Principal Report

As the nights get darker and the mornings get colder, Term 2 is often seen as the toughest of terms. Term 1 sees the last hurrah of summer, whilst Term 3 and 4 bring us the first flushes of spring and the return of the warm weather. Term 2 stands alone in its walk into winter…

At Woodmans Hill, however, we know what the tough do in such circumstances and our students are as tough as they come! The numbers of VCE students who took advantage of the sessions that we ran over the holidays was really encouraging and suggests that they are more than ready to meet the challenge that lies ahead. Having my eldest child in Year 12 has really hit home how demanding the final year of high school is. As a family, we have had to alter how we operate to ensure we buy as much time as we can for her to focus on her studies- and to keep on helping her ‘focus’ in the face of the inevitable distractions offered by technology! And as a school, we are doing all that we can to support our VCAL & VCE students so that they respond to the feedback given and continue to grow and improve. We have employed two additional tutors to be based within the Senior Centre so that students can access support during their free time. We know the impact of 1:1 feedback and how it can create those ‘lightbulb’ moments for students as they finally ‘get’ something that they have been struggling with. We will continue to focus a great deal of our resources into making sure that our senior students have everything they need to do the best that they can this year because you only get one shot at Year 12!

And as any parent or carer knows, it’s a hard juggling-act to ensure that whilst prioritizing one child the needs of any other family members don’t go ignored. Learning, growth and education is not a final sprint to the finishing line, but a life-long race. The month of May sees NAPLAN for our Year 7 and Year 9 students and this is of equal importance to them as it is a great marker as to how far they have come and how far they need to go to keep in pace with their peers across the state and beyond. Whatever your position on the nature of testing or NAPLAN itself, one of its strengths is that it shows the growth of each student in each of the key English and Maths dimensions. If our students continue to grow and improve, then this means that we are all on the right track. It is key that we ensure that our students are ‘assessment ready’ and know what is expected of them in these tests. Similarly, it is important that our students understand the expectations that we have of them and that they appreciate every students’ right to be able to do their best without distraction.

At Woodmans Hill, we use a wide range of assessments to determine how best to support our students. As parents and carers, your ability to access Compass and see the ongoing progress of your child is such a gift. We know, that when we work in partnership with families, we are able to best meet the needs of students. With this in mind, can I ask that you make appointments for the upcoming Parent-Teacher-Student Conferences that will take place on the 4th May. It is important that your child, where possible, is part of that discussion so that they are clear on what needs to happen next in order to help them improve because that is what matters the most! As an extended family we need to work together to ensure that every child feels that they are a priority. At Woodmans Hill, we have the resources and the willingness to make this work. If there is ever anything that is troubling you, there will always be someone to listen and respond. We are all learning and as sure as the seasons will change, we will continue to get better as a school and as a community by working together.

Principal

Stephan Fields

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

Country Bus Travellers

Reminder to all country bus travellers that you must catch the bus from the school to the interchange.

This is a Department requirement and students are not allowed to walk to the interchange due to Safety Concerns.

Personal Accident Insurance and Ambulance Cover

Parents and Guardians are reminded that the Department does not provide personal accident insurance or ambulance cover for students.

Parents and guardians of students, who do not have student accident insurance/ambulance cover, are responsible for paying the cost of medical treatment for injured students, including the cost of ambulance attendance/transport and any other transport costs. Please note that if First Aid trained staff at Woodmans Hill believe an ambulance to be necessary they will ring for one immediately. Parents and Guardians are not consulted prior to this decision being made.

Student accident insurance/ambulance cover policies are available from some commercial insurers.

Private property brought to school by students, staff or visitors is not insured and the Department does not accept any responsibility for any loss or damage.

CAREERS NEWS

With Carolyn Gregg