Heads of Secondary Years' Report
To our wonderful Hazel Glen community,
Welcome back to all of our students and families following the Winter holiday break. It has been a calm, orderly and settled start to Term 3, and it has been wonderful to see our students return refreshed, ready to learn, and reconnect with their peers and teachers.
The past two weeks have been filled with many important events, celebrations and extracurricular opportunities across our Secondary Years community.
Last week, we proudly celebrated NAIDOC Week, recognising and honouring the rich history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our Indigenous Advisory Group worked collaboratively to prepare and share teaching resources that will continue to support staff in embedding Indigenous perspectives across our curriculum.
Our teaching staff commenced the term with an inspiring presentation from Scott Darlow, an Aboriginal singer-songwriter, public speaker and educator from Yorta Yorta Country. Scott's presentation provided valuable opportunities for reflection on the importance of education, truth-telling and fostering meaningful connections with First Nations perspectives in our classrooms. We also enjoyed sharing a NAIDOC Week afternoon tea with members of our College community, recognising the significant contributions that First Nations peoples continue to make to Australian culture and society.
On the first day of term, our Year 12 students completed their VCE English Oral Presentations, an important assessment milestone in their final year of schooling. Congratulations to all students for the dedication, preparation and confidence they demonstrated while presenting their carefully researched and thoughtfully constructed arguments. We wish them every success as they continue through this important stage of their VCE studies.
During the holiday break, our talented cast, crew and staff involved in this year's College Production dedicated their time to rehearsals in preparation for performances later this term. We sincerely thank everyone involved for their ongoing commitment and enthusiasm. We are excited to see the production come to life on stage in August and look forward to sharing this wonderful showcase of student talent with our community.
Thank you to the many families who attended our Senior Pathways Information Evening last week to support students as they begin planning their future pathways. We appreciate the strong partnership between home and school during these important decision-making processes. A reminder that Course Counselling appointments and our on-site Careers Expo will take place next week. We encourage families to refer to Compass for further information and important event details.
This week, we had the pleasure of celebrating student achievement through our Year Level Assemblies. These assemblies provide a valuable opportunity to recognise students who consistently demonstrate commitment, resilience and a positive approach to learning. Congratulations to all students who received an Academic Endeavour Award. It was particularly pleasing to acknowledge those students who achieved multiple awards throughout the semester, reflecting their sustained dedication and pursuit of personal excellence. As Ms Meacham often reminds our students, we encourage everyone to continue striving for their own 'personal best'. We look forward to celebrating our Year 8 award recipients early next week.
Today, a group of our Year 11 students attended the Northern Education Alliance Leadership Program at Mernda Central College, led by our Year 11–12 Assistant Principal, Mr Michael Rogneda. The day provided students with valuable opportunities to collaborate with peers from schools across Melbourne's north, participate in leadership workshops and further develop the skills and confidence required to become future leaders within our community. Thank you to all students who represented Hazel Glen College with pride and enthusiasm.
As the cooler weather continues, it has been wonderful to see so many students wearing their College uniform with pride, including our new quarter-zip college jumper. We thank families for their ongoing support in ensuring students continue to meet our uniform expectations throughout the winter months. We also take this opportunity to remind students of the importance of attending Homegroup each morning. Homegroup provides a valuable opportunity to connect with peers and teachers, establish positive routines and begin each school day feeling prepared, supported and engaged in learning.
Over the next two weeks in particular, our teachers will be providing students with various games and activities to engage in the lead-up to the Commonwealth Games. We are looking forward to the many exciting learning opportunities, events and celebrations still to come throughout Term 3.
Warm regards,
Alex Janceski
Head of Secondary Years - Teaching & Learning
