From the 

Leadership Team

It’s official, we are over halfway through our final term for 2022. Can you believe we are soon to be wrapping up our first year on-site at our brand-new college? Although the 2022 school year is coming to a close, it’s still a hive of activity here at Greater Shepparton Secondary College as we slowly start to find our way back to some sort of ‘normal’ after the recent floods. 

That being said, we still have a number of students, families and staff significantly affected by the flooding event, including those who are unable to return to their homes or who are in the clean-up and recovery stage. As a school, we are continuing to support these staff and families as best we can, and it is important that we all be mindful that many of us will be under more stress than usual. 

Getting to the pointy end of the year and coming into the holiday season can also add some strain on individuals and families and as a school community, I just want to encourage us all to show greater care for each other during this time and to reach out if you need to. Whether that be via me, a member of our leadership group or the Wellbeing Team, please know we are here to help you.

I would like to take this opportunity to give our Year 12’s a huge pat on the back for the ongoing resilience and dedication they have shown to their studies, and their exams which have almost finished. Our Year 12 students were certainly thrown a curveball in recent weeks, with the flood impacting their exam period and end-of-year celebrations, but I am so proud of how our students have handled this situation and how our teachers have rallied behind the students. I look forward to celebrating with you all at graduation and valedictory events planned in the coming weeks.

We have been delighted to have met some of our incoming Year 7s this term as their transition into secondary school continues. We have hosted students from eleven primary schools over the past few weeks and given them a real taste of a day-in-the-life of a GSSC student. 

Thank you to our teaching and education support staff who have supported these transition visits and hosted activities showcasing our art, science, cooking, music,  dance and sport programs. A special thanks also to our Student Leadership representatives who have led part of these visits and acted as wonderful role models for our younger students. We look forward to bringing all our Year 7 class of 2023 onsite together for the statewide transition day on 13 December.

As we edge closer to a new school year, I’d also like to inform you of an exciting change here at Greater Shepparton Secondary College. In 2023, we will be moving to a ‘vertical’ home group model, which will include a mix of students from across all year levels. We believe our new Home Group system will support greater care and greater belonging and will help to build strong relationships between year levels. Over the coming weeks, we will provide further information regarding your child’s allocated Home Group and teacher.

In closing I would like to acknowledge Remembrance Day, dedicated to those soldiers who died fighting to protect our nation. Today several of our 2022 and 2023 student leaders, together with staff, attended a wreath laying ceremony at the Shepparton and Mooroopna Cenotaphs and have given a reading. 

Back at the College, we observed a minute’s silence in class and viewed a video of our House Captains interviewing RSL Vietnam Veteran, Brian McInney, about his time in service and the significance of Remembrance Day.  Brian also provided his time to read the Ode of Remembrance and we thank him for being so generous in sharing his knowledge and history with our students and staff.

I look forward to seeing what the second half of Term 4 brings and hope you enjoy reading on for more important college updates and stories and photos showcasing our student’s recent achievements.

Barbara O'Brien

Executive Principal

for

Leadership Team GSSC