From the Principals' Desk 

Nossal responds to the challenge

In the last edition of 'Nossal News', our Principal, Mr Page wrote about his growing concern for the continuation and further growth of the culture and ethos that Nossal is built on.  He highlighted many features and elements that make our school unique and how it had appeared that a number of these were under threat and with it came the possibility that Nossal was in... "danger of becoming ordinary".

Mr Page's comments sparked an immediate repsonse with students, (both current and past), staff and parents all talking about the perceived decline in our standards.  Students attended House meetings where student leaders spoke passionately about the things we all hold dear about Nossal; the staff addressed the issues that had been raised both in informal conversations as well as staff meetings, while Mr Page's statement was also talked about at the Parents and Friends Association meeting. 

In all the forums I attended where the matter was talked about, it was very clear that everyone who is part of Nossal cherishes all that is our school and that Mr Page's comments, while confronting, were relevant and a wake up call to complacency.  

The result has been very evident.  Students and staff alike have been more conscious of our environment and more respectful to others around them.  Mr Page's comments threw out a challenge to us all, and in the words of our school motto, the Nossal High School community has "embraced the challenge".  While very disappointing that it took such an assessment and subsequent statement to make us recognise where we were headed, Mr Page has helped us sharpen our focus and genuinely appreciate all that we have at Nossal and could so easily take for granted.

Serving up an outstanding result

Last week, the Senior Girls had the privilege of competing in the Table Tennis State Finals against some of the top schools in the state.

Playing the state finals in the building where some of our current Olympians have trained, the team encountered some former state players scattered throughout schools such as Balwyn High School and MacRob Girls High School. Their presence only increased the level of the challenge faced by our girls and in fact gave them the stimulus to extend themselves in an environment that wasn’t part of their usual routine.  

The Senior Girls team, (just like all our sporting teams) had done the hard work and training and it was this, plus the excitement of the challenge, that enabled them to achieve 4th place overall.  This was an outstanding result, an achievement that has not been reached by any other team at Nossal.  

Congratulations to our team members and their coaches on the fantastic result.  The bar has now been set and will serve as a goal for future years of more improvement and greater success.

More details of this great result are published on the Sporting News page of this newsletter. 

Lessons learned in the city

We are almost at the end of the 2016 City Week program with students from Griffin and Phoenix Houses having their last couple of days in the CBD.

City Week is a huge undertaking with all Year 9s working in small teams as they not only explore and learn about the City of Melbourne, but also develop their personal research skills and abilities to work effectively as part of a team.  Students involved have to commit to routines that are quite different to those they are more familiar with, associated with going to school at Nossal.  There are greater distances to cover, amid different sounds while being surrounded by lots of people and varied experiences.  For some, their usual early start is blitzed by the need to leave home even earlier to catch public transport to reach their central meeting point on the south western edge of the CBD by the starting time of 8:30am.  It is another lesson, that of planning and punctuality.  It develops character, independence and skills that will stay with these young people for many years to come.

The success of City week is also reliant on the work of the dedicated team of staff who make the program happen. Under the leadership  of Ms Loel and Mr Allen, teachers also make the daily communte to the city to support the students in the development of their projects having already set lessons for their other students still back at school.  On behalf of the School Leadership Team and all of the Year 9 students, I would like to thank the staff who have contributed to such a successful program.

To the Year 9 students, congratulations on all you have achieved during your week in the "city classroom".  Reports we have received at school from members of the public have commended you on your preparation, presentation and courtesy.  We are looking forward with antcipation to seeing your completed City Week presentations.

Keith Butler

Assistant Principal