Out of the Box

Principal's Update

Losh Pillay

It has been another turbulent year in education in Victoria as we navigated even more disruption, several lockdowns and extended periods of remote learning. My heartfelt appreciation goes out to our whole school community - staff, students and families. Your resilience, courage and strength in the face of many challenges this year has been heart-warming.

 

In the last year, we saw once again the true value of schools - they not only provide education, but also bring people together, create communities, extend opportunities for connection, creativity and collaboration, and provide much needed support for   individuals.

 

The Box Hill Vision:

Our vision and purpose at Box Hill High School has always been to ‘foster resilience, develop a passion for lifelong development and commitment to impacting the world in positive ways’.  We also have a strong purpose in ensuring that our community is ‘safe and inclusive’ and an ‘environment where everyone can flourish’. 

 

This has never been more apt than this year, as we navigated the challenges that came our way with courage and determination, and ultimately embodied this vision and purpose in so many different and exciting ways. Rather than look to what was lost or missed, our staff and students engaged in high quality learning programs (onsite as well as online), actively participated in sport as well as many virtual challenge activities, competitions and projects, to stay connected to peers. They also created wonderful pieces of art, performed incredible music and showcased talented dramatic performances. Student leaders continued to lead the way with celebrations such as International Women’s Day, IDAHOT Day an R U OK Day?  There were indeed many bright spots this year.

 

Congratulations to all our students and student leaders for making 2021 another wonderful and successful year at school. You make us all very proud. I would like to also extend my gratitude to our hardworking staff who have been supporting and caring for our students. Our staff not only teach, they also care for, nurture and support all students every day.  They are the backbone of our school, and we appreciate and value their expertise and dedication.

 

Farewell Class of 2021:

We are also so proud of the class of 2021 for their commitment and dedication to their studies and each other. Year 12 students have persevered through two years of disrupted study and missed many of the rites of passage that all young people enjoy in their final years of high school. Nevertheless, they have retained their optimism, good humour and lovely smiles and pushed through the tough times. I sincerely thank every Year 12 student for their leadership and for being excellent role models to all other students at Box Hill High School. We are incredibly proud of their achievements and wish them well in their future ventures. We are confident that the years ahead will be filled with much success, joy, and exciting opportunities.

 

Please see details of our VCE results for 2021 in this edition.

 

Farewell to Staff:

We also farewell Toby Wilkins, who has been appointed as Master Teacher in the new Academy of Teaching and Learning. Toby will be working with 8 other exemplary educators across Victoria to lead professional learning at the Academy. We wish him all the best in this new venture.

 

David Innes will also be leaving to take up a position with Mathletics - designing new resources for the Maths Curriculum which will be widely used in all schools.  He will also be consulting with Maths staff in a range of schools in Melbourne to support their professional learning. We wish David everything of the best and we are sure his expertise in this area will be greatly valued by Maths teachers in all schools.

 

To other staff who are leaving Box Hill HS to take up positions in other government schools or in the independent school sector, taking periods of leave, or to other vocational choices, we wish them all the best for the next stage of their lives and careers. 

 

Staff taking extended periods of leave are:

  • Eugene Roizman
  • James Chew 
  • Dee McQueen 

We wish them well as they explore new learning and vocations.

 

Staff leaving the school: 

  • Gabby Bergman
  • Peter Harvey
  • Ben Hutchison
  • Marko Kocev
  • Tom Hull 
  •  Paul Rogers 
  •  Robyn Dyer
  •  Shelley Thacker  

We are confident that they will make equally strong contributions to their new schools and workplaces as they have done within our school community.

 

Recruiting New staff:

Over the past semester we have been actively recruiting new staff for 2022. It is always an exciting time for the Principal Team to interview prospective applicants who aspire to teach and work at Box Hill High School. We are very much looking forward to welcoming and supporting them in their transition, along with all of our new students. New staff will be introduced to the school community in the first edition of our newsletter in 2022.

 

Thank you:

Thank you to my Assistant Principals – Theresa Iacopino and Kellie Ind, the School Improvement Team, including Theresa Jarvis (Business Manager), Lynne Dwelly (HR Manager), Darren Jones (Facilities Manager), Darren Yap (International Student Program Coordinator),  all teaching staff, Educational Support staff, students and parents for their contributions to the school over the course of what has been another huge year .

 

I would also like to especially thank all members of our School Council for their support, dedication and work throughout 2021. We now look to next year with great hope and optimism – it will be a time for recovery, but also renewal as we move forward into the new year. 

 

Wishing all our families a Happy and Safe Festive Season:

I wish all members of the school community a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. It is a special time for families and valued friends, and I trust that you will enjoy the festive season with the people who are closest to you.  Our school community has been extraordinary in their support for one another throughout this second year of COVID and I sincerely trust that the holiday break will be filled with wonderful memories.

 

All the very best for a safe, healthy, and happy summer holiday break.

 

Take care and stay safe,

Losh