Principal Report
We are now well into the new school year. It is pleasing to see our new structures and systems settling in, such as our new Homeroom program, new daily timings and our new Student Diary. Thanks for your support of these initiatives. We have extra measures in place to support all students being ready to maximise their learning at school. One small improvement has been a daily check of essential materials for learning – what we refer to as Readiness to Learn. If a student does not have a key item – laptop, pens, workbooks/textbooks or their student diary – we are messaging parents and carers to keep them informed so we can support our students as best as possible.
New staff 2023
We had a very successful recruitment process in late 2022 as we expanded and adjusted to the needs of our wonderful school. I am pleased to be sharing our new staff for 2023 who we look forward to profiling in coming weeks:
Sheri Parkhouse – Assistant Principal. From Wodonga Senior College
Grant Smith – Music. Moved from Bright P-12
Morgan Clark – Outdoor Education. Relocated from eastern Melbourne
Andrea Lucas – Science. Moved from Cathedral College
Nathan Manning – PE & Year 9 CLC. Moved from Cathedral College
Sharee Fisher – Visual Arts. Moving from Benalla
Celine Forster – English/Humanities. Locally based teacher, who has been supporting the school in a casual capacitied
Vince Branigan – Humanities & English. Moved from Greater Shepparton College
Richard Routley – English. Moved from The Scots School Albury/Marian College Myrtleford
Alex Johnson – PE, Italian, Humanities. Relocated from Melbourne with family (previous WHS student!)
Michelle Bootes – senior mathematics(welcome back!)
Carlia Van Hoorn – Music (Teach for Australia Associate)
Matt Martine – Woodwork & Metalwork/Plastics from Wodonga Middle Years College
Hailey Ronald – Visual Arts (Term 1) [covering Samantha who starts permanently Term 2
Samantha Caddey – Visual Arts. Commences Term 2. Relocating from Sacred Heart Kyneton
Tracy Hobson – Reception and front office administration.
Geraldine Meyer– School Nurse
Jaime Ryan: Integration Aide
Alannah Baguley – Performing Arts Assistant (WHS class of 2022)
Year 7 Camp
It was so pleasing that our Year 7 students were able to head out their annual camp last week. It is such an important opportunity at the start of the year to support and nurture expanding and new friendship groups after such a big transition from primary school. This is the first time since 2019 that it has been able to fit in this time. They only had to travel a short distance up the Ovens Valley near Myrtleford – highlighting how good we have it in the North East. The students were able to participate together in a range of adventurous activities, but the swimming pool was a real highlight and relief with persistent hot weather. This year, our Year 11 Peer Support Leaders accompanied and led the program. Special thanks to the staff that planned and organised the program and who accompanied and led them.
New Tech School for Wangaratta
I met last week with the lead staff associated with the implementation of the Government’s $106 million commitment to build 6 new Tech Schools in Victoria, including one in Wangaratta. This was in addition to the $11.7 million committed for improvements and updates to our own campus.
These new campuses complement the existing ten Tech Schools across the state. Wangaratta High School will be a key partner school and be deeply involved in its development and design and is perfectly placed to capitalise on the remarkable opportunities for our students. I look forward to supporting and serving its design and establishment and ensuring that it evolves to serve the needs of our school and community and I will ensure the community is kept up to date.
It is a very exciting project and opportunity and focused on learning, experiences and aspirations that are the forefront of the rapid change we are experiencing at present – coding, biotech, clean energy (beyond PV’s), AI, robotics, ag-tech, gamification etc. It is very focused on motivating and inspiring students and it will be able .. It will take a few years to be operational (by my estimation).
Here are some of the most interesting aspects of the new project:
• It is not modelled on what you may know of or experienced as the previous iteration of Tech Schools in town. Think instead of a ‘Hi Tech High School’ or STEM/STEAM School (science, technology, engineering, arts, mathematics)
• It will give our students access to real-world high-tech STEAM learning experiences aligned to the curriculum and tied to clean energy sector. It will offer programs that serve our students from Year 7 to 12 to enrich and extend their learning beyond what we can do, with world class equipment and expertise that we do not have at Wangaratta High School.
• Inspire students to pursue future-focused career options and consider pathways into host institutions and the clean energy sector.
• Parents cannot and do not enrol their child at the Tech School. They would still need to be enrolled at a partner secondary school, such as Wangaratta High School. To new school will be located at the GOTAFE campus in Wangaratta CBD.
• For more information see https://www.vic.gov.au/tech-schools
Swimming Carnival
I enjoyed my first swimming carnival with you all this week, it was wonderful to see all our house colours represented brightly - especially to the Nutbush!
Congratulations to the Age Champions, along with Merriwa house on taking out the carnival, and to all of our staff in making this day run successfully. A further congratulations to all of our students on their exceptional behaviour throughout the day.
Finally, to Sandy Newman, thank you for organising our carnival and congratulations as this was your 25th carnival.
Annual privacy reminder for our school community
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.
We ask parents to also review the guidance we provide on how we use Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace for Education safely at the school and what parents can do to further protect their child’s information. If after reviewing the guidance, you have any questions or concerns regarding your child using Microsoft 365/Google Workspace for Education, please contact the school.
For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy — information for parents. This information is also available in ten community languages.
Dave Armstrong
Executive Principal