Welcome to this month’s edition of the W-Files. Please enjoy reading and viewing a number of articles and photos on events that have occurred at both campuses this term. It has been a very productive half year for our students and the positive energy at both campuses has been clearly evident. Our Year 12 formal, camps, sporting events, Morrisby career assessments and Years 9-12 midyear exams have been just a few of the key activities.
Year 9 Immersion
The recent Year 9 Immersion project showcase was inspiring and engaging. I was impressed by the work put in by all groups and enjoyed listening to how working on these projects had a profound impact on them. A first-time topic that I found quite educational as well as surprising was the ‘Pink Tax’ display. The students enjoyed both my participation in their quiz as well as my surprise at the range and type of items that attract a pink tax. The Term 2 Immersion students were keen to have their project display included in my W-Files report so, since they were all so amazing, please enjoy the roll of display photos below.
Celebration assemblies
The end of term campus celebration assemblies provide a wonderful opportunity to both reflect on the term, acknowledge outstanding achievements and attendance results as well as delivering key messages. I personally appreciated the opportunity to address the students at both campus assemblies with a small speech on my vision for their journey at WHS from Year 7 through to Year 12. This included highlighting how our school values and motto guide our vision for creating and delivering a safe and dynamic environment that allows each individual to grow into “the best version of themselves”.
I also took the opportunity to emphasise that equal, if not greater than all else, student voice should influence what our school should be. I concluded by announcing that to further enhance our wonderful school environment, I would be conducting student forums at each campus together with our youth worker, Alanah Meilak. These forums will provide an opportunity to hear directly from our students. We want to hear both what is working well and what else we can do to allow each student to be the best version of themselves.
I am quite excited to hear from our students and currently planning how to make this a safe space for all interested students, both quiet and loud, so as to have their voices and ideas heard. The forums will be held in the middle of Term 3, from 3:15 to 4:30 on a Monday or Wednesday, with precise details to follow once we finalise the number of students involved.
If you are interested in participating in the student forum at either campus, please email your name and year level to Alanah at her email address below. Those who show interest will be sent a follow-up Google Form to provide precise location and timing details, as well as take dietary requests for potential light refreshments and ask a few other general questions. Please consider signing up; we want to hear from you!
alanah.meilak@willihigh.vic.edu.au
New facilities at Bayview
I am pleased that both the Bayview futsal court and the covered cafeteria works will be commencing soon, with the futsal court to be made available to students early in Term 3 and the cafeteria later in the term (permits, planning and construction require an 8-10 week period).
At the end of term assembly, I announced a naming competition for the covered cafeteria area. My initial idea was “Hold Fast Café” but this has been used by food technology classes in the past when showcasing their cooking skills. I’m looking for an inspiring name and/or a potential mural/artwork that could be added to the area to highlight healthy eating and students happily sharing safe dining spaces, etc. If your name suggestion or artwork is subsequently chosen, you will receive a personalised certificate highlighting your contribution as well as earn a free Hot Wings lunch for your homegroup, hosted by me. Please send names and artwork directly to my email address below:
Giorgio.Catalano@education.vic.gov.au
Education Support staff celebrated
This term we celebrated and acknowledged our hardworking Education Support (ES) staff. The principal team hosted a lunch for our 45-strong ES team during the recent report writing day. Each individual ES staff member was also given a small gift with a personal note of thanks from staff members. The lunch, small gifts and personalised notes were extremely well received and appreciated by all in attendance.

High demand for places at WHS
Enrolment demand for our school continues to be strong - well in excess of the places we have available. In line with statewide policy, all students in our school zone are offered places, as are all siblings. The remaining places are offered to students purely on a closest distance to the Bayview Campus criteria. Once offers are made, students who have obtained a place are then able to apply for select entry classes or accelerated sports programs.
This continued demand is very pleasing and reflects well on the standing the school has in the community, but also presents a number of challenges in managing the enrolment process and the number of requests from prospective families.
Looking ahead to Term 3
In preparation for Term 3, I would like to encourage all families to discuss and reflect on student achievements through the semester reports, as well as help support goal setting for further improvement.
For staff professional learning, we are well underway with planning for our curriculum day, which will be primarily focused on the theme of teaching and learning, implementing the new Victorian Teaching Learning Model, and conditions for enabling learning and explicit teaching. We will share what we have learnt in next term’s newsletter.
From a staffing point of view, Daniel Pearce will be returning from a term of long service leave to the position of Pasco Campus Principal, with Gavin Clifford - having filled the role admirably this term - returning to his Strategic Assistant Principal role. Our Bayview Campus Principal Karen Anderson has been asked to extend her acting principal role at Peter Lalor SC for Term 3. Hence, as previously announced for Term 2, acting arrangements will continue as follow:
Corrine Hall - Bayview Campus Principal
Michael Patchel - Pasco Assistant Campus Principal
David Urwin - Year 12 Coordinator, Leading Teacher
Ian Hume - Year 12 Coordinator
Long-serving Pasco student wellbeing coordinator Ann Goller is also retiring. This is wonderful for Ann and we thank her for her amazing work over a number of years supporting so many students and families. Ann will be missed but we look forward to hearing of the adventures that await her. Lucy Cottee, our recent appointment, will take over Ann’s role for the remainder of this year.
While we will also have a handful of staff moving on midyear, I am pleased to announce that despite ongoing staffing shortages across the system, we will be commencing Term 3 fully staffed with quality teachers in our classrooms. Campus leaders will update us on changes as required.
I wish all staff, students and their families a relaxing and enjoyable midyear break and look forward to a productive and successful second half of the year.
Hold fast.