NEWSLETTER ISSUE: 1820 20th December 2018

Phone: 5428 3691 Fax: 5428 4018

Web: www.gisbornesc.vic.edu.au

Email: gisborne.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au

Gisborne Secondary College values respect, diversity, innovation and achievement. Through a wide range of learning opportunities, students develop fulfilling and independent lives.

A Reflection on 2018

2018 has been a year of transition and a year of reflection, with our quadrennial School Review undertaken and completed and a new Strategic Plan prepared for the next four years.

The review itself observed the great improvements in school facilities and the enrolment growth over the past four years, strength of our Performing Arts program and the emergence of teachers working in collaborative teams to improve our curriculum delivery and teaching practice. These strengths will drive us forward with our new Strategic Plan, where we will focus on improving student achievement and learning growth across the whole curriculum, but in particular for Literacy and Numeracy, developing students’ social, emotional and academic engagement so that they are more, confident, activated and motivated learners, and continuing to build create a collaborative, accountable learning community culture. Teamwork and high expectations will be the hallmark of our school culture in the years ahead.

It has also been a transition year for school leadership, which is always destabilizing for a short period of time, but despite this, we are quietly pleased with the shifts in school data that we are seeing already, shifts that augur well for 2019.

Our Parent Opinion Survey improved in 13 of the 19 categories, with significant improvement in physical environment, school pride and confidence, student agency and voice, and general satisfaction, which in itself moved from 80 to 90%, a fantastic result.

We continued to record high, positive results from our students in the Attitudes to School Survey, especially in effective teaching time, and high expectations for success.

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Our NAPLAN results were also pleasing.

The percentage in Top 2 bands for Reading increased, and Numeracy results have improved compared to previous years with a higher percentage in the top 2 bands and a decrease in the percentage of students in the bottom 2 bands.

It was also a strong year for us in VCE. We improved our VCE median score from 25.65 in 2017, to 27 in 2018, a fantastic result, we improved the percentage of study scores of 40 and over, and, for the first time, achieved 100% satisfactory VCE completion, also a wonderful result. Not sure how we can build on that one!

Our Debating program continues to grow under the stewardship of Simone Moore. Again this year we entered a team in the Debaters Association of Victoria interschools series. Our team of Robert , Caitlyn, Emily won 4 out of 5 debates, a fantastic record. And for the first time we entered a team in the Junior DAV competition –7 students involved from 7 & 8 and Sophie received Best Speaker Award for the Program. Additionally, there was such a huge interest in Junior inter-house debating that it took us two terms to run through all the debates – in some cases we had two teams representing a house. We always sensed that Gizzy kids were good arguers, now we have the data!

Our sporting program continues to thrive, and participation in inter-school sport grows. We have so many examples of individual and team success: Madison becoming the AFLW’s #3 Draft pick (and Carl-ton’s #1); Darcey coming second in the state in shot put; Year 7 Boys’ volleyball and Girls’ cricket reaching state finals, and the Year 7 Girls basketball team winning a Community Sports Award at the Macedon Ranges Youth Awards. I could go on.

2018 saw the introduction of the 4SP program, a two periods per week program aimed at developing study skills and wellbeing. There were some teething problems here, but these problems were mainly related to split staffing. In 2019, the 4SP program is strengthened with the return of the Mentor Assembly and Mentor Teacher, who, for students in Years 10-12, will also take them for 4SP. One product of the 4SP program was the Year 10 Market Day: a fantastic afternoon of different stalls, from apple bobbing, coin toss, food-stalls car-wash and so forth, that raised over $2000 dollars for a range of charities.

The highly popular RAID program in Year 9 had another successful year, with students engaged in community projects and city-emersion days, a great way to step out into the wider community with guidance, and build confidence and worldliness

In another positive move for student activism, we now have a fully functional Student Representative Council, which has been meeting each week. Thanks to Greg Savvinos and School Captains for their work in developing this excellent forum of student voice and participation. I also had the pleasure this year of joining Greg Savvinos and Jane Crozier to see Laura , one of our 2019 Captains, assist in the presentation of VicSRC Student Voice Awards in Melbourne, alongside the State Minister for Education, James Merlino. Laura is a member of the VicSRC Executive. Student voice and agency will be strengthened and developed in 2019.

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Culturally, in the Arts, 2018 has been richer than ever, with many performances and competitions enhancing the school year. We had two marvelous productions, Annie Jnr and Chicago, showcasing the extraordinary talent of our young people, the skills and passionate commitment of staff, and indeed the remarkable talent (and remarkable lack of talent in one) discovered in the four staff-members who took the stage as ‘Roxie’s boys’ to the amusement of many of their colleagues.

International culture has also been well served, with a group of Japanese language students travelling to Chikushi HS on homestay, touring Kyoto, Nagano and Tokyo, and visiting Hiroshima to deliver 1000 paper cranes in the name of peace and a nuclear-weapons-free future. Well done again, Noriko Ikaga.

This year we welcomed two Indonesian teachers: Sendi and Lukman, who stayed with us for two weeks. Both teach English at the BPI 1 school, Bandung, and with Emily Ezzy, have together brokered a new sister school relationship, another cultural first for us all.

Vocational education at Gisborne SC has a strong future. The Premier, Daniel Andrews, and the Member for Macedon, Mary-Anne Thomas, made an unexpected visit to announce that Gisborne Secondary College had been selected as one of the pilot schools for the new ‘Head Start Apprenticeships and Traineeships’ initiative. Essentially this means that there is provision for an extra year of school so students can finish VCAL or VCE, while at the same time completing an apprenticeship or traineeship. It’s great for our school and the Macedon Ranges community, in that we will become a centre of excellence in vocational pathways and be in a perfect position to build partnerships with local employers. As I’ve said before, great schools look outward into their communities to improve the learning and the prospects of their students.

In terms of buildings and grounds, the resurfacing and irrigation of the oval became a bit of debacle, with contractors at fault here. I must thank the community, especially our students, who suffered a year without the oval. I can reassure you that it will be finished and lush and even for term 1 next year.

The Performing Arts Centre has been re-clad and re-roofed, Students in I block and B block have worked in new spaces created by glass partitions and as we speak the Design Room is being refurbished and bus-loop repaired. (Did you know that the perpetual erosion of the asphalt is caused by a natural spring?)

I’d now like to acknowledge our staff of 2018.

Let me again congratulate Jill Magee as a proud recipient of one of 25 National Excellence in Teaching Awards; a great achievement given that there were over 2000 nominations from across the country. This is terrific news for Jill, the College and her students.

On Friday we farewell fifteen staff who are either taking leave or moving on to positions in new schools, but in any case, will not be with us in 2019. I’d like to thank all of the following for their hard work and dedication to the school:

Natalie Ventra Karen Masterton Pat Lynch Lauren Jackson Natasha Davey,

Alan Renganathan Trent Kennedy Sarah Bridgewater Thanh Le-Rodda Renae King

Peter Michelini Chau Pham Lainey Carr Justin Rodda

FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Let me thank Tracey McGuire, our Curriculum, Teaching and Learning Leading Teacher for her excellent work over the last 4 years few years.

Let me give special thanks and acknowledgement to Tracey Summerton and Judy Simm for their great contribution as Assistant Principals over the last 5 years, both of whom will be pursuing different directions in 2019.

I also want to acknowledge the support of our School Council this year, and in particular acknowledge the work of Jane Campbell, Council President, over the last 2 years. Jane has been an active, creative contributor, and I promise that early next year you will get to open our Wall of Fame!

Finally, special congratulations to our 2018 Dux, Caitlyn ,and all our VCE, VET and VCAL students who worked so hard and did so well.

2018 has been a year of change but also a year of significant progress and success. No doubt, with change comes uncertainty, but change also brings replenishment, fresh ideas, reinvigorated thinking, and an infusion of energy. We look forward to welcoming all our new staff in 2019 with a great sense of optimism, ambition and excitement for the next incarnation of Gisborne Secondary College.

Let me wish all members of the GSC community – students, families, staff – a wonderful Christmas and a safe and refreshing summer holiday.

Thankyou.

Dates for:

Gisborne Secondary College

Sunbury Downs College

As at 11th

December 2019

School Terms I - 29.01.19 – 05.04.19

II – 23.04.19 – 28.06.19

III - 15.07.19 – 20.09.19

IV - 07.10.19 – 20.12.19

Youth Clinic

Come & See Us

COMMUNITY NEWS

School

Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep

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Oct Nov Dec

Gisborne Lunch

from 1.00 to 3.15

Ph: 5428 3691

Wednesdays

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20

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1

15

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19

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31

7

21

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18

9

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Sunbury Lunch

from 1 to 3.30

Ph: 9744 7366

Mondays

13

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NIL

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24

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27

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IMPORTANT DATES

21/12/2018 Last Day Students Dismissed at 12.20 pm

30th January 2019 Pupil Free Day

31st January Students Return General Assembly

1st February Fun fields Year 7 Excursion

4th February School Photos

5th February Project Ready year 7

7th February VCE Information Night

Please note ALL Beleza Stores will be CLOSED for the Australia Day long weekend, Satur-

day

26th

January to Monday 28th January 2019.

Over the Holiday Season

If you need some support to deal with the

stress and pressure of life, you can talk to a

counsellor day or night.

Call 1300 096 269

Thank you to everyone who supported our fund raising events throughout this year. We wish you all a Happy Christmas. Debutante Ball The Committee is holding another Pre Loved Debutante Dress Expo. Our last expo

allowed many families to secure a beautiful dress at a very reasonable cost, while also

providing an opportunity for other families to sell their dress. To be on our mailing list,

please email gscchaplaincy@gmail.com

Save the Date: 24th Feb 2019. See the attached flyer for details

Planning your next holiday? Jetaway Travel is one of our fundraising partners. For every booking made (when you mention GSC Chaplaincy) at Jetaway Travel Gisborne, they will generously donate 1% of your total booking back to the chaplaincy committee. (Excludes gift cards) So if you were to spend $10,000 on a dream holiday, that’s $100 straight back to the committee. So please go in and see the staff at Gisborne Jetaway Travel for all your holiday needs; flights, hotels, tours, cruises, insurance, day tours and package deals. Jetaway Travel are at 2/30 Hamilton Street Gisborne. PH 5428 4466 Unwanted GSC text books and uniforms If you have any current school text books or uniforms that are no longer required, please think about passing them on to our Chaplain, Barb. They are always gratefully received. New members Are invited to attend our meetings. Next meeting will be early in Term 1 2019 This is a great way to be involved in the school that your child attends as well as an opportunity to meet other parents and members of the local community. The committee holds various fundraisers during the year and assistance at any event is always appreciated. This can be as simple as: helping at one of our sausage sizzles, sorting pies for the pie drive or helping to cater for our movie night.

Please like Gisborne Secondary College Fundraising Committee Facebook page to be kept up to date with our fundraising activities.

If you would like to join us for any event, please phone Helen Doherty 0407 686 708.

CHAPLAINCY NEWS

Disclaimer Gisborne Secondary College does not accept responsibility for the accuracy of claims made or information contained in the advertisements appearing in this publication, these advertisements are not necessarily endorsed by the College.

COMMUNITY NEWS