Secondary Campus Report 

2020 Highlights: Secondary Campus

Bill Panas Campus Principal-Secondary 

In reflecting on the year that was 2020, the following key points come to mind:

1. The strengthening of partnerships formed during remote learning between students-teachers, families, community groups and the College. The rapport developed in adversity has been enormous. I cannot emphasise the genuine goodwill, care, kindness and supports that have developed which will enable further opportunity for community involvement in school operations and ultimately, a richer learning environment for our students. The way parents/guardians have taken on roles as facilitators of learning and worked with teachers to keep their children engaged and stimulated in the programs has been uplifting, albeit challenging. The simultaneous efforts to work together and learn to zoom, WebEx, upload and submit work, share frustrations, and celebrate outcomes online has been super and needs to be acknowledged as the most extraordinary highlight of the year. We did not automatically shift our existing timetable to remote learning which would have caused more significant stress and difficulties in our community. We took the hard road, mapping, planning and implementing an alternate remote learning program that was manageable and practical focusing on selected key learning areas and outcomes. This was an outstanding success and applauded by our families. We were quick off the mark by resourcing iPads and IT access to all of our students and provided a range of resources to families. Our families have made huge sacrifices to organise and lead the learning time at home, problem solve and provide as much support to maximise the learning. Our research tells us that many students have thrived online as they have been able to concentrate and find routine and parental support in a calm, consistent environment. Some students have struggled due to the opposite. We will work relentlessly to fill in the learning gaps with all students next year.

2. The ability of our school community to stay calm and adapt to the changes imposed by the Education Department in response to the pandemic. Families have had to adapt to school restrictions throughout the year and have supported our school by following process and preparing their children for the changes including physical distancing, mask wearing, sanitising, respecting other children and supporting individual needs and concerns at such a sensitive period. The level of maturity, role modelling, adaptation to change and practice has been inspiring and we have had very little resistance from families on these health-related changes in behaviours. Once again, the lead on this has come from home and highlights the importance of family discussions and setting the standard.

3. The development of the senior school. We are on the cusp of launching a dynamic, exciting and extensive program for our students. Behind the scenes, staff are working extremely hard to prepare curriculum programs that will inspire our next generation of young adults to think outside the square, collaborate, lead and build wonderful careers and importantly make the world around them a better place. We are building our community of practice network with neighbouring secondary schools, Melbourne Polytechnic, the university sector and employer groups. This is supplemented by the state government budget announcement of a new public bus route with our school name on it that will service limited transport areas including Middle Gorge Train Station, Stagecoach Boulevard and up to Yarrambat in the new year widening our catchment zone that will particularly interest older students who are finding it increasingly difficult to access quality education programs. We are restructuring our VCE Centre to prepare for the needs of VCE, have new furniture, appointed experienced VCE teachers to compliment our teams and are raring to launch next year with Year 11.  To support the wellbeing of older adolescent students, we have reviewed and recalibrated our student engagement model that will reflect their social, emotional and learning needs inclusively linking student leadership as pivotal to our learning culture for many years to come. 

4. The success of the Year 6 program on the secondary campus. The staff and students have particularly enjoyed the opportunity to have the unique amount of space and freedom away from the other primary students to work together and develop a strong level of teamwork, to be creative in the use of the available resources and to participate in an extensive range of programs not usually afforded to primary students. Students have had tasters in the visual arts, technology areas and in junior secondary science whilst linking in to their primary counterparts for assemblies and sports in semester one. Our upcoming Year 7s were well and truly prepared before the official orientation day and we are excited for their input in programs, events and leadership as secondary students in 2021.

5. The successful change to Domain-based pods across the learning street providing a visual representation of each key learning area, to stimulate minds and to create ownership and belonging of programs, highlight student achievement and celebrate outcomes.

6. Changes to student reports with an emphasis on student reflection and agency. Students have nominated teacher advocates to help support their reflections by asking them to write evaluations of their organisational ability, performance, output and effort during the remote learning period. This is a significant step in taking the relationships built in remote learning to another level as we identify and build on the “wins” during this period.

BOTH PRIMARY & SECONDARY

The launch of the new school website. A modern, contemporary digital information and communication tool. Easy to navigate, updated images and a professional presentation that highlights our points of difference, values and key policies/accountability reports.