Whilst it certainly feels as though this term, and this year has flown by really, really fast, in many ways it feels as though it has also been really long – this term certainly feels as though it has been the longest we have had in a while. That may we be because this year, we have not had a single period of lockdown or remote learning which has made for a welcome change from the years preceding it.

In addition to no remote learning, we have also been able to return to doing many of the things that we were doing before and, in some cases, even more than we had done before. This year, for example, we were able to run BOTH our swimming and athletic carnivals in the sporting calendar as well as all other sporting events and programs as usual (well pre-COVID usual). We were also able to run camps for ALL cohorts at the college – something that we have not done before (well at least not recently). We also ran our Central Australia tour and a leadership camp in term 4 as well as Sports Academy camp and camps for subjects like Outdoor Ed. In addition to these activities, we held senior school formals, awards evenings and many, many excursions and activities for various groups and subject areas.

Across this year, as individuals and as a college community, we have achieved many things. Whilst today we celebrate those amongst us who have achieved at high levels, it is important to note that every single person here today has achieved something this year. What those individual achievements will be will vary from person to person. For some, it will be that they learned something new, for others that they were able to get out of bed most mornings and make it to school. Some will have formed new friendships and others will have overcome setbacks and made it through difficult times. Whatever you did this year, it is worth taking the time to stop and reflect on all of the things that you have achieved for yourself, your family, your future and your school community.

As a college, we achieved a lot this year. When I stopped to reflect on all that we have done and achieved this year I was actually amazed at the following list that I was able to write.

In 2022, at Heathmont College:

We started off the year with a very special opening of the Indigenous Garden adjacent to our new sports stadium including a smoking ceremony and a welcome to country.
We ran camps for each and every year level across the year
We held our school review with the Department and through this developed a new strategic plan for the next four years to guide ongoing improvement
We introduced a new model for student management with the introduction of the Year level coordinators
We launched a new instructional model for teachers to use in classes
Frances turned 1
We held many House activities and events including the swimming and athletic carnivals, and end of term events like the lip sync battle and dodgeball competitions as well as the school colour run.
We introduced new items like the school hoodie, the new sports shorts and leggings to our school uniform offerings,
We updated our school values and had new artwork around these completed and put up in all classrooms across the school.
We developed, in conjunction with our school community, a brand-new vision statement to set the purpose of the school and guide our future improvement journey into the next four years and beyond,
We organized and ran many, many lunchtime activities and clubs, adding new ideas and programs to the offerings such as Dungeons and Dragons and Drama and Dance clubs. We also had Mr Whippy visit in the summer months – something that we will try to continue into next year as well.
We started up our new Breakfast club program – Nourish - and this has provided sustenance to so many students across each week. We have also provided additional lunch and snack items to students as needed to keep everyone learning on full and happy stomachs.
We achieved success in so many sporting activities it is almost hard to keep up. Some of these have been acknowledged at awards ceremonies and through newsletters and bulletins across the year but I do not remember a year where so many teams or individuals have achieved at EMS or state levels as we have seen this year. I know Mr Wright has been super chuffed with how we have achieved as a school across the year.
We have raised funds in the thousands for charities such as Hoodie up for Autism, Fight MND, Flood relief food drive, the Allanah and Madeleine Foundation, just to name a few. Our students have found ways to give back to our local and national communities in many ways.
We have held performing arts events for the first time since COVID including our school production “Almost Maine”, our arts exhibition this term and our annual music concerts.
We have had subject areas conducting big events that have transformed the school community for a time. The humanities and business studies areas with their market day activities, and the language department with their cultural days where students from our local feeder primary schools came to visit us and see what our students can do.
We also had school debating teams not only get up and compete against other schools but then also go on to win and to win well against long established, experienced schools.
We have had students engage in student leadership programs and initiatives and bring many ideas back to the college to help to improve the way in which the school operates. We are hoping to build on this work in 2023.
On the building front, we have a new roof on the sports centre, the performing arts space is due for completion early in 2023, we have painted numerous areas of the school. We have installed new shade sails, furniture and even solar panels. We have new bike racks that are well used each day and a new car park complete with boom gate. There is more work to be completed in this space over the coming months and into next year. More than enough to keep us very, very busy.

So when you write it all down (and you have to understand that this isn’t even all of it – I could probably have gone on for quite a bit longer) we really have achieved quite a lot this year.

I feel, as leader of the school, that I need to say some very special thank yous as none of what I have just listed could have been achieved without the tireless efforts and support of a lot of people.

Firstly, I have to thank all of the staff. Our teachers and support staff are the reason we can do the things that we do. Their willingness to put in and work for the best interests of their students is something that is very special and is the reason we have been able to offer so much this year. The school leadership team also need recognition here in all that they do to support me as well as the wider teaching staff to get things done and run so many different programs and activities.

Secondly, I have to thank the students who have acted as leaders across the year. Our school captains who have led the school community proudly and effectively as well as those students who have stepped up to lead in ways both small and big. Students are an integral part of the working life of this school and we intend to grow our student involvement across all areas as part of our new strategic plan. I would like to take this opportunity to explicitly thank all students who have taken on a role to lead parts of the school such as the development of the school Gazette (newsletter) and the various community and leadership forums and camps. The future of the Heathmont College student leadership program is something that I see a being a really exciting piece of work for the coming years and I look forward to working directly with students next year to build this to be even bigger and better in 2023.

Lastly, I want to thank and acknowledge all members of our community. A community is more than the sum of all its parts, it is like a living, breathing organism and the more that we work together to make sure that it has what it needs to work at its best, the better our community grows and thrives.

At Heathmont College, we aim to “empower our community to achieve its best and thrive in a changing, future focused world”. This is our vision for the future, it is our vision of what we want to see HC become and be and all of us are needed to bring this vision to life.

Year 10 Camp

See some photos from our amazing Leadership Camp!