From the Principal's Desk
The End of an Era
It is a pleasure to begin this newsletter by congratulating Mr. Roger Page, who was awarded with the 2024 Order of Australia at the King's Birthday Honours this year. This prestigious award highlights his work in the education sector and his contribution to students and the community. Some details of his career are included on a later page.
The award comes as Mr Page officially retires from the Department of Education, which he has served in one way or another for close to 50 years. He has done us the honour of sharing some thoughts with his community before he moves from being an official member of staff to being a valued friend of the school, which again are available later in the newsletter.
We have tried in different ways to thank Mr Page for his contributions to our school, and have had to accept that we will continue to fall short in expressing our appreciation and admiration for his work. As you read his farewell, you will no doubt do so with your own fond memories of his contribution.
A New Semester
Semester Two began last week, marking the start of Units Two and Four and all Year 9 and 10 semester-based subjects. Our dedicated teaching staff have been diligently finalising assessments and preparing Term Two reports. These reports are constructed to offer students targeted and individualized feedback, accompanied by thoughtful suggestions for ongoing improvement.
The reports will be available on Compass after 4.00pm on Thursday 27 June. We encourage students and their families to take the time to review these reports carefully. Reflect on the progress made so far this year and consider the suggestions provided. This feedback is an invaluable tool for guiding future growth and development in student learning.
It's also worth remembering that our reports were designed not to provide all the answers, but to start conversations - conversations between students and teachers, students and parents, and parents and teachers. Those conversations - especially if they are growth-oriented - are an important part of the reflective process since they introduce different ways of thinking about the feedback being provided.
Course Confirmation Process
On Thursday, 20 June, our Year 9 families participated in an online Course Confirmation session to review the guidelines for subject selection. Earlier that day, all Year 9 students received their personal copy of the Senior Student Handbook. Mrs. Jessica Ball, Director of VCE and Pathways, provided an in-depth explanation of the handbook's key elements, including guidelines and acceleration processes. Special thanks to Mr. Angus Clark, Director of Curriculum and Pedagogy, for responding to questions online. The presentation slides and Q&A have been shared via Compass.
Students will finalize their Course Confirmation subject selections on Wednesday 31 July. Leading up to this date, students are strongly encouraged to consult their teachers and have the Passport in the back pages of their Handbook signed to confirm that these conversations have occurred. The Nossal Career Expo, scheduled for Thursday 25 July, from 4:00 to 8:00 pm, is highly recommended. It offers students and their families the chance to listen to presentations by alumni and interact with various tertiary providers.
When reports are released on Thursday 27 June, interview times for Course Confirmation will also become available. These interviews, which will be held online, are mandatory for all Year 9 and 10 students. Year 11 students who need guidance are encouraged to schedule an interview. No classes will be held on the interview day, and students are required to attend with at least one parent or carer. Instructions on how to make a booking have been emailed to all families.
The GAT
Last week, on Tuesday 18 June, all students studying Units 3 and 4 subjects participated in the GAT. This assessment is crucial for ensuring the quality and integrity of VCE evaluations, while also affirming that students meet the Victorian Literacy and Numeracy Standards expected at the senior secondary level. We extend our congratulations to our Year 11 and 12 students for their exemplary organization, which facilitated a smooth and efficient entry into the exam rooms.
Have you booked your seats yet?
This week, the Nossal Production students are making their final preparations for backstage organization, lighting, and acting. Over eighty students are involved this year in the production of "Puffs." If you haven't secured your tickets yet, please do so now and look forward to a fun night out, celebrating the incredible talents of our Nossal students.
A note about Term 3 dates
If you look at the Important Dates page, you will notice that there has been a small change to our published dates. Our Term 3 Curriculum Day, which is a student-free day, has been moved from Monday 19 August to Friday 23 August. You can use this page to get a sense of some of the other events which will make Term 3 another busy term! Indeed, if you read on you will see information about events for many different members of our community, including our Year 11 students, our long-term alumni and our soon to graduate Year 12s.
Term 3 is not just a busy term in relation to special events. It is also a term when our senior students, in particular, often experience an increased level of stress as they work to complete their final term of active learning at school. Since this is a predictable part of the Year 12 experience, it will be very important for them to take advantage of the holidays to rest and relax so that they can return to school with lots of energy and in good health, rather than putting themselves at risk of being burnt out half-way through the term.
Enjoy the holiday break
In fact, as we near the end of a very busy term, it is important to recognize the necessity of the upcoming holidays for all of our students to relax and recharge. While some homework may be assigned to students from Years 9 to 12, our strong advice for our parents is to emphasise to our students the value of getting outside, meeting friends, and re-energizing for the start of Term 3.
Term 3 will commence on Monday 15 July. The PFA Uniform shop is scheduled to open at 8.30am if any students require uniform.