Principal's Report

Report from Westall Principal 2023

Dear Westall SC Community,

We are starting to get some doses of warmer weather and sunshine now that Spring is upon us. Feeling the sun on our backs provides some energy and feel-good endorphins as we start to exit the colder dreary Winter period. Throw in the AFL finals and upcoming September school holidays and it’s an exciting time to be alive.

I have a few items I would like to mention.

The last week of Term 3 has several important events. Firstly, it is our Annual Yishu Arts and Chinese Language/Culture Festival. You are invited to join us Monday 11th September 2-3pm in the School Gymnasium for the opening ceremony. Other Arts and Chinese Culture events will then take place throughout the week. 

On Tuesday 12th September we have Parent Teacher Interviews in the afternoon with students dismissed at 12.10pm on this day. Please refer to Compass for details and bookings and take advantage of this opportunity to meet with teachers about your student’s progress. Friday 15th September is the last day of Term and students will be dismissed at 2.30pm for the 2-week holiday period.

This week I had the pleasure of listening to our prospective Year 12 captains for 2024. You did yourselves and our school proud and we have multiple outstanding candidates. We also had current captains talking at a Westall Hub Community event focused on Student Voice and how we can improve the Westall area. Well done to our student leaders on both these events.

To our current Year 12 students, you are now at the business end of school. After 13 years, regular classes are coming to an end. When you return in Term 4 you have just under 3 weeks of revision classes to go before study time commences and VCE exams and final VM requirements are completed. I wish every one of you every success over this final phase of your school journey. Enjoy the Year 12 formal on the first Monday of the holidays and then make every sacrifice you can to best prepare for exams and final assessments. We all believe in you. Your hard work will be rewarded.

Thank you to our teachers and support staff who have supported our Year 12 students over the last 6 years and this year in getting to this last stage. 

Thank you to the parents and guardians who completed the Department of Education, Parent/Guardian Opinion Survey. Your contribution is very much appreciated and will inform our work.

In seeking parent/guardian input, we do need to determine a name for our new Senior School building that will open later this year. This could be an indigenous name but does not have to be. Any ideas you have with the rationale behind the suggested name are warmly welcomed via email or phone call to the school. 

This year is Westall Secondary College’s 60th birthday celebration. We intend to have a special event to mark this anniversary and open our new building later in the year. Again, any suggestions for this event are invited.

Lastly, thank you all for supporting our students with high expectations. Attending school every day, being on time, coming to school in full uniform, giving your best effort in class, homework completion and responsiveness to feedback are all strongly linked with successful school outcomes and adult careers. I have included a link here to an article and pasted a blurb from that article I invite you to engage with. I will keep leading our school and working with our staff with this in mind and urge you to support us in this regard with your students for their success now and in the future.

https://fordhaminstitute.org/national/commentary/high-expectations-drive-student-success

Student outcomes are strongly linked to adult mindsets, and teachers and leaders at high-performing schools tend to share a common set of high expectations for success. That’s always been true, but it may be more important than ever given the challenges created by the pandemic. Many students are contending with massive learning losses and emotional trauma, and caring adults may be inclined, even in subtle ways, to lower the bar and shield students from challenging work.

Educators should certainly demonstrate empathy, but it’s essential that adult expectations for student progress remain high—among educators and parents alike. Instructional materials, teaching methods, teacher-student interactions, grading practices, and professional learning experiences should express high expectations for student achievement.

Until next time

Mr Tristan Lanarus 

Principal, Westall Secondary College