Principals Report 

It does seem quite surreal to be writing my last message of 2021. 

Although a challenging year, as a school, in reflection, we do seem to have been able to push through and achieve a significant range of identified goals. There is no doubt that learning from home, again, during 2021, was exhausting for students, their families, and our staff. Together, however, we demonstrated, as the Guyra community, that when working collaboratively to achieve mutual goals anything is possible.

We have been operating under Level 3 COVID restrictions since returning to face-to-face study during 2021. Although some restrictions were lifted during this time, we have still been limited to how we are able to celebrate student achievement with our community. This has been extremely frustrating for everyone. Miraculously, however, in the past couple of weeks have been permitted to host our Year 12 Valedictory Assembly, Year 12 Formal and K-6 and Secondary Celebration Days. Thanks to Linley Ryan, Jenny Atkin, Tim Lloyd, Natasha Roberts and the office turbo team for their efforts to ensure that these events captured the celebrations of our students’ achievements. Thank you also to Simon Hanly, Louise Dowden and Jessica Watters for their photography and to our student technology team.  Unfortunately, we were not able to invite all family and community guests to our events. We do, very much, look forward to further easement of restrictions during 2022 so that we can enjoy and re-establish engagement with Guyra community, families and organisations and agencies from beyond the school.

The NSW Curriculum Review 2019, a comprehensive review of the NSW school curriculum from Kindergarten to Year 12, clearly defines a pathway, and I quote, ‘to ensure that the NSW education system is properly preparing our students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century. The long-term vision for a future school curriculum that supports teachers to nurture wonder, ignite passion and provide every young person with knowledge, skills and attributes that will help prepare them for a lifetime of learning, meaningful adult employment and effective future citizenship’ An integral part of our new school plan 2021-2024 is Student Agency – That is the opportunity for students to build on their strengths and pursue personal interest and passions. During this process students will be supported to have a degree of control over their own learning.

One Student at a Time in a Community of Learners.  To our students, regardless of whether you are within a mainstream or Big Picture pattern of study, at Guyra Central School that means that we continue to strive to offer you a personalised and relationship based approach to learning, and we will continue to broaden our assessment practices during 2022, continue to set high expectations for ALL of you, our students, and continue to provide appropriate support and open access to meaningful learning experiences.

I consider it a privilege to work in education every day and I am fortunate enough to be the principal of a fabulous school, in a wonderful community. I have an amazing team of people around me, working tirelessly to make great things happen for students, the children of this great community. Education, however, is essentially everyone’s business. It really does take a community to raise a child. I believe that the Guyra community does this very well.  It has been a tough year and the community have continued to be there and supported us. Our school would not grow and thrive as it has done during 2021, without the support of this community and communities beyond Guyra.

Into 2022 we will continue to create authentic learning experiences, where all students can engage in real life learning, present that learning to an audience using their preferred learning modes and understand how their learning can then transfer and be adjusted to a variety of learning experiences both in the school and beyond the school gate. We will continue to call on our community experts, organisations, University and TAFE colleagues and a range of current and new partnerships to assist us. I would like to take the opportunity today to acknowledge and thank our current partnerships.

I would particularly like to thank and congratulate our hard-working Parents and Citizens Association. We have a small, amazing group of incredibly dedicated parents and citizens working within the team. Thank you to our outgoing President, Sarah Mills, for her great direction and guidance during some challenging times. Thank you to Rebecca Smith who has been caretaker President when Sarah took leave from the position. Thanks must go to Renae Milmoe  and Prue Post for their incredible resilience and dedication towards the preparation of the financial and constitutional matter relating to the handing over of the school canteen to Guyra Central School. These incredible women have been working with the GCS office team, Kerrie McFarlane, Natasha Roberts and Jessica Watters to facilitate the smooth transition. Our incredible canteen team of Sally Geere and Jo Presnell will remain in place with their volunteers. Thank you to Louise Wadley for your dedication to the team. 

The decision to hand over the canteen will free up the P & C to focus on fundraising and holding community engagement events with our community during 2022. I know that a few great events are already being planned. I would ask our families to consider getting involved and come and support the school and your children or grandchildren by joining the P & C. I will personally pay the joining fee for any new members during 2022.

We boast a very knowledgeable and creative team here at GCS. I would like to take this opportunity to thank our Deputy Principal, Mr. Lloyd, our executive, teaching and non-teaching team, including the office and support staff, for going ‘beyond the contract ‘every day.

We wish our Year 12 students all the best as they transition into the next chapter of their lives. Thanks for your contribution to the school, stay safe and true to yourself as you move forward. Please keep in touch and let us know how you are all going.

We do have some staff moving on for 2022. Thank you to Leanne Grant and April Kelson for your great contribution to our school during 2021. We wish you well as you transition into new positions in new locations. To Vicki Layland, we wish you well and are really thankful for your great contribution to our school over these past years. Thankfully Vicki has agreed to continue working at the school  in a casual capacity during Term 1, 2021.

To Emma Vidler and Ainsley Fletcher we wish you well with the impending birth of your babies,  we are looking forward to your return later in 2021.

We welcome a new position to Guyra Central school during 2021. Annette Callister will join our team as the Deputy Principal Instructional Leader Secondary (English), Annette is a very experienced English and Wellbeing Head Teacher. We look forward to her commencing 2021. This position is additional to Tim Lloyd’s Deputy Principal role.

Congratulations also to Jenny Atkin for her permanent appointment to Guyra Central School as (1.00FTE) Assistant Principal Curriculum and Instruction and to Meagan Vidler for permanent appointment as (.2) Assistant Principal Curriculum and Instruction. 

We welcome and congratulate Sjaan Mitchell also into the permanent position Guyra Central School as Assistant Principal K-6. This position was previously held by Jenny Atkin. Sjaan and Bronwyn Paull will now be the two Assistant Principals for K-6.

 Linley Ryan will also continue in the Head Teacher Wellbeing (.5) and Meagan Vidler will continue in the role of AP/HT Year 6-7 Transition (.5)

We will have other staff joining us in the new year and will provide a full dossier of all new staff, including role descriptions and photos so that you can welcome them to our school and to the Guyra community.

Please travel safe during the Christmas break if you are fortunate enough to be getting away. We look forward to perhaps having further easing of COVID restrictions into the New Year. As always, we will communicate these to our families and community members.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all of our families. 

Full descriptions of when school commences and staggered starting times for year groups will appear on or Facebook Page and in the newspaper in the new year.

Thanks you great support during 2021

Michelle Nicholson

Proud Principal