New Vertical Home Groups & Attendance

Vertical Home Group 2023

This year the Home Group structure was changed to increase the connectedness of students to their Neighbourhood, House and to each other. Every morning 3-4 students from year 7, 8, 9, 10,11 and 12 meet for ten minutes in their Home Room with a teacher who we hope will be attached to this group for the six years of a child’s education at Greater Shepparton Secondary College.

A Senior student has been buddied with one of the new Year 7s and this has had the positive impact of aiding transition from primary school to the secondary setting. With increased student familiarity comes an associated increase in the sense of safety. Year 11 and 12 students have certainly taken the responsibility on board and it has been lovely to see positive relationships forming. During the ten minute morning sessions, staff welcome students to the setting, mark the roll, read the bulletin and deliver some learning.

Each day of the week is themed: Motivating Monday, Talk About It Tuesday, Wild Heart Wednesday, Think About it Thursday and Feel Good Friday.

This week the Motivating Monday session shared the achievements of last year’s Dux and a video clip on Australia Day Award winners. In Tuesday’s Talk About It session the Year 12 students shared information and opinions about their first day at the Immersion Program. Wild Heart Wednesday is a time for getting-to-know-you games and this one was the, “never have I ever…’ activity. Think About It Thursday involved an informative presentation about Monday’s upcoming National Apology Day.

We finished the week with today’s Feel Good Friday and the student with the highest number of positive chronicles received a round of applause from the group. Staff are enjoying the new look Home Group and we believe the students are too.

Attendance

The Greater Shepparton Secondary College is off to a great start in the 2023 school year! It is wonderful to have all of our students back in the classroom and learning. As we get settled into the school year, we would like to remind you of the importance of good attendance for all students. Every day a student is absent is a lost opportunity for learning. Too many absences not only affect achievement but can also impact friendships and the sense of connectedness and belonging. Research shows that students who consistently miss school are at risk of lower academic achievement, failure and even dropping out of school altogether.

Attendance Matters and Every Day Counts

Most children miss a few days of school each year without long-term consequences. However, when they miss many days, the effects are almost always negative. If you would like to look at some data related to attendance and absences check out your child’s Planner on page 2a. You’ll read that if your child misses one day per fortnight, over one year, that equals four weeks and over their school life it equates to a whole year missed!

What Can Families Do?

Build regular routines for bedtime, sleeping time and in the morning.
Pack school bags the night before.
Talk about the importance of regular attendance and about how your child feels about school.
Don’t permit missing school unless your child is truly sick.
If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to House Leaders, Home Group teachers, Support staff, Wellbeing or other parents for advice on how to make him/her feel comfortable and excited about learning.
Avoid medical appointments when school is in session.
Keep a chart recording your child’s attendance at home. At the end of the week, talk with your child about what you see.
Develop back up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Ask a family member, neighbour or another parent for help.

Attendance Notifications

Automated Attendance Notifications will be sent to parents whose children are marked “Unexplained Absence” or “wandering” on a given school day. The Neighbourhood assistants and trainees also ring home to check on unexplained absences. Remember there is an absence line to ring (58912000) and you can approve an absence using COMPASS. Approving an absence means no SMS or phone call will occur.

Acknowledgement and recognition

Next Friday Home Group teachers will be recognising and applauding those students who have attended school (or had an approved absence) every day this year. Well done to these students and thank you to the families that support them and the GSSC goal to have all students here every school day!

Karen (Daisy) Utber

Dharnya Principal