From the Principal Team
2020 Course Selection Process
A reminder that course counselling will be occurring for students who are currently in Year 10 on Tuesday August 13th in the Senior Study Centre. Year 10 students will not be expected to attend school on this day, expect for their course counselling session. Information on how to book your course counselling session was posted home last week. If you are having trouble making your booking or did not receive your letter, please contact the office staff on 58214322 and they will assist you in making a booking that is convenient to you.
An information session will also be held for current Year 11 students on Monday 19th August during periods 3 and 4, where students will revisit the requirements of successfully gaining a VCE or VCAL certificate, learn about programs available to support them in their learning in Year 12 and explore what they should consider doing in the next 14 months to make them ready to transition into employment or tertiary studies when they graduate. Students will also have the opportunity to enter their subject preferences for next year. If students or parents would like one-on-one pathways advice before making subject selections, please contact Mary-ann Linehan, Amy Gallacher or Leigh McIntyre to arrange a meeting.
The curriculum offerings for our current Year 9 students are being finalised by the Greater Shepparton College Teaching and Learning leaders. Information sessions and subject selection sessions will be occurring later in Term 3 for these students.
TRANSITION TO GREATER SHEPPARTON COLLEGE (interim name)
A transition program has commenced for all students who are moving to a new campus of Greater Shepparton College (interim name) in 2020. The aim of the initial campus visits is to allow students to familiarise themselves with the new environment and to start meeting some of their future classmates. Future visits will also allow students to meet staff who will be teaching them and experience learning within their new environments.
XUNO LEARNING PORTAL
Trouble logging in?
If you have lost your Parent Portal password or have trouble logging in, please either contact the school office on 5821 4322 or email the school at shepparton.hs@edumail.vic.gov.au. A new password will be emailed home to your address.
WORK EXPERIENCE WEEK
The last week of term three has been set aside for work experience for Year 10. All students must undertake a work placement during the week September 16th-20th. Parents are asked to follow this up with their son/daughter to ensure they are making the necessary arrangements. Some students have already organised their placement for the week with the assistance of their parents or Mary-Ann Linehan.
Any student who is struggling to find a work placement should be discussing a possible placement with their Industry and Enterprise teacher or Mary-Ann as soon as possible. The placement can be anywhere in Victoria as long as the correct forms are completed and signed. Year 10 classes will still be scheduled for students that have completed their work experience or for students unable to organise a placement during this scheduled week.
ATTENDANCE: IT’S NOT OK TO BE AWAY - PARENT CONDONED ABSENCES
A considerable number of students across Australia have their educational progress adversely affected by parent - condoned absences. These absences are more often than not, unnecessary and for reasons fairly low on the ‘important to my future’ scale. Once it was the case, that students only missed school when they were genuinely ill, but now that has changed. Students are being allowed to stay away from school for an ever increasing number of excuses including:
• a day off for their birthday
• a day or days off because relatives are visiting
• a day off to be with parents at home
• a day off to look after younger brothers and sisters, or
• a day off to go shopping.
Every day a student is away, they are losing a learning experience. Over time, their knowledge base will be full of holes. Learning is sequential and attending three out of four lessons leaves gaping holes. To reach their potential at school, students need to attend regularly.
A few days off per year due to genuine illness may be necessary. However, a sobering fact is that in Australia today, the average student will lose one year of education (200 days) through parent condoned absences over their school career from Prep to Year 12. How could any student be expected to keep up with work in such circumstances? As parents, you have a critical role to play in protecting your own child’s future.
Absences can be minimised by arranging dental and doctor’s appointments after school or during the holidays – book ahead for school holidays later in the year. Please contact the school if your child will be missing school due to a family holiday/overseas travel so work can be prepared for your son/daughter during the absence. A form is available from the General Office to be filled in by the parent to support this process.
Shopping, helping at home, and visiting relatives may all seem important at the time – but not as important as a person’s future.
Parents and the school need to work together to help students to understand the importance of being at school whenever possible and that trivial reasons for absence are not sufficient to discharge a parents’ legal responsibilities.
Schools and parents have a legal responsibility to account for the whereabouts of young people daily (and in the evenings as well). After love and care the most important thing that we as parents can give our children is an education.
We all can work together to make a difference to your child’s future.
Be on time, be at school, that’s the rule!
Morning Tea with School Leadership
The Shepparton Education Plan is providing a significant, transformational change to the way our students will continue their school journey. Students will be empowered to learn and achieve, experience high quality teaching practices and the best conditions for education.
The Senior Leadership Teams at Shepparton High School is inviting parents and carers to join us over morning tea to answer your questions about the Shepparton Education Plan and the new Greater Shepparton College (interim name).
A series of morning tea sessions will be held every Friday from 16th August until the end of Term 3. The number of places for each session will be limited and bookings are essential for catering purposes. For more information contact our office on 5821 4322.
PARENT OPINION SURVEY
Reminder to those parents who received information on the Parent Opinion Survey the completion date has been extended to Sunday 18th August.
BUS TRAVEL 2020
Information and forms have been posted home to all students in years 7-11 regarding bus travel intentions in 2020 .
All students/ families who think they may require bus travel in 2020, including those currently using a service or those who do not access bus services in 2019 but may need to do so in 2020 due to change of circumstances or change of campus, are requested to complete and return the form to the main office of the school asap. The form will also be published on the school website.
PLEASE NOTE: The information for each student needs to be recorded on a SEPARATE form, i.e if you have two or more students you will need to complete the same number of forms. Contact the school office asap if you do not receive a form.
LOCAL EXCURSION CONSENT FORMS
In preparation for the 2020 school year our students will be participating in transition days during Semester 2. Thank you to parents and students who have returned their Excursion Consent Forms to date. We have a number of students who have not returned their form in years 9 - 12 please complete and return to the school office by Wednesday 14th August.
DATES TO REMEMBER
Dates are correct at time of publishing but may be subject to change
Transition Yr 10 students to WPSC Thursday 15th August
Athletics Day Friday 16th August
Morning Tea with School Leadership Friday 16th August
Parent Opinion Survey extended to Sunday 18th August
Transition Yr 11 students to WPSC Tuesday 20th August
Morning Tea with School Leadership Friday 23rd August
BEFORE & AFTER SCHOOL
The school provides staff supervision for students arriving before school between 8.35am and 9.00am.
After school supervision is provided between 3.16pm and 3.58pm.
