GSSC Leadership Team
I am grateful to our staff, students and school community for a successful Term 2 at Greater Shepparton Secondary College. Together, we managed another period of remote and flexible learning that was thankfully short-lived and successful in helping our community curb the spread of COVID-19.
We also enjoyed a jam-packed period of learning across our campuses of McGuire, Mooroopna and Wanganui.
The merger of our secondary schools has been successful in delivering more choice of subjects, opportunities and the benefit of shared teacher experience than ever before. At Mooroopna, for example, 71 electives are in the process of being delivered to our Year 9 students and our Year 10 students are engaging in 62.
We are also offering all VCE subjects, a VCAL program and a broad range of VET options – so our senior secondary students are experiencing more options when it comes to mixing employment, higher education options and career pathways. This is an unprecedented subject choice for Greater Shepparton secondary students.
I can also confirm that our commitment to inclusion and building a strong school culture across GSSC has never been stronger and has never been better resourced than now.
GSSC is three-quarters of the way through our transition to our brand-new campus and the contemporary and amazing facilities we all will enjoy from 2022. While I certainly understand the transition period hasn’t been easy for some families, I can’t wait to show our school community what our young people will inherit in 2022.
These brand new and high-tech facilities will support the options, opportunities and choices our students are taking advantage of at GSSC.
Amid our intense learning, the arts and our growing links to local businesses were recent term highlights. Our music students, dancers and singers managed to reach and impress (COVID-19) capacity crowds. Our support from local industries has been very welcome, with business leaders working with staff to provide work and “job ready” opportunities for our students. I look forward to bringing you news of wider business links for our school in Term 3.
Our new school development is attracting increasing support and interest that will benefit our college and students in years to come.
Yesterday at McGuire campus, and today at Mooroopna and Wanganui, we celebrated the end of term with student-led assemblies. It is clear our students have embraced their new school and are proud of it – and we are supporting that spirit every step of the way.
May I wish those students taking part in tonight’s Presentation Ball at Eastbank the very best. Recent restrictions have forced the delay of other presentation balls to September and we trust our school community understands these matters are beyond our control.
This leads me to a final note – I am proud to be formally appointed as the Executive Principal of Greater Shepparton Secondary College. I have been acting in this role since the start of the year and am privileged to be leading the delivery of secondary education in Greater Shepparton, into a new era of opportunity.
Apart from my first year of teaching in Melbourne, my entire career has been in the Goulburn Valley - at Mooroopna, Tallygaroopna, Gowrie St, Wilmot Rd, Grahamvale, Benalla P-12 and senior leadership roles in the region.
My focus will continue to be building a strong, inclusive and caring culture at the school. And I want our families to know this - lifting educational outcomes and opportunities means our young people have never had such investment and support as now.
After three decades of teaching here, I have never been more excited or optimistic for our young people and their future prospects.
My door is yet to be installed at the new GSSC campus, but it will be open to our school community in 2022.
Sincerely
Barbara O’Brien
Executive Principal
Greater Shepparton Secondary College
For the Greater Shepparton Secondary College Leadership Team