Principal Team Report

 Principal Team Report 

Last Thursday, we held our Learning and Wellbeing Conferences. I would like to sincerely thank all staff and the families who attended. We hope you found the experience both informative and valuable in supporting your child’s ongoing learning and wellbeing. We will also be reviewing the feedback provided by families to identify opportunities for further improvement in the future.

Further to Fern’s recent Compass post, we are excited to share that the College has received significant State Government funding of approximately $480,000 to upgrade our student toilet facilities. We look forward to beginning this process and are excited to see the finished result. Our students deserve modern and refurbished facilities, and we are grateful for the opportunity to deliver these much-needed improvements. We will continue to keep families updated as the project progresses.

This week, students across all year levels have been participating in the annual Attitudes to School Survey (AtoSS). The AtoSS is a voluntary survey conducted by the Department of Education each year to help schools better understand students’ experiences at school. The survey asks students about a range of areas, including learning, relationships, resilience, bullying, wellbeing, physical activity, and their general school experience. Importantly, it provides students with an opportunity to have their voices heard. The survey has been running for almost 20 years and continues to provide valuable data that assists schools in planning programs and initiatives to improve student engagement, well-being, and learning outcomes. The survey window will remain open until June 12, with catch-up sessions arranged for students who are absent.

As the weather becomes cooler, we remind students of the expectation to be in full school uniform each day. Over recent years, several additions have been made to the College uniform range to ensure students have suitable options for warmth during the colder months. As a uniform school, we expect all students to adhere to the College Dress Code. Uniform items can be purchased through our supplier, Lowes, located at Knox Shopping Centre. Families experiencing financial hardship are encouraged to contact the General Office, as support may be available to assist with uniform items.

We also remind families that black tracksuit pants are not part of the College uniform and that PE uniforms should only be worn on days when students have PE or sport classes. If a student is unable to wear the correct uniform on a particular day, they are required to obtain a uniform pass from their relevant sub-school before Period 1. Families with any questions regarding uniform expectations are encouraged to contact a member of the Principal Team.

Students should now be increasingly familiar with our School Wide Positive Behaviour Supports (SWPBS), which provide consistent approaches across the College for encouraging and supporting positive student behaviour. We are proud of our college community and remain committed to fostering a safe, respectful, and inclusive learning environment where every student has the opportunity to succeed. Through SWPBS practices, we support students to make positive choices that maximise both their learning and their overall school experience. We thank the broader community for their continued support in building positive and productive relationships based on mutual respect and cooperation.

We continue to reinforce the importance of students attending school every day, aside from illness or exceptional circumstances. Every day of learning matters, and regular absences can create gaps in learning as well as impact important social connections with peers. Families are asked to avoid extended absences during the school term wherever possible. In cases where a student will be absent for more than three consecutive days, an Absent Learning Plan will be provided to help students remain engaged with their studies. This is a Department of Education requirement aimed at supporting continuity of learning. Further information regarding attendance can be found here:  Victorian Government – Attendance and Missing School

Last week, three members of the Principal Team attended a two-day Principal Network Conference. We were fortunate to hear from a range of guest speakers, including Erika Beinert, Tim McDonald, who presented on Classroom Management: The Foundation for Learning, Jennifer Watson and Aaron Wolaniuk, who explored the topic of using interpersonal courage to have effective conversations, Eamon Charles from the Australian Education Research Organisation, and Mark Carter, who spoke about future-ready leadership and culture.

A highlight for many attendees was hearing from Bruce Armstrong, a highly regarded educational leader and school improvement specialist. Bruce was the inaugural Director of the Bastow Institute, now known as the Victorian Academy of Teaching and Leadership. Bruce spoke about the benefits of empowering collaborative improvement, and as a network, we look forward to continuing this work with him in partnership with Principal Class members across the Monash Manningham Network.

Finally, we thank Jeremy Woods and David Gill for their support of staff during the Learning and Wellbeing Conferences while members of the Principal Team attended the conference.

Judy Anderson 

Assistant Principal