Heard on the Hill Term 3, Week 10

From the Principal                  

Bonjour à tous, and Wanju

Well done everyone we have made it through to week 10. I believe that Term 3 is the most difficult time of the year with, the cold weather, sickness and consequently extra internal relief, reporting, senior school student preparation….. etc makes it a long slog. It is prudent that R U OK? Day is slotted in here because it really is worth doing a self check-in. Particularly if there are some things not going well. Sometimes, when we stand back, the heart of the problem is something entirely different to what we thought. I hope that you are all ok and will enjoy a refresh at the end of the week.

This time last year I spoke of VR technology in the classroom. While showing the Japanese visitors through classes last week I was really excited to see a group of year 7 students touring an art gallery and reviewing the work of Frida Kahlo.  To my surprise, many of the other classes we visited were using their BYODs. I know that the management of this can be difficult, but it was fantastic to see that many of you have overcome this hurdle. 

Last week I also showed people from the Creative Technologies Hub through the school. This team of people are situated on the ground floor of the City Library. They are a satellite of the ECU campus. They can provide an important link for us to technology and technological partners. During their tour through the school, they got to see some amazing students at work. A standout was the music class that was creating a soundtrack to an animation. They were also really excited about our spaces and the opportunity to create a VR studio. We are currently working on getting a project up and running.

Last week was also very busy in the senior school space. My Principal colleagues and I spent time with DoE officials to provide a voice on the reshaping of senior school. I was proud to see how far ahead of the curve Bunbury SHS is with the adoption of recommendations from the Shergold Report. Some schools are only just hearing about this now. We are certainly on the right track and you all should be congratulated on that.  Also in the meeting was a discussion about the staffing crisis. I am fearful of how much worse it can possibly get. So far, our school's reputation and strategies to over staff the school have protected us. But listening to some of our neighbouring school principals talk about cancelling Design and Technologies from their timetable, or how all their staff are currently doing 2 internal relief classes a week, certainly painted a bleak picture. 

It was great to see some of you down at the P&C sausage sizzle at Bunnings over the weekend. It was the first time in a long time that the P&C has gathered the momentum of our parent community. I’m really looking forward to them building on this.

Once again, thank you everyone for a great term. If you are heading off on a holiday, I hope that it is adventurous, if you are spending some time wrapped in a blanket finishing off the latest instalment of your favourite Netflix serial, I hope that it is enjoyable. Regardless of your plans, I hope that everyone takes time to look after themselves, revitalise and stays safe. Have a great week and a wonderful holiday.

En Avant

Nuts and Bolts

Leave

I must remind you all that leave without pay is not an automatic entitlement. While I am sympathetic to approve this type of leave, it must also suit the needs of the school. As you can imagine during the worst staffing shortage that the Department of Education has ever seen it is a difficult proposition. If you have a circumstance, please see me as soon as possible, as leaving things until after you have made arrangements may lead to disappointment.

Kelly LSL

Kelly Anderson will be on LSL next term. I would like to thank Kelly for all the great work that she has done this year. Her efforts in Aboriginal Education and student services have resulted in significant progress in those areas. I particularly would like to thank her for keeping me on track with the progress of the business plan. We wish her well and to have a wonderful rest. We will see you next year Kelly. Congratulations to Adam McGill who will be filling in for her across the next term. 

Classroom Visits

From Term 4, I am planning to visit every student once a week. The way that I will be doing this is by using the gridline that includes Monday period 1. I have been doing some testing and I can get to about 12 classes per period. There are 48 periods on this grid line, without the year 12 classes.  I’m sorry if you do not teach on this gridline. I will “tune” this process as we go based on feedback and review from the students and teachers.

The Voice

As a public institution, we must maintain a neutral position on political issues. As an educational institution, we are also bound to ensure that people are as informed as they can possibly be. I am waiting on some wording for the newsletter to ensure that our messaging is within the guidelines of the public sector yet still provides our community with education to make an informed decision. Here are some links for staff

It can be helpful to step away from noise, unfollow or block some of the content that you are seeing on social media and stick to reputable factual information. (like the links above).

Please be respectful to each other during this time.  Support is available for students with our school support services, the Chaplain, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Officer or by ringing 139276 – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Crisis line.

Leadership Minutes

Please see below for a copy of last week's leadership minutes: 

Best Practice

Earlier in the year I made reference that some of the more older staff may know of a teacher/DP called Keith Marley from ASHS, NMSHS, Manea and District Office. These staff would remember him (he’s only just retired) as being a highly intelligent, astute and passionate teacher. During the time I have known Keith I have met some of his former students and the aspect I noticed most when talking to them is that they wanted to be taught by him. They stated they learnt so much in his classes and enjoyed learning.

There were two elements of teaching he was passionate about and constantly modelled, mentored and delivered in his classroom; high expectations and classroom observations. Keith and Mike have something similar, both studied/taught in Japan and bought ideas back here on classroom observation well before this became a departmental priority. The focus was Jugyou Kenkyu; simply put it is the study of a lesson.

Here at school, we also have brilliant advocates of classroom/peer observation to assist in the study of a lesson. Working collaboratively with peers provides us with opportunities for enriching classroom practices and improving teaching.

If you want assistance please see Cathy or have a chat with a colleague you feel comfortable working with. A starting point for peer observation is a recording of the first 15 minutes of a lesson; what is the routine?

Whilst for many participating in classroom observations may have been done already, growth as a teacher is forever. For Term 4, work with a colleague once more and focus on one aspect of your teaching that you believe could be improved.

Staffing Term 4

We have some staff changes occurring in Term 4.
On Thursday we will farewell Sarah Bateman and Fiona Ruth, while Travis Lee will be going on leave.
Hayley Jones, Caroline Gibbney and Jess Gratte will return from their leave.

Over the last few weeks, the Leadership Team has been discussing staffing issues and the use of teachers who have lost teaching load in Term 4. We understand these teachers have put in a mountain of work with their Year 12 classes and we want to support them in their review processes.
See below a FAQ that has been developed, along with the Special Project Request Form - Term 4.
Please speak with your HOLA if you have any questions.

We also have a number of permanent jobs currently live on the jobs dashboard.
Feel free to share these with any outstanding teachers you may know!
Vacancies for 2024 include; English, Home Ec, D&T, PE, Humanities

Elevate Your School Holidays - Clear Health Psychology

Elevate Your School Holidays

Clear Health Psychology

School holidays offer a valuable opportunity to rejuvenate and nurture our mental wellbeing. It’s a time to recharge, explore new experiences, and prioritise self-care for both ourselves and our children. So, discover the top things to do during the school holidays that benefit your mental health.

1. Connect with Nature: Amidst the hustle and bustle of everyday life, we often forget the therapeutic power of nature. Use the school holidays to reconnect with the great outdoors. Take leisurely walks, hike through scenic trails, or have a picnic in a nearby park.
2. Engage in Creative Expression: Unlock the boundless creativity within you and your children by engaging in creative activities. Encourage them to draw, paint, write, or explore any form of artistic expression they enjoy. Creativity nurtures self-expression, boosts self-esteem, and allows us to release emotions that may otherwise remain bottled up.
3. Practice Mindfulness: In the fast-paced world we live in, cultivating mindfulness is essential for our well-being. Dedicate time each day to practice mindfulness techniques like deep breathing, meditation, or mindful walking. By grounding ourselves in the present moment, we develop a greater sense of self-awareness and resilience, and can learn invaluable tools for managing stress and anxiety.
4. Volunteer and Give Back: Engage in volunteer work as a family during the school holidays. Whether it’s helping at a local shelter, participating in community clean-ups, or supporting a charitable cause, contributing to the well-being of others cultivates gratitude, empathy, and a sense of purpose.
5. Cultivate Healthy Habits: School holidays provide an ideal opportunity to adopt and reinforce healthy habits as a family. Encourage regular exercise, nutritious eating, and ample sleep. Engage in physical activities together, such as cycling, swimming, or playing sports. By nurturing healthy habits, you create a solid foundation for mental and physical well-being.
6. Foster Social Connections: Human connections are vital for our mental health, so use the school holidays to strengthen bonds with family and friends. Plan gatherings, organise playdates, or connect virtually with loved ones.

The school holidays are not just a break from routine; they’re an opportunity to invest in our mental well-being and that of our children. By incorporating these activities into our holiday plans, we can inspire and motivate ourselves to prioritise mental health.

For more information visit: Elevate Your School Holidays - Clear Health Psychology

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.

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.