Principal Team Report

Time is an interesting concept. One moment the year is just beginning and now we are focussed on the next.  I would like to begin with my sincere thank you to all members of our School Council for their unconditional regard for WHSC and genuine commitment to make our school better. My deep appreciation to our School Council President, Kathryn Duncan. Thank you so much Christine Gramberg for your work as Treasurer too. Although this is your final year with us as your son is part of the graduating class of 2024. Our great appreciation to James Theofanis  and Ljubomir Stevanovic  for joining as parent members and to Chris Jeffrey, parent of our 2023 Dux, as our Community member. Every year it is a challenge to gain support from our parent body to volunteer for School Council, so their contribution is greatly appreciated.

A huge congratulations to our student representatives on School Council, Lara Williams and Amy Parsons who will join with Aiden Carmichael to form our Student Executive leadership in 2025. They are exemplary young people who will champion our school. A big thank you to Tawana Chishava of Year 8 who has been  regular student observer of Council this year and we greatly appreciate his involvement and feedback. I would also like to acknowledge our staff representatives, David Gill, Rene Raulin and Melissa Robinson  for their commitment as well as my Assistant Principals, Judy Anderson and Jeremy Woods. We are a team.

It is my pleasure to inform you that Dr Michael Lyristis has been provisionally appointed as our new leader of Senior School. Michael comes to us as an experienced leader of a Senior Sub School as well as being a peer reviewed Science researcher. Michael is delighted to join our school. We also welcome James Meaker as our new leader of Middle School. James is another experienced leader who is really looking forward to being part of the Wheelers Hill team.

There have been a number of highlights this year and one which shines brightly is the development of our Masterplan. Whatever the outcome, the process itself has raised all of our awareness about the role the physical environment plays in Learning and Wellbeing. It is still a work in progress, but we must keep persevering. Our children are entitled to the best. Our upgrading of the Resource Hub precinct for 2025 will include more space for students at recess and lunchtime to use the facility including wonderful new furnishings and the creation of a silent study for students from Year 7 to 12 to access for private study or mindfulness.

In 2025, we have an additional Year 7 Homegroup, which is wonderful, and our Grade 6 Transition Day was a wonderful success. We look forward to the students and their families joining the College.

Our Welcome to Country School Assembly and creation of our Indigenous garden are a very special artifact for 2024. It saw us come together as a school community and take a lead in reconciliation which others can learn from.

I would also like to acknowledge the work of our Business Manager, Judith Walsh. For the first time in many, many years, we will end the year with a small surplus which is a remarkable turnaround  from years of deficit. 

Presentation Evening on December 5 was an excellent night. Our students did shine and the feedback from parents has been really positive. The Music was fabulous, and it was wonderful to see students receiving accolades not only for academic achievement but community service. It is simply humbling and heartwarming to know how deeply so many of our wonderful young people care about the world they live in. 

A huge thank you to staff members David Gill, Nick Gramatakos and Jess Elms in particular, for making Presentation Evening happen. An enormous amount of work was involved, and I know that we all appreciate their efforts to make it special for our students and their families.

 Ms Erika Bienert has been appointed as the new substantiative Area Director of the Inner East. I have worked with Erika on a project for the Department and she is a leader of very high integrity and commitment to the Education State. Eva McMaster, our Senior Education Improvement leader who oversees over 20 secondary colleges, is retiring at the end of the holidays, her replacement is yet to be announced by the Region. Eva has been a wonderful supporter of  the College, and we will miss her.

Our Valedictory Evening on December 10 was another outstanding occasion for the College as teachers, students and families celebrated the graduating class of 2024. A special thank you to Year 12 Learning and Wellbeing leader, Jacinta Wilson, for the organisation of the evening. We are incredibly proud of the Year 12 cohort. They have been a wonderful group of young people, and we wish them the very best for the future. Whatever their results, there are always doors to be opened. 

Semester Two Reports will be available to download by Wednesday, next week. Please take time to read through the report with your children and please don’t hesitate to contact the College if you have any questions.

Take care everyone and have a restful break.

Fern Brisbane

Principal

Congratulations Stella Aye Pe - Winner of the Principals Choice Award, Art & Technology Exhibition 2024