From the Principal

Welcome to all students and families - returning and new. It has been a great start to 2022 for students and staff. Our wonderful Parents & Friends association organised a second hand uniform sale with many families being able to take advantage of the opportunity. Thank you to the team of hard working parents who were on hand to help.

It is wonderful to have Breakfast Club up and running from day 1. Thank you to Kelli Lawson for all the work involved in this important program. Students are welcome to enjoy a free breakfast in Room 2 and the outdoor wellbeing areas Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8am to 8.30am.

Thank you to all parents and carers for ensuring all children over the age of 12 leave home with a mask, as they are required to carry a mask at all times and wear a mask when indoors. If students need to replace their masks during the course of the day they can collect a replacement from the General Office.

Our staff spent the first 2 days of the year engaged in professional learning. We took time to:

Ensure our new staff were well inducted into the college
review our 2021 data
ensure a common understanding of our Behaviour for Learning Process and our SABRE instructional model
provide Learning Areas with an opportunity to work together
work with Amy Honerman from the Victorian Association for Gifted and Talented Children who led the staff in professional learning in regards to supporting our Gifted and Talented students. Of course most of what we learned will be used to support the learning of all students.

We are in the final year of our 4 year Strategic Plan. Our focus is to continue to improve outcomes for each of our students, providing them with a challenging and supportive learning environment with a range of opportunities to develop their skills and talents.

Due to COVID – 19, the Department of Education and Training has determined the key focus areas for schools in 2022.

The table below indicates the Key Improvement Strategies and Actions for 2022.

The Glen Eira 5

‘The Glen Eira 5’ is a document that articulates the practices behind the promises we make as staff, students and parents of GEC.

5 promises teachers make to our students;

maintain a safe learning environment.
know how you learn and what direction your learning should take.
make classes engaging.
listen, encourage and support.
involve the wider community in your learning.

5 promises staff make to one another;

share resources.
support one another.
work collaboratively to improve student learning.
be consistent in applying policies.
learn from one another.

5 characteristics you will see in our teaching;

differentiate teaching and learning to support and challenge the full range of abilities.
structure lessons according to SABRE.
be innovative and reflective.
be enthusiastic.
be accountable for improving student outcomes.

5 things you will see from our students;

be enthusiastic and motivated.
communicate and be respectful.
seize opportunities to participate and learn.
work together, acting responsibly and creatively.
direct their own learning through questioning and exploring.

5 things you will see from our parents, carers and guardians;

be involved and contribute to the broader educational program.
play an active role in the child’s learning.
support their children in achieving their learning goals.
promote the school values.
maintain open lines of communication with the school.

Covid Safe

Rapid Antigen Tests

Students were provided with their first box in the first week of term and a second box last Friday in period 5. Twice-a-week testing is strongly recommended for both students and staff. It is recommended students make this part of their before school routine and test twice weekly on school days.

Parents/carers should complete the Student COVID-19 COVID Test Portal if a student tests positive to COVID-19 (via a PCR or rapid antigen test). Parents/carers also need to report a positive result to the Department of Health via the COVID-19 Positive Rapid Antigen Test Self-Reporting Form or call centre on 1800 675 398.

Students who report a positive result must isolate for seven days and not attend school during that period. They will be able to check Google Classroom for their respective classes to stay up to date to the best of their ability during their isolation period. Teachers will not be able to run remote lessons along with their classes onsite.

Where a student is a household contact of a positive case (that is, they have spent more than four hours with someone who has COVID-19 inside a house, accommodation, or care facility) they must inform the school and isolate for seven days and not attend school during that period.

A negative test is not required to return to school the following completion of 7 days of isolation. However, if the student is still presenting with symptoms, they should remain at home until they are better.

If there has been a positive case attend onsite, once notified, I will let the school community know so you are aware to monitor for symptoms. The identity of any positive cases, of course, remains strictly confidential.

A few reminders to keep everyone safe

Key behaviours required for reducing COVID-19 transmission risk include staying home when unwell, washing hands regularly and use of hand sanitiser, no sharing of drink bottles or food and, where possible, social distancing. Students should always carry a mask with them and they must be worn when inside at school and on public transport and school buses.

Hand sanitiser is located in key areas of the school for student and staff use. Both students and staff are encouraged to cough or sneeze into their elbow or tissue. Air purifiers have been placed in offices and classrooms.

Any staff member or student who becomes unwell while at school with symptoms of COVID-19 must return home immediately and get tested. Students need to report to our first aid officer at the General Office first and she will call a parent/carer to arrange pick up as soon as possible. The student will be isolated in an appropriate space with suitable supervision until this can happen. It is not acceptable for an unwell student to travel home unsupervised.

All visitors to the school need to wear a mask, be double vaccinated (three doses by 25 February if fully vaccinated before or on 25 October or if after the 25 October, by March 15) and check in at the General Office.

VCE results

We were delighted with the wonderful results achieved by our Year 12 students and so very proud of the achievements of all of our students. Congratulations to our Dux, Richard Shao with an ATAR of 98.4.

The following students achieved ATAR scores above 90 (in alpahbetical order) – Anatole Dutrieux, Miro Foldvari, Paul-Antoine Galliot, Aimee Harris, Sasha Hudson, Jacinta Ide, Hyuk Kim, Benjamin Matthews, James Mazis and Queenie Phan.

Courses that these students have been offered include: Bachelor of International Business/Bachelor of Arts – Monash University, Bachelor of Architectural Design – RMIT University, Bachelor of Architectural Design – RMIT University, Bachelor of Computer Science Advanced (Honours) – Monash University, Bachelor of Occupational Therapy – La Trobe University, Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Criminology – Monash University, Bachelor of Psychology (Honours) – Monash University, Bachelor of Biomedical Science – Monash University, Bachelor of Science – The University of Melbourne, Electrical apprenticeship, Bachelor of Chemical Engineering (Honours)/Bachelor of Pharmaceutical Science – Monash University, Bachelor of Science (Chancellors Scholars) – University of Melbourne

Average ATAR was 73
13% of ATAR scores 90 or above
36% of ATAR scores 80 or above
5.1% of study scores 40 or above
Median study score 31
10 students received the VCE Baccalaureate

Introducing our Leadership Team

Assistant Principals: Aaron Petersen and Loveena Narayanen

Business Manager: Gabrielle Darvell

Junior School Leader: Sarah Mortimer

Senior School Leader: Jeffrey Micallef

Student Wellbeing Leader: Jenny Sanchez

Teaching and Learning Leader: Clinton Chiumello

Learning Specialist – Differentiation (Inclusive Practice): Colin Shnier

Learning Specialist – Differentiation (High Challenge): Bernie Coghlan

Learning Specialist - Student Voice and Agency - Deborah Cordingley

Learning Specialist – Staff Development: Loveena Narayanen

Additional Learning Needs Coordinator

Emma Nishikubo

Inclusive Education Coordinator - Veronica Gaylard

Annual privacy reminder

Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy.

Please take time to remind yourself of our school’s collection notice, found on our website: Privacy Collection Notice. For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy — information for parents. This information is also available in nine community languages:

* Amharic

* Arabic

* Dari

* Gujarati

* Mandarin

* Somali

* Sudanese

* Turkish

* Urdu

* Vietnamese.

Being involved at GEC

We are always looking for ways to involve our parents in our community. Please contact me if you have ideas of how you would like to be involved.

Our Parents and Friends group is an excellent way to meet other families and I encourage you to join.
Working bees are held at school on the 3rd Sunday of the month, from 3pm-5pm. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.
Nominations for School Council will be due this month. This is a great way to get involved in the College. Nomination forms will be available from the General Office.

Insurance

Just a reminder that any insurance needs to be taken up on an individual user pays basis. The Department does not provide personal accident insurance or ambulance cover for students. Parents and guardians of students, who do not have student accident insurance/ambulance cover, are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance attendance / transport and any other transport costs. Parents/guardians can purchase insurance policies from commercial insurers if they wish to insure their child.

Finally

Lockers: All students are required to have a lock for their lockers. Combination locks are available at the General Office ($15). Lockers without locks will not be available for student use. I ask for parent support in providing a lock for their son or daughter.

Mobile phones are to be locked in student lockers during the school day.

Lost property: We already have a growing mountain of unnamed lost property including jumpers, jackets and shoes. I ask parents and carers to ensure all items of clothing and books are named so that they can be returned to students.

Should you have questions or concerns at any time do not hesitate to contact me at school.

Sheereen Kindler

Principal