As we look ahead to next week, I would like to encourage members of our school community to attend both our School Board and P&C meetings.
Importantly, at the P&C meeting I will be sharing a draft of our new Business Plan for consultation. This document will help shape the future direction of our college, and I genuinely welcome your feedback, questions and, most importantly, your engagement in the process. Developing a strong plan is not something that should happen in isolation. It requires the voices of students, staff, parents and our broader community as we work together to create the best possible future for our young people.
It has been another busy and successful week at Como Secondary College. Our EMITS students have been out on excursions and learning experiences, our Hockey teams have continued their impressive seasons by securing places in the finals, and excitement is building as preparations continue for our upcoming Athletics Carnival.
One of the highlights of the week was undoubtedly the annual Year 12 Soccer Match. The thrilling 7-7 scoreline perfectly reflected the high-quality defensive football on display! More importantly, it was a wonderful celebration of our school culture, bringing students and staff together in a spirit of fun, connection and mutual respect. Events like these remind us what makes Como such a special place.
Today, many of our students donned their oodies and hoodies in support of the Ivy Barclay Foundation. It was another wonderful example of the generosity, compassion and community spirit that our students consistently demonstrate. We are incredibly proud of the young people we have at our college.
Our Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) have also continued their important work, examining professional practice and helping guide decision-making across the school. These Friday meetings provide valuable opportunities for staff to collaborate, share expertise and, importantly, exercise genuine agency in shaping improvement across the college. The collective wisdom of our staff is one of our greatest strengths.
Talking about agency, I have spent the past two days at the WASSEA Conference, where one of the recurring themes has been the importance of learner agency. It reinforced something I believe strongly: education should empower young people to think critically, act creatively and ultimately prepare themselves for a future of constant change.
Our role as educators is not simply to teach students what to think, but to help them learn how to think. This aligns closely with the conversations I will be having in the coming weeks with students, staff and parents as we continue to develop our Como Way, refine our Business Plan and shape our college for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.
Many of you will have seen media coverage yesterday of student rallies taking place across the state. While I am certainly not condoning participation in such activities, it did prompt me to reflect on the importance of having a voice.
The real power of having a voice lies in how we use it. It requires informed decision-making, thoughtful consideration and a willingness to understand issues beyond a headline or social media post. I encourage our students and community members to seek information, listen to different viewpoints and engage respectfully with others.
You do not have to agree with everyone, and equally, others do not have to agree with you. Views and opinions are a little like flowers. Our gardens would be pretty boring if they all looked the same. Variety, diversity of thought and respectful discussion make our world, and our community, far richer places.
Enough of my ramblings. Have a wonderful weekend.
Alen Kursar
Principal
