From the Principal

It has been a busy but incredibly positive Term 1, with students and teachers eager to “make every minute count” and a whirlwind of special events. 

As always, our Badges Assembly, where we acknowledge our High Achieving Year 12 students from the previous year and present our newly elected student leaders with their badge of office, is always a highlight for me. I look forward to hearing our School Captains and SRC Presidents addressing their peers for the first time and in 2024, I was not disappointed. The words Andy, Zainab, Keely and Phoenix selected to begin their year of leadership, were inspirational and I felt incredibly proud listening to their heartfelt message to the school.

We celebrated International Women’s Day on the 8th of March in style, with a lunchtime performance in the LRC by folk group Vardor. This dynamic musical trio entertained students with music from Hungary and across Europe. You can read more about this and other events in this latest edition of our Newsletter.

In the second half of this term, students in Years 7 and 9 competed online NAPLAN testing. Participation was over 90%, which is excellent, and the process ran smoothly, with all students engaging positively during the sessions. The data collected is important for us as a school to measure our impact and understand the strengths and areas of improvement for each of our learners.

In weeks 6 and 7, we provided an opportunity for families to participate in phone conversations with their child’s teachers to gain a “snapshot” of their student’s learning so far. Many families made appointments and initial responses from those involved have been extremely positive. Our aim in 2024 is to provide feedback more frequently, as well as strengthen partnerships with our families. I also enjoyed the opportunity to meet with some of our new Year 7 parents at our “Welcome Picnic” in week 4 and prospective families at our Discovery Night. I would like to thank all students and teachers who enthusiastically contributed to both events and represented our school so well.

Finally, a special moment for me this term was a visit from two of our Year 9 students, Ayan and Ali, who arrived at my office on a Thursday afternoon bringing a plate of gluten-free brownies for me to try. As a coeliac, it is rare that I can enjoy such a tasty treat. What added to the pleasure was meeting two enthusiastic Food Technology students, who told me all about their learning, and their equally enthusiastic new teacher, Scott Mullen. The brownies were delicious.

I wish everyone an enjoyable upcoming holiday and hope you return rested and re energised for the start of Term 2.

Best wishes if you are celebrating Easter or Eid al-Fitr over the break.

Susan Ogden

Principal