Principal's Report

Welcome back

Welcome all students and staff to the start of the 2024 school year, I trust that everyone has had a wonderful break and has been able to rest and recharge for another great year ahead. I welcome our new Year 7 students and any other new students to the school and their families. The start of this school year has been smooth, and students have shown great enthusiasm and excitement, having engaged well with each other and their teachers – irrespective of the changes to the school structure and program which we are all learning to navigate.

As has become customary, at each Year-level Assembly, our Student Leaders presented the School Values and what they mean to them and to us as a learning organisation. The School Values visual display below, will help you to continue the conversation at home with your children. Now is the time to revisit these or to develop a shared understanding with your children of their meaning, and how these lead to the expectations that we have of the Eltham High School student, staff member and parent/carer.

I congratulate the students on the way that they engaged with and participated in these assemblies and I thank our two School Leaders and the other Student Leaders for their very well prepared presentations.

We are all looking forward to a positive and productive 2024.

Welcome to the staff joining us for the first time:

• Anna Russell – Learning Specialist: Equity and inclusion
• Christopher Button – Theatre Studies/English literature/Drama
• Chelsea Powell – Legal Studies/Humanities/English
• Tristan Callaway – English/Media
• Kathryn Townley – English Language/English
• Annie Nguyen – Science
• Elisa Smith – Legal Studies/Humanities/English
• Suzy Oates – Mathematics
• David Teakle – Mathematics
• Siddhanganie (Sid) Gamakumara – Mathematics
• Samia Townsend – Food Technology
• Jamie Lyons – Wood Technology
• Georgina Morris – Arts
• Luke Giblett – Humanities
• Karolina Franczak – Humanities
• Felicia Pellegrino – Careers/Pathways Coordinator

Welcome back to the following staff:

• Hannah Ryan (Allen) – Health/P.E.
• Madeleine Griffeth – English Literature/English
• Lucy Blackburne – English

Our wonderful group of tutors from 2023 will continue to support our students throughout 2024 as will our amazing volunteer, John Considine.

I wish all the new and returning staff the very best as they engage with the school in their crucial role in facilitating and supporting the learning of our young people.

I take this opportunity to remind parents of the use of the Compass Parent Portal. If you are a new parent and do not have your username and password please contact the relevant Sub-school Office through the General Office on 9430 5111. The Compass Parent Portal gives parents up to date information about your children’s approach to their learning, timetable, learning tasks, class work, attendance, reports, upcoming events, etc. It also allows you to approve your children’s attendance on excursions and make payments on line plus a host of other things including access to your children’s teachers via e-mail. 

Please see below attachment of Eltham High School staff emails and Coordinator list for 2024. 

If you have accessed the Compass Parent Portal before but have forgotten your password please contact the relevant Sub-school Office through the number indicated above.

A reminder that we are now running a five-period day timetable across a ten-day cycle, with each period of instruction being 59 minutes. The bell times are currently under review so I will publish them in the next edition of the newsletter; however, for the moment the start and finish times for the day are as follows

Whilst students are used to participating in the Involve (Years 7-9)/Tutorial (Years 10-12) program once per fortnight (which will continue within the new timetable structure), an additional morning Involve/Tutorial will also now run on Tuesday through to Friday mornings each week for all Year 7-10 students. It is important that parents/carers understand the importance of this program which aims to support student to engage with their learning across the day as well as develop important life skills. A great deal of thought and planning has gone into the design of the curriculum which is different for each year level and strongly aligns with the various stages of learning and student development. As such, it is imperative that parents/carers support their students to arrive to school and to class on time and be ready to fully participate. The success of the program is dependant on us working together. Let us remember that we are all here with a common goal: to support the growth and development of all the young people in our care. We achieve so much more through a strong collaborative partnership. I thank you for your ongoing support of our students and of the school.  

As we have embarked on a number of changes this year, we are consistently monitoring, reviewing and where necessary implementing improvements, as such your feedback is highly valued and much appreciated. Feel free to provide feedback via your relevant Sub-School Team Leader. 

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

Middle School (Year 8 & 9) - Ross McKinnon – Ross.Mckinnon@education.vic.gov.au 

Senior School (Years 10,11&12) - Amanda Saliba – Amanda.Saliba@education.vic.gov.au 

A reminder that the school Mobile Phone Policy remains in place and requires students to switch off their phone from the sound of the first warning bell for the day and store their phones away securely until they leave the school at the end of the day. Students are not to access their phones at any time throughout the day including breaks. The same expectations apply for the use of headphone and Airpods. Unless requested by a teacher to support learning, these must also be stored securely for the school day. A process for addressing a breach of the policy is in place and all students are well aware of their role in this process. 

Parents/carers must not expect to communicate with their children during the day via their mobile phone. Should there be the need to get in touch with your child during the day for an emergency, please contact the general office otherwise please confine any communication for the times when student can access their phones. A small number of students have Mobile Phone Policy or Headphone exemptions, these are generally for medical reasons supported by relevant documentation.

Student Achievement

Congratulations to all the Class of 2023 for their outstanding results and on their success on gaining entry into their chosen pathways. I congratulate our School Dux, Beau Duder (Class of 2023, Rutter House) Beau achieved an ATAR Rank of 99.90 and has accepted a place in the Bachelor of Science/Law (The University of Melbourne) and is the recipient of a Vice Chancellor’s Scholarship. Baxter Hayes (Class of 2023, Rutter House) achieved an ATAR Rank of 97.5 and has accepted a place in the Bachelor of Science (The University of Melbourne) and is the recipient of the Principal’s Scholarship.

Our students have been offered tertiary pathways in a vast range of fields, primarily across a number of universities as well as a small number of TAFE and private providers. I take this opportunity to wish all the students the very best in 2024 and beyond. 

A number of great things have taken place late last year and over the break, which I highlight here:

Australian Open Water Competitions

Congratulations to Conor Hayes (Year 12, Everard House) who has been actively ocean swimming various distances during the summer break. He took second place in the Rock to Ramp competition and won the overall Pt Lonsdale 1.4 and 3.8 km swims.  Further to these achievements, Conor has just returned from competing in Busselton, WA where he claimed 7th in the 10km and 6th in the 5km 18 year old national classification. 

Conor hopes to make the Swim Carnival special this year and is looking for a relay team that can go all the way to Vic State Competition again so I strongly encourage any interested students to speak to Conor. Great achievements for a highly committed performer. All the best for the 2024 season, Conor.

National Indigenous Cricket Championships

Congratulations to new staff member Luke Giblett who has been selected to play in the National Indigenous Cricket Championships, which will take place in Alice Springs between 21 – 28 February.

We wish Luke every success in the game and we look forward to celebrating his achievement with him on his return.

Pride March

The annual Pride March took place on Sunday 4 February. Eltham High School joined a number of other schools to represent our community and school culture at the March. Although it was a very hot day, the constant gentle breeze made the heat quite bearable. Many thanks to the students and parents that joined us on the day, including a number of our alumni. 

A big thank you to the staff who marched and, of course, to Matthew Hapsberg, Carly Young and Anna Jenkins who organise the event on our behalf. It was an enjoyable day supporting our LGBTQIA+ community and demonstrating that we do stand behind and live all our School Values and in particular, in this case, Individuality, Respect for Diversity and Integrity.

Student Leadership

I take this opportunity to introduce our two School Leaders to our community and to congratulate them on having been appointed to their positions. I also take this opportunity to thank the Senior School Team and Ms Lauren McNally (Acting Student Agency and Growth Leader) for the work that they did to implement the selection process. 

School Leaders

Maisie Walsh (Year 12, Skipper House)

Tom Westerman (Year 12, Toner House)

House Leaders

Team Leaders

I wish all of the 2024 Student Leaders all the very best as they take on the opportunities that their particular role offers them. I look forward to their continued support and to working closely with them through this year. I am certain that like their predecessors, they will represent our school in an admirable way. 

Annual Privacy Reminder

Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the DET Schools’ Privacy Policy.

Please take time to remind yourself of our school’s collection notice, available in the “Policies” section of the school Website www.elthamhs.vic.edu.au 

Student Accident Insurance

Parents/guardians are reminded that the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development does not provide personal accident insurance for students. Likewise the school does not have a whole-school policy for personal accident insurance for students. Parents and guardians are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including transport costs. Reasonably low cost accident insurance policies are available from some commercial insurers. These cover a range of medical expenses not covered by Medicare or private health insurance. Parents/guardians may wish to purchase such a policy for individual students.

Student Exchange Organisations approved by the VRQA and therefore DET

Whilst it is unlikely that overseas travel will become available in the near future, the following is a 2022 update of the Student Exchange organisations approved by the VRQA to provide student exchange programs in Victoria. The list changes each year so it is important that you check the current list rather than relying on old information. 

Each year we are asked about student exchange programs that provide a reciprocal benefit. It is important that if you wish to engage in reciprocal exchange that you utilise the services of one of the organisations on this list. The school will not be able to enrol overseas exchange students coming through organisations not on this list because they would not be approved by the Department of Education and Training. 

If you need further information, please do not hesitate to call Kate Scalzo on 9430 5111 or e-mail Kate.Scalzo@education.vic.gov.au

School Drop off and Pick Up Times

I remind all parents and guardians, and inform new parents and carers to the school, that student safety is the primary consideration at all times including both drop off time and pick up times.

Whilst traffic seems to flow smoothly through the circular driveway of the school at the start of the day, there seems to be greater congestion at pick up time in the afternoon.

The circular driveway is to be used purely for drop off and pick up. 

There is very little parking available within the school grounds between the following time (8:00 – 10:00am and 2:00 – 4:00pm). “No Standing Anytime” signs are located within the school and it is important that parents/guardians adhere to these. Furthermore, double parking is illegal in the street and within the school grounds, it causes further congestion, which in turn impinges on student safety. 

We will be enforcing the use of the circular driveway purely for drop off and pick up of students. 

As you move into the circular driveway, if your child is not at the front of the school you will need to exit the driveway and re-enter. You may need to do this more than once. Alternatively, it is advisable that you organise with your child another location for pick up.

As always, we will continue to expect everyone to abide by road and safety laws and procedures as they move through the driveway. The same applies at the Ely Street end of the school. Staff parking on the street is now minimal and this means that there is space for drop off and pick up. Please do not park in residents’ driveways. No parents are to drive into the school driveway or park in it or across it. This is the only avenue that students have to get to and from the school buses and we must be vigilant for their safety. 

Subsequently, it is imperative that everyone behaves in a lawful and safe way out in Withers Way, Susan Street, Bell Street and Ely Street. We have informed the traffic division of the Shire of Nillumbik of the school’s strategy and it is possible that the Ranger‘s office may take action against people who disregard road and safety laws out in the streets. Likewise, the police will patrol the area at these peak times and they will not hesitate to reprimand and fine if necessary.

I trust that you will understand the need for this direction and I ask you for your continued support to ensure the safety of our kids. 

If you do use the drop off and pick up zone on Withers Way can you please direct your children to cross the road at the school crossing both on arrival and on their departure from school. We certainly do not want students crossing the road in front of oncoming cars and placing themselves at risk.

Thank you for your support with this matter.

VINCENT SICARI, Principal