Need to know

Key Term 3 dates

Thursday 28th July:    Year 7-10 Literacy and Numeracy interviews

                                          Year 11 & 12 - Periods 1-3 - program.  VET runs as normal.

Wednesday 17th August:  Council/DET approved pupil free day.  The staff will be taking feedback from students in a Teach the Teacher session, working further on Positive Psychology with Maria Ruberto,  participating in a session on their Legal Liability and Duty of Care and a briefing regarding the new Senior Secondary Certificate. 

Thursday 1st September:   DET approved pupil free day.  DET have asked that all teachers take their professional practice day on the same common day due to the difficulties finding replacement teachers at the moment.  

Wednesday 7th September: General Achievement Test for all students enrolled in a Unit 3/4 VCE subject.   Years 7-10 will have a normal school day.   Year 11 students NOT taking a Unit 3/4 subject will have a study day at home.  This is because we don't have sufficient classrooms to run a normal Year 11 program as well as the GAT under exam conditions.  

Changes to the school day for 2023

Some of you may be aware of the new teacher industrial agreement, much of which will take effect from the 25th of July.   Some elements, such as a reduction in face to face teaching hours, come into play from next year.  This is a welcomed and overdue reform, but this reduction has the potential to impact our resourcing if we don't change the structure of our day.  

Teachers currently have a maximum of 20 hours face to face teaching per week.   75 minute periods fit nicely into this:   20  hours = 16 x 75 minute periods.  

However 19 hours (2023) and 18.5 hours (2024) do not.  

Next year, if we were to stay with 75 minute periods, every teacher across the school would be 0.2 of a period under allotted per week.  The following year would result in 0.8 of a 75 minute period under allotted  per teacher per week.   That means, 0.8 of a period that the teacher is paid to teach, but where they cannot be used to teach.  

Next year, that will cost an additional $60,000 and the following year approximately $350,000.  

That is funding that should be used for student programs, resources and facilities that would be wasted money.  

Therefore, as most schools are doing, we are looking at changing to 5 x 60 minute periods per day.

This will not impact on the minutes per day of teaching and learning (300).

It will not impact on the length of the school day except perhaps by 5 minutes if we need to insert another break between two adjacent periods.

One of the benefits is that students will see their teachers more often, which will reduce the amount of time lost if a student is absent, or due to a public holiday.  The "lost" time will be spread more evenly.  

I have sent students a link to a survey where they can contribute their thoughts as to where breaks should occur, how often they believe they should have STRIVE, and other variables.  Please encourage your child to do the survey (it is in the KT and me Teams channel that all students are members of).

If you have any questions, please send to AskLeadership@sthelena.vic.edu.au

New puffer jacket coming

In response to student requests for a warm outdoor jacket that they are able to wear in the college grounds, I have sourced a puffer jacket that will be branded with the St Helena logo.  I have shown the jacket to about 150 students who are quite enthusiastic about it.

Some have asked why they can't just wear a plain puffer jacket.  Basically, uniform is uniform.  St Helena is a uniform school.  Our new uniform is very flexible and gives students lots of options.  All the reasons why we have a uniform apply to why we will have a branded puffer jacket.  

The Department of Education website clearly states the purpose of school uniform:

These purposes include:

• promoting:
  • a sense of identity and pride
  • cohesion and good order in the school
• allowing all students to feel equal
• preventing bullying and competition on the basis of clothing
• ensuring students’ appearance reflects the expectations of their school community
• enhancing the profile and identity of the school and its students within the wider community
• strengthening the spirit of community within the school
• enhancing individual student safety and group security
• ensuring all students are dressed safely and appropriately for school activities
• preparing students for the expectations of workplaces

The new jacket is optional.  It is windproof and showerproof, and has a quilted lining and internal and external pockets.  It does not have a hood.  We do not have uniform items with  hoods due to security issues.  

The jacket will retail for approximately $75.00 and will be available through Bob Stewart's Uniform Supplies.  I will notify you when they are in stock. 

Teacher changes 

Unfortunately we continue to experience teacher shortages.  We have a couple of positions we have been unable to fill so far, and thus some teachers have had to be moved around in order to cover classes.  Thank you for your patience as we work through our work force challenges.

I would like to officially farewell Ms Tanith Davidson and Ms Maya Mulhall who finish with us today after a long period of teaching at St Helena.   

Ms Davidson has been a much loved senior Literature and English teacher, well known for her devotion to her students and her quirky dress style.   Ms Davidson has been travelling a long distance to and from St Helena and finds it quite difficult now she has a toddler to consider.  She has found a position close to home and leaves us reluctantly.  There were quite a few tears on her last day today!  All the best to Tanith.

Ms Mulhall is our Literacy Specialist and has been instrumental in improving the way all teachers teach for improved student literacy.   Maya has brought a wealth of knowledge and educational research to her role, while also inspiring and encouraging the students in her classes.   Maya has travelled two hours each way on public transport to get to St Helena, and is also finding this difficult with the demands of a young family.   She too has found a position much closer to home.   Thank you Maya, for all  you have contributed to our College.  

We will miss you both and wish you well. Once a part of St Helena, always a part of St Helena.