Principal Welcome

Dear parents, guardians and students,

Welcome to the Peston Girls Secondary College. We extend a warm welcome also to our new students and families, who have joined the Preston Girls Secondary College community, and hope that they will enjoy great success and growth during their time with us.

We further welcome some new staff this year – firstly, Mr Jim Ringin as Assistant Principal at the College. Mr Ringin brings a wealth of experience from his work at Box Hill Senior Secondary College and more recently with the Eastern Metropolitan Region as a Teaching & Learning Coach. He grew up in Heidel-berg, and has a great affinity with the Preston community, and we look forward to his contribution to the life of the college. Other new staff members include Mr Josh McDonald, who takes on the role of Educa-tional Leadership and School Improvement, and Mr Luke Hammond who will be working in the Science faculty, and in particular with the Chemistry students. Together with the rest of the staff, we are well placed to deliver a curriculum and school ethos which will support the learning of our students into the future. However, this can only be done in partnership with our parents, and I urge you to be involved in your child’s education. To this end, the forthcoming School Council elections provides parents with the opportunity to be actively involved in the decision-making of the School, and information concerning the elections will be forwarded to you next week. Please consider how you might be involved – if you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at the College.

Attendance has been a grave concern in the past, and I remind parents that it is vitally important that students are at school every day unless they are ill. Every day a student is absent their learning is com-promised, and this year we will be looking closely at student acceleration to the next year level if their attendance has not been satisfactory. We need to prepare our students for the rigours of VCE or VCAL, and this can only be done through a concerted effort during Years 7 – 10. Please familiarise yourself with the new Bell Times for 2012, and note that school commences at 8.50 a.m. Students need to be at school by 8.40 a.m. and ready to start work. Lateness is not acceptable except in exceptional circum-stances, where a note to the sub-school co-ordinator or phone call to the school should be provided.

This year the college has been divided into two sub-schools, Years 7-9 and Years 10-12. I thank Mrs Salvatore and Miss Sigerstrom (Year 7-9), and Miss Mitchell & Mrs Cozaris (10-12) for taking on the re-sponsibility of overseeing the learning of your daughters. In addition to this new structure, all students have been allocated to a “Learning Advisor” who will be there to guide and support their learning through-out the year, and I thank Mr Ringin for his work in getting the programme on track for the start of the year. Should you have questions about how your child’ is progressing, please ring the Learning Advisor in the first instance.

As a result of consultation with parents, students and teachers, a standardised navy blue headscarf will be implemented during Term 1 for students who choose to wear one. Scarves are now available for purchase from the College office for $10. A number of students are wearing pants under their uniform at the present time, and this is not in line with the uniform policy. A long dress is available from the uniform shop and is the only acceptable option for students who wish to completely cover their legs. I ask that you make sure you have read our uniform policy, and understand its correct implementation. Students who continue to infringe this policy may be sent home, and parents will be contacted to provide the correct attire. Of course we are always willing to assist should there be financial hardship.
We look forward to the opportunity of working closely with all students and parents to raise both their expectations and their outcomes in 2012. Thank you for your support.

Judi Benney
Principal