From the Principals' Desk 

It is always something of a shock to discover that winter has arrived even though the start of the year still feels as if it was not that long ago. Our students and the staff who support them are working hard at the moment, clearing the decks as the end of Semester 1 approaches and preparing themselves for the start of Semester 2. It is a time of consolidation and reflection, of synthesising past learning and identifying new goals for the months to come. Before I talk about some of the specific things that have been happening in the school since our last edition, I would like to commend both students and staff for their hard work and their continued enthusiasm. 

Celebrating Difference

You may have noticed our IDAHOBIT banner on the front page of this newsletter, as it was on the last. This is an image from one of the many days which we dedicate at Nossal to the idea that our world thrives when we move beyond the mere toleration of difference and instead celebrate it. Our community is made safer, happier and more successful when we align ourselves strongly with Howard Gardner's Respectful Mind, "try[ing] to understand other persons on their own terms, mak[ing] an imaginative leap when necessary, seek[ing] to convey [our] trust in them, and try[ing] so far as possible to make common cause with them and to be worthy of their trust." (Five Minds For The Future, Howard Gardner, 2004, p.8). 

The school's celebrations on IDAHOBIT Day, the International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, were a colourful reminder of the same message which we explore on days like Harmony Day: that we are at our most "Nossal" when we delight in the opportunity to increase our understanding of the many different ways of being in the world, and when we react first with compassion and an open mind to every individual we meet. It is an idea that underpins many of our most important programs, and finds regular expression in daily elements of Nossal life such as the diversity of talent and skills which our vast array of student clubs and societies support.

One recent and prominent example of this commitment to developing the Respectful Mind was Languages Diversity Day which was held on Monday 6 June. As usual, our Language Teachers worked together under the calm and confident leadership of Domain Leader Mrs Yvonne Sly to craft an engaging and entertaining program which celebrated the French and Japanese languages and culture in particular, and the richness which exploring a different language offers to all learners, regardless of the language being studied. While some of our students (and staff!) may have been most vocal about their appreciation of the crepes on sale, it was the student led assembly at the end of the program which cemented the central messages of the day.

Joyful Ways of Knowing and Learning

In recent weeks, the school has in fact had a number of very different - but all equally enjoyable - opportunities to explore and express its growing expertise in different forms of knowledge. Our VCE Theatre Studies Students presented their own interpretation of Debra Oswald's play Stories in the Dark. The event was designed and run almost entirely by the students, with the able support of Mr John Ninis, as part of their ongoing assessment for this challenging VCE study. It was a pleasure to be a part of the audience and to experience the enthusiasm of this dedicated group of students.

In an entirely different vein, I was also lucky enough to accompany a group of students to a recent panel discussion about the upcoming referendum on the First Nations Voice to Parliament. This event, like many others on our calendar, was an opt in event and the level of student interest displayed was, as usual, affirming. Our students demonstrated an avid interest in the presentation by a range of academics including Professor Andrew Gunstone (Director of the National Institute for Reconciliation, Truth and Justice), Professor Barry Judd (Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Indigenous) at the University of Melbourne) and Ms Eva Orr (Lecturer, Federation University), and had some well-considered questions for the panel members at the end of the event.  

A third (but by no means final!) example of our students' capable and generous engagement with the school was visible during the PFA's first Trivia Afternoon Tea, which was held on Saturday 20 May in honour of Mother's Day. Our PFA did an amazing job of organising the day (and gathering some excellent prizes from kind donors!), supported by both staff and students. Ms Fiona de Zylva acted as liaison, enabling student MCs Marlon Tauro and Tanish Bedi (and their student support team!) to guide and entertain attendees during the event. They took to the stage with enthusiasm, introducing student representatives from both the K-pop and Bollywood Dance Clubs, and then guiding competitors through a set of questions created by Mr Chris Sacco. It was a very pleasant way to spend a Saturday afternoon, and I was grateful to be able to celebrate with our community in this way. I was also grateful to my team mates, whose trivia knowledge helped us make it into third place! 

News from council and beyond

Our most recent School council meeting was held on Tuesday 23 May. We were pleased to welcome a new representative to the group, Dr Jennifer Mansfield, who will be representing Monash University at future meetings. Dr Mansfield is a science educator and lecturer with the Faculty of Education, and I am confident that the council's discussions will be enriched by her expertise and point of view.

In line with our commitment to contribute to the ongoing development of the broader education system, members of our council will join a small group of students NOT on council in an evaluation which is currently being undertaken of the impact of student membership on school councils generally. As a school which has a higher level of student representation than most, and a longer history of student voice to council than many, we are situated to provide a well-informed point of view on this topic. I would like to thank our School Council President, Dr John Inns, our student council representatives and our non-council student volunteers for their willingness to share their expertise in this space.

One of the pieces of news I brought to Council at the last meeting was an update on application rates for the 2024 year 9 intake. This year is proving to be a record-breaking year, with more than 5000 applicants sitting the test. That test will be held on July 15, with participants attending one of several different venues rather than all travelling to a central place as they have in the past. 

Prior to that, of course, we have our Years 10 & 11 Intake Test. This will be held in the Nossal HS gymnasium on Wednesday 14 June, when around 250 students will attend and seek entry to one of a very small number (at this stage, only one confirmed!) vacancies.

An Administrative Reminder: Students Leaving Campus Early with Parental Consent

From time to time, our students will have reason to leave the school early (e.g. for a medical appointment). It would be appreciated if parents would follow the process below either the day before or first thing in the morning on days when this type of departure is necessary:

• Add an Attendance Note on Compass and, importantly
• Provide a letter or email to the Attendance Officer (absence@nossalhs.vic.edu.au) detailing the time and reason why your child will be leaving school.

Provided you do this, the Attendance Officer and the relevant teachers will be alerted to the fact that the student is leaving early and it will be straightforward for the Attendance Officer to issue the student with an 'Early Leavers Pass' on the day.

Never a dull moment

I chose to talk about three specific events under the heading Joyful Ways of Knowing and Learning earlier in this article, but of course this hardly begins to cover the different aspects of life at the school. As forecast in our last newsletter, the intervening weeks brought with them an outstanding Autumn Concert at which our many talented music students (supported by their Instrumental Music teachers and by Mrs Clare Budd, our Director of Music) put on a spectacular show. It was sadly the last occasion on which Mr Lachlan Wallace was to lead his Percussion Ensemble before he moves on to another position, but the group did him proud on the day. 

Our Year 9s have also been busy with their Morrisby interviews. These interviews are a first opportunity for our students to think about the different career options available to them, and to seek some advice from an external careers counsellor to enhance their understanding of the many pathways open to them. The program is just the start of a sequence of events which will be occurring in the school at the end of Term 2 and early in Term 3 as part of our work to support our students in planning their subject selections and their pathways beyond school.

• Parents of Year 9 students will be able to attend an online Subject Selection Information Session on Thursday 22 June. This will outline the subject selection process and provide an opportunity for parents to ask questions about different options available to their students.
• On Thursday 20 July we will be holding our annual Careers and Pathways Expo. This annual event brings together teaching staff, Nossal alumni and a large number of representatives from different tertiary institutions who are available to answer the questions of both students and parents. 
• On Wednesday 26 July we will devote the day to the Course Confirmation Process. On this day, students in Years 9 & 10 will all have an individual appointment with members of staff to discuss their subject choices and to ensure that their preferences are properly recorded.

It is, as always, a pleasure to reflect on the vitality of life at Nossal High School. We are all aware, I think, of the positive impact which active gratitude has on our own wellbeing, and on the wellbeing of those to whom we express that gratitude. I find myself with an embarrassment of riches when I stop to consider the many things I have to be grateful for as a member of this community; alas, there are not enough hours in the day for me to express that gratitude to each person who lends their passion and their effort to our joint enterprise! Instead, I would like to encourage each member of our community to take a moment between now and the end of the term to act as my proxy and to thank the people embracing the challenge with us. Looking around the school, there is never any doubt that their efforts are bearing fruit. 

Tracey Mackin

Acting Principal