Principal’s Message Week 10 Term 4 2021

Welcome,

Hopefully we can look back on 2020-21 as the “covid years” and that 2022 is the beginning of the “post-covid” years. Time will tell. There’s no doubt it will still be a topic for many of our conversations into the future, but ideally as a peripheral subject only.

The 2021 school year has presented as many challenges as the previous year with five more excursions into remote and flexible learning. While not as long in duration as in 2020, the impact has been just as dramatic, if not more so. Many students and staff found the unpredictable nature of the lockdowns a major challenge. Relative to other schools however, we have again emerged reasonably unscathed. It wasn’t until the third last week of term 4 that we experienced our first positive cases on site and these for just one day; meaning that only 40+ students and no staff were required to be tested, and of these, only one further case was detected. It is a credit to students, staff and parents that they have observed the sanitising and personal hygiene protocols and heeded the advice to get vaccinated.

As with 2020 we have had to adjust our programs and events considerably this year. We have only had two whole school assemblies – one in March and the other in November. We have again run an abridged year 12 graduation ceremony although this time parents/carers were able to observe from a distance. This year’s graduating group have been remarkable. They’ve spent their entire VCE with the ever- present spectre of covid hanging over their heads; and yet they have soldiered on and modelled the sort of resilience and perseverance we would want all of our students to aspire to.

On the teaching and learning front, staff have continued their work in documenting a more detailed curriculum program and we have developed an agreed instructional model which will be implemented in all classes in 2022. Work to improve our curriculum and the teaching and learning is an on-going process. We believe we have the structures in place to continue our improvement journey for the next three years of our strategic plan. Our priorities will be to improve learning growth for all students. We will have a particular focus on writing. The tutoring program will be continued. We will endeavour to improve student engagement further, by encouraging students to contribute their thoughts and opinions, their “voice”, as to what and how they learn. We also aim to prepare them for life by giving them greater responsibility (or “agency”) for their learning.

The last two years have taught us that schools now play an even more significant role in student wellbeing than they have in the past. We understand that student wellbeing is a critical precondition for learning. Significant time, energy, and funding is now directed into the wellbeing area of schools to ensure that students feel supported. Schools are being resourced better to provide this support through employment of and access to social workers, mental health practitioners, doctors, nurses and psychologists. Schools have introduced a range of programs and initiatives such as our positive education initiative, respectful relationships, restorative practices, school-wide positive behaviours and Berry Street training, to build student resilience, emotional intelligence and social skills. Schooling has changed and evolved over time, but less quickly than many other areas of society. One evolution has been technologically; evident lately in the transition to remote and on-line learning.

I would like to take the opportunity to acknowledge a few of our very experienced staff who are either retiring or moving on professionally. Specifically, Mr David Kaberry, after some 30 years as a teacher here and before that as a student; Catriona Simmonds, 22 years at GHS and 36 + years in teaching; Greg Williams, 14 years at GHS and 38 in teaching; Marg Rhoddy, 14 years here and 39 years in teaching. Over 100 years of experience will be walking out the door. I would like to acknowledge and thank each of these members of staff for the amazing contribution they have made to Geelong High School and to education in general. One of the reasons we chose to do this job is because it offers the opportunity to make a difference. These people can proudly say they have made a difference.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone in the Geelong High School community a happy and (covid) safe festive season. I look forward to seeing more of you in person in 2022.

Glenn Davey

Principal