Thank you for your part in such a resoundingly successful commencement of 2025. This is a significant year for the Melton campus for a number of reasons:
- Graduating our first Year 12 cohort.
- Acquiring excellent new buildings to serve the senior classes, our VCE students and a specialist facility for the teaching of Chemistry, Physics and Biology.
- Enrolling over 550 students, the highest number in our history.
It is appropriate in this first newsletter to inform you of our campus priorities for this year:
1. Building a culture through high classroom standards, with a special focus on uniform, lateness (including absence) and communicating respect through word and action.
2. Fostering learning independence for all learners. The cultural imperative here is encapsulated by the motto: “If students want to learn, then we cannot stop them.” This commitment to advancing independent study in both classroom and home settings is a vital contribution to long-term success. This emphasis will focus particularly on the following in each classroom:
- Engagement. We work deliberately to ensure every child focuses on their learning. We are also continuing to intervene in issues and attitudes that distract students from learning. Often, computers are a source of distraction, and teachers will continue to insist on their appropriate use. In fact, students will only be permitted to use computers.
- Study skills. We are making an even more concerted effort to teach students how to learn, not just how to complete assessments and assignments. We have determined that an important framework upon which to focus is executive function.
In the last two Secondary assemblies, I have personally informed students in Years 7 to 12 of these objectives. Last week, I spoke to all students in Years 3 to 6 to share this framework with them. Prep to Year 2 students will be gradually and gently introduced to this emphasis. Later this term, facilitators from Elevate Education will conduct workshops on study and revision skills, providing specific strategies to support effective learning.
Our final focus is to create greater awareness of how each student learns. This requires ongoing conversations in which we help students understand their preferred learning strategies rather than simply focusing on completing the work.
I look forward to engaging with you all in this process as it unfolds over time, and pray that your family will be blessed during this new year of learning.