Principal's Report

A Culture of Respect

In light of what is currently being reported in the media relating to the behaviour of some young people and their engagement with online environments, I feel that it is time to revisit our school values and ask all parents and carers to take some time out of your busy lives to reflect on these values with your children and explore their meaning within the culture of your own home.

Whilst our learning community is created from myriad of backgrounds, approaches and beliefs, our school values are the foundation of who we are as a learning community and the elements that unify us to coexist, valuing individuality and seeing diversity as a strength.

It is my firm belief that irrespective of your own culture and ways of doing and living your lives you will be able to connect these values in a fundamental and positive way to your own personal values.

More so than ever, our young people need guidance. School and home need to work in unison to provide this in a consistent way that allows all our young people to continue to grow and develop into the best version of themselves.

We have a joint responsibility that cannot be delegated. Conversations with our young people need to be ongoing both at home and at school and they need to be providing a consistent message. The consistency in our messaging can be gained through reference to our school values.

Pursuit of Excellence – Challenge yourself to be the very best you can be and achieving the very best you can achieve in everything you do (near enough is not good enough). Academic Care and Social Development, and focusing on a Growth mindset.
Individuality – Understand who you are; Have a voice; Express your voice; Stand up to be heard; Be the voice of the silent.
Creativity – Push the boundaries of thinking, seeing, feeling; Look at situations through a different lens or a different perspective; Develop individual and collaborative problem-solving skills; Critical thinking.
Social and Environmental Responsibility – Think beyond self; Take action to benefit society and more specifically sectors of society most in need; Stand up for those who do not have a voice; Show respect towards the environment; Take action to preserve the local and global environment for future generations.
Respect for Diversity – Value Difference; Respect other people’s choices; Respect other people’s views; Contribute to the development of an environment without prejudice or fear so that each person can feel safe to be who they are.
Integrity – Be honest and true to who you are: your personal morals, ethical, spiritual and artistic principles; Make a consistent commitment to honouring and following your own principles, regardless of surrounding influences.

I would like to reflect on the values of Respect for Diversity and Integrity.

The incidences of social media bullying and harassment that our young people are often confronted with, and we as adults are privy to, seem to indicate that these two values are more often than not forgotten about or disregarded. Yet Integrity is the backbone of each of the other values; and Respect for Diversity symbolises that in being different, we can also be one.

I would say that the examples portrayed in the media of late of the disregard of Respect for Diversity often connected to gender, race or beliefs are perpetrated by young people who lack respect for themselves and who often feel alone. As such they allow themselves to be dragged into a moment where in a group situation, they experience a sense of belonging. This need to belong seems so strong that it allows them even if just for a moment to forget who they really are and what they value and what it means to behave with integrity.

This is by no means a way of excusing their behaviour, but rather a way of making them accountable for their behaviour, through emphasising that irrespective of the group dynamics they cannot hide under its canopy. They will be judged as an individual and cannot escape from what they personally know to be right and wrong.

When dealing with negative behaviours demonstrated by a group we often find ourselves saying that each one of the individuals that comprises the group is fundamentally a good person, so why is it that when they are in a group they forget who they truly are and go along with someone’s big idea of a joke, of fun, of adventure often at someone else’s expense without standing up and saying this is wrong? The need to belong is so huge that it allows them to make poor decisions about which are then reflected in their behaviour. This then escalates and escalates further until it results in a devastating outcome.

Misogyny, racism, ridicule of beliefs and faith totally go against our school values and are not tolerated not just within our school community, but within our society.

Let’s continue to engage in our conversations with our young people. Let’s identify what makes them tick and what worries them. Let’s be open with our conversations - home to school; school to home - so that we can support our young people to behave with respect for diversity and integrity both face-to-face and on social media.

Student Achievement: Eltham High School Choir

Congratulations to all members of the Eltham High School Choir who today performed Running Will, The Bulls, and Before I Go at the Boroondara Eisteddfod receiving an Honourable Mention from the judges. This is an outstanding achievement for such a motivated group of students and something to be very proud of. Congratulations to the student directors and to Lynlee Williams (Choir Director) for her continued development and support of the EHS Choir. A special mention of their accompanist, Assistant Principal, Darren Squires for his continued role in the choir’s success.

End of Semester Assessments

Students across the senior years have been focusing on end of semester assessments. Currently all Year 10 students are involved in exams. Our Senior School Coordination Team has been working very hard alongside our Daily Organiser to timetable and implement these exams. This is not an easy task, and it is good to see that they are running very smoothly. Students are presenting on time and seem to be prepared for the experience. Teachers will be able to mark these exams and provide student with feedback prior to the end of Term.

Final classroom assessments are also taking place, especially for elective programs in Years 9 and 10 and any other semester-based subjects in other year levels as generally students move on from these into another set of subjects with the start of the new semester.

All students undertaking a Unit 3/4 sequence which includes all Year 12 students, and a good number of Year 11 students will undertake the General Achievement Test (GAT) on Tuesday 18 June. In order to minimise further disruption to the school program on an additional day, the “Teacher Professional Practice Day” will be held on the day of the GAT. This means that with the exception of the students attending school for the GAT, it will be a student free day.

I ask parents/carers to ensure that adequate supervision is provided to your student/s at home on Tuesday 18 June and thank you for your ongoing support.

VINCENT SICARI, Principal