Editorial

From the Principal

As I write this, we are putting the finishing touches to our first Presentation Night since 2019. We are excited to be back together again to celebrate the students and gifts for 2022 and it looks like a full house.

As a young leader in school, I was advised that what you celebrate is the true indication of the things you really believe are important. That has held me in good stead in the last 32 years of educational leadership. The organising team for the Presentation Night has tried hard to include important things in our celebration across the pallet of our values. 

Of course, academic giftedness is high on the list of a school, and when accompanied by application and effort, it becomes excellence. Other less gifted students academically, who were similarly faithful in the development of their level of gifting, are also celebrated.  We also want to recognise the development of Godly character, along with sharing the gifts and talents our students have in the area of performing arts. Sport is another important part of the Plenty Valley experience to highlight. Finally, the milestones of finishing Year 12 and Year 6 are worthy of honour and celebration.

There have been unexpected challenges with the Presentation night this year but, as we have done for the last three years, a hard-working conscientious team have pushed through those challenges to ensure the event will go ahead this week. I look forward to seeing you all there.

A recent survey of Australian parents, with children at different types of schools, indicate that Christian Schools are valued because they teach Christian values, are a caring community and still value academic achievement. That is consistent with the results we receive from our parent surveys.

Over the past 4 years we have lifted the average academic performance of our students. Our teaching staff with the assistance of our Learning Support staff continue to do a great job of supporting our students who need particular assistance to engage in the school curriculum. Our students’ independent results (NAPLAN and VCE) indicate that we have also meet the Strategic Plan’s goal of giving our students a strong academic base to work from. Our next step is to give more focus onto our academically strong students and equip and encourage them to lift their performance to achieve their full potential. 

Over the last 6 months the staff have been considering strategies to do this and we will share more with you next year.

These achievements are also worthy of celebration, and we have done some of that as a staff but it good for parents to know there has been an upward trajectory at Plenty Valley despite some challenges along the way.

We continue to believe that God has placed this school in Doreen with the wonderful staff we have, to partner with parents, and help them nurture their children to be all who God intended them to be.

John Metcalfe

Principal