Students, staff, award sponsors, parents, families, school councilor’s and distinguished guests including the Mayor of West Wimmera Shire Council, Mr Tim Meyer. I would like to warmly welcome you to our 2023 Edenhope College Awards presentation. Today, we gather to celebrate and recognize the exceptional achievements of our students in various fields, be it academics, sports, arts, or community involvement.

Whilst we are here tonight to celebrate the opportunities and successes that our students have had over this year, I would like to begin by acknowledging and reflecting on the efforts of our staff and parents who have provided our young people with so many opportunities across the year and the years preceding. I applaud the parent support of our students working with our teachers. There are so many valuable lessons students learn when they see parents and staff working together for them.

To our school council members, your support for the school, our community and young people is fundamental to continued improvement. Privileging your time to support and hold us accountable to ongoing improvement, shows commitment not only to Edenhope College but the greater Edenhope Community. Many thanks to David Bourne and the team.

To the Parents and Friends who commit so much time on top of an already busy volunteer load to raise funds for our College, it really is appreciated. I’m so grateful for the parents who invest so much time and energy into this school.

Every year the staffing profile of a school will change, and 2023 is no different. I would like to thank and acknowledge Dave McLeish and Victoria Heffernan for making Edenhope College part of their life journey. Similarly, I would like to pay gratitude to Rachel Munro and Jen Altmann, two of our PLC driving forces, as they grow and nurture their own families and depart temporarily for maternity leave.

To our relief teachers, Gloria Freeman, Val Tischler, Lyndal Shewry, Sarah Burgess, Sarah Domaschenz. Your support in times of genuine need, do not go unnoticed.

In 2024 there will be new staff to take over the reins from the departed. Trevor will be ably assisted by the recently appointed Donna Tucker who will be the College’s new Assistant Principal. Donna will be familiar to many people from our community and she brings with her tremendous experience, passion and is a strong advocate for ongoing improvement. Eddie Price will return gradually as an Education Support Officer and will no doubt find herself immersed into the equestrian program. We will have additional staff joining the team, however I am unable to announce those tonight.

It would be remiss of me not to make a special mention to the team who have put this night together. I would like to sincerely thank Sarah Joubert, Alison Hausler, Morgan Coventry and Trevor for their amazing efforts and the staff and students who helped set up today. It does not go unnoticed.

Our most recent strategic plan comes to an end in 2024 and pleasingly we have made some serious headway in achieving our goals. Our most recent attitudes to school survey saw us either achieve or nearly achieve 4 of our student target areas:

Student voice and agency from 38% (2019) to 60% or above, hitting 60% in 2023

Self–regulation and goal setting from 55% (2019) to 70% or above hitting 64% in 2023

Stimulated learning from 47% (2019) to 65% or above hitting 61% in 2023

Motivation and interest from 50% (2019) to 70% or above hitting 62% in 2023

These are serious gains.

With our recent VCE results landing, we can also celebrate that our average ATAR score for 2023 rose to 68.02, with our mean English scores sitting at 30 and mathematics at 31. Yes, we have small student numbers, but I think that makes the results even more exceptional.

These things don’t happen by chance, there is clear strategic planning for and with the whole school community. Targetted professional learning, programs implemented such as SWPBS and experiential learning, SRC and leadership opportunities for our young people. Our students are being heard and we are actively listening.

Our parent opinion data has been on a steady incline and our 2023 data blows away similar schools and state averages. Again, this isn’t an accident. With a clear focus on improving communication through a variety of platforms, be it Xuno, phone calls, social media, interim reports etc. I know at times it may seem over the top, but over communication is better than no communication. And it is important the communication comes both ways. As I alluded to before when we work together we get better results.

In 2024 the school will be undergoing it’s review which is a fantastic opportunity for the whole school community to reflect on what has happened, acknowledge the strengths and identify areas for potential growth. New goals will be set and plans put in place to achieve them. It is a great opportunity for staff, parents and students to be heard.

To the students, both the award recipients and those who may not receive an award, I urge you to continue pursuing your passions and striving for excellence. Each one of you has unique talents and potential, and I encourage you to keep pushing the boundaries of your capabilities. Dare to be curious. Remember that success is a journey, and today's event is just a milestone in your path to a bright and promising future.

To the class of 2023, I will fondly remember you as great humans and amazing role models for our younger students. Which is quite amazing given the stories I have heard from and about them! Dash! I often used Dash and Braithan in our sport and rec class as a sounding board for school improvement. Such strong opinions and mature outlooks. We actually chatted so much it is amazing Braithan achieved such an impressive score in our class! Their efforts in building Jim by the Lake this year has been one of my fondest memories working in a school. Super proud. As a collective, the Year 12 group were incredibly supportive and caring of one another and their friendship and dedication to their studies was amazing to watch through the fish bowl window.

In what will be one of my final official acts with Edenhope College I would like to take this moment to thank everyone in this room for your support, challenge, comradery and collegiality. My two spells in Edenhope have been vastly different experiences. From being fresh out of Uni in 2005 to returning in 2021 with my own family and a myriad of experiences both here and abroad. I would also like to thank them for being open to the idea to return to Edenhope.

It has been wonderful to return and reengage with past friends and team mates, to see and even teach their children. To see former students now having their own families and even working with them here at Edenhope College is amazing. It makes me feel old, but it is one of the reasons I love teaching and being in the classroom. It is about relationships. To my Year 8 crew, I will miss you greatly. The amount of time we have spent together, both good and bad, the yarns, the challenges and the growth. There is work to go but you have the right people behind you.

The opportunity to get closer to home and be with and have family support and to support our own family’s is too strong. But for mine it is not about going home to roost, it is to invest the care to a community that invested a lot of time into me throughout my journey. Our rural communities face enormous challenges, particularly with dwindling populations, services drying up and workforce challenges. We are amidst a time when innovation and change is needed for us to stay relevant and to be ahead of the game. What we have in the bush is special and we don’t want to see what we have disappear.

I would like to thank Trevor for his support during my time here. Edenhope is lucky to have you and your commitment to the school and community is beyond admirable and I grateful to have had the opportunity to work alongside you again.

We are here tonight to celebrate the accomplishments of our students, let us also look forward to the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. Remember work hard, make a positive impact and create your own legacy. Take things on, accept challenge and change and have a crack. AS Arthur Miller once said “Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets.”

Chad Frost

Acting Principal

Wimmera Southern Mallee Local Learning & Employment Network Awards

2023