PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

From the Principal

Dear Parents/Guardians, Students and Friends,  

As we come to the end of the most challenging school term we have experienced in recent years, I wanted to thank you all for your work and continuing support. 

As a school, we have a lot to be proud of. Our teachers transformed their practice in a very short time, students adapted to a mode of learning they were completely unfamiliar with, and parents became more engaged in the learning process then they have, arguably, ever been before. 

Many times, I have written about the fact that the quality of learning in our young people is the result of a positive partnership between student, parents, and school. Over the term, we have seen evidence of such a partnership. Each party, in their own way, were able to, safely, be vulnerable, be tolerant, be a learner, and be successful. 

Many people are talking about what aspects of remote learning we should carry forward into the future. Of course, there are many technology applications which we have become familiar with, and which are incredibly useful, but the change I think we should try and mindfully sustain, is that of the partnership which I described above. When parents and students can see teachers as fellow humans facing, and overcoming, challenges in their professional life, and teachers can see that they are educating a group of individuals with different personal needs, interests and environments, the success of the school home partnership is assured. 

One thing we could do better at this school is to publicly, and to a wider audience, acknowledge and celebrate our successes. I often meet professional colleagues, or have visitors to the school, and when I describe the things we are doing, they often express surprise and praise in equal measure. The surprise comes from the fact that, even though many of these people are often quite familiar with the school, they had no knowledge of the great things we are doing. 

The school has a central role in this, but I invite all members of our community to share the great things we are doing at Brighton Secondary College within their own social circles. Write a nice review on our Google review site, make mention of the terrific work our teachers have done in their classes, celebrate an activity or an achievement your child has had at school. 

It is this sense of positive self-regard, and belief that we are a great school, and that we do great things, which will lead to further great outcomes.  

Have a lovely, well deserved, break during the holidays.

Yours sincerely,

Richard Minack

Principal