Assistant Principals' Report
Simon Jones
Assistant Principal - Senior School
We have endured another challenging period with the latest lockdown. In the face of this, the decision was made to continue with our very important senior exam program as postponing or cancelling it would have been disruptive and to the detriment of our senior students. Our Year 11 and 12 students were able to complete their exams at school whilst Year 10’s were supervised remotely. Students approached their exams in a positive manner and gained valuable and authentic exam experience which will hold them in good stead for final VCAA exams, whether they be later this year or in following years. Congratulations to all students for your resilience and adaptability in the face of uncertain and challenging times. Speaking of VCAA exams, the GAT has been postponed and we are awaiting information as to the rescheduled date. The GAT is an important tool used for moderation of final Year 12 exams and is used to derive scores in the event that students are unable to sit final exams. We look forward with optimism to second semester which commenced on the 15th of June and are hopeful that we will complete the school year without further interruption. As we inch closer to the mid-year break, I wish all students a safe and relaxing two weeks away from school and urge you all to recharge and refresh ready for Term 3.
Andrew Wynne
Assistant Principal - Junior School
Hello again to all the parents of Dromana College junior school. The year is flying past and already so many experiences and events have taken place, and so much more to come! Dromana College is indeed an exciting and dynamic place to work and study.
Camps
Term 1 finished with the Year 7 camp, and I had the privilege of spending a day with the students. I walked with a group to Smiths Beach where the students tried their hand at surfing, then spent some time with the students on camp activities. This visit is one of the highlights of the year and the camp is always well organised and a great opportunity for students to develop relationships with their teachers and classmates. It is an important aspect of the college pastoral program and provides a springboard for embracing all that the college offers in the years ahead. The Year 7 students on this camp were indeed a credit to the school and themselves, embracing all activities with enthusiasm and mutual respect. It is so important for the transition of our students into secondary school to have the opportunity to develop relationships and this camp is a great opportunity for teachers to really get to know the students.
NAPLAN
NAPLAN testing is an important event on the school calendar, and this year again our students were tested in literacy and numeracy, as were all Year 7 and Year 9 students across the country. These tests were held in exam like conditions and I was extremely impressed with the attitude in which these students approached this process. Whether we like it or not, testing is an important element of assessment that students need to become familiar with, particularly as they approach the senior levels of schooling. Well done to all the Year 7 and Year 9 students and the co-ordinators for making the process meaningful and professional.
Return to Remote Learning
It was clearly disappointing that all students in Victoria returned to remote learning during our states most recent lockdown, but as expected the Dromana College community again rose to the occasion. Teachers again have developed a learning program, normally delivered by face-to-face teaching, into an online mode that not only provides the work challenges that stimulate and motivate students, but also keeps students connected to each other and the school. Thanks also to our parents who continue to adapt so brilliantly to any challenges placed before them.
We look forward to the rest of the year and all the great events that are planned here on campus. We also are aware that in unprecedented times of a global pandemic, that nothing is certain. I am confident, however, that whatever the challenges of 2021 the Dromana College community will continue to adapt and thrive.
Stephanie Pearce
Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning
Term 2 is always a busy but productive term at Dromana College, and this year proved to be no exception. Our College Open night in April was a great opportunity to showcase the incredible breadth of subjects and extracurricular activities we have on offer. We were proud to have so many student ambassadors in attendance, who each enthusiastically engaged parents and prospective students with the learning opportunities available across all our key learning areas.
In May, our Year 7 and 9 students undertook the NAPLAN tests. I am particularly proud of the dedication and commitment to learning shown by our Year 9 cohort. In the month prior to these tests, our Year 9 students completed a practice NAPLAN test for reading comprehension and numeracy. These tests provided our students with an ambitious goal to aspire to as well as suggested strategies for success. Each of our Year 9 students engaged thoughtfully with their goals and had productive conversations with their English and Maths teachers. I am confident that this commitment to learning growth and improvement will see our students once again celebrating achievement above the state later this year.
Early this year we launched our Dromana College Merit Program. This program celebrates students who are demonstrating our college values of Respect, Responsibility, Personal Best and Integrity in their learning and extra-curricular pursuits. It is pleasing to see so many students from Year 7-12 receiving recognition daily - a true testament to the great young people that attend Dromana College. At the end of this year, we will collectively celebrate our top students from each year level. Well done to all students who have received a merit point so far and I encourage you to continue upholding the college values in all that you do.
For staff, Term 2 has been a significant term for Professional Development. All staff participated in a series of professional learning workshops, in areas such as differentiating learning, effective questioning, collaborative strategies, and the use and generation of data to inform practice. All workshops were internally led by staff, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank the workshop leaders for their time and dedication to our professional learning culture. Our commitment to learning and reflecting on our practice ensures we are always catering to individual learning needs. In addition to the professional learning workshops, a number of staff are also completing the Dromana College Coordinators Program and/or Aspirant Leaders. These two additional programs support staff to further engage with frameworks of effective leadership and school data sets to design, implement and monitor a new impact initiative within the college. We will be holding a staff expo early in Term 3 to hear about the projects our staff have been working on.
Whilst the snap lockdown forced us all to pivot back into the remote learning environment, I am incredibly proud of how smooth this transition was. Our staff are the utmost professionals and ensured no student was disconnected from school or their learning during this period of uncertainty. More admirably was how well our students re-engaged with the online platform and the initiative they took to make sure they completed their Semester 1 subjects with focus and purpose. Semester 1 reports were completed on Monday 14th June, and we will look ahead to more success and celebration in Semester 2.