Principal's Report

Student Achievement

In the last edition of this newsletter, I spoke about the Middle East crisis and provided families with several resources to support parents/carers to speak to their children about what is happening overseas and to moderate as much as is possible what is being reported and shown in the media. 

Focusing on situations such as this can lead our young people to develop a sense of hopelessness and a rather bleak view of their future.

It is so important for us all to work together to highlight what is happening that is positive in the world and to consistently encourage hope and bright futures.

I am sure that we want our young people to be positive, strong and resilient and alongside this to be creative, critical thinkers and determined. Determined to build a better world for themselves and future generations. 

It is by living our School values that our young people will be able to prosper in a forever changing world.

Their expression of creativity will allow our young people to create the most positive environment possible. Creativity feeds into our psyche; it makes us feel good, it heightens our senses but it also allows us to solve the most complex of problems. This is what our young people are already doing.

In this edition of my report, I want to highlight the creative talent of one of our Year 7 students, Sara Campanero Healy, (Andrew House). Sara has written the most beautiful short story, using her creativity and her writing skills to take the reader on a fictional journey that highlights a range of experiences that draw the reader into almost becoming the main character.

It is young people like Sara, those who push themselves to excel in a range of ways, those who remain resilient in the face of adversity, those that embrace challenges as opportunities, those that take others along with them; those who radiate positivity in all that they do. It is these young people who engender hope towards a bright future. Our world will be in good hands.

Congratulations Sara for creating such a sensitive and engaging story. It is excellent!

Here is Sara’s short story:

“Tidal and the Siren

Tidal was born in a bottle.

It was a mystery where he came from. One day the dirty green glass bottle was empty except for the occasional hermit crab, and the next day there was a tiny boy inside. Tidal was only two centimeters tall, and although he was still only fourteen years old, it was clear he would never grow. Tidal often felt sad as he watched other children play on the beach, their laughter echoed and glowered around his shiny prison, heavy enough to be heard from up in the albatrosses’ high nests, though too light and feathery to grab, vanishing the second you felt it. 

Sometimes, when the sea got impatient of waiting, it would creep up along the sand dune and whisk Tidal and his bottle out to sea. Here, Tidal would feel even smaller, as the everlasting blanket of blue would feel endless and engulfing. The cascading waves would plummet him down into the vast ocean, where he was judged by darting fish, eyed by prancing dolphins and turtles, and hunted by great white sharks. Eventually the ocean, tired of rocking him, would gently slip Tidal onto the beach once more. These beaches would be different. With new children and trees and sand. Sometimes no people at all. Here Tidal would chatter with seagulls and crabs, talking about his strange adventures while they dipped into the waves looking for food. Despite having made a few friends, the young boy felt terribly lonely, sitting and staring at the glittering ocean that pulled in and out in swishes all day, pressing his tiny hands on the cool surface of his bottle when the surf sprayed into the air, splattering against the rocks. 

One day, while Tidal sat perched high up on a dune, something strange happened. It started with the sun. The day had started off pleasantly, with warm, bright beams reflecting off the water and onto the white, gritty sand. Quite abruptly, those sunbeams vanished, leaving the sky dark and grey. Then the wind picked up into a gale, flinging surf boards into the air along with colorful umbrellas and towels, the crowded beach was thinning, people fled clutching their large sun hats, smaller children crying as their sandcastles were dismantled in the stampede of feet. Thunder rumbled ominously in the eerie viridescent clouds. Then lightning cracked and sizzled, illuminating the terrified expressions on the people who splashed out of the water, calling anxiously at those still gazing in wonder at the incoming storm. Tidal’s bottle was tossed into the air by the air current, sinking under the growing waves. He cried out, but no one heard him, thunder strangling his calls, waves blocking him from view. Then without warning, a crack appeared.

Like a spider web stretching across the glass, it spread. Little spittles of water seeping in, finally invited. Tidal squealed as the waves soaked his socks and wriggled into his boots. The water was cold and unpleasant. Tidal tried to climb up the side of the bottle, but he slipped and slid back into the icy, rising water. Tidal couldn’t swim, his feet kicked feebly, though it was no use. With a guttural shriek, he sank to the bottom of his bottle.

He couldn’t breathe, couldn’t move, he just sank.

Down.

Down.

Down.

Endless. Darkness. Stretching. Tidal knew it was over, a minute more and –

Was that a flicker of movement to his left?

A shimmer of scales. Cloud of hair. Flash of a smile.

A glittering Siren was smiling at him, grabbing his bottle and shooting to the surface. Tidal smiled as the cold air hit him, he lay in the palm of her hand, soaking his savior in. He laughed when he saw her tail. Held up his tiny hands to feel her hair. “Friend?” He whispered, his voice crackling after swallowing all that sea water. 

“Yes” she murmured in that lovely, sweet voice of hers.

Tidal smiled for the last time.

Then he closed his eyes for the last time.

And died in the siren’s arms.

The End.”

Conclusion of the Examination Period

Year 12 exams for our students will finish on Wednesday 15 November.

All in all, students seemed to respond positively to their exams, but of course we will need to wait for results to come out to see just how they performed. We wish all our Year 12 students the very best. 

Year 11 exams have also finished and these students have embarked on their Year 12 Headstart Program. As far as possible, Headstart classes are taken by teachers who will continue to take the class in 2024. Students do begin their Year 12 course of study during this period. 

2023 Art and Technology Exhibition

I extend a personal invitation to all members of our school and wider community to the opening of the Art and Technology Exhibition which will take place on Wednesday evening, 15 November.  Official presentations begins at 7:00pm in the Nalleijerring Performance Centre.

This is the first full face-to-face opening that we have had since the lockdown years, and we are all very excited at the prospect of having members of our school community moving through the show viewing the wonderful works created by our very talented young people.

I look forward to seeing you all there. 

Year 12 Valedictory Evening

On Thursday 16 November will be the Year 12 Valedictory Evening. This is the last formal event of the Year for the graduating Class of 2023.

Our Senior School Team have put in a great deal of work I to organise such a great event to celebrate the achievements of all of our VCE and VCE/VM Students.  It will be a great night of pride and joy, not just for the students but also for their families as well as their teachers.

I take this opportunity to congratulate the Class of 2023 for their hard work and effort, irrespective of the end result.

Non-Gender Toilets

A site meeting took place on Monday 13 November. The work is progressing well and generally to the timeline. It is envisaged that handover of the facility will take place on 28 November. 

We look forward to the completion of this project and the opening of the new facilities.

Planning for 2024

It is at this time of the year when I put out a request for information from parents. Due to the high demand for places at the school, we have a number of students in Year 8-12 for 2024 waiting for a place in the school. Whilst we are mindful of managing student numbers, we do want to give students and families who want to be part of the Eltham High School Learning Community the opportunity to do so. However, we cannot offer a place until we are know that a vacancy exists. 

Can I ask all parents of students currently in Year 7-11 to please communicate with us if you know that your child will definitely not be attending Eltham High School in 2024.  This may be because you will be moving address, possibly moving interstate, or perhaps your child will be pursuing an enrolment in TAFE, into an apprenticeship or other pathway. 

Please contact the relevant person below to provide this information only if you know that your child will not be attending Eltham High School in 2024.

Junior School (Year 7 only) - Mrs Melissa Hughes – melissa.hughes@education.vic.gov.au

Middle School (Years 8 & 9) - Mr Ross McKinnon – ross.mckinnon@education.vic.gov.au

Senior School (Years 10 & 11) - Ms Amanda Saliba – amanda.saliba@education.vic.gov.au

I thank you for your cooperation. 

VINCENT SICARI, Principal