Assistant Principals' Report
Simon Jones
Assistant Principal
Years 10 - 12
First term is always a busy one and this year has been no exception. Senior students have settled back quickly into their classes and the Jumpstart program at the end of 2019 has helped facilitate a smooth start to the year as students were already familiar with their classes and teachers. Already this year we have completed College photos, the swimming carnival in Glen Waverley and student and parent Information Evenings for Years 10, 11 and 12. We appreciate the support of all students and parents who attended these evenings which are an important medium of communication between the school and the home, ensuring that parents and students can stay abreast of the programs that students are undertaking and the important school policies and procedures that apply in the senior years of school. We trust that those who attended found these sessions worthwhile.
The first progress reports are imminent and we urge students to address any concerns that may be highlighted on them at this early stage, as falling behind can lead to a cumulative effect which can become a major hurdle unless remedial action is taken. Students need to make the effort to address overdue work immediately and can seek support from their teachers if required. I also remind parents and students that after school classes are held every Wednesday and Thursday in the Library and are available to all year levels. These classes are an excellent opportunity for students to complete work or do further study with the assistance and support of subject specific teachers.
Andrew Wynne Assistant Principal
Years 7-9
It is with great pleasure that I welcome to the college newsletter for the first time the families of all our new Year 7 students. The decision of which secondary school to send your child to is a huge one which all parents make with thought and care. As a college, we take this responsibility very seriously. As the Assistant Principal looking after your children for the first three years, I look forward to working with all the college stakeholders to ensure that all students maximize their learning outcomes and achieve their educational potential as well as providing a safe, supportive and caring environment. As a college, we welcome communication and feedback from our parents and look forward to developing a partnership that benefits the education of all students. Mr. Adam Kirkwood, Ms. Jo Webb, Mr. Stephen Baxter and Ms. Rachael Lavery along with the very experienced Junior School and Transition Head Ms. Brooke Mollenkopf, will be there all the way to support this important period of your child’s educational life.
At this stage of the year it is worth reminding all students of the college about their responsibilities in regard to the college's extensive bus network. Dromana College is very unique in that nearly all of our students rely on a bus service to get to school. At present these buses are at full capacity, and we are also providing back up buses on some routes. Students have a responsibility on these buses to always behave in a manner that ensures the safety of all travellers and reflects the college values. A bus driver has the huge responsibility of ensuring 57 travellers arrive at school safely, so it is imperative that all students act responsibly and in accordance with the conditions of bus travel, which is located on the school website. If students breach the behavioural code of conduct, they are given an official warning in writing, if there are two such breaches the student can be removed from this bus service for six days. Our students have a reputation of being well behaved and respectful to the drivers and other passengers and we want this to continue in the future.
Stephanie Pearce
Assistant Principal
Learning and Teaching
It has been a great start to the year, with all students now settled and enjoying their programs for Term 1. We are proud to offer a range of new subjects this year, such as Global Health, Design for a Sustainable Future and Data Analytics to name a few. Dromana College is committed to providing an extensive teaching and learning program that allows all students to pursue their passions as well as explore new interests in supportive and challenging learning environments.
This year Dromana College has welcomed 24 new staff to our teaching team, who already are making valuable contributions to our school. Many of our new staff are part of the Year 7-9 team, which is currently in the process of taking all students through their Progressive Achievement Tests in the areas of Reading Comprehension and Mathematics. These tests enable teachers to identify individual student strengths and areas for improvement that will inform curriculum development. Furthermore these assessments are used to support students in setting goals around their own learning growth in the areas of literacy and numeracy. We encourage parents to discuss these test results with their child and to gain further information from teachers via our Compass communication platform.
Collaboration is a core element of our culture at Dromana College. In support of this, members of our leadership team have been undertaking timetabled classroom visits to support the teaching and learning programs of the middle school. These visits are proving to be a great opportunity for teachers to work collectively in supporting the learning growth of all students.