From the Principal

Need to Know

It's hard to believe we are already almost half way through Term 3.  A lot has been happening this term - pathways interviews, school production rehearsals, subject selections, sports, R3 excursions, literacy and numeracy interviews, VCE interviews and much much more.

We continue to battle student and staff absences due to Covid-19, influenza and RSV - usually a relatively common respiratory virus that is hitting the population hard this year following two years of sheltering our immune systems.  I was off all of last week with it, and can guarantee it's not a pleasant illness.  I'm still coughing and feeling sub-par two weeks after onset.    

This is why it is very important that students do not come to school if they are unwell.  Even if they have tested negative to Covid, they may spread their illness to others and cause people to miss school or work.    If a student is at school with cold/flu type symptoms, we will be contacting you and sending them home.  

 

Term 3 Dates

9th August:  Intermediate Round Robin 

 

10th August:  Year 10 immunisations, Victorian School Music Festival Stage Band

 

11th August:  Victorian School Music Festival Big Band 

 

17th August:  Pupil Free Day.   A group of student leaders will be presenting data to our staff about student experience of teaching and learning and facilitating discussion.     Teachers will also participate in further work on Positive Psychology with Dr Maria Ruberto and attend information sessions regarding the new Vocational Major VCE, implementation of the new conditions for teachers in 2023, and hear about their legal liability and professional duty of care.  This is one of the sanctioned DET pupil free days approved by College Council.

 

18th August:  Year 8 Round Robin 

 

20th August:  Essentially Ellington Festival Stage Band 

22nd August:  Year 7 Sports Day , Year 10 Snow Camp 

25th August:  Opening Night Rock of Ages

26th August:  Wear it Purple Day

31st August:  Northern Metropolitan Region Athletics 

 

1st September:  Pupil Free Day.   The Department of Education has recommended that all teachers take their "Professional Practice Day" as a common day due to the difficulties in covering classes if teachers need release to take their day.   Teachers typically choose to use their day to do lesson or unit planning, finalise assessments or collaborate with their peers.   I recognise that another pupil free day may be difficult for parents, but we are simply unable to find the relief teachers if we schedule PPDs for teachers throughout the term.

 

5th/8th/9th/14th September:  R3 The Intersection excursion 

 

7th September:  General Achievement Test.  

All Year 12 students and the majority of Year 11 students will undertake the GAT, which now runs as two tests spread across the day. 

This will be a normal school day for Years 7-10.   Any Year 11 student NOT taking a Unit 3/4 subject, and therefore not sitting the GAT, will work at home for the day.  VET classes will not run due to the large number of students unable to attend due to sitting the GAT. 

 

7th September:  VCE Drama Solo Performance Evening 

8th September:  Year 7 Round Robin, Year 12 Media Film Screening 

9th September:  Year 10 Formal

13th September:  Information Evening Year 7 2023

14th September:  Year 8 Sports Day 

 

16th September:  Last day of term

1.00 pm finish.  

 

Happy Principals' Day

August the 5th is National Principals' Day.  I would like to take this opportunity to recognise the incredible hard work of our Principal Leadership Team:  Daniel Stephens, Jenny Heathcote, Simon Braknys, Vittoria Saliba, Shaun Isbister and Kate Williams.   These people demonstrate unwavering commitment to creating the best possible learning experience for our students, working many many hours in the evenings, on the weekends and in the school "holidays".  I am continually inspired by their enthusiasm, their intellect and their passion for state education.  Thank you for all  you do for St Helena.

Building Updates

We are getting close!!!!   Our big building project looks like being completed in the next 3 weeks.   It is likely that we will have a formal opening sometime in September.    The final stages include completion of the roof repairs, landscaping (especially the Year 12 courtyard), completion of the Humanities/English block, and finishing the refurbishment of the "old" gym.  

Principal's Awards

It has been my very great pleasure to attend the first of six days of lunchtime events celebrating the achievements of students who have excelled in their studies, or demonstrated considerable learning growth.   Today we welcomed Year 10 parents to share in the awards ceremony and recognise the efforts and achievments of the "top 50" Year 10 students.   After two years of remote learning, these students have certainly shown resilience, perseverance, grit and have "dared to be excellent".  In the next edition of From the Principal I will publish the names of all our award winners.   

Year 10 Immunisation

Year 10 Meningococcal ACWY first vaccination is taking place at school on Wednesday 10 August, consent forms and information were emailed out last week. Second vaccination will take place in November. Forms need to be returned back to school by the end of Term 3!

Smile Squad

The government's free dental check program will be commencing at St Helena in Term 1, 2023.   More information to follow re signing up!