Welcome to KSC

the school

It is with great pleasure that we take this opportunity to offer you a warm and sincere welcome to the Korumburra Secondary College Community.

We are proud of our quality educational programs, resources and facilities which we work hard to provide in a friendly, safe and supportive environment.

We are also proud of our experienced and dedicated staff, who are continually upgrading their skills with targeted professional development.

We aim to provide the best possible learning environment for our students and for all people associated with the college to have pride in KSC.

We offer you an open invitation to contact or visit our college at any time.

Presentation Night 2007

Presentation Ceremony – 2007 - Principal's Address

It is my pleasure to give the Principal’s Address for 2007.

It has been another very successful year at KSC.

I believe that we can all be proud of the fact that Korumburra Secondary College is a high performing school. The work we have achieved through our Leading Schools Program and the Cluster Innovation & Excellence Program over the past three years has been of a high quality and has definitely changed and improved teaching and learning at KSC. Funding for these programs finishes at the end of this year. I want to thank our coordinators of these programs, Don Patterson, Kath Herbert, Mike Shone and Leonie Anstey, for their excellent leadership over the past three years. Congratulations to Leonie, who has been appointed to become a Teaching & Learning Coach within the Gippsland Region. Hopefully, we will still get to work with her as she delivers new curriculum initiatives across South Gippsland. We have been recognised for our exemplary work in the LSF and I & E programs, by being selected to represent the Gippsland Region in an exciting new program known as the Catalyst Program. Don Patterson has been appointed to be our Catalyst Coordinator and he will work at the college for two days each week, for the next two years, to further support the transformation of classroom practice through the innovative and effective use of Information and Communication Technologies. A lot of this work will be achieved by peer coaching of KSC staff.

We were very pleased with the VCE results of our Year 12 students. Sixty one students successfully passed their VCE. Whilst many of the students will now await tertiary offers in January, others have already been accepted into TAFE courses, apprenticeships or have full time employment organised. This year’s VCE group of young adults is a terrific group of people who will make a significant contribution to our community, both locally and further afield. They have been excellent role models around the college and have set high standards with their behaviour and work ethic. Their use of the new Senior Study Centre has been exemplary. They have been a pleasure to work with and our best wishes for the future go to them.

The Enrichment area of our college has again encouraged students with an amazing array of opportunities in extra curricular areas. Sally Henry has done a fabulous job in leading the Enrichment team. Some of the highlights in this area were the Tournament of Minds, Theatre Sports, The Night To Remember Concert, lunchtime activities organised by the SRC, our Peer Support program and opportunities to fundraise for less fortunate people via the World Vision 40 Hour Famine, for which our students raised approximately $2,700.

Presentation Night 2007

There have been many other highlights this year, far too many to include in this speech. However I do want to briefly mention six others:

  1. Our School to Work Transition Program for 10C has been an outstanding success in this its first year. Twenty one students have been involved in a modified school program, which included four days at school and one day each week at a work placement. I believe all of the students have enjoyed this opportunity that was designed to specifically meet their individual needs. Many of them have now been offered apprenticeships with the employer who had them for their work placement. This program will continue in 2008.
  2. Our South Gippsland Schools Music Program has continued to see students excel in five bands, under the direction of our extremely hard working music staff. They have completed numerous successful concerts this year. I am thrilled to be able to announce that we will be introducing a Voice Program into our Music Program from next year, which will include having a school choir. Under the tremendous leadership of Jen Hoy, we want to make sure that our music program continues as one of our great success stories.
  3. Sport at KSC has again continued to be a great motivation and outlet for many students. Under the leadership of Claire Smithwick, we have again had many successes at all levels. This will be detailed later when the sports awards are presented.
  4. We have an excellent School Council, ably led by our President Stuart Jenkin. Councillors oversaw the million dollar refurbishment of the Don Hislop Gymnasium and Performing Arts Centre this year. These two areas will be ready for the start of the new school year and will be exciting additions for our students and community to use. A grant from Landcare was used to retrofit toilet blocks with water efficient amenities, dual flush toilets and supply two water tanks holding 55,000 litres of rainwater. We look forward to working with the new Federal Government to gain funding to upgrade our technology facilities and increase the number of computers in the college.
  5. We have a small, but very active Parents and Friends Association. They have done a tremendous job again this year in raising over $6,000 for new equipment for the students. Their major activities this year were the 6th Annual KSC Art/Technology Exhibition, and major catering functions at the Year 12 Valedictory Dinner and the Lions Youth of the Year Dinner. I especially want to thank President Janine Dorrity, Secretary Sue Tully and members of the PFA for their significant contribution to the college.
  6. The 6th Annual KSC Art/Technology Exhibition was bigger and better than ever. It was fantastic to see the beautiful and creative work from students across all year levels in Art, Studio Art, Woodwork, Metalwork, Visual Communication & Design and Textiles. It was very encouraging to see such a large crowd of parents and community members in attendance on the opening night at the Korumburra Rotary Art Gallery. Thank you to joint organisers Doug Kane, Judy Ife, Cathi Raabe and the PFA.

Next year will see the commencement of a Chaplaincy Program in our Korumburra Cluster. Sue Sharp will work mainly at Korumburra Secondary College for two days per week and Matt Stear will work five days each week, predominantly in our feeder primary schools. They will be a welcome addition to our student welfare team and give valuable support to students, staff and parents in our cluster.

During 2008, we will be undergoing a School Review during semester one. Already parents, students and staff have been given an opportunity to respond to a survey conducted during term three, on areas that we can improve in. The information collected will be invaluable when we are reviewing all areas of our operations next year. The recommendations will then form an important part of our four year Strategic Plan, which will give a clear direction where KSC will focus its energy from 2009 – 2012.

I did want to acknowledge the tremendous work of Marty Box as our Assistant Principal during 2007. Marty has worked extremely hard and has been a great support to me. His leadership in the areas of Student Welfare and Facilities & Resources has always focused on what is best for the students. Congratulations to Marty on the excellent job that he did as Acing Principal during term three when I was on leave.

Preparations are underway for our 50th Celebration of KHS/KSC in April 2008. A committee of ten people has been working hard to organise this huge upcoming event. Yesterday, we did a mail out to all known past and present students and staff (3,500 envelpoes), with the program for the three day celebration and a list of memorabilia that can be prepurchased. Richard Collyer has developed a 140 page book, which is a fantastic history of Korumburra High School / Secondary College, which has a double page spread about each year from 1958. There will be a cabaret on Saturday 19th April in the Korumburra Recreation Centre. More advertising about the events will occur early next year. Please keep the weekend of the 18th – 20th April 2008 free in your diary, as we look forward to welcoming thousands of people back to Korumburra for this huge celebration.

There are many people who have contributed to making the year very successful. I would like to thank the following groups of people:

It has been another excellent year for KSC. I am very proud of our College and its achievements. We look forward to meeting the challenges of the 2008 school year.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year.

PETER BIGGINS

PRINCIPAL