As we reach the middle of Term 1, a lot has happened that sets the tone for a great year at Nash!
The extra-curricular parts of school have been buzzing; the amazing Aladdin production, a great (albeit, bit different) swimming carnival, the range of sporting opportunities and the beginning of what looks like a great season of rugby coming our way.
Last week, we hosted a team of four EQ review staff who visit the School every four years to give us feedback. It will be a couple of weeks before we receive the official report, but the feedback to date has been very positive.
The key messages that resonated with me were:
· Students are very proud of our school and they value the caring relationships they have with their teachers,
· Our student leaders are exemplary role models and they are our best assets in promoting our school to our community,
· Our teachers are committed to doing the best for our students, and;
· Our leaders (Heads of Departments, Deputy Principals and Principal) have a vision for our school that aims to achieve the absolute best for students.
While this is amazing feedback, we know there is still much work to do and across 2021 we will endeavour to get ready to tackle the next range of challenges we might face.
In other news, you may have noticed the addition of some water storage to our school. We now have the capacity to store over 700,000L of runoff water and to use this to irrigate our ovals. This is the latest in facility upgrades for James Nash and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing the best possible facilities for our students.
We now also have a student population of over 1300 students and this includes our biggest ever intake of Year 7s, with 263 new Year 7 students joining us in 2021. Mrs Porter and the team of Year 7 teachers have worked extremely hard to ensure that every student has a smooth start to their year.
For each and every student to have the best opportunity for success, it is now a requirement that students have a digital device for use at school and bring it with them everyday. The BYOd program is now a normal expectation of school life. Students can utilise a range of devices and I encourage you to check our website or contact the school if you have any questions. When we commence Term 2, students will be expected to access a range of information through our Daymapplatform, for which a device will be necessary.
Our intention is to phase in the use of Daymap across 2021 in several phases. Staff are using the platform now, students will be introduced in Term 2 and parents encouraged to engage with the platform from the start of Term 3. This will become a major communication platform for us in the future.
As we enter the second half of this term, it is timely to remind both students, parents and carers the behaviour and effort of our students will soon be measured and rewarded. Our Gold and Silver Awards are presented to students who receive results of 'excellent' or 'very good' for behaviour and effort on their report card. Every student is capable of this and I expect that all students aspire to this. These awards are the cornerstone of a great resume and I encourage you to challenge your children to achieve this.
Thank you for your support and commitment to James Nash SHS – together we can make 2021 an amazing year as we continue to engage, empower and excel!
Jackson Dodd
Principal
James Nash SHS