Education Plan Info Nights

Media Release

Parents and carers of current grades 7 and 8's braved the cool weather to attend information sessions for the Greater Shepparton College (Interim Name).

Approximately 170 parents and carers attended an information session and workshop on the evenings of 12 and 13 June to listen to Executive Principal Genevieve Simson talk about the plans for year 8 and 9 in 2020.

Ms Simson shared some exciting plans for the 2020 grade 9 program, held at the Mooroopna College campus, and outlined how it would set a platform for future educational success. Ms Simson also highlighted how students need to be prepared for a changing workplace where innovation, creativity, self-assurance, adaptability and flexibility will be important characteristics. 

The presentation was followed by a workshop asking parents to consider what qualities they would like their children to show; with responsibility, creativity, respect, and self-confidence being popular themes. Parents and carers were then asked to consider the values they would like to see the Greater Shepparton College upholding. Values such as respect, adaptability, compassion, innovation, motivation were high on parents’ lists. 

“It was fantastic to see the parents engage in the workshop and actively contribute to how the school should operate, and to ensure that it reflects the needs of the community,” explained Ms Simson. “We also held sessions with teachers and school council, and the similarities across the groups demonstrates a community that knows its challenges and its opportunities.”

Ms Simson advised parents and carers that the new school curriculum will focus on preparing students of greater Shepparton for the requirements of a changing world.

“According to the Foundation for Young Australians, current students may have an average of 17 jobs over their lifetimes, and preparing for that environment begins at school,” she explained.

 She also reassured parents and carers that student well-being is at the heart of the school curriculum, and students will be supported by internal and external programs.

As with any new project, the school community has raised a number of questions, and a series of Frequently Asked Questions are currently being developed to address these questions. These will be sent to parents and carers who attended sessions and will also be placed on the new school website that is currently in design. 

Another further two sessions were held for years 10–12 in 2020, Monday 24 June at Wanganui Park Secondary College and Tuesday 25 June at McGuire College. Parents of students attending years 10-12 in 2020 were invited to attend the sessions, which were part information session, part workshop.