PRINCIPAL'S REPORT
Welcome back to all for term two, which with eleven weeks is a little longer than term one. Although term one was barely nine weeks it was still a very eventful one for students and staff, and was so, right to the very end with our Open Evening and parent teacher interviews within a week of each other. You can also read about some of the other events and activities involving our students towards the latter part of the term in this edition of the newsletter.
Parent Teacher Interviews
The new time schedule for our parent teacher interviews with the extended hours seemed to have worked well and made the pace a little more steady with less crowding than we had experienced in recent times with our increased student numbers. Nonetheless, there was little to no down time with the interviews, so thank you very much to the many parents and carers who were able to attend on the day.
Student Academic Performance Panels (SAPPs)
In the two weeks prior to the parent-teacher interviews, we had our first round of SAPPs - a new initiative to support our students who were not making the learning progress they are capable of. The progress reports were used to identify these students, and lack of effort and poor submission of work were used as the key indicators for students not progressing as they should with their learning.
As much as possible, the panels consisted of the Assistant Principal, Head of Sub-school and Year Level Coordinator for the student, and parents were invited to attend with the student. During the meeting strategies were developed with the student to support them to improve their level of progress and academic performance.
There was almost 100% uptake from parents, with the vast majority who were invited , attending the panel session with their child. There was very positive feedback from all involved - parents, staff and students - which has made a very encouraging start to this new initiative, which will of course continue to be a work in progress. Follow-up interviews with the students who met with a panel, will commence in week five of this term.
The overall purpose of this initiative is to support our students in line with our whole school commitment to optimise the learning growth of every student.
Staffing Update
Fortunately there have been few staffing changes for this term, although we have welcomed back Michael Hardiker and Peter Hardy, both returning from leave. This meant we had to farewell Jimmy Li, one of the replacement teachers, but Thomas Patton, the other replacement has continued in another role.
Footscray Learning Precinct
Planning is continuing for the three campus secondary school of the Precinct - FCC, Gilmore College and the new campus at Pilgrim Street - and it is intended that this new arrangement begins to take place in 2020. The plan is that Gilmore, as one of the junior campuses, will have its first intake of Year 7s in 2020. This means that Footscray City will have Year 8 to Year 12 students in this year, and by 2022 will become the senior campus with only Year 10 to 12 students.
You may have noticed the government's media release recently committing 29.2 million for the building of the new school at Pilgrim Street to be completed by 2021. We are also hoping that there will be significant funding announced in the budget release on 1 May, for the upgrading of Gilmore in readiness for its commencement as a coeducational junior campus in 2020. Needless to say we are also hoping for a funding commitment to come the way of Footscray City.
College Council Annual General Meeting (AGM) Tuesday 15th May 5.30 pm
All parents and carers are warmly invited to attend the college council's AGM in May where the annual report detailing the school's performance in 2017 will be presented. For organisational purposes, if you are interested in attending could you please contact the General Office or email info@footscray.vic.edu.au to register your intention to attend.
I would also like to take this opportunity to introduce the members of council for 2018. The five parent representatives include Karen Ingram (President), John Symon, Justin Burdett, Ryan Grieve, and Linda Woods, staff representatives are Adam Taylor, Chris Lovelock and John Box, and Lisa Heap is a co-opted community member. We also have two student representatives, which the SRC members share on a rotational basis.
The council also has three sub-committees - Finance, Education and Buildings & Grounds - which any member of the school community is welcome to join. These sub-committees meet once a month and if you are interested in joining any one of the three, you simply need to contact me to express your interest.
Dimboola
Before I finish I must mention the Year 12 Theatre Studies students' staging of Jack Hibberd's Dimboola. As members of the audience we were treated to a rolllicking good time as the guests of the 1960s country town wedding, and Millenial Hall in Seddon was the perfect venue.
Congratulations to our Year 12 Theatre Studies students for a truly entertaining performance with no shortage of comic talent amongst them. Acknowledgement must also go to their teacher, Malcolm Fry who supported them in this very impressive performance.
Maria Bawden - Principal