PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Nicholas Adamou

Principal

2022 Key Dates

25 OctYear 7 Immunisations
25 OctSchool Council Meeting
26 Oct to 17 NovVCAA Exams 
7 Nov Year 11 Study Day
8 Nov to 11 NovYear 11 Exams
14 Nov to 24 Nov

Year 11 to 12 Orientation

 

18 to 24 NovYear 10 Exams
21 Nov to 24 NovYear 7 to 9 Exams
22 NovGraduation Evening
25 NovAssessment and Report Writing Day
28 Nov to 2 Dec

Year 7 & 8 Swimming Program

Year 8 Stem Week

Year 10 to 11 Orientation

5 Dec Last Day of Classes - Year 7 to 9
6 to 8 DecEnd of Year Activities - Year 7 to 9
9 DecBeach Day - Year 7 to 9
12 DecGrade 6 Parent Info Evening
12 Dec to 20 DecEnviro Days
20 DecOfficial Last Day of School

Welcome to Term Four, the final term of this academic year. Term Four is always a very busy one with many curriculum and extra-curricular activities on our calendar. 

Our Year 12 final celebration day was on Tuesday 18 October. It was celebrated with a special morning tea for all Year 12 students and staff and a school assembly, where the whole school community was provided with the opportunity to farewell Year 12 students.  I must admit that I am very proud of this Year 12 cohort, as these students, in their senior years, have endured two years of lockdowns, and in and out of remote teaching and learning. However, they came through victorious and ready to tackle any challenges thrown their way. I am sure that they will be successful with any future pathways they undertake. 

After two years of a hiatus, our famous Multicultural Day Celebration was back, bigger, better, and more impressive. The theme this year was “Woven Together” which represents the fabric of our school community and reflects the Australian multicultural society. On Friday 21 October, the school opened its gate to the wider community to celebrate our diversity. The opening ceremony was very impressive with many dignitaries in attendance. It began with a Welcome to Country Smoking Ceremony and included Bollywood dancing, Africa drumming, and a multicultural parade with our students dressed in their ethnic background costumes. The highlight of the opening ceremony was our school choir singing an original song written and composed by Ms Glenda Mcgrath, Festival Organiser, and teacher at the College. Our guest speaker, the Honourable Andrew Giles, Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs, articulated the meaning of multiculturalism in the Australian society.

Thank you to all invited guests, members of our school community and general public who came along to celebrate and enjoy the day.

The VCAA exams began on Wednesday 26 October and will conclude on Thursday 17 November. Wishing all Good Luck to Year 12 students undertaking their final exams Good Luck.

The Year 12 Graduation Evening is on Tuesday 22 November at GMHBA Stadium, President’s Room. I am looking forward to celebrating our Year 12 students’ achievements with their parents, carers, friends, and the wider school community. 

Semester 2 exams will begin on Tuesday 8 November for our Year 11 students, following by the Year 12 commencement program. All other Year levels will complete their exams as the term progresses. More information about the exam timetable will be provided by the Sub-School Leaders and Year Level Coordinators, and dates can be found in the Key Dates above. 

Our Awards Presentation evening will be on Wednesday 14 December. 

 

Wishing you all a very productive term.

2023 School Captains/Leaders 

It is with great pleasure that I present the 2023 School Captains to our school community. 

Congratulations to:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mackenzie Martin and James Smith

School Captains

 

Emily Heitmann 

Academic Captain

Alana Stretton

Arts Captain

Faith Qoon

Sports Captain

 

Bailey Griffin

Cultural Captain

 

Welcome to the NGSC Leadership Team.

 

On Wednesday 2 November, there will be a special whole school assembly as we have done in the past before Covid19, to present the School Captains to the whole school community. 

We will also have a special morning tea to welcome our new leaders to the NGSC Leadership Team. During the morning tea the School Captains will have the opportunity to discuss and present their views and their plans for next year. This is one of the moments that, as Principal of this proud community, I look forward to hearing and discussing fresh views and ideas about schooling. 

School Captains and other students in leadership positions play a vital role in the operations and life of the College. They act as role models for the student body and provide leadership across a wide range of activities within the school community, including sports, the creative arts, culture, technology, and the general life of our school.

To be selected as a student leader at NGSC, students must have demonstrated a commitment to the values of the school, have a record of involvement in all aspects of the school life and have shown a willingness to serve the needs of others.  Although not all Year 12 students are School Captains, all are leaders. 

Once again, congratulations to our 2023 School Leaders! My Principal Team and I are looking forward to working with them to continue carving a successful path at our school, achieving great outcomes for all.

North Geelong Secondary College SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM 

 “Providing opportunities for excellence”

2023 Year 9 and 10 Scholarship Recipients

Every year, the College allocates four scholarships to the value of $4500.00 for NGSC Year 8 students going into Years 9 and 10. The students are selected based on their written application, multiple references, and their ability to articulate their vision on how they could lead the student body and contribute to the life of the school. 

Congratulations to the following students who have been the scholarship recipients for the next two years:

Student Wellbeing 

After two years of Covid19 lockdowns, isolation and many other issues brought to the surface by the pandemic, Student Wellbeing has been brought to the fore of school priorities. Our students matter and at NGSC we do not just provide educational programs and deliver teaching and learning, we also place our student wellbeing high on the priority list to ensure positive outcomes. 

We have a strong Wellbeing Program in place which is led by a Principal Class Officer and Head of Wellbeing including Social Workers, Psychologists, Youth workers, Doctors in Schools, Mental Health Practitioner, Sub-School Leaders, Year Level Coordinators, and several external organisations/experts such as The Geelong Project, SSSOs. It draws on the five key elements of the Government’s Australian Student Wellbeing Framework and DET Framework for Improved Student Outcomes FISO (Leadership, inclusion, student voice, partnerships, and support).

Essentially our Wellbeing Program across the school is about promoting good mental health, healthy relationships, a growth mindset, a sense of belonging, and resilience. Our students are encouraged to strive for their own personal excellence, safe in the knowledge that every student matters every day.

Knowing our students as individuals helps all staff to quickly see changes in their behaviour. Every morning students spend time with their Home Group Teacher (significant teacher) who knows them well and we found that’s an effective way ‘to check in’ and let the students know that their teachers care. In addition, the strong team of social workers and psychologists are available for students who need extra support. The school has also implemented the School Wide Positive Behaviours Program (SWPB) which complements the whole wellbeing school approach, ensuring all students are well looked after. 

Changes to Covid-19 isolation requirements

As of 11:59 pm, Wednesday 12 October, the mandatory orders around isolation for people with COVID-19 have ended and instead we move to health advice and recommendations for people with COVID-19 or COVID-19-like symptoms.

Our school continues to adhere to the Department of Health’s recommendations to ensure that our school remains a safe environment for our staff and students.

The Department of Health strongly recommends that students and school staff:

  • who test positive to COVID-19 stay home and isolate for 5 days and do not attend school after 5 days if they are still symptomatic
  • who are symptomatic but have not tested positive not attend school. This does not include students with pre-existing conditions such as hay fever
  • Parents and carers are recommended to continue to report their child having COVID-19 to both the school and the Department of Health.

We will, however, no longer report occurrences of positive cases to the school community.

We ask parents and carers to continue to remain vigilant in preventing COVID-19 transmission. Any student who is unwell should continue to remain at home. This is about keeping students healthy and well in our school and reducing the spread of both COVID-19 and other respiratory diseases.

Free rapid antigen tests are available at the school for those who need them.

Parents and carers will be contacted if their child shows symptoms while at school. Students who wish to wear a mask should continue to do so.

To keep our school as safe as possible, we will also continue to use air purifiers and other COVID-19 prevention measures.

Once again, thank you for your continued efforts to keep our school community safe and well.