As we begin Term 3 planning for the 2020 school year is well underway. Over the coming weeks students, parents and guardians will be invited to have numerous conversations with us to inform this future planning.

Subject choice and the further development of each students Personal Learning Plan (PLP) commences on Wednesday 31 July with the annual Subject Expo. The Expo provides an opportunity for current and prospective students to meet with staff and discuss the various subjects that are on offer; learn more about the content that will be covered; the range of learning activities that will be undertaken; and, the type of assessment tasks that will be completed. The PLP meetings that will be scheduled after the Expo will then enable each students and their family to discuss in depth what the ideal mix of subjects, that builds on strengths and passions, and develops skills and knowledge that are needed for future career plans. The Expo and the PLPs provide each Bayview family a genuine opportunity to be the architects of their 2020 learning experience.

Later in the Term all students, parents and staff will be invited to participate in the LEAD School Effectiveness survey. Bayview participates in this process every three years and uses the results to inform our educational strategic planning. More details will be provided when the survey is ready to be launched.

During this school vacation I invited a group of parents into the College to share their thoughts, ideas, and “blue sky thinking” in relation to our facilities. We reviewed the current Masterplan ideas and discussed what areas of the College facilities they identified as needing an upgrade and what facilities they would like to see developed on our site. The College Board and I thank them for their time and creative input to this discussion. Over coming weeks students and staff will also be invited into this conversation. The outcome of this consultation process will be the refinement of the Masterplan, and the development of plans for the next facilities upgrade project.

We have started looking at options for updating some elements of our school uniform. At the end of last term students and some parents started the conversation with us by providing feedback on some of the samples that we have on display in the foyer. I encourage parents and students to speak with staff about the options before us so that we have a good idea of what our Bayview community wants.

James Merlino, Victorian Minister for Education, has recently announced the banning of mobile phones from all government schools. As an independent school we determine our own policies and procedures on these matters. Over coming weeks students, parents and staff will be invited to engage in a conversation to inform how we at Bayview will respond to this matter. Parents and guardians will be sent a link to a survey within the first few weeks of term that will seek your input on this issue.

I intend to use this Principals Blog on a regular basis to keep our community informed about what is happening at our school. This is in addition to the regular updates our community receives currently via Facebook, Skoolbag, PAM and email. This will hopefully improve our ability to communicate with families more immediately about events, achievements, and projects that we are planning.

As stated earlier, all families have numerous opportunities to engage with us in conversation about your son or daughters education.

“You have a right to your thoughts and feelings. Your feelings are always valid.” Iyanla Vanzant

Michelle

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