Heard on the Hill Term 2, Week 4

From the Principal

Bonjour à tous, and Wanju

Welcome to Week 4. Term 2 is a big term. Exams, ESTs, OLNA and transition for Year 10 and Year 7s are both picking up speed. Soon reporting will also appear over the horizon. It is during the tough times that the tough get going – and there were many tough people who gave extra of themselves to contribute to the Prospective Parent Open Night. I would really like to publically acknowledge the staff who helped. It was a high-quality event due to the input of; Kelly, Tonya, Tina, Louise, Deon, Nicki, Cam, Christine, Xan, Jacob, Geoff, Bobbie, Rachel, Te Kiri and the cleaning staff; on the night. I would also like to thank those who took the time to set up their rooms. It would not have been the night it was without the management by Ellie.

There is still much more to come during Term 2 – and it is also flu season. Please look after yourself and continue the handwashing regime we learnt during COVID as it is still the best way to avoid getting sick. Look for ways to manage your workload and maintain your health.

During learning area meetings this term it is timely to keep an eye on the progress and achievement of your students. Comparing their current achievement to previous NAPLAN scores has become a departmental focus as a measurement of success. Your PCs will keep the senior school metric in front of you to maintain your focus on individual students. You can find this information for lower school students also, by looking at the SAIS dashboard.

Have a great week.

En Avant

Nuts and Bolts

CCTV

Damage continues to happen to our toilets. CCTV submission goes to the finance committee this week. We are also discussing with other schools about the protocols around the use of CCTV. They will get drafted soon and put in front of the leadership team.

RELIEF

The extra FTE that we had built into the staffing profile has been eaten up by staffing needs. This has put more pressure on cover with internal relief. It is noted. We are on the hunt for more permanent staff but they will take a little time before they come online. Can I ask you to please help us through until we can get back to the required level of built in TR.

Student Survey 2023

Each year we conduct a survey of staff, parents and students. This is called the NSOS (National School Opinion Survey). It is a mandatory requirement, but we add some extra questions to the compulsory modules so that we can get feedback about the priorities in our business plan, and our general school vision.

The student survey needs to be administered in Weeks 3 or 4, whatever suits individual teachers. Please don't make this an option for students. It is a requirement that they complete this, and please tell them that their input is important.

The Program Coordinators have agreed to the following roll out plan:

Yr 7 - Maths
Yr 8 - HASS
Yr 9 - Science
Yr 10 - English
Yr 11/12 - Academic Success

The teacher needs to copy the link provided and share it with students. The easiest way is probably via Connect.

Thanks for your assistance with administering this survey.

Reconciliation Week and National Sorry Day

National Reconciliation Week (NRW), held every year from 27 May to 3 June, is a time for all Australians to learn about our shared histories, cultures, and achievements, and to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

What’s the significance of 27 May and 3 June?

27 May marks the anniversary of the 1967 referendum when Australians voted to remove clauses in the Australian Constitution that discriminated against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

3 June marks the historic 1992 Mabo decision in which the High Court of Australia recognised native title—the recognition that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights over their lands did survive British colonisation.

National Sorry Day
The day before National Reconciliation Week, 26 May, is National Sorry Day, which was first held in Sydney in 1998 and is now commemorated nationally to remember and honour the Stolen Generations.

What is reconciliation in relation to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples?

At its heart, reconciliation is about strengthening relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and non-Indigenous peoples, for the benefit of all Australians.

For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Australia’s colonial history is characterised by devastating land dispossession, violence, and racism. Over the last half-century, however, many significant steps towards reconciliation have been taken.
Reconciliation is an ongoing journey that reminds us that while generations of Australians have fought hard for meaningful change, future gains are likely to take just as much, if not more, effort.

What is our school doing for Reconciliation?

Bunbury SHS staff and students will participate in the Reconciliation Walk in Bunbury on National Sorry Day. Both aboriginal and non-aboriginal students and staff will walk together to symbolise their commitment to reconciliation.

Our school established an Aboriginal Education Advisory Council in 2022, which worked closely with school staff to co-design a Reconciliation Action Plan. This plan has a range of strategies that have begun to be actioned, including the establishment of a student space. This space has been named in Noongar as Koolangka Kadadjiny Wardarn, which translates into English as Children Learning by the Sea. The next project to be co-designed will be a yarning circle, a meeting and talking place for everyone.

Additions to our staff, such as an Aboriginal and Islander Education Officer (Shannon Collard) and a Follow the Dream Coordinator (Asharie Bradshaw), have provided the crucial perspective, voice and support needed for our aboriginal students.

The work done by the Cultural Inclusivity Committee has seen expanded NAIDOC week and Harmony week celebrations across the school.

The goal of the school, clearly articulated in the business plan, is to improve the sense of belonging for all our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students, and that this, in turn, leads to success as defined by those students, their families and the community.

I encourage you to include something in your lessons during this time that acknowledges Reconciliation Week and contributes to an improved understanding for everyone about the lived experiences of aboriginal people.

Staff Wellbeing

Survey Data
The Staff Wellbeing Survey, conducted in 2022, which had 49 respondents, revealed that 16% of respondents were struggling with their wellbeing and, that another 40% were only in a satisfactory state of wellbeing. The remaining 44% said that their wellbeing was either pretty good (39%) or fantastic (5%). This initial data helped to affirm for the Staff Wellbeing Committee that there was a definite need to do more for staff around supporting their wellbeing.

The NSOS Staff Survey, conducted in March 2023, and which had 76 respondents, showed overwhelmingly positive responses in areas relevant to staff wellbeing, especially in comparison with earlier years. This is extremely encouraging, however the committee will still go ahead with planned actions, so that we can continue to maintain and hopefully improve on these results.

Action Plan - Key Strategies

1. Form a staff wellbeing committee - new members are still welcome - contact Lauren Dragon
2. Create a dedicated resource area in the Library for staff to access wellbeing resources
3. Conduct a Secret Friend activity (and Secret Santa at end of the year)
4. Set up a Staff Social Club with one social event per term
5. Schedule wellbeing activities as part of staff development days
6. Continue to monitor staff workload via the Workload Advisory Committee (link is included in HOTH every week)

Please have a look at the plan attached. If you have feedback, please send this to Lauren.

Uniform Blitz

With the change in weather comes the usual increase in students out of expected dress code. Staff are asked to remind students of the uniform requirements, and ask them to show a uniform pass dated that day. If they have a uniform pass, that's acceptable. If they do not, please direct them to Student Services to get a uniform pass. If a student does not comply, try to identify them and refer the issue to the relevant Head of Year, rather than engage in an argument with them.

We ask that all staff, on the morning of Tuesday 16 May, check the uniform of students in period 1. Any students not in uniform, and without a uniform pass, are to be sent to Student Services. We ask that staff do this each day for the rest of Week 4 and into Week 5.

We will combine the staff checks of uniform with information sent home to parents, to remind them of the need for their children to be in school uniform.

Student Services staff will follow up with ongoing non-compliant students and their parents/carers and note the outcomes on Compass.

Thought Shapes

A very simple reflective tool to use with students. Give each student a different shaped card. Students can then respond to the shape either through writing or by talking with another student who has a different shape or with a student who has the same shape. This is just a variation on standard reflection questions posed to students but using a shape, which changes their mindset.

Semester 1 Examinations

Examinations requiring editing or photocopying should be handed to the Front Office asap.

Reporting

One good strategy is to enter the ABEs in RTP for a class immediately after the first assessment. This is particularly a strong practice in senior school courses to monitor student progress. The ABE then reflects where the student is at based on their effort and application observed leading into that task or activity. For each subsequent task the teacher tweaks the ABE so that by the time comes to reporting there is already an accurate observation about the student entered. To do that it may help to actually give everyone a copy of the ABEs shown below of the descriptors agreed to by teachers to ‘judge’ a student. A copy of this (ABE Descriptors) is located in the dogs body of Admin_Storage (Department>Reporting).

Calling on those interested in some ‘work experience’ in Student Services!

We are looking to recruit staff who may be interested in getting some experience in a Student Services role, without having to commit to the role for a fixed duration.

This opportunity is for teaching staff who may be interested in covering periods of leave for our Heads of Year. It’s a way of getting a feel for the role while being supported by other experienced Student Services Staff. Short absences (eg sick leave) will continue to be covered internally within Student Services. This is for periods of extended leave (eg LSL or extended sick leave) and interested teaching staff would have their classes covered by relief staff.

Through providing this opportunity we are building our capacity to provide skilled cover when our staff are out, as well as general succession planning.

If you are interested or would like further information, please come and have a chat with me. I’m looking for expressions of interest by email by Friday 19 May.

I’m looking forward to potentially working with some people interested in the fast-paced and challenging world that is Student Services!

Workload Advisory Committee

Workload is often the main cause of staff stress or anxiety. Our school has a workload advisory committee, which was set up as part of our focus on Staff Wellbeing in our previous business plan, and which we continue to support through the new Staff Wellbeing Committee.

Staff Representatives for this year (continuing their 2 year tenure) are: Renee Chapple, Luke Marinoni and Adam McGill.

If you have workload issues, please discuss them first with your line manager, as many of these can be resolved quickly and easily.

If you have an issue that cannot be resolved, please submit it via either the survey link provided here, or on the document below (which can also be found in the School Templates folder on your desktop.

Social Media Content

We love seeing students in action, whether in a classroom setting, in an incursion or off-site for an excursion or camp.

If you are conducting any activities you think are suitable for our school's Facebook or Instagram pages, please submit your content through the link below.

Please contact me with prior warning if you would like me to attend a session, lesson, activity etc if you would like me to take photos/videos to accompany your story.

If you have taken photos on your phone/iPad and are unsure of how to transfer these to me, please send me an email or come and visit me and I can assist you.

Submit your Facebook post using the link below.

Schoolzine

Keep up to date with all the latest news for staff and parents via the schoolzine app. You can access Heard on the Hill, the school's website, Facebook page, calendar, Connect, and more via the homepage of the app.

This easy-to-use app also sends you notifications when newsletters have been published.

See below for how to download the SZapp.