PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Principals Newsletter Report 10 August 2021

What a term it is turning out to be for our college community. It seems we are bouncing from at home learning to on-site learning regularly making it challenging to plan ahead with certainty. Fortunately, we are now all back to our on-site learning program across all year levels as of today.

There has been a fair degree of discussion of the impact on student education in the past eighteen months. Whilst agreeing that this current scenario is not one that we would readily choose or is not without significant negative elements – I think we have little option other than looking for how we can make the best of this situation, what learnings we can take from our past experiences and how we may apply our learnings (collectively) to keep supporting each other in order to keep learning and progressing.

Whilst clearly not our preferred option, we are were able to continue to teach content, concepts and skills to our students on Friday and Monday remotely. Again, the pace of this learning may be a little slower and the modes of learning not necessarily suitable for all, but our young people are still learning and still capable of learning.

I think at least some of the message also needs to be about the skills, the discipline, the self-regulation and resilience elements that students have developed – been forced to develop, over the past eighteen months. There are elements that will unfold during the year that will leave our students with a broader skill set than at the start of last year. We may well more than likely move back in and out of unwelcome patterns of a lockdown and I would urge all of our students and families to keep striving to move forward as best we can.

It is equally important to note that as with our previous lockdown experiences, the wellbeing of our students and our staff is the most important consideration we have. I would encourage every student to reach out for support, extra support, if they are feeling that they need to talk to someone about the current situation or if they are feeling that something just isn’t right. It has been very clear that during at home learning, the overwhelming feeling from students is boredom and a sense of being alone – missing their friends. Our focus always on return, is to keep the learning as engaging, energetic and as fun as possible and enable time for students to collaborate and connect with each other.

In conclusion, I encourage you to all continue to navigate our current period of yo-yo lockdowns by being “more Teflon”. I’m not sure if you, like me, are tiring of hearing and seeing the many debates on lockdowns and COVID in the media. There is no doubt that it is challenging. It does feel that we are as prepared and planned as we can be, shadow boxing and waiting for the next version of lockdown to present itself unannounced. All I can ask, is that you continue to put on your ‘coats of Teflon’, smile, pause and breath and let it roll off you, and things will then invariably often seem a little better.

GAT

The General Achievement Test (GAT) that involves all students from Year 11 and 12 undertaking a Unit 3/4 subject was to be conducted this Thursday (12 August).

Due to the sudden lockdown enacted last Thursday VCAA have today announced that the GAT will again be postponed.

VCAA have given no official notification at this stage regarding a possible rescheduled date for this test. When we receive advice, we will notify all Year 11 and 12 students via a Compass Newsfeed immediately.

WE WANT OUR PARENTS/CAREGIVERS/GUARDIANS TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK! 

Our school is conducting a survey to find out what parents/caregivers/guardians think of our school. The Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education and Training that is conducted amongst a sample of randomly selected parents/caregivers/guardians (previously known as the Parent Opinion Survey). It is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, student engagement and experiences of remote and flexible learning. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies. Approximately 30 per cent of parents will be invited to participate in this year’s survey. All responses to the survey are anonymous. This year, the Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey will be conducted from Monday 10 August to Friday 3rd September.

The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the fieldwork period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. The online survey will be available in a range of languages other than English. These include: Arabic, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Chin (Hakha), Hindi, Japanese, Somali, Turkish, Punjabi and Greek.

Pathways Counselling and Subject Selection 2022

Our careers and pathways presentation took place for our current Year 9/10 and 11 students last Wednesday evening. It was pleasing to have several students and families engage in this opportunity. 

As it has transpired, we were fortunate to have been able to complete our Year 11 pathways counselling individual student and family meetings on Friday.

Planned pathways information evenings and subject selection processes will continue to be planned as online events. 

• Thursday 19 August - All day - Current Year 9 students (2021) - Year 10 (2022) Course Counselling Meetings 

All current Year 9's and their families will be required to make an appointment with our course counsellors to select their subjects for Year 10. Year 9 classes for the day will not be taking place. Information on how to book the meetings will be distributed to Year 9 students during the week.

• Friday 20 August - All Day Current Year 10 (2021) - Year 11 (2022) Course Counselling

All current Year 10's and their families will be required to make an appointment with our course counsellors to select their subjects for Year 11. This is for students wishing to attend both a VCE and VCAL pathway. Regular Year 10 classes will not be taking place this day. Students undertaking Unit 1 and 2 subjects will be required to attend these classes on that day. Appointment information and booking processes will be released as soon as possible.

As we undertake this, we also commence our planning for any staffing needs for 2022. Thank you to all students, parents and staff for their support throughout this important process in these challenging times.

Learning Progression and Work Habits Reporting Cycle 

Our term 3 learning progression and work habits reports will be released to parents and carers on Thursday 9 September on compass for downloading.

Student Parent Carer and Teacher Learning Conversations.

Parents and Carers will be able to book an online learning conversation with their child’s teachers from Monday 6 September on Compass. The learning conversations will take place online in google meets on Thursday 16 September between 4.30pm – 7pm and Friday 17 September between 9am and 1pm. On Friday 17 September there will be no timetabled classes to enable students to participate with their parents and carers in the learning conversations.

Take care,

Fiona Taylor

College Principal

Child Safety at WHC

Western Heights College is a child safe organisation committed to protecting students from all forms of abuse.

Our College has stringent protocols in place and endeavours at all times to be fully compliant with the Child Safe Standards set out under Ministerial Order 870.

Our College has the following documents and policies in place to achieve compliance with the Standards. All of these documents are available for downloading on our website or contact the school for a copy. 

1. Commitment to Child Safety
2. Child Safety Policy
3. Child Safety Code of Conduct
4. Child Protection Policy and Procedures