PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Principal’s Newsletter Report – 19 Dec 2022

 

2022 has been a fantastic year for Western Heights College as we have continued to overcome the challenges and uncertainties navigating a pandemic to move to a much more settled learning environment on a daily basis.

 

That said, it was exciting to once again allow all students and staff to experience the full richness of school, particularly those aspects that were so difficult to maintain through the last 2 years, including participation in performing arts, sport, practical activities in science and technology, school performances, camps, and excursions.

 

Learning and growth has been the focus whilst ensuring that our well-being needs of our young people have been prioritised. As I walk the classrooms of our school, I see students who love learning with their teachers.  I see teachers who make learning engaging and fun each day.  I see students participating in challenging lessons where they persevere while solving difficult real-world problems.  I see students conducting science investigations where they ask questions, make observations, and collect data. I see art and music being created by excited and energetic students.  I see students excelling in our Specialist Sport Program. It is because of the teachers’ hard work and dedication that students get to participate in engaging and relevant learning experiences each day at WHC.  It has been so great to feel the energy of students in our college classrooms and grounds again.

 

There have been many wonderful highlights to celebrate as a whole community and college and I invite you to enjoy reading the many reports in this wonderful reflection and review of our college year put together by students and staff from WHC.

 

I know that many students and teachers feel exhausted and tired at the end of the school year and this year it has been compounded as we worked hard to get our “classroom fitness” back whilst reconnecting and working on our social skills.  Teachers continue to make a huge difference every day to students, and I continue to be proud to be an educator working to make a difference in the lives of the students we serve.  As difficult as it has been the last few years in our profession, I know that the work we do is vital and as we continue to meet the challenges by staying student-focused and working together to make decisions based on what works best to increase student outcomes.

 

As we close out the year, I want to thank our parents and carers for their wonderful support of our young people. This year has been a year to reconnect with our friends, family, and community and your support has been instrumental in making this year a success.

 

2022 has been a year of consolidation for our college as we grow towards a school enrolment of 800. We have so much to look forward too as a community and I cannot wait to continue our school journey together and growth as a community in 2023.

 

Awards Evening

 

Our Awards evening was conducted last Thursday evening at GMHBA stadium. It was a wonderful occasion to celebrate our achievements for the year as a community and to hear from Dr. Lea Waters who provided an inspirational address to our community. It was also wonderful to celebrate the many art and technology projects completed by students this year with our first in person art and technology show since 2019.

 

 

Year 12 Results

 

Last Monday our Year 12 results were released to our community. I want to send a huge congratulations to every Year 12 student in our college.

 

Congratulations to our college dux for 2022, Melanie Simpson. We are so proud of Melanie and enjoyed listening to her speech at our Awards evening.

 

Whether our students received the result they were hoping for or not, I want them to remember that this is just the beginning and that there are endless opportunities ahead for the future – and endless pathways to reach those goals. No score or number can define anyone’s future.

Grade 6 Orientation Days 2022

 

Orientation Day is the bookend to graduation. It is always a delight to welcome our Grade 6s to the WHC school community on our 3 orientation days.

 

Our transition program will continue for students at the beginning of 2022 to ensure that the foundations established today at Orientation Day are built on as soon as we return. Special thanks to Marli McCarthy and the transition team for their leadership prior to and during the days.

 

2022 College Magazine

This year’s college magazine is truly a celebration of this year’s learning. I wish to congratulate Jen Chiu and Natasha Petrovics for pulling together a wonderful collection of stories, photographs, and reports to share the year that was 2022.

 

2023 School Start Dates

 

•           Friday 27 January (Teachers return) – General Office open for parents and carers

•           Monday 30 January (Berry St Education Model Day 4 – final day PL training – Pupil free)

•           Tuesday 31st January – Year 7, 10/11 and 12 students return to school

•           Wednesday 1st February – Year 8/9 students return to school (Whole School)

 

Thank you and best wishes for the break

 

I hope you finish the year with a sense of achievement and optimism. I am so incredibly proud of everyone. Well done.

 

I sign off now with immense gratitude.

 

Best wishes to one and all.

 

Fiona Taylor

Principal

 

Child Safety at WHC

Western Heights College is a child safe organisation committed to 

protecting students from all forms of abuse.

 

Our College has stringent protocols in place and endeavours at all times to be fully compliant with the Child Safe Standards set out under Ministerial Order 870.

 

Our College has the following documents and policies in place to achieve compliance with the Standards. All of these documents are available for downloading on our website or contact the school for a copy. 

 

1.       Commitment to Child Safety

2.       Child Safety Policy

3.       Child Safety Code of Conduct

4.       Child Protection Policy and Procedures

 

Annual privacy policy reminder for 2022

Our school collects, uses, discloses and stores student and parent personal information for standard school functions or where permitted by law, as stated in the Schools’ Privacy Policy.(found on the colleges webpage)

Please take time to remind yourself of our school’s collection notice, found on our website. For more information about privacy, refer to: Schools’ Privacy Policy — information for parents and carers on the webpage. This information is also available in nine community languages:

* Amharic

* Arabic

* Dari

* Gujarati

* Mandarin

* Somali

* Sudanese

* Turkish

* Urdu

* Vietnamese.