Principal’s Message Week 7 Term 3 2022

Welcome,

You will probably be aware by now that last week I announced my intention to take long-service leave in Term 4 this year after ten years as principal. I will resume from long service leave over the Christmas break and will officially retire at the commencement of the 2023 school year.

The DET Barwon Area Regional Office are going through a selection process at present to appoint the Acting Principal for Term 4.

Semester 2 Progress reports. The purpose of these reports is to give students and parents a sense of how teachers feel students are travelling at the mid-point of the semester. For VCE/VCAL students it is beyond the mid-point, so advice around not completing work and not putting in the effort are even more critical. Of course the majority of students are working well and doing what is required, though some students will need to apply themselves more fully and listen to the advice of teachers.

GAT- The General Achievement Test for all students doing a unit 3-4 sequence will be held next Wednesday 7^th September. The GAT is an important element of the VCE process which tests students’ knowledge of English mathematics and Humanities. In 2022 it will be split into two sections. Section A will be held in the morning and will assess literacy and numeracy and Section B will be held in the afternoon and will assess general knowledge and skills in maths, science, technology, the arts, and humanities, with an increased focus on critical and creative thinking skills.

Shelter in Place drill – We conducted a Code Yellow – Shelter in Place lockdown drill this morning. A shelter in place lockdown is used typically in circumstances where the weather is so bad that it is not safe to be outside a school building. Pleasingly the drill went very well and students and staff cooperated fully with students remaining in classrooms until the all -clear (Code Green) was given.

Glenn Davey

Principal

Our first day at Mt Stirling started with learning how to Cross Country Ski in the subalpine environment. The weather was cold and grey but the rain held off for most of the day. We saw many beautiful Alpine Ash trees and several different birds but as we progressed higher into the Alpine environment twisted and gnarled Snow Gums replaced the Alpine Ash trees, Sphagnum Bogs appeared and we didn’t see much fauna anymore as the conditions became colder. The top temperature for the day was 0.7 degrees.

Today both Mr Molloy and Mr Truscott taught us and we quickly discovered for ourselves how quickly the alpine conditions can change and the importance of keeping yourself warm and your hands dry. We also learnt the difference between different types of snow. The hard icy snow makes it so hard to slow down and hurts so much more when you fall and the soft slushy snow gives good grip and is much softer to land in.

The day was challenging and fun. Everyone fell over heaps and Liam’s frustration was pretty funny.

On day 2 we tackled the challenges of a full on day and experienced the full force of the alpines from the sunny start to sudden change of conditions on the summit to the full on snow shower later in the day. We started the day with a mission to reach the summit. It was so beautiful amongst the snow gums and it was especially beautiful on this day with the big dump of snow overnight which was still clinging to the trees. We reached Bluff Spur hut for somewhere to have lunch and prepare for our ski up to summit.

Eights of us made it up to the summit and it was so beautiful. The clouds cleared and you could see the amazing Victorian High Plains for as far as your eyes could see. It was like nothing I had seen before. The ski down from summit was very hard as it was so windy and icy so we had heaps of stacks but all was good.

As we had reached the top, the afternoon was all downhill. Great! It was amazing how much the group had improved in their skills from day 1 to 2. We still were not the best at snow ploughing (slowing down) so we still ended up on our butts a bit but much less than yesterday. We managed to get back down safely and got back to the bus at about 5pm. That was a big day but what a ripping day.

Day 3 was our downhill day at Mt Buller. The differences between the natural aspect of Mt Stirling to Mt Buller was amazing and a real eye opener. Our day of Snowboarding was so fun, some picked it up really quickly and progressed onto some blue runs and others stuck to the easier green runs. Visibility was pretty hard for most of the day which added another challenge. Snowboarding is definitely something I would like to have another go at as I feel like I was getting better with every run and it was so much fun.

Camp was great. We had the best time. Most of the class had never seen snow before so that was pretty exciting and a great experience

Year 11 Outdoor Enviro Class Students

Science and Engineering Challenge – Deakin University

On the 19th August, 17 GHS students travelled to the Waurn Ponds campus to compete in the Science and Engineering challenge. The students worked in small teams to design and build structures like bridges, buildings, turbines, prosthetic hands and more, competing against other Geelong high schools.

This excursion was part of the STEM program at GHS. STEM represents the fastest growing industry in the world, where there are many jobs currently unfilled, due to a lack of skilled workers in the field. In turn, this provides GHS students a great opportunity to go into this industry and earn high salaries in very interesting jobs.

To kick off Science Week at Geelong High last week, students were invited to a meet and greet with our school pet, Xander.

Xander is a children's python, he had a great time being introduced to all the friendly faces that are usually just watching him through the glass of his enclosure.

Hello GHS Community,

With the weather being much colder we have a number of students needing to borrow a GHS Jacket to uphold our uniform policy. As a result we are running low on jackets, in particular larger sizes. If you or someone you know have any extra jackets that you no longer need please donate to the front administration office.

We do have a surplus of the GHS wool jumper if any one would like one of these. Please see Dee Davis in the administration office.

Hands on Learning has started this term with ten students beginning the programme on Wednesday the 17^th of August. We were pleased to congratulate the ten students who qualified for the programme by attending interviews and submitting their applications. All students have fitted in nicely and are keen and eager to get their hands dirty.

Our first project is a garden bed retaining wall in the sculpture garden at the end of S block but there are many more projects being organised both at school and in the community.

Payge and Jack described the Hands on Learning Day and how it starts and ends with some personal reflection about how they are travelling and what their key goals are both personally and as a group. After some discussion, they are given their focus plan for the day. This they discuss and then refine every three weeks as they see fit.

Payge outlined when asked about the programme how fantastic the day is, how she has really been enjoying both learning about and using the tools for the projects they are developing. She said it makes her feel a lot better about coming to school and has even helped her focus more in class as she knows the Wednesday will give her a chance to work on something that she really enjoys.

Jack’s commented that learning about the tools and how to actually put a project into action was great. He thinks that this will work nicely with his intended pathway, that it builds on his strengths and makes him also feel more positive about school.

At the end of the day teachers will load information into a student tracker on what the students have achieved and how they have reacted and behaved throughout the day. It is also great to see staff asking questions of what the students are doing and getting a feel for the program

Stay tuned for more news and projects as we move along.

Regards

Rohan Butler & Michael Jackson

Congratulations to our Science Week Photo Competition winners. This years theme was Glass.

Well done to everyone who entered.

Ms Sarah Roberts

Miss Albrecht and I are excited to be planning the 2022 VET Dance showcase after a 2-year hiatus. Our 40 VET Dance students are working hard to present solo, small group and ensembles routines in Jazz, Hip Hop, Ballet, Tap, Contemporary and Lyrical styles, and we would love your support. The show is Thursday 8^th September, 6pm at Costa Hall and tickets are $20 (available at the GHS office). There are some exceptional performers, and we’d love to share with you what they’ve been working on!

We hope to see you there.

Cat Yee

VET Dance Teacher

​2022 Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey

WE WANT OUR PARENTS/CAREGIVERS/GUARDIANS TO TELL US WHAT THEY THINK!

Our school is conducting a survey to find out what parents/caregivers/guardians think of our school. The Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey is an annual survey offered by the Department of Education and Training that is designed to assist schools in gaining an understanding of families’ perceptions of school climate, student behavior, and student engagement. We encourage all families to participate in this survey. Our school will use the survey results to help inform and direct future school planning and improvement strategies.

A random sample of approximately 30 per cent of parents/caregivers/guardians have been selected to participate in this year’s survey.

The Parent/Caregiver/Guardian Opinion Survey will be conducted from Monday 15^th August to Friday 16th September.

The survey will be conducted online, only takes 20 minutes to complete, and can be accessed at any convenient time within the fieldwork period on desktop computers, laptops, tablets or smartphones. The online survey will be available in a range of languages other than English. These include: Arabic, Vietnamese, Simplified Chinese, Chin (Hakha), Hindi, Japanese, Somali, Turkish, Punjabi and Greek.

Survey results will be communicated to parents/carers/guardians through annual reporting and the community newsletter. Last year we used the survey results to measure satisfaction levels from parents/carers/guardians about our current curriculum, monitor levels of student engagement and wellbeing, compare school level data on engagement with state-wide benchmarks, stimulate discussion within the school community about how to improve parent engagement, and assist in the identification of areas for improvement and professional development needs in the school.

Please contact Julianna Garcia (Assistant Principal of School Operations) if you would like more information.

• It takes 70 different pieces of wood to make up a violin, explaining why some of them are so expensive (one even sold for $16 million). Talk about a potentially very expensive hobby.

SPECIAL REPORT: Building Belonging Post Pandemic

Having a sense of belonging involves more than simply knowing other people. It is also focused on gaining acceptance, attention and support from others, as well as having the opportunity to provide the same to other people.

When the pandemic interrupted our lives and changed the way we live, this meant that suddenly many of our young people’s main sources of connection with peers and extended family members was removed overnight without warning. As human beings, we have a basic emotional and biological need for connection. It provides us with feelings of identity, security, support, acceptance and community.

Students who have a sense of belonging will experience these feelings which in turn supports their academic, psychological and social development. When young people come together again after a period of instability, there is a period of adjustment. Whilst the rules of the group may be established, acceptance remains paramount and can therefore mean some behaviours become far from rational, making it difficult for their brain to focus on things, such as learning. All these factors combined, leave young people open to being vulnerable. It can sometimes tempt them into making choices or becoming involved in situations they might not ordinarily consider.

As a result of the pandemic, there are still many young people struggling to connect and regain their sense of belonging. This Special Report provides guidance to families who find themselves in this situation. We hope you take a moment to reflect on the information offered, and as always, we welcome your feedback. If this raises any concerns for you, a loved one or the wellbeing of your child, please seek medical or professional help.

Here is the link to your special report https://geelonghigh.vic.schooltv.me/wellbeing_news/special-report-building-belonging-post-pandemic