Principal Report
Welcome to 2023, it's going to be a great year.
I want to give you a quick lesson in French. I am a bit embarrassed that despite my love of France and living overseas for the last two years in Vanuatu, which has French as one of its main languages my own French I am still a bit stuck with only school boy French.
Plus et en vous. Plus et en vous. It translates as there is more in you than you think. I want you all to know that: there is more in you than you think. Plus et en vous. It is because every student is so capable that we have such high expectations of you. We want the best for every student and will serve you, teach you and support you so that you can be your best. But for you to have any chance of succeeding, learning and progressing you need to challenge yourself and remind yourself that there is more in you than you think.
When you believe that you can do more and be better. You will overcome blockages in your learning. Difficulties at home or with friends and you will have better control of your life. We can always do better with the way we treat ourselves and others. We can go faster, higher and better. We are happier and more fulfilled.
This school is going places. Do not underestimate what a great school this is. I am very proud to be working and serving this school and I really believe that this is a great school. I hope you believe me when I say that. I haven’t been here a full year yet, but I took enough time to look and listen last year. I can say that it is a great school objectivity as I have worked in schools across three states of Australia and in school overseas. I have worked in international schools, and I have worked in low fee private schools and very expensive private schools. Wangaratta High School is great. I think that ‘plus et en vous’ there is more in us that we think. Take the opportunity to talk our school up whenever you can. That is not someone else's job – that’s ours.
I just wanted to provide you with a recap onf the following:
News daily timings for 2023
A friendly reminder that our start and finish times are the same as last year, however our daily structure has altered to the below to align with other system wide changes around teaching allocations. We will shift from 6 sessions a day to 5 and have an earlier lunch and afternoon recess. We believe that the earlier lunch will serve all students better, but especially those that travel from out of town.
Homeroom and student diaries
Please make sure you read our Homeroom article. Congratulations to the talented Ruby Bihun on her cover design of the student diaries.
New staffing model to focus on student learning, wellbeing and care
We have implemented our intentional expansion of the Year Level Leadership model, expanding from two groupings (Middle and Senior) and two senior staff overseeing, to three groupings Junior, Middle and Senior in 2023. We are very proud of the depth of care in place for our students to support their learning and wellbeing and recognise the positive impact of staff whose roles as student advocates and enablers is a power lever for success and growth at school. These staff now oversee our new Homeroom system.
Welcome back all staff and an extra welcome to our new staff members that have joined our dynamic team:
- Sheri Parkhouse - Assistant Principal
- Grant Smith - Music
- Morgan Clark - Outdoor Education
- Andrea Lucas - Science
- Nathan Manning - PE & CLC
- Sharee Fisher - Visual Arts
- Vince Branigan - Humanities & English
- Richard Routley - English
- Alex Johnson - PE, Italian, Humanities
- Michelle Bootes - Mathematics
- Carlia Van Hoorn - Music (Teach for Australia Associate)
- Tracy Hobson - Administration
- Alannah Baguley - Performing Arts Assistant
- Matt Martine - Woodwork & Metalwork/Plastics
- Hailey Ronald - Visual Arts (Term 1) [Samantha Caddey starts permanently Term 2]
- Geraldine Meyer - School Nurse
- Jaime Ryan - Integration Aide
A renewed and reenergised focus on Ready to Learn and Bring Your Own Device
Wangaratta High School has re-invigorating our Bring Your Own Device Program (BYOD) to enhance teaching and learning processes within the classroom. Our rationale behind this decision is to ensure all students have the skills to access opportunities to learn anytime, anywhere, while at the same time understanding how to manage technology to improve their learning.
To do this, students from Year 7 to Year 12 will be asked to bring a suitable, charged device to school each day to support their learning, with teachers increasing the use of in-class technology-based activities to enhance pedagogy. If you have not had a chance to purchase a device and are looking for guidance around which device to purchase, Wangaratta High School has partnered with 'Learning With Technology’ (LWT), who have put together a portal allowing parents to purchase discounted devices that meet all our minimum requirements. Parents can access further information and purchase devices by visiting the following link https://wangarattahs.orderportal.com.au/
For more detailed information on the School’s BYOD policy please click the link below.
WHS - Digital learning policy[98212].pdf
Textbooks and second sales of books
If any students require textbooks throughout the year, our supplier is Lilydale Books (located in the Yarra Valley) and they have been providing educational books and stationery for primary and secondary schools Australia wide for over 35 years. They are specialists in Back-to-School booklist services and have extensive experience in educational supplies, digital platforms, curriculum resources and library services.
Their online door-to-door delivery service makes ordering books much more efficient, and we look forward to building this partnership in years to come.
In addition to our new booklist provider, Wangaratta High School have partnered with an online ‘Second-hand textbook seller / provider, ‘The Sustainable School Shop’.
The Sustainable School Shop encourages re-use and re-cycling of school books through innovation and technology, enabling families to sell and / or look for a second-hand items first before buying new.
What can be Advertised, Sold and Traded
Parents and students can sell or buy practically anything that relates student education.
Commonly traded items Textbooks Uniforms (Only items in good condition or better)
For more information, please use link below.
Sustainable School Shop - Second hand Textbooks, Uniforms etc
Have a wonderful weekend and we look forward to seeing you next week.
Dave Armstrong
Executive Principal