Acting Principal’s Report

Brent Houghton

If you’re reading this Acting Prin Report, it’s highly likely that you’ve seen Karen’s newsfeed to the school community on Compass yesterday, outlining the important work that she will be leading for students across the state (details of the program that Karen will be in charge of next year can be found here). Karen has worked at a number of schools, including being the Principal of two very different Victorian secondary colleges. This knowledge of how schools operate has been further enhanced in 2020 when she has acted as a Senior Education Improvement Leader. As well as her knowledge of schools, her knowledge of pedagogy, teaching and learning is matched by very few. We know that she will do a great job in leading this very important work to ensure students are not disadvantaged through their experience in the COVID pandemic. Of course, Victoria’s gain will be at the expense of her leadership of MGC for 2021. I do know that Karen has built an exceptional team of leaders across all parts of our school, which will serve our students and family well during 2021.

 

 

Return to school

As I write this report, I can see Ms Munro working with a group of students out on the lawns near the Library. After a couple of months sitting in my office with very few people around, it has been wonderful this week to have the return of Year 7, 11 and 12. It is apparent from being around different parts of the school that students are very happy to be back. There are of course things that are different. We had very few days of school with students wearing masks before the lockdown, so this has taken some adjusting to. The Operational Guideline we are working with this term do not allow indoor sport, or singing, woodwind or brass (either inside or out), so our PE and music staff are adjusting the ways in which they can continue to work with our students.

I may well sound like a broken record, but the most important way that we can all ensure that we remain open in a face-to-face way is to ensure that no-one attends school with any cold or flu-like symptoms.

 

Unit 3/4 students 

Since the last report we have held the General Achievement Test (GAT) successfully. Many thanks to Pat Sklavakis for her leadership of this. We have also sought the input of Unit 3/4 students via their Student Statements for the Consideration of Educational Disadvantage (CED) process. The aim of this process is to ensure that where students have faced particular challenges with COVID, bushfires and remote learning, that these can be accounted for. Student statements are currently being assessed by our CED Panel, with relevant information being forwarded to classroom teachers to make adjustments to their indicative grades with VCAA. Some further information regarding the CED can be found here.

 

Success!

Congratulations to Isabelle Pritchard, who was recently selected at number 16 in the AFLW draft by the Western Bulldogs. This is a fantastic achievement! We look forward to following Issy’s progress in the AFLW 2021. 

 Congratulations also to the Sustainability team, who were the recipients of the Resource Smart Schools Awards earlier this year. Leaders of the team were finally able to receive their awards this week, as seen below. Well done in particular to Paula McIntosh, who was a finalist in the Teacher of the Year (Secondary) category, for her leadership of our waste reduction initiatives.

 

Brent Houghton

Acting Principal