Principal's Report

IDAHOBIT Day

International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, Intersexism & Transphobia Day is this Saturday 17th May. This date marks when Homosexuality was removed from the World Health Organisation Classification of Diseases in 1990. LGBTQIA+ people still experience disproportionate rates of bullying, harassment and discrimination. It reminds us all that we can make a difference and help to build an inclusive environment by ensuring discrimination of any kind is not accepted. It is important that we always approach things respectfully, even if we don’t understand something.

Continuing with the theme of respect and acceptance, Wednesday the 21st of May is World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development. Often referred to as the World Day for Cultural Diversity, this day celebrates all cultures across the world, but also the importance of dialogue between cultures to work towards achieving peace and sustainable development. Again, working together respectfully and preventing discrimination can only lead to more positive interactions between all people in all communities.

Forward Planning

This week was National Careers Week (12th – 18th May). While linking what students are doing at school with where it could take them after school is something that should be done in every subject, this week provided a fresh reason for our staff to incorporate a careers focus in their lessons.

On Monday, all students participated in sessions run by Elevate Education. These sessions, tailored for each year level, focussed on key habits of study including organisation, study skills and tips, and revision skills. On Wednesday, any student completing a Unit 3 and 4 VCE subject sat a practice General Achievement Test (GAT). This practice helps prepare the students for the real GAT, held in June, as it is a type of assessment like no other in the VCE. The papers will be marked and students will receive the feedback. It is important to remember that you can’t study content knowledge for the GAT, as it is largely based on general knowledge, however, practice is important for developing exam and test skills which are called on throughout life.

Lastly, some of the Senior School Team met with the Jobs Skills and Pathways Manager, Rob Farley and other DET representatives on Tuesday. Rob was tasked with pulling a large amount of school data together, focussing mostly on the end of schooling as part of her role.

Some strengths for our school included: 

• Strong school completion rates; a very high percentage of our students complete Year 12.
• A large breadth of subject units offered for a small school
• Steady VCE study score results over the last 6 years
• Higher than state average results for retention rates from Years 7 through to 12 
• Matched state average for retention rates in Years 11 and 12

What stands out for me, is that while we are a small school, we do everything in our power to ensure that this factor doesn’t hold our students back. Our small size means we know our students well, and can support their needs right up until they finish, or beyond. 

All this work focusing on the future and looking ahead adds up over time. It is never too early to start talking about what’s next – after all, preparing students for life post-school is the core work of a high school.

Education Week

This year, Education Week is from Monday 19 May to Friday 23 May. All children deserve a place to learn and thrive in. This year’s theme, Celebration of Cultures, highlights the diversity of our communities and the importance of every child feeling safe and welcome at school. Throughout Education Week, we are all encouraged to celebrate and share ideas to promote the wide range of cultures and cultural connections in Victorian schools. Check out the list of idea-starters at https://www.vic.gov.au/education-week

If you are interested in seeing what our students get up to in their learning, please call school to book a guided tour. NB: This can happen outside of Education Week too!