Principal's Report

Welcome to 2019!

We've had a great start to the year at Lowanna College, and it's pleasing to be able to bring you our first newsletter of the year. Over the past few weeks we've been undertaking a review of our college communications, and this is the first of several improvements which we hope will enhance the way you receive important information and updates. This newsletter should format seamlessly to smartphones, tablets or desktop screens. For those without access to the internet, printed copies are available via our administration and mini-school offices. 

For me, the first six weeks of the year have been a wonderful opportunity to become familiar with our college - I've spoken with many students, visited dozens of classes, met with parents and key stakeholder groups, and undertaken strategic work with our college leadership team. There's much to be proud of at Lowanna, and equally much opportunity for us to continue to push forward as a leader in education in Gippsland. 

It's students and learning that are the highlight of any school, and it was great to meet many of our Year 7s on the recent camp to Phillip Island. You'll be able to read more about this and many other events in the various pages in this newsletter. In each newsletter, we will provide you with information from each of our mini-schools, as well as our Assistant Principals, Wellbeing Team, Careers, and other specific areas of the college. We hope this format allows you to easily navigate to the information that is most relevant to you. 

Our Vision

There were two key factors that drew me to Lowanna College when the leadership opportunity arose; the feeling or 'climate' of the school when I visited for a tour, and the college vision. 

The college vision is underpinned by high expectation and a belief that all students can succeed - two things that are at the core of my own approach to leadership and school improvement. 

Education is more than just reading and writing, or maths and science. It's a complex array of social, emotional and academic learning, and through careful consideration of all areas of a child or young person's development, we can support them to become confident, successful adults who are able to pursue their passions and contribute positively to the world around them. 

We also know the world is evolving rapidly; entire industries are being transformed. As time goes on it becomes less important for our students to be able to recall facts or discrete pieces of information, but fundamental to have skills such as problem-solving, communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. I would argue the most fundamental skill of all is the ability to learn - something we will be talking about with our students as we go forward. 

Our Focus for 2019

Together, the college leadership team have clarified our improvement foci for 2019 and set ourselves ambitious targets for improvement. Knowing that the quality of teaching has the biggest impact on student learning, we are working closely with our teachers to draw on best-practice evidence, and supporting teachers to be able to evaluate their impact on student learning as they go. We've expanded our 'coaching' program for teachers, and continue to evolve our meeting practices so teachers can collaborate in the most meaningful way, on work that relates directly to their classes and students. 

On the back of some positive VCE results last year, we will continue to build the expectation and support for students in these two crucial years of their education. Our Year 12s now have a dedicated study centre, and we're providing supervision for every session so that students have both the expectation to study, and support to succeed. We've also created a team to specifically review and reinvigorate our VCAL program, with clear expectations, strong careers support, and an increased link with industry and pathways. 

Finally, we have a strong focus on building the 'climate' of the school - something I must say I have been impressed with already. This area includes basic school fundamentals like uniform and attendance, as well as more dynamic opportunities such as student voice and leadership across the college. It was great to meet with our newly formed Student Representative Council (SRC) last week - they have a wealth of ideas and suggestions on how we can work together to drive our school forward. 

Key Leaders

In case you're not aware, the following staff have been appointed as leaders for 2019. I'm confident they will be able to assist you with any inquiries relevant to their areas of responsibility: 

Assistant Principals

Mr. Joel Blytham - Teacher Collaboration & VCE

Mr. Trevor Cox - Positive Climate

Ms. Emma Arthur - Teacher Practice

Mr. Michael Lakeman - Literacy & Attendance

Mini-School Leaders

Mr. Mike Santo - Junior School

Mr. Darren Mitchell - Middle School

Mr. Justin Rea - Senior School

Specialist Areas

Mrs. Angela Skinner - Business Manager

Mr. Matt Robinson - ICT and Operations

Ms. Donna Perkins - Wellbeing Leader & Buses

Looking Forward...

I look forward to an exciting year ahead and thank the staff, students, and community for the warm welcome.  If I can be of assistance at any time, please contact the college to arrange an appointment or a follow-up phone call. 

Regards, 

Adam Hogan

Principal