Principal's Report

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2021!

Class of 2021:

Today, our Year 12 students received their results. We are very proud of each and every one of them. No other year level has had to complete their final two years with such extended periods of remote learning. They have all done an incredible job. 

As always, many students have achieved some outstanding results as highlighted below. Similarly, there may be some students who may need to adjust their tertiary preferences as a result of their scores. For those students, it is important they refer to the Compass Newsfeed posts from the Pathways Team who are available to assist them over the coming days.

Here is a summary of the student performance.

Once again, these results are outstanding. Half of our cohort (112 students) have ranked in the top 30% of the state and 22% (52 students) in the top 15%.    

Our School Duxes achieved a score of 99.3 each! Congratulations to Joanne Yuvaraj and Leo Cheng.

Completing Year 12 is a significant milestone and the culmination of 13 years of formal schooling where students, parents and staff have all contributed to the growth of each one of our graduating students. Thank you to everyone who has helped our students become the best people and learners they can be. Whilst we are very proud of our students’ achievements this year, we don’t measure their, or our success, on their ATAR. More importantly is what students do with their lives after Brentwood and the paths they take. The ATAR is simply a ranking or score at a point in time. It is the decisions next that count! If any students would like some assistance on their final days, they should contact the Pathways Team at school.

Congratulations to Eva Mason

On Friday, December 10, our 2022 School Captain will be awarded a Community Spirit and Leadership Award by Clare O'Neil, the federal member for Hotham. This is a great achievement and recognition for her leadership and contribution to the Brentwood community since Year 7. 

Congratulations to Claire Paterson

Claire has been awarded the 2021 Premier’s Spirit of ANZAC Prize scholarship for her entry into the statewide competition. Claire wrote a poem that we look forward to sharing in our school magazine. This is a wonderful achievement and we are very proud of her achievement. 

Staff in 2022: 

The following staff are leaving Brentwood at the end of this year. I would like to thank them for their service to our school community and wish them all the very best for their futures:

• Tracey Campion (Languages and Pathways)
• Anna Crow (IT)
• Jackson Davis (Humanities)
• Molly Dawson (Humanities)
• Jacob Faithful (Maths)
• Ashleigh Ferguson (Science)
• Anouska Khambata (Humanities & Tutor)
• Martin Luo (English & Tutor)
• James McIntosh (Tutor)
• Michelle Meadows (Humanities)
• Rutvi Nandani (Science, Maths, Tutor)
• Gabby Newstead (Science and PE)
• Dean Pashalidis (Humanities and English)
• Jillian Samuels (English and Tutor)
• Emily Smith (Science)
• Rhonda Todd (Integration)
• Brendan West (English and Philosophy)
• Claudine Zalatan (Humanities)

The following staff will be taking leave in 2022:

• Danielle Batson (Humanities)
• Ursula Cettolin (Music - Voice)
• Eliza Chancellor (Humanities and Science)
• Brendan Parkes (Health and PE)
• Paul Phillips (Maths)
• Isabelle Whitton (Maths)

The following staff have been appointed to start at Brentwood in 2022: 

• Dolores Briffa (Accounting & Economics)
• Stuart Byrne (Music - Woodwind)
• Tim Columbus (Head of Banksia House & English)
• Chloe Compson (English and Philosophy)
• Bridget Dowling (Pathways Counsellor)
• Amanda Finlay (Maths/Numeracy Tutor)
• Michael Gekas (Humanities)
• Sahana Girish (Humanities)
• Rebecca Green (House Leader & Science)
• Emma Harris (English)
• Yaseema Hettiarachchi (Maths/Numeracy Tutor)
• Lucy Kenny (Science)
• Adam Li (Integration)
• Timothy Li (Pathways Manager & Maths)
• Chris Kriaris (English)
• Emina Zahirovic (Humanities)
• Aaron Palmer (Head of Waratah House & Health and PE)
• Hannah Pilcher (Humanities)
• Brigitte Podesser (English)
• Tayla Ringrose (Maths)
• Jarod Sole (IT)
• Amelia Veronese (English)
• Rachel Woolley (Maths) 
• Laura Zalesiak (Music – Voice)

The following staff will be returning after a period of leave:

• Jess Spataro (Humanities)
• Chris Barry (Maths/IT)
• Alex Lough (Student Counsellor)

Thank you to our amazing staff! 

People are the greatest asset a school community has, and Brentwood are very lucky to have such an amazing community of staff, parents and students. Our staff have simply done an incredible job over the past two years. Schools have provided certainty in uncertain times with teachers and support staff being a constant for each of our students. This year staff have continued to re-invent their work by making continuous adjustments so that our students are able to progress their learning and stay safe. These efforts have demanded an enormous amount effort and more from our teachers and support staff. On behalf of the school community, I want to thank them one more time in 2021. 

Return Dates in 2022:

Please note the following start dates for 2022: 

• Year 7 and 12* classes will resume on MONDAY JANUARY 31
• Year 8 to 11 classes will resume on TUESDAY FEBRUARY 1

*Advanced placement students (i.e. Year 11 students studying a Year 12 subject) who have a Year 12 class on Monday January 31 should attend for that individual class only. 

The General Office will re-open from January 24. 

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Finally, on behalf of the Principal Team, I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I hope everybody has a wonderful break with family and friends. Keep safe and we look forward to seeing the students back in 2022.

John Ballagh

Principal