Out of the Box

Principal's Report

Kellie Ind
Kellie Ind

We have experienced some lovely autumn weather through Term 2 however it feels like winter has arrived! This has also been the first Term 2 in three years that we have all been onsite teaching and learning and despite the challenges outlined below, we are very glad to be back face-to-face connecting with our staff and students.

 

This term we have been able to run a large number of events in the school and it has been a joy to see students positively engaging with these co-curricular activities and a return to some normality in the school year.  School events in term 2 included:

  • The Open Night
  • Interschool sport competitions (basketball, table tennis, soccer, badminton, AFL, netball, 
  • The wonderful school production – Spamelot!
  • Year 11 market day
  • Year 7 and Year 9 NAPLAN online
  • The Resilience Project – teacher wellbeing workshop
  • Year level assemblies with their focus on each year level’s Positive Education theme
  • Year 9 Morrisby Career Profiling
  • Division cross-country
  • Multiple school excursions and incursions across multiple subjects
  • Teacher versus student basketball competition
  • The Year 8 Camp at 'The Summit' in Trafalgar
  • RAISE program 
  • PAWs dog therapy program
  • The Year 12 Formal
  • Year 10 Elevate study skills workshops; Year 10 Mental Health First Aid
  • Reshape our Future – Youth Forum for Year 7 and Year 8 class captains
  • House Athletics Carnival (congratulations to Chang the winning House!)
  • Junior and Senior Winter Concerts
  • Vocational Major information sessions for year 10 students and parents
  • The Students Attitudes to School Survey (ATOSS)

This is an impressive list of events on top of an orderly and calm return to classroom learning this term, especially considering the challenges faced by the school this term due to the large number of student and staff absences relating to COVID and other illness including the flu. During Term 2, over 350 students and 60 staff reported a positive COVID19 result. This has had an impact on the continuity of the teaching and learning program at the school, including student engagement.

 

The school has also experienced difficulties replacing staff who have retired or taken leave this year, and there have been few applicants for most advertised positions this semester.  This shortage of teachers is being experienced across the system this year, and the Department is working on addressing this situation (as you may have seen in the media). 

 

I am proud of the school’s perseverance and resilience during this time and hope that Term 3 will allow us to continue our focus on supporting students in their learning and engagement with school. We will be looking closely at student attendance rates and supporting students who may require extra support. There will also be a concentrated effort to support our year 12 students as they complete their final studies.

 

 

 

 

Summary of 2021 NAPLAN and Student Survey Data

School building projects update

The toilet block upgrade is continuing in Term 3 and progress has been a little slower than expected due to delays in the supply chain of materials and fittings (such as the pans and tap fittings). Another source of difficulty is the age of the school, the condition of the solid brick walls and the ageing toilet sewerage system that has required some reworking. This project is managed by the Victorian School Building Authority (VSBA) and their appointed architect, and we are still on track to complete the upgrade this year. Students and staff have been patient with the inconvenience but we are all looking forward to the completion of this project.

 

The new shade sail will be installed by the end of June, creating a sheltered area over the canteen outdoor table and seating area from next term.

 

We have also nearly completed the classroom upgrades across the school, with the remaining rooms being recarpeted and repainted this semester.  Other smaller Semester Two school improvement projects include additional outdoor seating for students around the school and improving the rubbish bins across the school. The school maintenance plan is also up to date for the year.

 

We have also been successful in obtaining another DET Minor Works Funding Grant of $115,000 (approx.) to upgrade the gym disabled and multi-use toilet, including shower.  The school will appoint an architect a builder in Term 3 to complete this project.

 

Framework for Improving Student Framework (FISO) 2.0

In 2022, the Victorian Government introduced the new framework for teaching and learning in Victorian government schools. The FISO 2.0 has been redesigned to place learning and wellbeing at the centre of school improvement and is a direct response to the findings of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System and advice from the profession.

 

The FISO 2.0 is a school improvement framework and is used to evaluate the performance of school’s and as basis for school improvement goals (eg. for the Annual Implementation Plan and the four-year School Strategic Plan).

 

The framework consists of 5 core elements that together realise the goals of excellence and equity through developing the learning and wellbeing of every Victorian student. 

 

When integrated, these elements build a positive environment through strong relationships that enables all students to become:

  • happy, healthy, and resilient
  • successful lifelong learners
  • active, informed members of just and sustainable communities

Schools are required to assess their teaching and learning progress on a continuum from emerging to excelling to ascertain where they are currently at and what best practice looks like in order to set improvement goals. The School Improvement Team (consisting of the Principal Team, the Leading Teachers and the Learning Specialists) spent a day this term assessing the school’s practice against the new FISO 2.0 supported by evidence.  There has also been time this term to reflect on the student feedback about the school from the student focus groups ran earlier this semester. School staff and parents also had the opportunity to provide feedback about the school this semester as part of the school self-assessment. There has been a lot of positive ideas came out of the team’s discussions on the day and the wider school community feedback that will contribute to the school’s future goals for improvement.

 

The importance of student mental health

It is very pleasing to see a renewed focus on student mental health in the new Framework for Improving Student Outcomes (FISO 2.0). Safe inclusive schools are essential for the healthy development of our young people. Young people experience many challenges and it is important for schools and families to work together to help them develop strategies to cope and to thrive. Mentally healthy students are more likely to go to school ready to learn, actively engage in school activities, have supportive and caring connections with adults and young people, use appropriate problem-solving skills, have nonaggressive behaviours, and add to positive school culture.

 

One of our school goals this year has been focused on reconnecting students to school and strengthening positive relationships. Many schools are experiencing challenges with student behaviour towards each other this year, and our coordinators have been working with class captains and other school leaders to tackle ‘bystander effect’ that can occur when racist, sexist, homophobic or other bullying behaviours happen in and out of school. Teaching kindness and compassion for others is essential for developing those skills much needed in our wider community. Please encourage your child to report any antisocial behaviours to their coordinator or teacher, or make contact with the school if your child is unwilling to come forward. These behaviours might not be widespread in the school community but they do impact significantly on those students who are targeted. The school does not tolerate bullying in any form.

 

Connected Parenting Evening

As part of our partnership with The Resilience Project, there will be a 90-minute parent presentation by Lael Stone in the school hall on Monday 18th July from 6:30pm. More information for parents will be posted on Compass. This event is recommended for all parents and carers, and those who came last year will attest to her engaging and useful strategies to raise mentally healthy teens and building better relationships with our children.

 

I have also included the student wellbeing report that DET conducted last year that shows how we compare to some other schools on specific Attitudes to School Student Survey factors that related to student wellbeing. 

 

Thank-you to the staff who are leaving at the end of Semester 1:

Martin Ditchburn – retiring after 32 years at Box Hill High School. Thank you Martin for being such a passionate and creative teacher of Humanities and English and caring so much about our students.

 

Lin Foo – leaving after 15 years at Box Hill High School. Thank you Lin for all your passionate teaching of Food Technology and we wish you the best with your future plans.

 

Other teachers leaving the school due to moving interstate, end of contract, other opportunities:

  • Jacqueline Wong (Music Teacher)
  • Rachel Grawich (HPE)
  • Leonie Blackwell (EAL/Eng)
  • Freda Sibonis (FDT)
  • Theresa Jarvis (Business Manager)
  • Vicki Strover (Library)

Losh Pillay will be returning to the school in Semester 2 following her role with DET so we welcome her back. It has been an honour to have the opportunity as Acting Principal in Term 1 and 2 this year, and I also thank Shareen Bottrell, Erica Sporri and Felicity Shiel-Jones for all their hard work and leadership as Acting Assistant Principals during this time as well.

 

Wishing our school community a lovely safe school holidays!

 

Kellie Ind

Acting Principal