As the year comes to an end, it is the time to reflect on the year that was, to celebrate your successes and to learn and reflect.

Our goal for 2022 was to ensure every student was engaged and challenged to continue to learn and ensure every student and every teacher improves every year.

2022 has proved to be a year of many challenges for public education and for Glen Innes High School: we have dealt with the end of pandemic restrictions and the increase in the demands and expectations including the many social demands that schools need to address and the ever-increasing administrative demands placed on schools. This, coupled with a shortage of teachers, has created more complexities and challenges like nothing schools have ever experienced before. How to balance these demands whilst maintaining a clear focus on the intellectual, physical, social, emotional, and general well-being of students is a dilemma and one which lies at the heart and culture of every school.

In 2022, under the Department Of Education's School Success Model, the school has set local measures focused on HSC achievement, attendance, growth in reading and numeracy, wellbeing and pathways for school leavers. This year, despite the challenges and obstacles, I believe we are well on our way to achieving some of our goals.

Students as a whole have come through this year well, adjusting to a new normal and have achieved some pleasing results. We celebrate their achievements. I am looking forward to HSC results in the coming days and I am aware of many students already gaining early entry into universities of their choice, starting a job or having a plan for their future education.

In helping to shape every student’s future this year, I believe that teachers have never been asked to work harder or more creatively than they have this year. Their adaptability and genuine desire to provide what works best for every student they teach, whilst teaching in styles and through different platforms, have been phenomenal. These fantastic teachers have been supported by an amazing group of Education Support Staff who have also had to be incredibly flexible and step outside their comfort zones. I could not be more proud nor more grateful to the wonderfully committed staff of this school.

I would also like to thank the members of the School Executive team for an excellent year and for your support and insight throughout leading the transformation of the culture and education of students at Glen Innes High.

Thank you also to the small committed P&C for their continued support and feedback through meetings each month and their desire to be more inclusive and for your kind donations to our school. I would like to encourage more parents and caregivers to join.

In 2022, the school's physical environment has also had a massive facelift with upgrades to the school grounds. This year has seen new roofs on buildings, new air conditioning placed throughout the school, a new fence that encloses the school, the creation of a Yarning Circle and new lighting currently being installed throughout the school. In 2023, will see further improvements with the shade structure over the Basketball courts being completed. This facility will have sound and lights, which will be a great asset to the school and the wider community. The school sports oval is also getting an upgrade. It will be levelled and resurfaced. We also hope to expand our school gym. Next year will also see improvement in our creative and performing centre: the “Old Hall” will receive a new stage and the development of additional lighting and seating. In 2023, we will also hope to complete the new toilet block for the school. These are all fantastic initiatives and projects supported by the wider community and our students to further enhance the school. We are committed to providing top-class facilities to our students.

This year our Wellbeing Centre continued to provide support to our students in their life and educational journeys. A huge thank you to Coles Glen Innes for the support of our Breakfast and food programs at school. Their support has proven invaluable. The mini school bus continues to assist students' attendance and support families within our community. Special thanks to Mr Duddy and Evelyn for their tireless work and coordination of the Wellbeing Centre.

In 2022 we continued to develop CLaN Families (Connect, Learn and Nurture) which have been operating for two (2) years and have proven to support students. Mr Taylor has worked hard to ensure student well-being needs are being catered for and school and community concerns are addressed and supported during this time.

2022 also saw the Rural Access Gap finally rolled out to the high school - this involved technology being installed in every classroom and next year we will have successfully placed laptops in every student's hand as they have entered Year 7 or joined our school on their educational journey. This is a great scheme that students, teachers and parents agree is essential and makes a huge difference to their educational outcomes allowing all students to access curriculum anywhere at any time.

The year would not be complete without recognising the great work the Glen Innes High PBL team has achieved - through the Positive Behaviour for Learning (PBL) focus. The team has improved ways to successfully acknowledge all students who follow the school's core values. This program is supported by Woolworths and we appreciate their continued support of programs at our school.

These along with many other strategies is what we do each day in our school, day in and day out. They have a positive impact on young people in our care. These positive relationships and interactions that we have with students each day, truly support our students to thrive.

I would encourage all to reflect positively on what you have been able to achieve this year, the connections that you have been able to make and to be grateful for the wonderful school that you have.

I would like to congratulate the following teachers for reaching these amazing milestones. The certificates they received are a way to acknowledge and thank staff for their service to public education and dedication to supporting students in schools where they have previously and currently worked:

Suzy Woods - 20 years of service to public education

Susan Leaman - 30 years of service to public education

Jacqueline Kiehne - 30 years of service to public education

Anne Cormick - 30 years of service to public education

Finally, I would like to make a special acknowledgement to an outstanding and dedicated teacher, Robyn Thomas, who began her Mathematics teaching career as Miss Armstrong in Jan 1986 at Glen Innes High. Since her appointment, she has been involved in sport, taking a special interest in volleyball. Robyn coached the boy's and the girl's teams, always ranking 1st or 2nd in the state. Her passion for volleyball saw her become North West Volleyball coach on numerous occasions and manager of the NSW Volleyball Teams, with many of her players making it to the state teams. She not only was a sensational volleyball coach and official, but she also took on many other roles such as year advisor, and girls advisor and was instrumental in the operation and establishment of the first Breakfast Club in the school. She has been involved in our many welfare programs over the years giving her time to support students in the night library. If this wasn't enough, she is also a brilliant teacher getting the best out of her students with a career highlight of a student achieving 100% in 3 unit mathematics now called extension mathematics not to mention the countless times she had been tapped on the shoulder to relieve as Acting Head Teacher of the Mathematics Department. She is an outstanding teacher and an outstanding individual who will be deeply missed by both staff and students. We wish her well in her retirement. Robyn, thank you and all the best for the future.

I would finally like to wish all staff, students and the community a safe and happy holiday. I look forward to seeing you all next year!

Maths News