Principal's  Report

Teaching and Learning  -  Term 3

The whole school focus for this term will be the planning for 2023.  This starts with students selecting subjects. The Futures Fair last week provided students with opportunities to research their areas of interest before making course selections. Year 11s have completed their course counselling and the Year 10s participated in the process this week. Next week Year 9 students will have one-on-one meetings with teachers to discuss their pathways and then the Year 8 students will be selecting their electives.  The decision to run subjects in 2023 is based on student choice.  

This term we will be relaunching our Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) program through tracking our journey with PLCs since 2017 and resetting the purpose of PLCs in relation to student outcomes. All teachers collaborate in a professional learning community to analyse student achievement data and plan for future learning.

We will continue to map and document our curriculum scope and sequence and write new VCE Vocational Major and Vocational Pathways curriculum. (See more information below)

The Leadership team will be undertaking intensive training in the Berry Street Education Model in August and September and our Curriculum Day on 16th August will have a focus on Staff Psychological Health and Safety.

There are two further Professional Practice Days for teachers, one of which is to be a whole school Professional Practice day marked as a pupil free day. 

The pupil free day will be on Monday 31st October 2022.

One VCE - Many Talents

The VCE is changing in 2023.

Senior secondary education in Victoria is changing

• Victorian Certificate of Education as you know it remains the same
• VCE Vocational Major (VM) is a new program within the VCE – it replaces Intermediate and Senior VCAL 
• Victorian Pathways Certificate (VPC) replaces Foundation VCAL

The VCE Vocational Major and Victorian Pathways Certificate will be implemented next year at Greensborough College. Students currently in the Victorian Certificate of Applied Learning (VCAL) Intermediate will continue with VCAL Senior next year.

Why finish school?

• Completing Year 12 studies sets up you up for lifelong learning 
• It means you will be ready to keep learning as you navigate your career and the opportunities of career changes throughout your life 
• Higher levels of education lead to higher paying jobs
• Higher levels of education lead to better health over a lifetime

Next Steps for Students at Greensborough College

Students in Years 9, 10, 11 and 12 will receive extensive information about pathways, courses and subjects this term. They will also have an opportunity to meet with teachers and pathways practitioners to discuss their programs and select subjects.  Students can nominate for the VCE VM and VPL or they will be invited into the program by the school. Parents will be part of the process as well.

Next Steps for parents and carers

• Have conversations at home to support decision-making​
• Begin to understand the language and structure of the VCE and the VCE VM
• Ask questions at school​
• Encourage your child to attend university and TAFE open days in Year 10, Year 11 and Year 12​

Term 3 - Events for our Students

The Production will be in full swing in Week 7 with performances scheduled for Wednesday Thursday and Friday 24th to 26th August. Tickets are selling fast so please book in now.

Tickets are now available on https://www.trybooking.com/CBCST

The Semester 1 Awards will be held on Friday 19th August. Families will be notified if their child is receiving an award and will be invited to attend the assembly.

New Child Safe Standards

The new Child Safe Standards and associated policies have been completed and have been uploaded to our website. www.greensc.vic.edu.au  Click on the Discover Us tab and then the A-Z Policies link.

The policies have been developed from the Department of Education and Training (DET) templates available in the Policy Advisory Library (PAL), incorporating Greensborough College’s context, practices and procedures. Here is a list of the new policies.

• Child Safety and Wellbeing Policy
• Child Safety Code of Conduct
• Child Safety and Reporting Obligations Policy and Procedures
• Student Wellbeing and Engagement Policy
• Bullying Prevention Policy
• Digital Learning Policy
• Visitors Policy
• Inclusion and Diversity Policy
• Volunteers Policy
• Complaints Policy

Staff Retirement

I would like to acknowledge the service to Greensborough College and the Department of Education and Training (DET) of George Youssef, who retired last week.

George was a Maths and Science teacher at our school for over 16 years.  He had a passion for science having retrained as a teacher after being an engineer for many years.  George was involved in the Model Aeroplane Club for many years, sharing his passion with students and community volunteers alike. 

George has been with the DET for over 20 years and we wish him a very happy retirement as he completes his renovations and embarks on more travel around Australia.

Pauline Barker

Principal