Deputy Principal

Amber Hauff

I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every student at this College for their effort and energy throughout 2019. It has certainly been a year full of opportunities, celebrating so much success and achievement across many and varied areas throughout the year. We have just farewelled our 2019 seniors in style and we are looking forward to welcoming many of our new Year 7s for 2020 next week for the fun-filled Experience Day.

The end of the school year brings a much-needed break for both students and staff, allowing space and time for critical reflection, rest and relaxation. Connection and quality time spent with friends and family reminds us all of how very fortunate we are. We can also look back on the year, what we are grateful for and place focus on what we need to spend more time building and developing next year.

Parent Engagement

Research shows that family expectations and aspirations have a substantial impact on student outcomes in the secondary schooling years. Family-led, home-based aspects of parent engagement, such as providing a general atmosphere and environment for learning, have more impact than parents having direct involvement in the content of young people’s schoolwork. We understand that families are busy and the majority of both parents work full time and have various commitments to balance. However, effective and positive parent engagement is still possible without physically being able to help out at events and attend P&F Meetings.

Parents are strongly encouraged to take a genuine and close interest in the work of the College. We acknowledge them as the first teachers of their children and we work to engage parents as partners in their daughter’s learning. We encourage our parents to keep open lines of communication with Heads of House and subject teachers about their daughter’s learning and wellbeing seeking to understand how they can best support the healthy development of their daughter’s academic progress, resilience and confidence from home.

Our College ethos, values and expectations for both students and staff are firmly centred on respect for oneself, for peers and for College property. In keeping with this theme we also welcome, encourage and expect that respectful and caring relationships are reflected in the ways in which staff, students and parents interact with one another and in the language they use in both formal and informal settings.

We pride ourselves on being a school that is highly responsive and open to feedback and respectful communication surrounding ways we can improve the learning experience and outcomes for the young women. If you do have suggestions or skills/resources that can assist the College, we welcome your feedback.

On that note, I would like to wish you all a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year!