Principal's Report 

Hello Everyone,

Welcome back to Term 3.

It is with sadness that we inform you of the passing of Robyn Crook following a long illness. Robyn started at Wheelers Hill in 2008 and worked predominantly in the Inclusion team at the College. She was a much-respected member of staff. Robyn had requested no funeral, but her family has accepted a tree planting ceremony in her honour at a time to be confirmed.

On the first morning of Term 3, we were able to conduct the first College assembly for 2022. The ability to gather as a whole school was a positive show of school spirit as we have not been afforded the opportunity to address all students in the same place for some time. Furthermore, we were fortunate to have police officers from the Monash Youth Resource program as our guest speakers. Their presentation was a timely reminder to students of the importance to remain vigilant online regarding cyberbullying and the law.    

The start of Semester 2 is traditionally a particularly busy time in the school year. As we settle back into the routines of school and continue to progress with studies, some students will also commence new classes as part of their year level’s elective or subject rotation program. While changes can present challenges for students, they are similarly an opportunity to reflect, identify strengths in Semester 1 achievement and study-related behaviours, and set new goals for the remainder of the year. 

Apart from the day-to-day functioning of the school, staff are planning ahead for the 2023 school year which takes into consideration various factors. These include staffing, curriculum updates and scaffolding the implementation of Department policies, such as the recently ratified Victorian Government School Agreement. 

I would like to acknowledge and congratulate the staff who planned and attended recent events, namely the NT camp and the College production camp. Staff and students’ comments regarding both experiences were extremely positive and have no doubt provided treasured memories. It is important to recognise the hard work and extra time taken by staff to organise these experiences so that students can participate in a wide variety of extra-curricular activities.

Over the holidays, our Maintenance Manager was kept busy ensuring that the College remained compliant in terms of annual and biannual inspections. In addition to this, the College also underwent a scheduled deep clean by our cleaning contractors. All these activities contribute to the broader experience of our students and demonstrate our commitment to providing a safe and well-maintained environment that is conducive to learning.

This term we extend a warm welcome to new staff members of the College. Mr. David Tinkle who commenced on 11th July in a Maths/Science role and Mr. Jordanis Halkdis who has taken up an English position.  Mr. John Mehes commenced this week in a Maths/Science role for Middle School classes and Ms. Krista-Jane Rainsford will commence soon in an English role. Amanda Briginshaw will continue in her Office Administration role in an ongoing capacity. Further to this, we are still navigating some challenging times in relation to staffing. We currently have 3 positions advertised and hope to fill these within the next few weeks. We thank the community for their continued support during this time.

Our Wellbeing Coordinator, Eva Myszka, is moving interstate; we wish her all the best for her future endeavours. Eva has been with the College for the best part of two years. Her highly professional approach in the support of students and helping them reach their outcomes will be a great loss for the school. Eva’s last day will be on August 4th.

In the coming week, School Council will be briefed by the Inner East Area Executive Director, Mark Flack, regarding the process to determine Wheelers Hill Secondary College’s next substantive Principal. Following this, the role will be advertised later this term and the school community informed of a successful candidate. 

We look forward to the eagerly anticipated school production “Chicago”. Our students and staff have worked extremely hard to create this event and we wish them all the very best. If you can, please go along to support this event!

On Monday 18th July, we were advised that the 2022 Victorian Government Schools Agreement has been approved by Fair Work Commission. As appropriate, we will communicate with the community about how this may impact any of our operations/arrangements as we work through the agreement.

A couple of reminders:

• The School Review dates are August 3rd, 9th, 10th, and 15th. This process will involve observations of the College by a school reviewer, inform the College of our progress and facilitate the creation of our next 4-year Strategic Plan.
   
• Parent-Student-Teacher Conferences will be held on Wednesday 17th August. We encourage parents and carers to book interviews with your student’s teachers. The school community will be notified of the date that bookings are open for interviews.

As we continue to work together through this busy time, please check in on each other. Displays of empathy will ensure we further build a supportive culture heading towards the end of the year and, hopefully, towards a time of consistency that is free of further interruptions.

Thank you,

Wheelers Hill Secondary College Principal Team

Fern Brisbane, Judy Anderson, Jeremy Woods