It’s been a terrific start to Term 2, with our Year 8 and 9 students and staff now settled in to their temporary offsite locations; our Year 7s, having enjoyed their Term 1 camps, demonstrating their confidence and familiarity around the school and with each other; and our Year 10s, 11s and 12s well and truly in to their Semester 1 studies.

Co-curricular events are well and truly back!

We all enjoyed a cool and sunny Athletics Carnival during Week 1. The level of participation was high and house spirit was in evidence. Congratulations to all competitors, and also to the team of students who raised hundreds of dollars for the One Girl charity through a bake sale and sponsorship of staff to ‘Do it in a [school] dress’ in the staff-student relay. This money goes to supporting girls’ education in developing countries and areas where females may be denied access to this important right. We have also had a range of teams and individuals represent the school in inter-school competitions: see further in this newsletter for more details.

I recently had the pleasure of watching our students in a different context: on stage at the Junior Performing Arts evening. Whilst venue size and visitor restrictions (COVID-related) meant that we weren’t able to have parents in the audience, the students all enjoyed seeing each others’ performances. The pieces ranged from joyous group dance pieces to insightful, student-devised social commentary in a theatre piece. It is always wonderful to see the different aspects, and skills, of students that performing brings out. The evening was filmed and the recording will be shared with the parents/carers of the performers.

NAPLAN

As I write, NAPLAN tests are underway for Year 7 and 9 students. A big thank-you must go to our Assistant Principal, Sue Prosenica, who has overseen a very organised implementation of the tests across multiple sites. With NAPLAN postponed last year due to COVID, it will be interesting to see the cohort and statewide results later this year. At a school level, we use NAPLAN data as part of a range of information that helps us to understand and respond to the learning needs of both cohorts and individuals. The results are not a judgement nor a definitive statement on student ability, but do give us a good insight in to general literacy and numeracy strengths and needs.

VCE and VET Subject Expo

Early next term, it will be time for our Year 9, 10 and 11 students to start making their 2022 subject selections. Good information about the range of opportunities available to students through the VCE and VET subjects on offer is vital. The subject expo will run on May 31, in person for students and supplemented with online information for both students and parents/carers. Year 10s have also been undertaking their Career Action Plan interviews, which will them to understand their strengths and interests and to identify possible future study pathways. Later in the year, students also undertake individual counselling around their subject selections. As parents and carers, you can support this process by having open and honest conversations with students around their strengths and interests, remembering that they may be different to your own as a student! Encourage your child to research thoroughly, to consider all options available to them, and to follow their interests and strengths.

Virtual Open Day

Applications for Year 7 2022 enrolment are due, via Primary Schools, this month. This year we went online again for our Open Day, with a virtual tour on our website and a well-attended Q&A session via Zoom. Additional information about our curriculum, programs and the enrolment process are also on the school website. If you have friends interested in Year 7 for next year, please point them to this site.

Building Updates

Exciting progress is happening with our building works this term. Asbestos removal in the South Building was completed over the school holidays, and contractors have now started our planned refurbishment work of the Ground Floor (Library) and Level 1 (classroom spaces). The priority will be the classroom spaces, with a return to use of Levels 1 and 3 of the South Building scheduled for the start of Term 3. It will take a little longer for refurbishment of the Level 2 classrooms, but the planning process is underway for this.

By the end of this term, we will also have the final six relocatable classrooms installed, along Story St. Year 8s and 9s will remain at their temporary locations until the end of Term 2, to ensure that we have the spaces at Story St ready for them to return.

We have relocated some of the seating and bike racks disrupted by the building works to other areas around the school, and will be undertaking some revegetation work around the relocatable buildings once their installation is complete. With the increase in the number of students riding scooters to school, we have also purchased some lock-up scooter racks: these will be installed in the next few weeks.

Annual Report and new School Strategic Plan

Each year, schools are required to report on their progress against their strategic goals and Annual Implementation Plan. 2020 was quite the year of change, for schools in general and for UHS in particular! Our Annual Report 2020 was recently ratified by School Council. I invite you to join us at our annual public meeting, where the Report will be presented, on June 2 (see details below). This will be an opportunity to get an insight in to the school’s experience in 2020, to ask questions about the report and to hear from me, as principal, about our work last year. There will also be a keynote address from some of the student organisers of the 2020 UHS Student Summit.

Wednesday 2 June

6.30pm – 7.30pm

VIA ZOOM - A LINK WILL BE EMAILED TO REGISTERED ATTENDEES

To help us plan, please RSVP via this link by 4pm, Monday 31 May https://forms.gle/7NAQbBzbxinP1Fc77

We have also just had the timing of our four-year School Review confirmed: it will be undertaken during Term 3. This is a thorough process that will involve broad feedback and participation from students, staff, parents and carers, and will help us to establish our school priorities for the next Strategic Plan period (2021 – 2024). It is an exciting time for a school and I look forward to working with you all to plan for our future success. Look out for more details about this process in the newsletter and via Compass Newsfeed.

Ciar Foster - Principal

Debating