Mirboo North Secondary College Newsletter

Principal's Update

Great start to Term 3

Students have made a great start to this term. Everyone has reported the smoothest beginning to a term this year. Post COVID, we had noted a deterioration in student behaviour (seen in all schools in Victoria). As a school, it is vital we have high expectations in everything we do – teaching, learning, respect, trust and pride. Some students and families have found it challenging as we strive towards high expectations, it is challenging for us too coming out of a long period of instability. Many years ago, I was involved in the Beacon Project (a careers program which started in Tasmania). They used the mantra, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Well, we have the perfect village in which to raise children, however, we must also hold ourselves as adults to the highest standards of respect, trust and pride. One way we can do this effectively is by working in partnership (the school and families) and not at odds with each other. Teenagers are quick to spot inconsistencies and will often use these inconsistencies to play parents off against each other, and sometimes the school against their parents. For any large organisation to function well, there must be expectations around behaviour, these expectations ensure the rights of the many over individual preferences. We must all compromise at times for the greater good. The greater good being our school functioning as a safe and orderly learning environment.

 

Staffing update

As parents may be aware, there is a teacher shortage across much of Australia. The good news for us is that a number of staff who are on leave this year are planning to return in 2024. The staffing shortage continues to impact on us though this year with one English position remaining unfilled. We have made arrangements with an agency to employ Ms Toth again once she returns from overseas.  We have been exceptionally lucky to pick up a Learning Specialist teacher from University High. Mr Thomas Varns started with us this week. Mr Varns is an experienced and talented Humanities teacher. Unfortunately, another staff member has taken a position closer to home, Ms Acacia Novak will be finishing this week. I would also like to welcome Ms Melissa Neill who is now a substantive Assistant Principal with us as MNSC. Ms Neill’s appointment provides us with further stability in our leadership team moving forward.

 

Works around the school

We are getting some traction and momentum with our works program and the new shade sail has been a fantastic addition. We have successfully employed an extra person two days a week to maintain our buildings and grounds. They will begin by cleaning our pathways, removing the lichen build up on the buildings and disposing of old furniture. We have also installed a new 15KW solar panel system on the Avenue building roof. 

 

Instructional Model

Our instructional model is now ready to go, and staff have begun using this. An Instructional Model is a ‘formula’ if you like for the parts of a great lesson. Students and teachers should actively plan for and participate in each part of the lesson. The point to having an IM is so that there is consistency of practice/expectation for both staff and students. Our IM is:

1 Engage

  1. Readiness to learn & Tune in 
  2. Learning Intentions 
  3. Success Criteria 
  4. Hook Activity 

2 Teach

  1. Explicit Teaching  
  2. Questioning 
  3. Worked examples 

3 Learn

  1. Apply 
  2. Individual Work 
  3. Collaboration 

 4 Review 

  1. Check for understanding 
  2. Student Reflection
  3. Summarise 

This term we are focusing on developing our skills and a bank of strategies in the Engage phase. We have surveyed students and are looking to resurvey them at the end of the term to gauge any differences in their perception of the teaching at the start of the class.

 

X-SEL program

A recommendation from our School Review in Term 1 was that the school develop and implement a Social Emotional Learning Program beginning in 2024. Planning for this is well underway. X-SEL stands for Social Emotional Learning (program), and we added the X, as in excelling! The purpose of the program is to teach students how to develop their own social and emotional wellbeing, in other words, how to excel in life! The research tells us that explicit teaching of skills like kindness, respect, resilience, self-management, coping skills, and addressing common life challenges like anxiety, depression, and supporting our mates in times of challenge, improve life outcomes for everyone.

The program will be delivered to a class by the same teacher each week at a period a week. The program will be broken into topics and will use lessons developed by a range of organisations; a few examples are below.

The Resilience Project                                               https://theresilienceproject.com.au/

R U Okay?                                                                       https://www.ruok.org.au/

Careers lessons (Department of Education)       Career Education Year 7-9

Other resources will be included as year levels respond to the particular needs of the students.

 

Senior Info Night

Lastly this was incredibly well attended which was fantastic. Given the changes to senior pathways, the school leaving age over time, and the new requirements around literacy and numeracy standards, it was great to be able to share these things with our community. Thank you also to the students, and especially the parents who have been able to make the course counselling sessions. It is exciting to see students beginning the next phase of their learning in preparation for their future career/s.

 

 

Vaya Dauphin

College Principal