Principal Report
How great has it been that we have nearly completed two full terms of face to face learning with such success and positivity.
You will notice a new format for our newsletter this week. We hope that you find this format more user friendly on all of your devices. Thanks to Rebecca Younger for her work in this area.
A couple of weekends ago at the Federal Election, the Prefects ran a sausage sizzle while the VCAL Students made and sold goodies. I understand that sausage sales were down nationally, with so many people voting in advance! Congratulations to everyone who participated - it is wonderful to have more opportunities to be involved and engaged with our local community. If you missed out on purchasing some socks, body scrub, etc., Ms Stewart has restocked the supplies and has them ready for your purchase at our administration office.
Last week we held our Select Entry Accelerated Learning (SEAL) program information evening. It was delightful to see some familiar faces and new families joining us for the event. With the increased interest in our program, we are looking at running a second class in 2023 to accommodate our growing community. The students enrolled in SEAL have significantly contributed to the Wangaratta High School ‘DNA’ over several decades. It is uniquely WHS! A thank you to all staff members involved, especially our SEAL Coordinator, Ms Meryl Herman and our Prefects who ran the presentation on the evening, as well as current Year 7 SEAL students who spoke so confidently about their perspectives on the program.
We have also started preparing for our second Year 7 2023 Transition Information Night, which will be held on the 15th of September. We are looking forward to meeting new families for 2023 and having the opportunity to showcase our wonderful school further to our community.
Over the past few weeks, our students have further represented our school with pride, whether it be musical or on a sporting ground. A thank you to our staff for stepping up in becoming a coach or mentor for these events, which showcase our bright young talents.
A few updates:
- Amendment to Reception Phone Options: there have been amendments to our reception phone options. Please ensure you take note of the new prompts when contacting our office. You will note that we now take absence notifications via a phone message. Please note that you can also notify your child’s absence via Compass
- School Reports: will be issued prior to the term ending. Keep an eye out on Compass for a how-to guide for accessing the report.
- Mobile Phones: there are no mobile phones to be used by students during school hours, even if a student is unwell. If a student is unwell, the correct protocol is that they advise a staff member and go to the sick bay. This ensures staff are fully aware of a student’s whereabouts and, most importantly, their safety. Please note that if a student has contacted a parent within school hours, it will be treated as a mobile phone breach.
- Collecting students within class times: we understand appointments will need to be made throughout the day, we do, however kindly ask that you inform our office via Compass or a paper note prior to school commencing. This will alleviate pressure on our staff in having to locate and disrupt classes. In case of an emergency, please contact our office.
Enjoy the long weekend,
Dave Armstrong
Executive Principal