by Shane Kruger, Acting Principal

CELEBRATING OUR STUDENTS

Over the past few weeks, I have continued to be impressed by our students and I wanted to share with you some highlights.

Voice of 8

Voice of 8 is a program for our Year 8 students where the students are able to lead the learning for the day. As I walked around the school, I observed all students engaged in their various student led activities which culminated in a presentation at an assembly. I was truly impressed by the confidence in which our students spoke about their experiences and their enjoyment of the program. A huge thank you to all of our Year 8’s for their commitment during the day and to the staff that were involved in providing such a wonderful learning opportunity to our students.

SELF

I was in my first Year 12 Boost lesson for SELF recently and I was interested in seeing how our students would use this time. Would they be motivated and dedicated, using their time to revise, consolidate their learning, catch up on work, or would they not use their time wisely? I was, once again, impressed that every student in the class began their self directed learning immediately and used the whole lesson effectively. It was a wonderful to see such a positive, engaged and motivated learning culture within the school.

Good Citizenship

Recently I received a call from a member of the community not connected to the school. They wanted to share with me their experience that morning where their car had broken down on the side of the road. Will, one of our Year 12 students, saw this, stopped and assisted the lady. She said that Will was filthy by the end of it, however, he had made her day. She would have had to wait for several hours for the RACV, however, here was a Lilydale Heights College student going out of his way to assist her. Her comment to me was, “he is a credit to your school and the work that you are doing there. He has restored my faith in young people.” Incredible feedback. Thanks for being such a wonderful role model Will.

PLANNING FOR 2023 HAS BEGUN

The planning process for 2023 has well and truly begun. Students have been through the subject selection process and undertaken their course counselling. These selections are currently being processed and will form the basis for our 2023 timetable.

We have strong Year 7 enrolments for 2023 and we are looking forward to meeting our new students and their families at the upcoming Year 7 2023 Information Night and BBQ. Some of our wonderful current Year 7 students have volunteered to be part of this evening, welcoming our new students and sharing some of their insights into what it is like to start at high school. We are excited to be welcoming our new families into our Lilydale Heights College community.

PARENT/CAREGIVER/GUARDIAN OPINION SURVEY

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

Our school is currently 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. 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. These families have been contacted via email with their log-in details. We would encourage all invited families to complete the survey as it provides the school with valuable information and informs our future decision making. The survey will be open until Friday 16th September.

PROGRESS REPORTS AND PARENT/STUDENT/TEACHER CONFERENCES

Term 3 Progress Reports have recently been opened to students and families. These reports provide a great opportunity for students, families and staff to reflect upon how students are progressing with their learning and to put plans/strategies in place to continue to support the learning growth of students. To access these reports please click on the “Reports” tab after logging in to Compass. If opening the Compass app on your phone, be sure to select "View in Browser." If you are unsure of how to access or use Compass, please contact the College on 9735 1133 for assistance.

Students and families will be able to discuss their progress reports and learning at the upcoming Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences on September 15 and 16. Further details of the Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences will be released shortly.

BUILDING UPDATES

It is such an exciting time here at Lilydale Heights College as our new facilities become available for student use. Since our last newsletter, C-Wing has opened and it is wonderful to see students and staff using this modern learning space. As you walk the corridor, you can see into each of the classrooms and observe the great learning that is taking place. The space is quiet and you can really observe the positive learning environments that are being created. Families will get to see this amazing space at our upcoming Parent/Student/Teacher Conferences.

Our next building to be opened will be E-Wing. E-Wing is due for completion in the first week of Term 4 and we anticipate classes will begin using the space from Week 3. On top of that, the building works for B-Wing begin two weeks later (Week 5)!

TERM 4 STARTING DATE

Although we still have a few weeks remaining for Term 3, I just wanted to make families aware that the first day of Term 4, Monday October 3, is a Curriculum Day and will be a student free day. Students will begin Term 4 on Tuesday October 4th.