Over the past term, staff have enjoyed hearing from our student body on curriculum and wellbeing matters. In October, four students from Student Council spoke to the Curriculum Committee suggesting ways of enhancing our current curriculum. Ongoing consultation between Learning Area Leaders and Student Council will see some of these suggestions embedded into the 2023 curriculum.

Two Year 11 students were invited to speak at the whole staff meeting on Tuesday 8th November about how the school can further create a community of inclusion for all cultures. The students spoke eloquently about possible ongoing staff training, ideas for the curriculum and having a clear and open dialogue between students and staff when it comes to reporting racism.

In addition, the school is currently re-writing the Child Safety Policy which now includes an Action Plan for Aboriginal Learning, Wellbeing and Safety. This plan aims to outline the measures that are in place in our school community in order to acknowledge and appreciate the strengths of the Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander culture. Student Council will be an integral part of the writing of this Action Plan to ensure we actively encourage and support all of our student’s ability to express their culture and enjoy their cultural rights within the school context.

On 1 July 2022, the new Child Safe Standards were introduced. Consequently, many of our school policies have been recently updated to reflect these changes. I draw your attention particularly to the following policy updates:

Anthony Avotins, Assistant Principal (Positive Climate for Learning):

Our Wellbeing team worked closely with Autism Spectrum Australia to customise a professional learning for all our staff at the last curriculum day of the year. The emphasis was on providing relevant information, perspectives and useful evidence-based strategies when working with students on the Autism Spectrum.

An ASPECT Occupational Therapist and Community Liaison Officer were extremely engaging and provided so many meaningful ways of providing support through reasonable accommodations. Our school places great emphasis on inclusive practices and we are richer for this professional learning experience.

Year 9 Wilderness Week - Our dedicated staff have worked hard to provide memorable wilderness week experiences. We share photos from each of the camps later in the newsletter. The cold wet and snowy December weather challenged the students and staff, and all should be commended for their resilience.

2023 Year 7 Orientation Day - The school was buzzing last Tuesday with excited Year 6 students attending the school for the day, finding their lockers and meeting their teachers and getting to know one another. Welcome the Princes Hill Secondary College community! Special thanks to the 39 current Year 7 students who supported the Grade 6 group to feel at ease.

The completed mural as featured above is the culmination of great work and persistence of our student council. We are also working with the 2022/2023 student leadership group to revamp the school atrium and were successful in our application for a Community Landcare Grant and have started planting native species in the atrium garden beds.

2023 Working bee dates for your Diary