Principal's Report
Students to Shine
The last few weeks have provides many opportunities for our students to shine.
- Thank you to the students and families who embraced student guests for three (3) weeks form Beijing National Day School, they had a ball!
- The swimming carnival on Friday was one such event whether a competitive swimmer or participant in the table tennis scrabble opportunities for fun and connection filled the day and highlighted the importance of community building and great weather!
- The Year 7 information Night was also a highlight and featured parent and academic Nicki Dulfer speaking about the joys and challenges of parenting and a workshops facilitated by the year 7 team.
Building a Community that works for our Children – Tom Bentley
Be part of the conversation 2016 is a year of consolidation and forward planning for NHS. Be part of the future casting conversation by participating in the NHS Annual General Meeting and hearing Tom Bentley speak about contemporary education thinking and actions - see adjacent advertisement
A key element of the NHS strategic plan is Realising the Vision (Project Refresh) - deep consideration of curriculum and program planning, teacher development and broader based thinking around the remit of schools an next steps for NHS.
Post review, research and consultation - planning decisions will be implemented across the 2017/2018 school year. This work is focused on the learning experiences of students and ensuring NHS graduates are well equipped to be successful as they emerge into the broader adult world.
What could be different - what we teach, how often we teach it (semester, annual, bi-annual), other implications may be reduction in focus areas (subjects), structure of the schools days - length of sessions, start earlier or finish later (may be both), community / project / problem based learning, teacher as facilitator - all is up for review and consideration as to best placing our students to be well equipped and confident young people.
Feedback and Assessment at Northcote High School
Beginning the last quarter of 2015 Josh McDonald has been communicating with families (via the newsletter) changes to the NHS feedback, assessment and reporting framework and communicating how this will manifest for students and families.
You may have seen the article in The Age on Saturday around changes to reporting guidelines and reflections of schools, staff and families. Titled Some Victorian schools axe grades in reports The following article provides further perspectives into feedback and reporting at NHS. Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/some-victorian-schools-axe-grades-in-reports-20160304-gnanvx.html#ixzz427g1Bspi
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY WEEK 2016 - #PledgeFORParity
This week we celebrate International Women’s Day with activities in Daily Connect, Whole School Celebration Assemblies – sale of purple ribbons to support Port Moresby’s (New Guinea) female only bus service, Herstory Hackathon in partnership with the Trades Hall – see this great ABC article about women and Wikipedia http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-03-07/women-erased-from-history-on-wikipedia/7225556 and an Art Installation ‘BLOOM’ - in the Atrium.
We celebrate IWD at NHS to action change and to ensure we celebrate the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. Importantly we also highlight the fact that progress has slowed in many places across the world, so urgent action is needed to accelerate gender parity.
‘Bloom’ This artwork was created for International Women’s Day as a celebration of the social, political, economic and cultural achievements of women around the world.
Produced by the Northcote High School Art Club and the International students of years 10 and 11, the flower motif represents the growth and ‘blossoming’ of gender equality, and reminds us of how fragile this progress is. The Origami flowers have been made with cover images from some of the great literary works by female authors over the last two hundred years.
Come and have a look we hope you enjoy this special installation and thank you Barry Drinan.
Kate Morris and the Year level Captains’ - IWD team