Principal's Message
A very big ‘welcome back’ to all of our students, families and staff! I hope you enjoy reading the first College Newsletter for 2020.
Mr. Aaron Smith, Principal
Mr. Aaron Smith, Principal
WHEELERS HILL IN 2020
Despite the many challenges to the start of the year, our students and staff have settled quickly into their work. 2020 will be another exciting year at Wheelers Hill Secondary College, with tremendous opportunities for students to access in the four areas important to our College Community: Academic Excellence, Sport, the Performing Arts, and Student Leadership. As a College, we again look forward to everyone best demonstrating our key values of respect, creativity and excellence in 2020, and I thank our dedicated staff for their caring and hardworking approach.
I'd like to especially welcome our new Year 7 students; they are to be commended for how well they have settled into school life at the College. We have a special Year 7 Afternoon Tea for Parents and Students on Tuesday, March 24th - please save the date and keep an eye on Compass and on our Facebook page for an invitation. Our Year 7 Afternoon Tea provides an opportunity for families and staff to discuss the positive start to the school year.
I would also like to welcome our new staff to WHSC this year: Michelle Galea (Leading Teacher; VCAL & Pathways); Wei Tan (Mandarin Teacher); Shelby Morwood (English); Pedro Mello (Learning Specialist, STEM); Jack Richardson (Communications & Marketing Officer).
A BUSY START TO TERM!
It has already been a very busy term with high-quality teaching and learning in our classrooms, together with a number of important events providing tremendous opportunities for our students. The Year 7 Camp, the Year 12 Study Skills Day, College Photos, our Swimming Carnival (with Jells House victorious – well done Jells!) and the Whole School Assembly recognising our student leaders are just some of the successful events that we have staged so far this year.
In the classroom, we are already best preparing for the NAPLAN Assessments in Term 2; our new Independent Reading Program at Year 7 is off to a positive start; Number Talks are a feature of our Mathematics classes; while our VCE Program has commenced with a strong sense of purpose. We are looking forward to our Athletics Carnival on March 16th, and families can expect that Cycle One Reporting will be available Friday, March 27th.
THE ACE PROGRAM, 2021
The College is proud to announce the launch of the Aspire Challenge and Enrich (ACE) Program, a learning extension initiative designed to meet the educational needs of high-achieving students. The ACE Program is uniquely structured to engage students of exceptional ability, and is designed to work alongside the College's many excellent and existing co-curricular and extension programs. We are thrilled to offer this challenging and simulating program to Year 7 students enrolling in 2021, and we remain committed to ensuring that all our students - existing and future, across all Year levels - are supported and empowered to reach their full potential.
Our existing parents are welcome to attend an ACE Program Information Night on Tuesday, March 10th at 5pm in the College Library, and are encouraged to invite friends and family who may be interested in applying for the program in 2021.
COLLEGE COUNCIL IN 2020
The process to determine the College Council, 2020, is now complete. The composition of the WHSC College Council, 2020, is as follows:
We acknowledge all Representatives and we welcome new members to Council in Chris Jeffery and Elisa Baldwin. Our College Captains - Jemma F, Mikayla H, Erin McK, and Aidan S - will attend Council meetings as observers. Once again, we congratulate these students on their appointments for 2020.
Our Constituting Order allows for one further Community Member, and we will continue to work through this part of the process. I thank the College Council in advance for their committed approach to their work and to the College in 2020.
COMMUNICATIONS
As per my Compass post from earlier in the year (31/1/2020), we are reviewing our communications at the College. The use of our website, social media platforms, and Compass are all part of this important review. Our Newsletter, too, has a new look in 2020, and it will now be released on a monthly basis throughout the year. We encourage all parents to respond to this short survey to help us better communicate with our most important community members: Our parents and our students.
FAMILY ZONE
The College continues to work with Family Zone in 2020 to help keep our College Community cyber safe. Please read on in this Newsletter on the Parent News page (together with a post on Compass, 25/2/2020) for more information about how Family Zone are working with us in this area.
STUDENT EXCELLENCE
Current Year 12 student, Jack T, completed VCE Theatre Studies Unit 4 as an advanced study in 2019. For his performance examination, he received full marks and was invited to audition for - and was successful in gaining entry to - the prestigious Top Class performing arts showcase, placing himself and the College among the top-ranking schools in the Performing Arts.
Top Class: Theatre Studies is part of the VCAA “Season of Excellence” Program. The Season is a chance to showcase students across VCE Performing and Visual Arts subjects that have achieved outstanding results in their performance or visual art work and exams. The event is taking place at one of the best venues in the southern hemisphere: The Arts Centre Melbourne Playhouse. Well done, Jack!
We had a large and enthusiastic contingent represent the College at the Division Diving and Swimming Championships held at Ringwood through this week (26/2/2020). Competing against other local schools, we finished second in the Aggregate Shield. Well done to the students involved, and we thank staff for their leadership and work on the day.
I would also like to recognise two of our students for their bravery. Brothers in Blake (Year 10) and Aidan S (Year 12) were involved in a lifesaving rescue at Philip Island earlier this month. Both boys are members of the Cape Woolamai Life Saving Club and they are to be commended for their wonderful efforts. Well done boys!
Mr. Aaron Smith
Principal, Wheelers Hill Secondary College
Contact Us
Ph: (03) 9561 5811
Email: wheelers.hill.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au