Principal's Team Report

As we draw to the end of term, we would like to acknowledge our wonderful families and your support of our school. It does indeed take a whole community to educate a child. Our partnership with you is key to unlocking the door for every young person’s potential.

Student Leadership Day

The recent Student Leadership Day marked a significant achievement in fostering collaboration and leadership development among students from Wheelers Hill Secondary College, Forest Hill College, and Wellington Secondary College. The event provided a dynamic platform for students to exchange leadership experiences, evaluate educational processes, and develop actionable goals.

The day's agenda was rich with interactive sessions, including a noteworthy presentation by Forest Hill College on their Tribes and Parliament systems, which sparked valuable discussions on enhancing school culture and student engagement. Our LEAP Team, under the guidance of Kim Pillig, led an insightful session on the impact of student voice in classrooms, empowering students to analyse and influence positive learning outcomes. A goal-setting workshop hosted by Wellington Secondary College rounded out the day, emphasising the importance of clear objectives and collaborative support in achieving leadership success. The commitment to mutual goal tracking and accountability set a forward-looking tone for future interactions.

Special recognition is due to our Executive Leaders, Hannah, Shay, and Molly, who were instrumental in the event's success. The Student Leadership Day not only met our educational objectives but also strengthened the leadership network between our schools, promising ongoing collaboration and growth.

Master Plan - Update

Our new Middle School precinct is up and running and we hope to make more improvements as the year unfolds. Improving our facilities and infrastructure is a major component of meeting the goals of our Strategic Plan. We have begun the process of developing our Master Plan. Next term there will be a series of focus groups with parents, staff, and students on how we imagine our school to be. Any improvement will be in stages, and it is important that we have a truly clear vision about how our buildings and facilities maximise student learning and provide an inclusive and positive environment for all learners.

NAPLAN - THANK YOU 

I would also like to reaffirm our message of my recent Compass Newsfeed about how proud we were of the behaviour and attitude of our Year 7 and 9 students towards NAPLAN. They were fantastic. As we know, standardised testing will never provide a complete picture of student learning, but it does provide valuable insight into our teachers can best support the literacy and numeracy needs of our students. Along with Literacy and Numeracy skills and knowledge, research shows that attendance plays a crucial role in positive educational outcomes. We know that school not only provides the platform for building relationships and positive social behaviours, but it builds self-confidence and resilience. If you are at all concerned about your child’s attendance, please reach out to us for support. 

Reflecting on the term, rehearsals for Mamma Mia are in full swing and we have our Athletics Carnival on April 15. Not everyone, of course, will be a contender but the value of the day is that it is a wonderful opportunity for students and teachers to interact and build positive relationships outside of the classroom. It is an opportunity to build House support and enjoy the day with peers. 

Term One Progress Reports

Just a reminder that Term One Progress Reports will be published at the end of term and that our Learning and Wellbeing Conferences will be held online on April 23. Students are not required to attend school on this day.

Homestay Opportunities

Our International Student Program is growing, and I would again encourage families to consider the opportunity to support an International student with Homestay. They are required to have their own bedroom and be provided with meals 7 days a week. The current rate for Homestay is $330.00 per week per student and this will rise to $350.00 per student later in the year. If you are at all interested, please contact our International Student Coordinator, Jane Xing.

Andrew Dixon Retires

On staffing, I would like to acknowledge that Andrew Dixon, one of our substantive Assistant Principals, has announced his retirement. He has been on leave for quite some time.  Andrew has been an educator and leader at Wheelers Hill Secondary College for over 18 years. I know that many will miss Andrew, and we wish him all the very best for the future which I hear includes lots of travelling and enjoying grandparenthood. A substantive Assistant Principal to replace Andrew will be appointed in Term Two. I would also like to acknowledge that Wendy Ning will leave us at the end of term for another educational setting and we also wish her all the best for the future.

I will be on leave for the first two weeks of Term Two. Judy Anderson and Jermey Woods will share the role of Principal and will have the excellent support of David Gill, who will step up to an Acting Assistant Principal role. I would also like to thank Nery Soto who has been in the role while Jeremy Woods has been on Family Leave, welcoming his new child, Andrew, into the world.

On behalf of the Principal Team

Take care

Fern Brisbane

College Principal