PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

A smooth start to 2023

We have welcomed back 901 students to the school community to begin 2023. This includes 121 new Year 7 students who have settled in well to their new environment, routines and relationships. On Wednesday February 8th, we held a Welcome Evening and Picnic for our families of Year 7 students and it was wonderful to gather together, put faces to names and connect as a community. 

We also had speakers to address our students and families from Barwon Child Youth and Family (BCYF) and the Department of Education to talk about some supports that are available if students need extra help transitioning to secondary school. A big thank you to all of the Year 7 mentor teachers who have gone above and beyond to help our new students adjust and settle in. 

Our Year 12 students have also commenced the year well in their respective programs – the VCE and VCE-Vocational Major (previously VCAL). Almost 80 students attended the Pathways Camp from our VCE program last week to Melbourne where the focus was on developing aspirations for their future, visiting some tertiary institutions, engaging in some study skill development and just getting to know each other and their teacher’s better.

Our other year levels have also positively started the year and we look forward to sharing their accomplishments through the year.

A focus on Reading in our classes

Surf Coast Secondary College places a high level of importance on ensuring that our students have regular and effective opportunities to develop their literacy and numeracy skills which ensure that they can access and engage in all of their learning.

This year, we will focus on reading as a whole school. Our staff have commenced work together to further our understanding of the demands of reading and how these are present in all learning areas across the College. Whilst our English teachers always focus on continuing to teach our students to be proficient readers, all of our teachers will be working on developing their capacity to scaffold reading for students and creating opportunities to practice reading skills frequently in our classes.

Some of the actions that we will be engaged in during 2023 to enhance our approach to reading are:

• Implementing a new reading assessment in Years 7 to 9 that helps determine the reading level/ability of students and identify students that may require intervention to develop core skills
• Continuing to implement Fountas and Pinnell levelled reading as part of FUSE in years 7 and 8
• Students in years 7 to 9 are engaged in ‘What I Need’ or WIN sessions once a week that are addressing targeted literacy and numeracy needs
• Staff will be working in Learning Area based Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) once a week with a focus on further developing strategies to support and scaffold reading in their classes
• Continuing to use the College Reading Process – I have included an image of this so that parents and carers can be aware of the language that we are using to scaffold reading and also use this at home when you are reading with your child

New Outdoor Equipment 

In 2022, we were fortunate to receive a Federal grant to cover part costs of the installation of some outdoor fitness equipment at the College. Th equipment was installed for the start of the new school year and the students have been loving it. I have loved seeing students of all ages out there giving it a go, and some staff too! Its proving a great way to have a physical break, do something active while talking to friends and just expend some energy.

Assemblies are back in person 

This year we are back to having face-to-face assemblies for our whole school. These occur twice a term and are an important opportunity for us to share messages and also celebrate the achievements of our students. Our first whole school assembly is on February 17th. All students gather in the College stadium for assemblies which are run by our College Captains. We look forward to sharing the awards that students receive with you in these newsletters and also on social media after assemblies have occurred. 

Uniform

We had a very successful second-hand uniform sale last week at the College and have appreciated the efforts of the community to ensure that students are in full school uniform at all times. The College photo day is approaching on Tuesday February 21st, and we request that students wear formal school uniform to this event. 

If your child does not have a uniform item on a particular day, then a note must be brought to school to explain the reason why your child and taken to the Learning Community Leader before school. A uniform pass will then be supplied that can be shown to other staff on request during the day. We also remind parents and carers that uniform items for the College can be purchased from the PSW store in Geelong as well as the local Surf Coast School Stuff store.

Erin Wright

College Principal