team. 
• LUKE SHERMAN moved from Hopetoun to teach with us and is excited to be joining the English Team.
• JESS SURPLICE will be working with the P-2 Team in the Year 2 classroom.
• TAYLOR SUTTON first came to the college as a student, then a Literacy Trainee and now as a teacher.  Taylor will be working three days per week with the P-6 PE Team.
• JAMES TAN has moved from Hamilton to join the Mathematics Team.
• OLIVIA TAVERNA is continuing to study in 2023 and will be joining P-6 team for one day per week. 
• CLAIRE WILLOUGHBY is a past student who will be part of the P-12 PE Team and will continue her studies part time. 
• TIM WILSON is another new member of the Kyabram P-12 College Team who has recently moved to the area to take up a role with the Arts Team.

Our College Leadership Team

Meet our leaders who will drive programs of development and improvement in the following areas:

• Doreen Smider – Learning Community Leader P-2
• Shelley Leahy – Learning Community Leader 3-4
• Emma Parkinson – Learning Community Leader 5-6
• Fiona Wallace – Learning Community Leader 7-9
• Brad Mellington – Learning Community Leader 10-12
• Mitch Coombs – Applied Learning
• Emma McGrath – Disability Inclusion Coordinator
• Nat Parkinson – Teaching & Learning + Curriculum P-6
• Rowena Morris – Teaching & Learning + Curriculum 7-12
• Karli Myers – Wellbeing P-12
• Melissa Porch – Learning Specialist Prep to Year 4
• Kaitlyn Souter – Learning Specialist Years 5 to 8
• Sonia Layton – Learning Specialist Years 9 to 12

Year Level Coordinators

Parents and carers are encouraged to contact their child’s classroom/ subject teachers if they have any questions or concerns.  In the primary year levels, the classroom teacher is the first port of call.  We have the following Year Level Coordinators at Years 7 to 12:

• Year 7 – Fiona Wallace 
• Year 8 – Claire Bourke
• Year 9 – Fiona Wallace and Louise Mellington for Term 1, Lawrie McDonald from Term 2 onwards
• Year 10 – Brad Mellington
• Year 11 – Peter Hughes
• Year 12 – Angela Heale

Our Wellbeing Team

Our students are supported by all staff, and our Wellbeing Team also provide additional support.  Teachers can refer students.  Students can refer themselves and parent/ carers can make referrals.  

Led by our Wellbeing and Engagement Leader, Karli Myers, the is comprised of:

• Kelly Turgoose (Wellbeing Support P-12)
• Barb Buckell (Wellbeing P-6)
• Jacqui Gahan (Wellbeing P-6)
• Tony Greely (Youth Worker P-12)
• David Czech (Primary Chaplain)
• Liz Spicer (College Chaplain)

We are fortunate to have a strong staff at our college.  Our teachers and education support staff will endeavour to support all students with their learning and their wellbeing throughout the year.

Building Program Update

We continue to move forward with the development of our new buildings.  The project is on track for completion by the end of September or early October year where we hope to see teams move in and this space is used from Term 4. Included are:

Wellbeing Hub:  This space will see students able to access Wellbeing Staff, Chaplains, Mental Health Practitioners, Koorie Education Support Officers, and will be accessible to all students. 

Administration Area: which will provide a centralised office for students, parents, and staff across P-12. This area will see our Administration Staff and Principals working together to achieve the vision of the new college since the inception of the merger. 

Library and Community Space:  with both traditional books as well as ebooks, other electronic resources, an internet access area and a space for the staff across the college and our community to collaborate. 

New Canteen with undercover spaces for students. 

With that in mind, it is important that our students steer clear of the building works and enter and exit the school grounds via the correct locations.  We ask parents and carers to please use the appropriate places to drop of and pick up their children and note that we don’t have enough parking for everyone.  The entrance at the front of the primary wing, next to the crossing is for pedestrians not for cars to enter.  We want everyone to enter and leave the school grounds in a safe and secure manner. 

Road Safety starts with you!

Road safety is the responsibility of us all, drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Our community and in fact our country has a strong car culture but slowly people are realising that this cannot be the only way to travel. Everyday all car users become pedestrians at some point. This may be when you leave your car in a car park and head to shops, schools, or parks. You may need to walk through car parks or crossroads in arriving at your destination. Therefore, it is important to not only teach our children of the skills needed to navigate through these different terrains but to also remember that as drivers of vehicles, no matter what the size, pedestrians and cyclists need to be our concern. Vehicles are always going to be larger than a bike, motor bike or pedestrian and requires a great deal of responsibility when being used. Speed is a major factor when driving and can determine the fate of any impact. It also important to ensure as pedestrians we are using the safest points when crossing the road. Our crossing ladies always arrive early and leave when everyone else has travelled home, please cross the road at these points and follow their instructions. 

Please mind your speed as you drive. Watch for pedestrians, cyclists, and motorbikes, never assume, always act defensively.

Being a proud Kyabram P-12 College student

During assemblies this week, I reminded our students about the school values.  I challenged them to get the best our of themselves.  This is their responsibility.  I encouraged students to set up a space at home where they can concentrate, study, and complete their homework.  Students should communicate to their teachers if they need help with their learning. Be resilient and keep trying even if the task is not easy or quick to do.  Do their best.  Find a balance between schoolwork and home.  Be an active contributor to the community.  Work cooperatively with others. 

Explore new opportunities that will engage and support their learning.  Be an active team member and participate in community activities.  I asked them to make the most of this year.  Respect classmates, teachers and other staff members that work with them in class, and show respect with how they communicate.

We want students to wear the college uniform with pride.  It is an important part of who we are at Kyabram P-12 College.  Wearing the uniform correctly is our way of showing how proud we are to be a member of the school.  Our Student Uniform and Dress Code Policy is listed on our website for your reference.  It was last updated in November 2019 which means it will be due for review this year. Please visit our website or use this link to access the policy:

http://www.kyabramp-12.vic.edu.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/StudentUniformandDressCodePolicy.pdf

This policy promotes equity, a sense of identification with our school and provides attractive and durable, cost effective, practical clothing suitable to our local climate.  It also aligns with current occupational health and safety practices. 

This policy outlines minimal makeup is to be used, tattoos to remain covered, and hair colour to be natural in colour, not extreme in colour or style.  Nail polish is to be clear, pale, or neutral in colour.  There can be a maximum of three studs or sleepers in each ear.  Dangling earrings and necklaces are deemed unsafe in the school setting.  Aside from a small discrete nose piercing, there should be no other facial piercings. Students with nose piercings are encouraged to wear a saver.  A simple chain or necklace can be worn but should be tucked in so that there is no chance of it getting caught on anything.

This uniform policy is set by our College Council.  College Council elections are opening for nominations in the coming days.  Please read on in this newsletter to see how you can become a member of the College Council.

On behalf of the Principal Team, thank you for choosing Kyabram P-12 College as your school of choice.  It is going to be a marvellous twelve months.

Marina Walsh

Acting College Principal