Principal's Report

Students

We have just completed a term of testing, exams and surveys.  Our Year 7 and 9 students took the NAPLAN tests, all students did the Attitudes to School Survey, students in Years 7-10 have completed On-Demand testing, many students have completed the PIVOT surveys giving feedback about teaching practice in the school, Year 11 and 12 students completed the GAT and Years 9-11 students completed mid-year exams.

About 30 students have been performing in the school production, Annie Jr. This year the show has been on the road, performing at local primary schools.  A performance will be presented to parents on Monday 25th June and to the Year 7s on Friday 29th June. Congratulations to the performing arts team on a successful season. Special thanks goes to Roz Manly, Jennifer Taylor and Janet Andrew for all their work.

Teaching and Learning

The staff has continued work on the school values, collating the key ideas that have emerged from the staff, student and parent forums.  An initial draft of the values looks like CARE – Courage, Aspiration, Respect and Equality.  We will be developing this idea further and launching our new values in term 3.

Members of the Ieadership team participated in the 2018 North West Victoria Regional Principal conference. The theme was “Leading Excellence in Teaching and Learning – Unleashing Greatness Together”.  Principals and School Leadership teams were required to participate in the conference so that the key priorities and strategies of the Department of Education and training, can be delivered consistently across the state. A number of international educators worked with leaders around the following: the role of the Principal as an instructional leader; how leaders cultivate collaborative cultures and how we can “get better at getting better”.   These ideas and strategies will be carried through our work at Greensborough College.

Our teachers have been participating in their Professional Practice days and in professional learning around the Greensborough College Instructional Model, honing their skills in activating student learning and embedding the model.

Most teachers have completed a Learning Walk this semester. Learning Walks are conducted in small teams with an instructional leader.  The teams conduct “3 minute walk throughs” of classes, observing the teaching and asking 3 key questions of students. The purpose of this activity is to gather data about the implementation of our instructional model.

Subject Selections for 2019

We have established a timeline for 2019 around course counselling and subject selection for all students.

The first key date is the Subject Expo, on Tuesday 24th July.  On this day, students from Years 8 to 10 will be exploring their subject choices and pathways options for 2019. We will be setting up subject stalls and displays in the new Administration and Performing Arts Centre and students and families will be invited to attend. We will also have representatives from Universities and TAFEs holding stalls.  There will also be information sessions for parents for year 8 to 9 subject selection, 9 to 10 subject selection, 10 to 11 subject selection and the Athlete Development Program (ADP). The evening will run from 5.00pm until 7.30pm.

School Council has approved a 2.20 pm finishing time on this date. It is expected that all students from Years 8-10 attend the EXPO with a parent/guardian.

The next key date is the Subject Selection Day for Year 10 students to be held on Wednesday 8th August from 11.30-7.00 pm.  Year 10s will not have regular classes this day and will only be expected to attend, with a parent/guardian, at their appointment time, to select their subjects/course for 2019. This event has also been approved by School Council.

Buildings

J Block has gone.  Practical completion of the specialist centre – now called the APAC (Administration and Performing Arts Centre) – is due Friday 23rd June.  We will be planning to move in with classes to start on day 1 of term 3. In the APAC there is a Food Technology kitchen, a VET Hospitality kitchen, a music classroom, small music ensemble rooms for instrumental music classes, the Performing Arts Centre and the Administration. From the beginning of Term 3, Nepean Street will become the new entry into the school and the Administration.

Staff Term 3

We say farewell and thank you to the following staff who have been on contracts replacing teachers on leave.

• Karen Docherty
• Alicia Benincasa
• Nicholas Heading
• Sandrine Dorigo

We will see them back in our school regularly taking on replacement classes as CRTs. 

We would like to acknowledge the work of Deb Davoli who replaced Karina Murphy in the Student Wellbeing roles while Karina was on leave. Deb did a fantastic job as the coordinator.

Next term, we welcome back the following staff members, who have been on extended leave:

• Paul Meager
• Sarah Daley
• Iva Belfiore
• Sharyn Campbell
• Karina Murphy

Graeme Scott will continue his leave in term 3 and Glenn Jenner will continue as the Acting Assistant Principal.

As we approach the end of term, I want to remind parents and students that semester 2 reports will be available on COMPASS at 2.00pm on Friday 29th June.  School will be dismissed at 2.20 pm on the last day of term.  I wish all students and their families a restful and safe holiday break.

Ms Pauline Barker

Principal