Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers

Students have commenced the second half of the year in a very positive and industrious manner. Congratulations to the students who have been acknowledged with Academic Achievement (Years 7-10), Personal Best, or Mutual Respect certificates for Semester 1. Your hard work and dedication are truly commendable.

I know that many students will have reflected on their academic performance over the first half of the year and will be keen to implement some changes over the next few weeks and months. Regardless of how well students performed in the first semester, there is always room for growth and improvement. Parents, your support is invaluable, and we encourage you to reach out to your child's teachers if you have any concerns about their progress or achievement.

While this is an important term for all students, it is especially significant for our Year 12 students as it marks their final school term. I am confident that those who make a concerted effort this term will reap the rewards later in the year. To our Year 12s and all our students, I wish you the very best for a productive and successful term.

Welcoming New Faces and Honouring Departures

We’d like to share some important updates regarding our school staffing. These changes are necessary due to several of our dedicated teachers taking long service leave, retiring, or transitioning to new roles within our educational community. Additionally, we are experiencing growth in our student population, which requires adjustments to our staffing.

We understand that changes to your child’s teachers can be challenging for both students and parents. Please be assured that we are working diligently to ensure a smooth transition and to minimise any disruption to your child's learning experience. Our priority remains to provide a stable and supportive environment for all students.

We see parents as our partners in education, and your support is invaluable as we 

navigate these changes together. We kindly ask for your patience and understanding during this period of adjustment. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us.

We thank the staff who have left us and wish them all the best in their future endeavours. We look forward to welcoming back staff on long service leave, refreshed and ready to continue their valuable work. We also extend a warm welcome to our new staff members joining the Applecross team.

Staff Left at the End of Term 2

Staff Returning/Starting in Term 3

Transitioning to a New Learning Management System

As we navigate through these changing times, we want to keep you informed about an important update regarding our Learning Management System (LMS). In our commitment to enhancing the educational experience for our students and families, we are in the process of transitioning to a new LMS (away from SEQTA towards Program Kaartdijin). This will better meet our needs and bring significant benefits to our community. Kaartdijin is the latest system backbone provided to us by the Department of Education. It is akin to Compass, another type of LMS.

What This Means for You

During this transition period, you may notice that our various sets of information, such as attendance, marks, curriculum, behaviours, and communications, will be temporarily housed in separate portals. This may be a shift, akin to how smartphones utilise specific apps for different functions. While this may not provide the one-stop shop you are accustomed to, we assure you that this change is designed to improve our overall system.

Our Commitment to You

We recognise that your interaction with us should be as smooth and easy as possible. Our team is dedicated to working diligently to align as many processes as we can during this transition. We are committed to minimising any inconvenience and ensuring that you have access to the information you need. Rest assured, we are here to support you every step of the way.

Your Understanding and Patience

We appreciate your understanding and patience during this time of change. The new system will ultimately provide a more streamlined and effective experience for everyone involved. Your support is invaluable as we work through this transition, and we are grateful for your continued partnership.

Thank you for being an integral part of our Applecross SHS community. We are excited to share more updates with you as we move forward.

Angie Thomas, A/Principal