Principal's Report

Alumni Concert

Congratulations to our past students who returned last week to put on a superb musical event.  The Around the World in 80 Minutes was a retrospective of past Productions, and songs from around the world. The finale number from Les Miserable showed us how much their voices have continued to develop, and they still have the ability to make the hairs on the back of your neck prickle! 

Thank you to:

Kieren Votersen

Mikaela Roberts

Surya Ganasen

Tanisya Poedi Winarto

Sally Harrop

Morgan Solomans

Kristyn King

Naomi Hart

Ash Bull

Megan Ammann

Ramon Espinosa Keane

Eranga Ruwandeniya

Shane Tenace

Tim Lewis, who still excels in Tech Crew!

Our special thanks go to Surya Ganasen who produced and directed the whole event, leaving the Production staff with so much time on their hands they could execute a perfect rendition of 'A Little Bit Naughty", the song from Matilda.  If you missed it, it is definitely your loss!

Thank you to the audience who attended on the evening - your contributions raised $3000 towards the costs of this year's production "Beauty and the Beast".

Knox Network Writing Project

We were very proud this week to be involved in the Knox Network Writing Project event.  This project began last year and is a collaboration between 5 secondary schools in Knox and 6 primary schools.  The English teachers in the secondary's and  the primary classroom teachers are sharing ideas on how to teach and inspire great writing in their students.  This culminated in a shared writing task that was undertaken by every Grade 6 and Year 7 student in all the schools.  The teachers then got together and cross marked the work, sharing their ideas and building their knowledge of the characteristics of good work, and the teaching strategies that help students learn  it.  I want to thank the Principals of all those schools for allowing their teachers time to undertake this very valuable project - our aim is to improve writing in Knox.  Special thanks to Ms Alice White, our Leader of English and Whole School Literacy who is a key person in the working party making this happen.

13 Reasons Why

You have probably read in the papers about a show on Netflix called "13 Reasons Why", or you may have even seen it.  It is certainly the talk of young people across Australia at the moment, and is something we must talk with parents about.  The show depicts a young girl dealing with her life problems by very graphically committing suicide on screen.  A persn writing last week in The Age said "I saw enough to be haunted by the image forever"

This has raised enormous concern among those who deal with young people - anything that suggests suicide is an acceptable way to deal with problems must be fought against.  Suicide in our society is subject to something called 'contagion' - this is where young people who may be suffering from depression follow the lead of someone they see or hear about, and commit suicide.  Those who have seen the show tell me it is compelling viewing, and is designed to draw people into binge watching through to the end.  We must not put our children into the space where suicide is normalised.   The show also glamorises inappropriate behaviour - non consensual sex, with several incidences of rape, and alcohol and drug use among  teenagers.

Our advice is:

If your child hasn't watched it, we would suggest you don't let them.  It is classified at MA 15+, but is not even suitable for those under 18.

If they have watched it, you need to be talking to them about about what they saw, and how it makes them feel.  I have attached a document from headspace on how to talk to your child about it.

The show portrays adults  - teachers and parents, as a joke and incompetent and not being able to help.  Please help allay this myth by having a reasoned discussion.  

If you need help with this, our counselors in Student Wellbeing are there to support you and your child. In the attached document are other agencies you can contact for help. Please feel free to ring Student Wellbeing if you require any help with this.

Open Day and Discovery evening

Thank you to all those who made Open Day and Discovery evening such a great success this year.  Despite the freezing weather and rain we had a lot of people through to look at our school and consider it for their children.  Ms Nicholetta Rigano did a great job on behalf of our current parents in talking about her decision to enrol her children in the school, and Gemma Van Grondelle spoke compellingly on the Year 7 student perspective and how her life has been this year.  At the same time the teachers were weaving their crazy magic of explosions in Science and walking and talking robots and beautiful cooking smells wafting from the Home Eco kitchens, to name just a few things. Who wouldn't want to come here after that? Special thanks to Assistant Principal, Mr Bruce Churchward, for his organisation of the event.

ANZAC Services

Thank you to all the staff and students who organised the ANZAC assemblies you can read about in this newsletter.  Our students take these events very seriously, and are a credit to their families. 

Sue Bell

Principal