From the Principals' Desk 

Dear Parents, 

The end of the year is rapidly approaching, there are only a few of the smaller Year 12 exams left and the Year 11 students are now undertaking their final exam assessments. Feedback from staff, students and exam supervisors to date has been very positive and students seem to be quite satisfied with the fairness of the exams and the preparatory work that they have been undertaking. In spite of the additional challenges thrown up by COVID, things have been quite smooth and relatively trouble free; a big thank you to Ms Warriner and Mr Clark for their oversight, and to our large team of exam supervisors (and staff), ably managed by Mr Brendan Kevans, and of course to the students for their commitment and positive participation. A small number of students have been unable to complete the odd exam due to quarantining or being ill so some will receive derived exam scores for certain subjects which should have no negative impact on their overall results. 

I am pleased to hear that the Year 11 cohort have been effectively engaged in our internal exam process. They missed this last year, and although extended exams are rarely welcomed as fun events, they are important training and preparation for the final Year 12 exams. We endeavour to provide realistic and rigorous exam and assessment experiences at all levels to better prepare them for the future and to maximise their final results. 

COVID Updates

Many schools have had to close for cleaning and contact tracing as the infection is still spreading throughout the community, and in our local area we are one of the few schools who have not had to close (yet). I think this is more good luck than anything else and it is probably inevitable that we will have to do so at some stage, although I would be very happy if it did not occur. 

I am pleased with the way staff, students, and parents have been complying with the health advice and regulations, and a large percentage of our school community are vaccinated, or in the process of doing so. However, each day we hear of a possible close contact notification for someone associated with Nossal and people are doing the right thing and notifying us and staying home as required or if exhibiting any symptoms or feeling ill. The message remains the same – stay home, get tested, and isolate until cleared. Should we have to close, there is a rapid response now from DET which in most cases will enable the school to re-open after a day or two, and the key to that will be our ability to effectively contact trace any close contacts so they can isolate and get tested.

DET have implemented a program of Rapid Antigen Testing through the schools to enable unvaccinated or partially vaccinated primary close contact (PCC) students to safely return to school after seven days, rather than 14 days, if the exposure was through community, not household contact. If this occurs parents can contact the school and, if eligible, they will be issued with a testing kit and will then register online to undertake the daily testing after the initial 7-day isolation period.

While most activities and events have resumed, there are still stringent requirements around density limits and all adults who enter the school for anything other than a fleeting drop off or pick up or quick visit to the front office, must be vaccinated. No Nossal staff, Education Department staff, contractors, presenters, parents, or visitors are permitted to enter the school or be involved in school events onsite or offsite unless vaccinated and authorized.

Planning for 2022

Much of our planning has been delayed and we are going to be very busy for the remainder of the year trying to compress things into a shorter and busier timeframe.

I am very conscious that next year we will have the majority of the school (three quarters of the students and a number of staff) who will have never experienced a “normal” Nossal year, and the associated rituals and events that bond us and add considerable value to our academic experiences. What makes Nossal unique - and the thing that I have been most gratified by - is the exceptionally positive, supportive, and trusting adult culture that has been strongly carried and reinforced by subsequent student cohorts stretching back to our very first group in 2010. This culture has been tested and challenged in the past few years as we have been unable to run many of our bonding and community building events, and our focus has been (necessarily) on ensuring all students are safe, well, healthy (mentally and physically) and able to stay on top of their academic studies. I am determined that we rebuild, recapture, and revitalize the ethos of which I have been so proud, and have tasked our new school captain team with assisting in this process. I have been very impressed with their responses, feedback, and suggestions thus far.

Warning RE: Personal Items

One of the elements of the Nossal culture that I really like, but also find a little frustrating, is that our school is generally a safe and trusted space where students and staff are comfortable leaving lockers and offices open and their personal items lying around the school. While it can look a little untidy at times, this is the only school I have ever worked in where people have that level of trust in their peers and where things are not damaged or stolen. 

It does breed a degree of complacency, however, and we are often not as cautious about security as we would be in another environment. While I think this is a wonderful thing, I also worry when I see students leaving their phones and laptops sitting on benches in the courtyard, or on desks in empty classrooms, while they attend a three-hour exam. Generally, this is not an issue – but we do have other people passing through the grounds at times and it is not a good idea to get out of the habit of being a little more security conscious nor tempting fate by doing so. This was brought home to us a couple of years ago when we were all at Monash University for the House Performing Arts Festival and some of our students treated the university as if they were at Nossal – leaving their open bags, with money, laptops, and purses in full view outside the hall while rehearsing inside for several hours. Sadly (or perhaps fortuitously as it was only one) some money was taken from a student’s purse, which was a tough lesson. 

More recently I was disturbed to find some (very expensive) student bikes sitting (unlocked) in our bike shelter over the weekend as the students had arranged other transport home due to bad weather and assumed their bikes would be safe. Surprisingly they were, despite the number of people who pass through the school during the weekend when no-one is here. We will lock them away safely if we are aware that the have been left. Please let us know if that is the case, and please do not leave expensive, desirable, essential items lying around unprotected, especially outside.

Student Voice and Agency

Nossal is a school that has always valued student voice, and from our very beginning have involved students in high level decision making and sought their advice and input. Long before schools were mandated to do so Nossal had students sitting on our School Council, not as observers, but with full voting rights, and we now have twice the required number of students as voting members, and they have greater voting power than I do.

Next year, Ms. Fiona DeZylva assumes the role of Assistant Principal and her primary role will be in supporting Student, Agency, Voice and Wellbeing, which will further strengthen and develop these important areas.

Nossal is one of very few schools that includes students on teacher selection panels, gaining us very positive world-wide media attention several years ago.  Nearly every Nossal teacher (aside from the very first year before we had any students) has been selected after being interviewed by a panel consisting of myself, an Assistant Principal, a teacher representative and two students. Students are active and valued participants in this process and after some Merit and Equity training have been very astute and are obviously highly invested in helping us make the best possible choices. 

We are currently interviewing for a number of new teachers and will have interview panels running over the next few weeks. Nossal has never had any trouble attracting strong fields of applicants, but across the state principals report considerable difficulty in recruiting high quality teachers (especially in certain subject areas) and low numbers of applicants (in some cases none). There are a variety of reasons for this shortage, but it is very concerning, and we too are seeing smaller numbers of applicants and a subsequent narrowing of choice.

Testing for Year 9 Entry for 2022

I am very pleased to report that the testing for the new Year 9 cohort finally took place last weekend at the Melbourne Showgrounds, and while the offers have been delayed and will go out much later than we would prefer, this is a much better outcome than we were looking at several weeks ago when it appeared that we may not have a Year 9 intake for the start of next year. The first-round offers will go out on December 9, and the last in mid-December, so it will be a very late, truncated process with short timelines.

School Tours will resume next week for fully vaccinated participants.

Leaving Nossal?

Please let me know if for any reason your child will not be attending Nossal in 2022, as there is a very large and anxious waiting list who would be very pleased to take up a place, and I am only aware of one vacancy at this stage.

Clyde Road Crossing Removal Update

Please refer to the latest update. I thank all who have completed the online survey for the crossing authority. If you have not yet done so – please take 5 minutes to fill it in as they are genuinely attempting to find ways to minimize the impact on you but need to know a bit more about your travel routes so they can plan accordingly. There is still time to do the survey and the information will be of critical importance as we face extended closures of the crossing and railway line early in 2022 while the underpass is completed.

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/8ZTRL97

PFA News  for Saturday December 11: Second-Hand Book and Uniform Sale and Bunnings Sausage Sizzle 

Please mark this date in your calendars; not only is it a major fundraising event for the PFA, it is a chance for our students and you to save or make some money and recycle books and uniforms. We were unable to run this event last year, so many people will be unaware of it. 

Students or parents can hire a table in the gym for the morning and sell any relevant textbooks (we will provide you with a list of what is required by 2022 students) or uniform items. In the past there have been hundreds of potential customers and demand has exceeded supply, although there may be less new Year 9 students this year as they will have only just accepted a place on the day prior. 

Should you have any usable uniforms or books that you would like to donate to the PFA before the sale, they would be very happy to accept them and will be selling items from the uniform shop as well as managing the table hires and directing the crowds of buyers. More detailed information will follow.

On the same day (all day) at Bunnings in Narre Warren the Nossal PFA will also be running the sausage sizzle, so please visit the uniform sale on your way to and from Bunnings, drop in and say hello to our PFA stalwarts who do so much for the school and, most importantly, buy a sausage or six. All profits from these two events are ploughed back into purchasing needed resources or services for the school and directly benefit your children.

I sincerely thank the PFA for their excellent support and commitment. Please support them as they support you.

Rotary Charity Collection

The school supports the Berwick Rotary Club annual charity appeal by donating toys and non-perishable foodstuffs for their Christmas appeal each year. They have installed a large wire cage at the school, and I am keen for us to fill it. We did so last year but have not yet been as generous this year and I ask for your assistance if possible. Please send in some surplus items with your children this week - we probably have a third of the basket left to fill. All items are collected by Rotary and directly distributed to needy local families for Christmas, and the demand and need for such assistance this year is much greater than it has ever been. The Rotary Club do a great deal for the school and it would be appropriate of us to be able to do something like this in return.

Andrew Simmons Presentation to the PFA

The PFA were privileged to host an online information session with Andrew Simmons CEO of SELLEN (South Eastern Local Learning and Employment Network) at their last meeting. Andrew has a wealth of knowledge about the local job market, employment prospects, tertiary requirements, and the future of work. I always find his presentations to be informative, surprising, and challenging as things are rapidly changing and our students are facing a significantly different employment pathway to that of previous generations. Clarissa Jacques, our Careers Advisor, and Andrew had some very interesting advice for parents and students. If you were not able to attend – you can view the presentation by following the link below:

https://vimeo.com/646248881/3c457fcea7

(I apologise that I forgot to press “record” until after he had started so I missed the introduction.)

Nossal Canteen

We are pleased to have a fully operational canteen again – and to welcome back our original canteen company and Sheryl, the original manager. 

The canteen will not open this Wednesday - Friday due to limited numbers of students onsite at irregular times during the Nossal Exam Period.

Clyde Secondary College

This is an impressive new school being built in Clyde and due to open in 2022 with approximately 145 Year 7 students. It will eventually grow to a school of 1300 plus and is part of the huge growth area in Clyde. 

As their school building is still under construction, we have offered to accommodate them on December 7 when they are holding their first Orientation Day for their very first group of students. On this day our Year 9 cohort will be participating in the “Big Day In” with Mr LaBrooy and staff from Lord Somers Camp, so we have offered them the top floor of our school and access to some of the other buildings and grounds that we won’t be using. So, we will have 20 Clyde Secondary College staff and 145 year 6 students also onsite for this day.

Roger Page

Principal