Principal's Report

Dear Homestead Community, 

we’ve reached a natural tipping point in the year, that moment where hopefully hard work meets a moment of reflection after SACs and exams of Semester 1 are done. 

Semester 1 has given us enough feedback, data, and lived experience to ask: where to next, and how do we get there? If our students are not asking these questions, they are missing out on opportunities to grow, and we encourage all of them to make sure they do. 

In senior school, tipping points do not come with excitement or celebration. They come quietly, in the consistency of showing up every day, in the extra minutes reviewing feedback, and in a conversation with a teacher that shifts mindset. These are not big, sweeping changes. They’re small daily activities that add up over time. These are called Micro-Routines and are often overlooked but incredibly important. These are what tip the scale from performing OK, to being great.

Term 2 is a moment of choice. Our students have had a full semester to establish their habits, make mistakes, and build confidence. The feedback they receive through reports, assessments, and conversations, is a gift. It tells them where they are. The rest is up to how they respond.

We are encouraging students to:

• Reflect, don’t retreat. Use Semester 1 data to guide their growth.
• Recommit to micro routines: consistent attendance, note review, spaced study, early preparation.
• Seek feedback, lean into challenges, and reset where needed.
• Using Period 0 to study and prepare for the day ahead
• Asking at least one clarifying question per session
• Attending homework club, doing more practice
• Setting clear social media and phone boundaries to ensure your attention to school work is focused

Term 3 always arrives quickly — and it matters. We have key events approaching, including course counselling and subject selections, and increasing career exploration opportunities through careers day. The culture and mindset we carry forward from here will shape the energy of the second half of the year.

To our staff: thank you for being the quiet architects of student growth. Whether through your feedback, your calm and professional approach, the endless extra hours supporting our students, or your constant encouragement, you are tipping points in student lives, whether they realise it now or years from now.

To families: your partnership remains central to everything we do. Thank you for being part of the learning conversation.

And to our students: keep going. Keep refining. Keep choosing the small things that add up to big things. Your future is not built in a day, but it is shaped by what you do every day.

Staffing Update: 

I would like to take this opportunity to farewell Amy Carpenter who will embark on family leave shortly after term 3 starts. Amy has been an exemplar in Literacy at Homestead and will now take on the role of parent with the same enthusiasm and quality. We wish her all the best. I congratulate Elise Garro who is taking on the role of Learning Specialist while Amy is on family leave. Congratulations Elise.

I also take a moment to recognise the impact that Luke Duskovic has had on Homestead in the Mathematics domain and student management. Luke is leaving Homestead this term and we wish him all the best in his new endeavours.  Thank you and congratulations to Michael Wamsteker for taking on the role of Math domain leader.

Our esteemed Assistant Principal Vickie Turner-Craig is also take a much deserved term of leave next term. We wish Vickie a wonderful break and look forward to hearing all the stories upon her return in Term 4. I congratulate Brenton O'Callaghan on his appointment to Acting Assistant Principal of Transitions and Pathways for Term 3. We are in great hands.

We are pleased to welcome new staff to Homestead for Term 3. Prabhjot is joining the team in a mathematics teaching role. Brooke Hammill has joined the student support team and Gracie Unstad, Sasha Albuquerque and Jed Mai have joined the tutor team.  Welcome to all.

Kind regards

Danijel

Principal