From the Principal

Dear Friends,

As the saying goes, ‘time flies when you are having fun’. We at Oxley must be ‘over the moon’ with exuberance and merriment, with all that has been packed into this term and the question of ‘Where has the time gone?’ However, may I alert our community to these important announcements and matters for attention.

The College is seeking parent feedback via a very brief survey posted this week. Normally we survey our community on a biennial basis, but we would appreciate your considered response to this short instrument posted for two weeks at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/occparentsurvey2022

There are many shared zones of movement between vehicles and pedestrians on the Oxley site. We continue to urge all commuters towards exercising extreme caution and patience on the property, and to look out for each other’s safety. It is crucial to obey all traffic signs, speed limits and road arrows indicating direction of movement, even in those times of hurry and lateness. We have an excellent safety record that with your help, we intend to keep intact, especially during this time of major building works on the property. 

Although our community has been tested with viruses of all kinds and we have had times of significant staff shortages, Oxley has been relatively blessed in comparison to other schools. We have not had the extreme difficulties of ongoing disruption through Covid or Influenza. I thank our community for their caution by keeping students home if they are ill and students wearing masks indoors where they are comfortable to do that. At this time of the year our ongoing staffing needs are also becoming known and, among other places, these are advertised on our website. If you know of people who would like to work with such a great employer of choice as Oxley, please point them to these opportunities that will be advertised over the coming weeks.

As you know, we announced last term the resignation of our much-loved Deputy Principal, Mr Greg Barker. I know he will be greatly missed, but that he is also looking forward to some well-earned leave before making decisions about another season of service to others in education or elsewhere. 

Meanwhile, we are delighted to announce the appointment of Mr James Avram to the Deputy Principal – Head of Senior School role. We are thankful for God’s grace and provision in this matter and that Mr Avram can begin a transition to Oxley during Term 4. I warmly welcome him to our community and know you will do the same. Mr Avram has supplied the following introduction of himself to our College community. 

It is an absolute pleasure to introduce myself to the Oxley Christian College community. I see myself as a highly energised person who is always open to new opportunities and challenges. I have over 16 years of education leadership experience across a range of educational settings and contexts that include pastoral, academic, administrative, and professional development appointments.

First and foremost, I am the proud father of a flaxen-haired four-year-old typhoon named Samuel who leaves food crumbs, sticky handprints, giggles, and destruction in his wake. I find myself to be in constant admiration of my wife, Sarah, who delights in his mischief and manages to keep him happy, occupied and in check (most of the time). She can do all of this whilst maintaining a willing smile, a cheerful disposition – and still somehow finding time to run a successful business.

I am passionate about fostering an educational environment that carries student wellbeing and a positive student learning experience at its heart. I believe that a Christian school such as Oxley is perfectly poised to raise students up to a place of spiritual wisdom whereby, they are able to grow and develop into intellectually and spiritually resourced individuals who seek out God’s purpose in their lives. My personal educational philosophy is underpinned by the understanding that all students deserve learning that is characterised by rich and demanding work, that an invested student is an engaged student, and that learning is achieved through difficult, different, and rewarding work in a safe and nurturing environment.

An English, Commerce, and ICT teacher by trade, I have worked to maintain a foothold in the classroom throughout my career, sharing my love of literature, business, law, and technology with each student who has been left in my care. I am privileged to have been able to serve as a VCAA assessor for the last ten years, and though my teaching experience has gravitated towards VCE of late, I have worked with students and teachers across the primary and the secondary sectors throughout my career as a classroom teacher and educational leader. My contributions within the wider teaching community have also seen me share my expertise in pastoral care, ICT learning innovation, gifted education design and curriculum resource development.

I look forward to meeting all of you later in the year and I am grateful and excited that I have been asked to join the team at Oxley Christian College. I look forward to working shoulder-to-shoulder with each of you in the coming years as we look to develop the best possible learning experience for our students.

Kind regards,

James Avram  

Warm regards,

Douglas Peck