Principal's Report

Dear Westall SC Community,

We are now well into term 4 with exams, the Headstart Program and end of the school year not too far away. Let’s all make sure we give our personal best over the next 7 weeks to get the best possible outcomes.

We have just completed our 4-year school review and it was very pleasing to see and hear the high regard for our school amongst students, parents, and staff. We have much to be proud of and I will share more outcomes and our plan and targets for the next 4 years over the coming weeks. I would particularly like to thank Johnny, Maggie, and Donna (School Council Parent members) for your support and involvement throughout the review. Our whole staff team will be working together on the 4-year plan on Wednesday 16th November, in readiness for 2023 and beyond.

Please note that we do have a number of student-free days that have not been used earlier in the year and are now all landing in Term 4.

Monday 31 October (Cup Eve), Wednesday 16 November and Friday 25 November are all student-free days, when staff will be working on various tasks to complete programs for 2022 and plan for 2023.

There are a number of staffing updates I would like to share.

Ms Sue Simadri has been appointed to the Assistant Principal position at Frankston HS for 2023 and beyond, after 6-plus years at Westall. Sue has been a huge part of our school and led a range of portfolios during this time. Sue will be sorely missed and irreplaceable in many ways. Sue is currently completing a Principal internship at Balwyn HS but will be back at Westall from Monday 21 November to finish the year here with us. Mr Jason Tickner will be the Acting Assistant Principal until Friday 18 November and Ms Annie Papagiannopoulos will be the Acting Senior School Leader during this time.

Mr Jason Tickner will also be moving to Frankston HS in 2023 after 3 years as our Senior School Leader. Jason’s leadership of our Senior School team across this period, which has included the 2 years of COVID lockdowns, has been exemplary.

Ms Alice Paget will be our Junior School Assistant Principal in 2023 after many years of outstanding leadership as our Junior Sub School Leader. Mr Mark Henderson will be moving across as our Senior School Assistant Principal after many years overseeing the Junior School and leading a range of portfolios across the school. Alice and Mark are outstanding leaders and I am excited to lead the school through the next phase of our journey with them.

Ms Bek Tomkins will be our Junior Sub School leader in 2023, Ms Michelle Collins our Middle Sub School Leader and Ms Annie P our Senior Sub School Leader. Bek, Michelle, and Annie are all outstanding young leaders who will put their stamp on each sub school and I look forward to working with them in 2023 and beyond. Special thanks to Mr Tom Tahos who has brilliantly led our Middle School for the last 7 years.

Ms Sue Parlanti and Ms Loan Luong-Nguyen have been reappointed as Inclusion and Numeracy Learning Specialists in 2023, and Ms Jacqui Binder (from Fountain Gate SC), has been appointed as our new Literacy Learning Specialist. Special thanks to Ms Sam Dewhurst and Ms Amy Kerwick for leading Literacy and Numeracy over our last 4-year Strategic Plan and to Ms Maria Rigopoulos for leading Literacy this year.

Ms Jo Kuzma has now commenced as our new Wellbeing Leader as Ms Kyla Ryan is now on maternity leave.

Certainly, lots of movement and exciting opportunities ahead for new staff in these roles. Classroom teacher jobs for 2023 are currently being advertised and finalized.

Until next time.

Mr Tristan Lanarus

Principal