From the Principal

Dear Parents & Carers,

Welcome back to the final school term for 2024. I hope all students have had an enjoyable and restful break (with some revision and preparation for the new term) and are looking forward to finishing the year off on an excellent note.

The feedback from teachers, comments, and assessment data available to parents via our learning management system, the “Canvas” portal, provide valuable information to help students and parents keep track of student progress. This information and the Term 3 Yrs 7 – 11 Parent/Student/Teacher conferences held at the end of term three will have helped identify and affirm good progress to date, provided a valuable opportunity to discuss areas of concern and helped set some directions for a productive time ahead.

Can I please suggest that parents make time with their daughter or son to review their progress to date this semester with a view to intentionally planning for a productive and balanced program of study, recreation and commitments for the remainder of the year? This term usually goes very quickly, and we want our students to finish another year on a positive note so that they can be satisfied with their year’s learning and personal growth and development.

With our senior students finishing up very soon, I am pleased that most of our VCE students have taken advantage of the Unit 3 & 4 VCE Revision Lectures and practice exams during the holidays. VCE Coordinator, Ms Andrea Dart, reported that she was very pleased with how the students approached this crucial assessment preparation.

Principal leave

I am very grateful for the opportunity to have taken leave for all of Term Three. I return refreshed and keen to serve our school community. I am so thankful to my Executive Colleagues who covered my absence. In particular, thank you to Mr Michael Timms for taking on the Acting Principal role. He has done a great job; I am sure this has been a valuable professional learning experience for him.

With Deputy Principal (Organisation) Joe McLean on leave for Term Four, Mr Timms will take on Mr McLean’s role for the term. This will mean fewer changes to our staffing as Ms Kirsty Allan will continue as Acting Deputy (Students) and Ms Kristin Williamson as Acting Head of Senior School.

Principal review

This term, Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) will conduct the process for my mid-term contract review. The review will involve me completing a self-reflection on the last three years, a survey of all staff, interviews of many staff, students and parents and the completion of a report for MACS. The process will be completed by the end of this term.

The review will be structured around the following areas:

• Leadership of the Catholic Faith Community

• Leadership of Learning and Teaching

• Developing Self and Others

• Leading Improvement, Innovation and Change

• Leadership of Management of the School

• Engaging and Working with the Community

The Panel that will conduct the Review comprises:

• Prof. Marie Emmitt (nominee of the School Advisory Council)

• Mr Rory Kennedy (retired Principal and nominee of the Principal)

• Mr Craig Holmes (nominee of MACS and Panel Chair)

The review panel will interview a cross-section of the College’s community members.

Your feedback is crucial to this process. Any parent who would like to provide feedback via email directly to the Reviewer, Craig Holmes (cholmes@macs.vic.edu.au), would be most welcome to email him their thoughts by 12 noon on Thursday, 17 October 2024.

Please note that the Reviewer will de-identify any information provided to him.

Thank you in anticipation of your support for the review. Your feedback is not only valuable to me for my leadership and professional development, but it will also significantly contribute to our school improvement strategies, leading to better outcomes for our students.

Recent student trips

Cape York Indigenous Immersion Trips – Forty Yrs 9 & 10 students, four staff members, and ‘Red Earth’ Guides to visit an Indigenous community.

Indonesian Study Tour - Twenty four Yrs 10 - 12 students travelled with three staff members to Indonesia. This was the first time we have been able to undertake this trip for six years due to the pandemic putting a pause on such ventures.

Both groups returned safely during the holidays. All reports to date indicate the trips went very well. I thank the staff involved and commend the students on the very positive comments I received about their enthusiastic and cooperative approach.

Final week for Year 12s

Next week will be the final week of classes for our Year 12 students. We are looking forward to a positive and smooth finish for our senior students, and I share some of our plans for their finish-up as follows.

Regular timetabled classes for the Year 12 students will cease on Thursday 17th October 2024. The next day, Friday 18th October, will be the Yr 12 ‘Celebration Day.’ The VCE written exam period starts on Tuesday 29th October 2024 with the English exam (for LOTE Oral, Theatre Studies & Music Performance exam times, please check with the subject teacher, some of these examinations have already started.) Visit the following website for the VCE exam timetable:

https://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/administration/Key-dates/Pages/VCE-exam-timetable.aspx

We have made it very clear about our expectations for a positive finish by the senior students on their ‘last day,’ Friday, October 18th. After that, I encourage the Year 12 VCE students to remain as focused as possible on their studies right through to the last exam. A lot depends on their ability to apply themselves well during this time, and I encourage them to support each other in doing this.

After Friday 18th October, Year 12 teachers will be available during normal class time and by appointment out of class time until the exam for their particular subject. Teachers will discuss these arrangements with their students.

Some special activities have been planned for their “last week” to help make this a special and memorable time for the students and parents. In particular, I remind parents of Year 12 students and friends of the College about the Year 12 Mass at the College Multi-purpose Centre on Thursday 17th October (5:00 pm) and the Full School Assembly earlier on that same day at 1:30 pm (report to the office at 12:45 pm so a seat can be arranged for you.) It is expected that all Yr 12 students and their families will attend the special Mass on the 17th October and you would be most welcome to attend the assembly.

I wish our Year 12 students and their families a special and memorable time during the last phase of their secondary school journey.

Next Full School Assembly

All Parents are warmly invited to attend this term’s assembly on Thursday 17th October 2024 at 1:30 pm. I ask you to please report to the office at 12:45 pm so you can be allocated a seat. The main focus of the assembly will be, as in past years, the school’s farewell to the Year 12 students. The assembly will conclude at about 2:45 pm.

Wednesday 23rd October 2024 – normal classes

Please note that this day is not a holiday for our students – classes will run as usual. As you are aware, this is the day of the annual “Geelong Cup.” Some schools are taking this day as a holiday; we are not, as we take Melbourne Cup day instead (together with the day before.)

As some schools are taking Geelong Cup off, there was a question over what school buses will run on this day. The Region’s School Bus Coordinator has informed our Bus Coordinator that buses will run on this day for our students. I would suggest that students should check with their driver just before the day, particularly those on buses that carry students from other schools, in case any special arrangements are being made due to fewer students travelling on this day.

Friday 25th October 2024 – no classes at school

Please note that students will work from home on this day because teachers will have a Curriculum Writing Day. Students will access their set work via ‘Announcements’ on our learning management system, ‘Canvas.’

Staff news

On Leave from start of Term 4:

Changes to Positions of Leadership

Best wishes for the next fortnight,

Michael Exton

Principal