Principal Report
A message from the Principal
Ms Nerina Pretlove
I am sure that I do not need to tell you what a tough year it has been. There would not be a family amongst us that has not been touched in some way by the Covid-19 pandemic, world issues, let alone learning from home. We cannot thank you enough for supporting our school through these challenging times.
However, our community is strong and we celebrated the perseverance, the academic talent and successes of our wonderful students from firsts in subjects, to special awards and sporting achievements on our streamed Presentation Evening on Tuesday 15 December. Please check out our Facebook if you missed this event.
We are incredibly proud of our Year 12 students who recently completed their delayed HSC exams. They conducted themselves with maturity and commitment to complete this final task. The pandemic situation presented issues with graduations and formals so we decided, after consultation with our students, to have a valedictory dinner next March. The evening will commence with parents and families attending the graduation ceremony. Parents will leave afterwards and students will attend their formal. More information will follow through Year 12 Year Adviser, Mr Satmaka.
Rather than reflect any more on the year that was, let’s look at the exciting year that is to come at Evans. Of course, that will start with welcoming our new Year 7 students and those who have come from Afghanistan under extreme circumstances to commence their studies in the Intensive English Centre.
The biggest shake up in the delivery of the HSC at Evans High School commences in week 6 Term 4 next year, when we introduce the 3 x 3 or compressed curriculum. This exciting innovation means that instead of students studying 6 subjects over the two years of Year 11 and 12, and sitting their HSC exams at the end; they will study three subjects for twice as long per year and sit their HSC exams in each year known as HSC 1 and HSC 2.
The aim of this is to provide students with a wider range of subject choices, increased immersion in each of their subjects, a qualification of a possible three HSC subjects at the end of their first year (HSC 1) (particularly important for students who leave school early) and an opportunity to undertake separate major projects over different years. Our research has shown that students undertaking this pattern of study experience less stress and a greater success than in the present model of the HSC.
One of the biggest inhibitors of student focus is the mobile phone. We have thought long and hard about how to support our students in managing their access to their technology and looked to what is happening in other schools. As a result, last week, we launched the introduction of the Yondr pouch. On students’ return to school next year, they will issued, free of charge, with a pouch in which to secure their mobile phone. It will be locked for the day and, as students leave in the afternoon, they will unlock their pouch at stations on the way out of school. We are looking forward to our school becoming mobile phone free in 2022.
2022 also marks 50 years since the first students, or as they were then known, the Greenies (because of the colour of their uniforms) commenced at Evans. However, the school had not been built and the students were based at another school until the buildings were finished. It was not until 1976 that the physical school was completed and officially opened. Next year, we will be celebrating with the Class of 1972 and invite any of you who were part of that first Year 7 to contact the school to join in the celebrations.
We are saying good bye to some of our staff but also welcoming others to join us in the new year. Farewell to Mr Chapman, Ms Gibbs, Ms Sinclair, Mr Bell, Ms Moodley, Ms Lin, Ms Malak, Ms Munachen, Ms Neupane and Ms Emmanuel. Excitingly, we are welcoming a new Head Teacher TAS and a Head Teacher Well Being as well as classroom teachers to support our curriculum implementation.
As I said, we are looking forward to a year of innovation with focus on quality learning. Next year represents a new chapter in our lives and I wish each and everyone of you, a year of new beginnings, prosperity and good fortune.
Nerina Pretlove
Principal