Message from the Executive Principal 

New Perimeter Fence

You will have noticed that our new fence has been finished and is now operational. We are very pleased with how our campus looks, and the significant operational benefits we are already seeing.

A few key points:

• The main access to our campus is the Edwards Street pedestrian gates. These are left open all day for students and visitors. It has always been the requirement that all visitors, parents, carers and late-arriving students attend Reception to sign in (and out). This important safety expectation is now clearer and more easily reinforced with the fence design.
  If you are dropping a student off late (eg. a medical appointment), please remind them to sign in at Reception
• The single large Phillipson Street pedestrian gate is opened before school (closes at 9.05am) and after school. We are now able to ensure that the campus is not used as a thoroughfare so we can ensure the safety of students and staff throughout the day.
• The staff carpark on Edwards Street is still for staff only. This has been the longstanding design, and signage has existed as such for several years. The automatic gate installation is expected to be finalised on Friday, 18th August. There are times that the gates will be open for parent/carer access, but not during the school day. Those who require disabled parking access can call Reception on 57230500 to gain access at the time or make contact in advance for an ongoing solution.
• we recommend that you do not make a U-turn on Edwards Street when dropping or collecting students. There have been several serious collisions and near misses over the years.
• The campus will be closed and locked on weekends and most evenings for security reasons. Occasional vandalism, dangerous behaviour, vehicles and dog excrement outside of school hours cause a significant negative impact on our teaching and learning program, and our students and staff. The campus and its facilities will always be keenly shared with sporting and community groups. Please contact the school if you want to book or utilise our facilities.

Parent-Teacher-Student Interviews

A reminder and encouragement to all parents and carers to make a booking for our upcoming on Parent-Student-Interviews on Thursday, 24th August.

School priorities for this round of interviews:

• Increase the number of students participating in the process, by encouraging parents/carers to bring their child to the interview. The interviews are about their learning and progress;
• provide additional options for parents/carers to participate in the interview process by offering online interviews and in-person interviews;
• reinforce the importance of technology and laptop use within our pedagogy to parents/carers by modelling and encouraging its constructive use (a 'Ready to Learn' expectation at Wangaratta High School is a laptop in class each day).

The partnership and relationship between you and your child/children’s teachers is a very important determinant of effective learning and progress in all areas of their development, and our staff very much look forward to speaking with you. 

We are offering the option of 'face-to-face' or 'online' conferences.  You will be prompted to decide on ‘face to face’ or ‘online’ – if you select the online option an email will be sent to your student's email address a day prior to the conference date.  This email will contain a link to the online meeting time from the teacher. 

If you are choosing the online option, please ensure you have spoken with your child in advance to ensure readiness: i.e. they will bring their laptop home, they know how to access their email account and have their school credentials (username and password).

• Interviews cannot be made on the day, as teachers prepare and schedule their day for their scheduled interviews. Please ensure you book in advance. Assistance is available via Reception if you are having difficulties booking
• Note for online interviews:
  • Online interview video links will be emailed to student email addresses as we require the security of their login credentials, and we want them to participate
  • The online platform that we are using is Google Meet. This tool requires: student school login credentials, a browser (no additional software), web camera and a microphone 
  • If your child is at home and you are at work; for example, your child can forward you the interview video link, and you can both join from different locations as required
  • for safety reasons; teachers will end the video call if students are present in a video call on their own (without a parent/carer)

Bookings are made via Compass. If you are encountering issues when booking an interview timeslot on a mobile device, please make contact with the school.

WE WANT OUR PARENTS / CAREGIVERS / GUARDIANS TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK! 

Our school is surveying to find out what parents/caregivers/guardians think of our school. The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education that is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behaviour, and student engagement. The survey is optional, but we encourage all families to participate. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies. 

All families are invited to participate in the survey. An invitation (with PIN number) was sent to all families via Compass on 17th August.

The Parent / Caregiver / Guardian Opinion Survey will be open until Friday 8 September 2023.

The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the survey period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. The online survey is available in English and 10 other languages, including Arabic, Greek, Hakha Chin, Hindi, Japanese, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Somali, Turkish, and Vietnamese. 

Please make contact if you would like more information.

Dave Armstrong

Executive Principal

dave.armstrong@education.vic.gov.au