From the Prinicipal

Welcome back

It has been lovely to welcome everyone back to the new school year. As I stated in each of the six year- level assembly addresses, I have been back at work for a while, and the place lacks its usual vibrance without students.

It has been a difficult summer break for much of Australia, and I hope our families have managed to stay safe, and only been indirectly affected. Perhaps the only positive about the fires, is the hope that there can be some improved bipartisan agreement at a Federal level about action on climate change. In the next newsletter, I will outline what we as a school have been doing over the past two years, and into the future to reduce our footprint.

The first two days with only staff were filled with professional learning and collaboration, to ensure a consistent and high-quality preparation for the start of classes.

On Thursday and Friday, we welcomed our new and returning students. The Year 7s did a wonderful job, ably supported by the Year 10 Peer Support Leaders and their teachers, of settling in, getting to know each other, the school and what to expect. The Year 11s and 12s were already acting as role models as the headed off to their first classes in Period 3. I trust that all of them have made the best start to the year by completing their small amount of holiday homework. This work gives their new teacher a good picture of where they are at with their learning so that the teachers can pitch the learning at the right level.

The 8, 9 and 10s had a challenging day to return with the temperature soaring to 43 degrees on Friday, but they too settled in well, with a positive attitude. On Friday afternoon, one staff member told me that his Period 5 Year 8 class were still enthusiastically engaged with the learning.  There was a very positive atmosphere in the yard on Friday, with small groups of students sitting together talking to each other in an animated fashion. It was great that they were so happy to see each other after the holidays.

Overall the feeling in the school was one of enthusiasm and positivity.

During the first two sessions we worked with students to explore our vision of maintaining and growing our culture of positive relationships and communication, and an unerring focus on learning and the progress each child can make to fulfil their potential. We illustrated that this is achieved by ensuring a respectful, calm and orderly, fair and consistent and safe environment where everyone knows the high expectations and boundaries and the support they can seek to assist them to meet them.

Communication Guidelines

Last year we published our guidelines for parent communication with staff at the school, and now that we begin a new year, I thought it timely to remind you of those.  You will find them, and other information about how we communicate at Northcote, further in this newsletter. They are also stored on the Parent Involvement page on myNorthcoteHigh https://schoolbox.nhs.vic.edu.au/homepage/9065.

These guidelines were developed with the aim of articulating the most effective means of communication with the school, taking in to account the parameters of teacher work.

Whole School Assembly

As I write this I am eagerly anticipating and planning our first whole school assembly in decades. Given our ever-increasing size, and the shortage of large spaces, it is practically an impossibility to have a whole school assembly, where the approximately 2000 members of our community can be together and share some of the important symbolic and cultural messages as one.

We are endeavouring to change that. On Thursday in Period 3 we will come together on Merri Park.

Students have been asked to bring a towel to sit on, a hat and sunscreen. They will meet in Daily Connect first, to prepare to go out onto the park. They may also bring a cushion to sit on.

Please make sure your child is equipped.

Hon. John Cain Memorial Service

On Monday 3 February, the four School Captains, former Principal Gary Israel, and I attended the memorial service for the Honourable John Cain, former Premier of Victoria and Northcote High Alumnus.

It was a moving service, dedicated to a man with a keen sense of social justice and a capacity for hard work and an ability to act. We heard about some of the many reforms he made as leader of our state. He was integral in bringing issues of gender equality to the fore, he was responsible for leading tobacco reform, raising the awareness of the damaging effects of the sun, introducing the Department of Public Prosecutions, and the Transport Accident Commission, he also fought for the development of Melbourne Park, a world-class tennis venue, so that Australia could keep one of the four Grand Slam Championships. This list, of course, does not represent all that he achieved as a leader of the state.

At a local level, his government allocated funds for the school to build the original A Block on the corner of Eunson Ave and St Georges Road. According to our former Principal, the builders on that project went broke and did not pay their workers, and the union put a ban on the worksite. John Cain intervened to ensure the building went ahead.

What was obvious to me as I sat and heard more about the rich tapestry of John’s life – both is personal and working life, is that he lived the Northcote High School values of humanity, curiosity, fairness and achievement, and he certainly followed the better path.

On Thursday at our Whole School Assembly, I will pay tribute to John, ensuring our students know that many of our Alumni have gone on to wonderful things, and they too can do so.