From the Principal's Desk

As we come to the end of term one, we once again have experienced achievements and provided many opportunities for our school community – staff, students, and parents. After meeting our new year 7’s and their parents, the 50 years celebration college assembly and photo and enjoyable days at the house swimming, and Harmony Week, round out a very busy and memorable term.

School Tours and an Open evening presentation to future students (grade 5/6) highlighted the amazing programs and opportunities the College offers our community.  The College has been running school tours which have been exceptionally well attended. We will be hosting a few more tours this week and early next term and I ask you to spread the word to families who you believe would like or benefit from a school tour.  Families who are not within our designated neighbourhood zone are also welcome to tour the College in 2024 for a 2025/6 start.  

This newsletter provides many examples of our term one activities that supported our student learning, their wellbeing and engagement in the school and their classrooms. It also provides community updates, so we invite you to take some time to read your child’s year level report prepared by our Assistant Principals and our Year Level leaders, our special Program leader reports and importantly to hear from the students who have written about the school wide and community activities they have led and been involved in during the term.

A successful year is sure to follow such a positive beginning.

Introduction of new School Council Elected Members 2024-2025

School councils comprise of parents, staff, and students along with community membership.  The College has held our school council elections in Feb/March for this year to fill the two-year tenure of all three categories.

Congratulations to the following elected members.

Our school parent newly elected representatives are Prem Sadineedi (re-elected) and Jasmine Allen (re-elected) and we welcome Swapnil Goyal who will be joining our current parent members Darren Clifford, Jade Gonzalez and Veerappan Veerasekaran.

We thank them for their nominations and look forward to their contribution to the school as your parent voice and voting representative.

We thank our outgoing parent member Charlotte Hughes for her input and commitment to council over the two-year role but over many years of support as a member of school council.

Our staff representatives for this year includes newly elected member Alex DeLeon, who has joined our Assistant Principals' Ashley Rowe (re-elected), Connie Faranda and Bryan Woollard.  Our school representatives continue to work alongside our Department of Education school council observers, Assistant Principals Rebecca Sandlant and Megan Talyor and our secretary Business Manager, Michelle Guse.

We thank our outgoing staff member, John Lister for his input and commitment to council over the two-year role.

We have also welcomed our new student representative to council and look forward to hearing the students voice from newly elected Layderya Moo year 8 and our School Captain, Morrisham Teariki of year 12.

We thank our community representatives, Mr Anthony Monaghan for continuing in his position as school council President and Mr Matthew Rasmussen as our school council Treasurer. We also thank parent representative Mr Darren Clifford who is continuing in the role of school council Vice-President.

All members of school council welcome your input and feedback. Please find all school council member email addresses in Compass, or you can contact any council members via the Wyndham Central College email address and by calling the school administration office.

Parent Teacher interviews

Our invitation to all families to attend.

I am constantly reminded of the significance of it taking a village to raise a child. And the reminder that all adults need to remain vigilant and do all we can to be ever present in the lives of our children.  Understanding this makes the building of relationships between parents/carers and the school very important and then building of a partnership between parents/carers, students, and teachers that continue to support childrens’ learning journeys and wellbeing needs. The College invites our parents/carers to our school to meet all of your child’s 2024 teachers and their support staff.  

All term one reports have been completed and have been posted electronically to Compass. A printed copy has been made available to all students and their families for our Parent/Teacher interviews this Tuesday the 26th of March from 11am to 7pm.

A final reminder that all parent/carers can make an interview time with our staff via Compass. If you have any difficulties do not hesitate to contact our ICT support team or your child’s tutor teacher.

During these interviews we will provide a snapshot of how students have started and are progressing in their 2024 learning as well as supporting the student’s reflection and goal setting as they progress into term 2.

Whilst this is our opportunity to meet once again and re-establish these important parent partnerships in supporting our students in their educational journeys, parents/carers, at all other times can communicate with the school via Compass email or by phone with our classroom teachers, tutor teachers or year level leaders. The student planner provided to every student at the beginning of the year can also be a valuable tool. Each student has this planner in their AVID binder, and this should be bought to each class along with a fully charged laptop or specific subject textbooks.  The planner can provide a way to communicate by writing messages, notes and comments for your child’s teachers and leaders.

Naplan 2024 

Naplan 2024 has been conducted again at Wyndham Central College. In 2024, the testing schedule was again being completed in March, rather than May – and is expected that schools will have earlier access to the year 7 and year 9 student results. It has run smoothly online, with both students and teachers positively engaged and participating. It has, however, been a challenge for Year 7 students – having only been at the College for 5 weeks and a bit nervous about testing, getting used to high school, devices at the College and independence. That being said, the testing has run smoothly, and students have positively engaged in the tests. It would be helpful for parents to continue to work with the College to ensure that students have a laptop available to use as an important educational tool.

Preparing for term 2

A reminder that as all students return on Monday 15th April to start term two and are expected to be in our college winter uniform. I ask parents/carers to check the uniform policy to support your child to be in full school winter uniform without them wearing the incorrect shoes, hoodies, and jackets. To support them to be ready to learn ensure that they are at school on time, every day, with their binders and a fully charged laptop or their textbooks. Attendance at school everyday is compulsory. Students cannot learn if they are not at school or attending their classes. Parents/carers receive two notifications each day for student absences and are contacted by the tutor teachers, attendance officers and leadership team members if absences are not meeting the State Government expectations. It is important that parents communicate with the school in the same week about student absences so that we can support all students to be ‘at school, on time and ready to learn’.

Again, we remind parents/carers that the State Government have banned mobile phones from being used at school by students and I ask all parents/carers to support your child in adhering to this government law and school rule by leaving mobile phones at home or locked away in their school supplied lockers between 8.50am and 3.00pm.

It is timely and always important to revisit our school expectations for all Wyndham Central College community members and stakeholders. Our school values and positive behaviour statements (see posters below) provide the framework for our interactions and how we create a positive, supportive, and happy learning and work environment. I ask parents/carers to take some time to speak to your child/ren about how their behaviours and engagement in their learning can ensure they excel and meet their full potential.  To create and continue to be a great school and Wyndham community we need all stakeholders to understand the important role they play in ensuring that we work together ‘creating a community of high expectations’ and meeting the College vision for each of our students.

Our Shared Vision Statement

Wyndham Central College fosters a love of learning. We respect diversity and Indigenous heritage. We aim for continuous improvement in all our students as they grow into adulthood. Our objective is to nurture empathetic, creative, and confident young people who embrace opportunities and accept the challenges of a complex and globalised world.

 Wyndham Central College provides the environment that creates the high expectations for all members of our community and inspires each individual to achieve their potential by developing their skills for post-secondary education or to be work–ready.

The action of ‘creating a community of high expectations’ holds all members of the community accountable to the highest standards, providing both academic and social standards and setting the expectation for strong respectful professional relationships, so that all students emerge as resilient, productive, and cooperative members of a contemporary world.

Our Shared Values Statements

Our Shared Positive Community and Environment Behaviour Statements

I hope that you enjoy the Easter break and school holidays and find the time to rest, rejuvenate and spend time with family and friends. We look forward to seeing you all back on Monday 15th of April for an exciting Term 2.

Leanne Gagatsis -  Principal

Creating a Community of High Expectations 

Respect, Cooperation and Excellence