Staff News

Staff Spotlight

Last year I launched a Staff Spotlight – an opportunity for our staff to get to know each other and particularly new staff to get to know each other by way of asking each staff member to answer a few questions about themselves. I would like to share these with our community as I believe the partnership we have with our parents/guardians/carers is a valued and respected one and I am sure you would like to get to know the staff of your child’s school as a way of building these positive relationships and partnerships. 

This month I would like to introduce to you Ms Jo Keating – Library and Information Services Leader, who commenced with us in November 2024.

Where was I born and where did I grow up?

Yallourn / Grew up on a farm. 

What is a unique/interesting part of my childhood?

As I grew up on a farm, I had to learn how to pluck feathers from dead chickens, subsequently I became a vegetarian.

My favourite food combo is…

Spicy hummus with chilli and Afghan bread and mantu (dumplings) from the Dandenong Market.

What I love most about my career is...

The everchanging, rewarding and unpredictability of working with young people.

If I was stranded on a desert island, the two people I would want with me are…

Gina Chick and Bob Brown. (Or my husband and our dog!)

When I want to unwind and do some self-care I…

Go hiking, walking or have a swim.

I am most inspired by …

Young people who care about our environment and a sustainable future

Professional Learning and Development 

This year we commenced with a 3-day Staff Commencement Program with a focus on Student Engagement in Learning. It is no surprise that since returning from the COVID lockdown period, many students have struggled to re-engage with learning and strategies that may have worked pre-COVID no longer are relevant or work now. 

This year we have a real emphasis on being data-informed, meaning that we are now able to gather a better ‘story’ or picture of how students learn through the data of NAPLAN and PAT (Progressive Achievement Tests) in both literacy and numeracy and use this to inform how our students learn and what level of differentiation might be required in order to keep students engaged. 

Our Directors of Learning and Learning Leaders have been working hard to integrate the Victorian Curriculum 2.0 into all of our Learning Areas and review and update resources, assessments and classroom activities that reflect the new capabilities within the F-10 Victorian Curriculum. The time we are able to spend together prior to the commencement of students is crucial to prepare for the students that will be in our care for the year. 

We continue the journey of being data-informed on Friday 7 March with our Staff Professional Learning Day with Carmel Richardson. Carmel is a researcher at Academic Data Analytics and works with schools across Victoria to unpack and understand their VCE data as a way of improving the way we teach but also the achievements of our senior students. We look forward to working with Carmel next Friday. 

Professional Culture and Growth

Some of you may be wondering what my title means – professional culture and growth. One would assume that we are all professionals in our workplace, and that is a correct assumption, however we can always improve. We often share this quote amongst our staff at our meeting:

Whilst this quote may directly reference teachers, it is an important quote for all our staff. We talk about every interaction, every day. Each interaction our students have with a staff member is valued and important and can make an impact on them and whilst we continue to improve our practices, pedagogy and processes to make a better school environment for our young people, we also expect that same level of need to improve from our students.

Learning is hard work and sometimes we will fall or lose motivation or confidence, but I would encourage you to tell your child to reach out to their Tutor or Head of House and talk to them about their challenges rather than give up. All the staff at Marist-Sion College are committed to improving in their work and are there to support each young person as best they can, but it is a 2-way relationship that needs commitment on both sides. The easiest way you can help your child with this is to ensure they are respectful to staff at all times and have the courage to speak up when they are feeling overwhelmed or challenged with their learning journey.

Mrs Georgie Beekhof

Deputy Principal – Professional Culture and Growth