assistant principals

Claudia Johnson

Claudia Johnson

Assistant Principal

Climate for Learning

I am thrilled to join the Brunswick Secondary College community. As a local, I have been drawn to the college by the remarkable and positive changes that have been happening over recent times, with the strong sense of community and rising student achievement data. The status that BSC is developing as a great school was known to me as an education professional and is something of which we should all feel immensely proud.

My most recent position was as a campus leader at Albert Park College, but I have held many roles in curriculum and student wellbeing across three government schools over almost 25 years in my teaching career. My professional experiences also include co-authoring several textbooks and working across three universities. My own studies in a Masters of Education are on pause while I immerse myself in this role and continue to raise my family of three with my husband. I have been privileged to work with some incredible people and organisations and I bring these experiences and expertise to BSC with excitement to build on the wonderful work of current staff and students.

My responsibilities include leading staff, students and families to develop a climate for learning that is supportive, challenging, focused and respectful. This can be seen in teacher professional learning in building classroom routines that lead to an excellent place for learning; in increasing opportunities for families to become more involved in the school based on professional and personal capacities and skills; and working directly with students as a classroom teacher, as a visible presence in the yard, and through team teaching to continue, and improve on, the current trajectory of high-achieving and happy students.

Some initial outcomes include publishing clear rights, responsibilities and expectations for students, staff, and families so that every student is consistently challenged, focussed and supported to perform in class at their very best. You will find more information on this in this newsletter edition. Excellent learning environments are clearly and delightfully evident in my observations in classrooms, and respectful behaviour is overwhelmingly apparent as I make daily visits to the yard to engage with students. The college goal is to guarantee that the very best environments and behaviours are evident everywhere and, at all times, to ensure a climate for learning that is comparable to the very best schools you find anywhere.

Thank you to the students, families and staff who have already welcomed me so warmly into the community. I look forward to building strong relationships in the BSC community, and welcome families and community members to contact me with aspirations, suggestions or concerns about our school climate.

Samantha Milbourn

Samantha Milbourn

Assistant Principal

Teaching & Learning

Thank you to the Brunswick Secondary College community for welcoming me so kindly to the college. It was lovely to begin the first day of the school year with students at assemblies and to meet new Year 7 students and parents who, no doubt, felt as nervous and as excited as I did. While walking around the school during break times, students have approached me with openness and kindness to help me learn about the school and tell me about their ideas for their learning. It is my responsibility to lead improvements in teaching and learning so that all students achieve success. This is a very challenging task as BSC already has exceptionally advanced teaching practices.

I will oversee the development of curriculum programs, which includes curriculum development and evaluation, and assessment and reporting. I will also provide leadership on the best research-supported teaching strategies that provide the greatest impact on learning growth for students. My previous leadership portfolios at Mill Park Secondary College prepared me well for this challenge as I led significant improvements to curriculum programs and teacher instruction during my 15 years there.

When visiting classes during the day at BSC, it has been a pleasure to see the wonderful teaching by the staff and the learning experienced by students. I have commenced work with the incredibly talented Teaching & Learning Team to consider ways in which improvement can be achieved.

Within my first few weeks at BSC I have witnessed many occasions of students and staff helping each other to stay organised and achieve their goals together. These experiences and the support I’ve received in my transition to the school have filled me with pride at becoming a member of the BSC community.