General Nossal News

Nossal Wins an Award

Nossal High School wins 'The Educator Magazine' 2016 Innovative Schools Award for our work on assessment and reporting. Click on the link to see a brief snapshot of our submission: http://www.educatoronline.com.au/rankings/innovative-schools-2016/nossal-high-school-221996.aspx

This is the second year running we have won the award; last year it was for our digital practice. 

Some of the details of our nomination include:

Descriptive Assessment and Group Feedback

Many teachers have stopped giving students marks or grades, based on the work of Dylan Wiliam, who identifies that grades or marks have limited positive effect (and for many students a negative effect) on student learning growth.  When a test or assessment is given, feedback is written on the work, whilst marks are written on the side of the paper.  Before returning the work to the students, the teachers cut the marks section off so that students are unware of the marks they received. When assessments are returned to students they work in groups to identify how to improve their understanding of particular aspects of the assessment.  In some classes students are grouped and regrouped up to three times, so that they receive three levels of feedback and refinement from their peers. 

Team-Based Assessment

To demonstrate and practice productive collaboration, staff have introduced elements of collaborative assessment, based on the work of Eric Mazur.  For example, a typical test in science may have fifteen questions for individuals to complete, and then five more open, discursive problems to solve in teams of four.  The level of discussion, contribution, engagement on the team-based assessment has been remarkable.

Peer and Self-Assessment

Multiple curriculum areas have emphasised development of peer and self-assessment.  This has improved the students’ critical thinking and metacognitive capacity.  Reading, analysing and assessing according to set criteria, has empowered students to take control of their own learning and improved their capacity to apply these skills to their own work. 

Formative Assessment

A broad range of formative tools are used to gauge the students’ next level of work.  Some of these include: diagnostic questions identifying common misconceptions and then directing them to differentiated curriculum and instruction, traffic lights to indicate the degree of understanding, the use of small white boards where students collaborate to solve problems or create a response and then discuss their responses with the class. 

Student Leaders & Volunteers Needed

This year, in a first for the Victorian Education Department, Nossal High School has been chosen to host the National Championships for Future Problem Solving Program, Australia. 

The Future Problem Solving Program is known as the most challenging international thinking program in the world and in 2015, over 6000 Australian students from primary and secondary schools developed exciting and amazing solutions to scenarios that had been posed by the organisers. 

While we are hosting this year’s championships, it is also with great pride that we announce that a team from Nossal has also been selected to take part in this exciting weekend.  The nominated group have been working hard all year and have won the right to challenge for the title of Australian Champions, which, if they are successful, carries with it the opportunity to represent Australia in the International Championships to be held in the USA in 2017.

The National Championships will be hosted by Nossal at our school on the weekend of 14-16 October and we anticipate having up to 500 visitors in attendance.  I am actively looking for students, parents and staff who can assist us during the Championships with tasks such as guides, people to set up and pack up venues, support crew and general assistance.  The official program will commence on Friday afternoon at 4:00pm and then continue all day Saturday with the closing ceremony and departure around lunchtime on Sunday. 

Volunteers need not be available for the entire period of the event and any assistance would be gratefully received.

To record your offer of assistance, please email me (Keith.Butler@nossalhs.vic.edu.au) indicating what you would like to be involved in and your preferred time commitment.

This will be a major event and an opportunity to showcase Nossal High School to the rest of Australia.  We hope you will able to support us.

Keith Butler

Assistant Principal

PFA Elevate Evening

On Wednesday, September 7, the Nossal PFA supported a Study Skills Evening for Parents, facilitated by the Elevate Education group.  The response was very encouraging with about 60 participants. 

Steph, from the Elevate group, gave very useful and practical tips for parents to work together with their students for a more successful study journey.  The PFA hopes to receive feedback from those who have attended so as to be able to organise similar Seminars to benefit the Community.

Feedback can be emailed to the school at communication@nossalhs.vic.edu.au, all feedback will be forwarded to the PFA committee.

Nellie Fung

Nossal PFA President

Exam Supervision Volunteers Wanted

A fantastic opportunity to assist our school!

There are places available for community members to help us by becoming Exam Supervisors

We are seeking volunteers to assist us in the supervision of exams.

Dates: Friday November 11 to Friday, November 18 2016

Who can do it? Anyone with a current Working With Children’s Check - Application forms are available at Post Offices and they are free for volunteers.

What do volunteer supervisors do?

• Work with the coordinating teacher to supervise exams to ensure that students comply with exam requirements.
• patrol amongst the rows of students sitting exams.
• assist students with questions and escort them to the toilet
• collect papers at the end of the exam.

New volunteers have the opportunity to attend training session(s) and morning tea.

(10 – 12 noon Wednesday 2nd November)

How do you sign up?

• email Jane Petty, via Jane.Petty@nossalhs.vic.edu.au, your details including your phone number and the day(s)/times you are available.
• phone the school for more details on 8762 4600
• Jane will contact you closer to the date to confirm the days you have been allocated to supervision.

What do volunteers get for offering their time?

• food during meal breaks throughout the day.
• a letter of thanks
• the opportunity to see and understand the pressures on our students
• experience in and understanding of VCAA exam conditions, rules and processes
• a good feeling :-)
• an invitation to the Volunteers Morning Tea on Wednesday November 23

When you sign up for supervision we are relying on you to fulfil your commitment.

Many thanks for your assistance,

Ms Sue Harrap

Assistant Principal

Working Bee

Thank you to all the students, parents and friends of Nossal High School who attended our recent Working Bee on Saturday September 3.  It was wonderful to see a mix of people in attendance, all contributing their time and talents to ensure a better learning environment at the school.

On the day, the team of volunteers completed some repairs to surface of the sports ground, spread mulch to help control weed growth, generally tidied gardens and commenced the construction of our new bike shelter on the western end of Building A. It was a busy morning but a very profitable one for the school.

Special acknowledgement goes to Chris Sargeant of “fixyourproperty.com.au”.  Not only did Chris contribute his time and specialist knowledge to the new bike shelter, he also returned during the week to volunteer more hours to get the structure ready for the roof to be added.  Thank you Chris.

Keith Butler

Assistant Principal

Your say...

This is our new iNewsletter format and we want to know what you think!

Thank you to those who took the time to complete the below survey after our last issue. There was overwhelming support for the new format and we have taken on your feedback and implemented some of those suggestions.

Our goal is to keep improving and the most effective way for us to do that is to find out what you, our community, want to see in our fortnightly communication. Please click on the link below to give us your feedback on what you like and what you would like to see in the future.                                 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/NossalNews

Juliea Slywka

Digital Media Coordinator

juliea.slywka@nossalhs.vic.edu.au