2024 – 2026 Strategic Plan
Our Woodville in partnership with Louka Parry, founder + CEO of The Learning Future, has participated in a series of workshops as part of our strategic design process. We assembled a co-design group with students, educators, parents and old scholars who are leading this courageous discourse to set a clear path for our school community against a rapidly changing societal landscape. It was wonderful to see all staff collectively engaging to honour the past and imagine the future of our school. We looked at possibilities, the progress we have made and our aspirations for the future of Woodville High School.
The strategic planning process is creating opportunities for teachers, students, parents, and other members of the school community to become leaders and decision makers as we work together to build on the culture of our school that is based on coherence, collaboration, shared leadership and decision making. Our 2024-2026 Strategic Plan will capture the hearts and minds of everyone in our community, providing a vision and purpose for a school that has been transforming itself since 1915. Our engagement in strategic planning can help us harness education as a power to change the world. Without a plan a vision is simply a dream. We need our vision and guiding statements to excite, inspire and be actionable. The Strategic plan will inspire and unite our school community, keeping focus on what matters while supporting teachers and students to shape the future they want as change agents in a rapidly changing world.
At the heart of the Plan is our commitment to inspiring and equipping our students to embrace whatever challenges and opportunities the future presents.
The following dates are the timeline leading to the launch of our 2024-2026 Strategic Plan:
Wednesday 5 July Co-Design Team Planning
Wednesday 23 August All staff and Co-Design Team
Wednesday 9 August Co-Design Team Planning
Wednesday 23 August Co-Design Team Final Draft
Wednesday 27 September Strategic Launch!
Reconciliation Week
During Reconciliation Week, Woodville High School and its community for the first time in its 108-year history launched its first Reconciliation Action Plan – a formal statement of our commitment to ensuring that we continue to work to achieve a culturally inclusive school whose core value of Diversity is reflected in our new 2024 – 2026 Strategic Plan and through the curriculum, personalised learning pathways, community engagement and wellbeing services. In our culturally diverse school, we will always strive to create an inclusive environment where everyone belongs, feels valued, is heard and respected, regardless of their background or cultural identity. Our new student leadership structure will continue to elevate the voices of all our students and provide opportunities to participate in decision-making, and to understand their rights and responsibilities as active and informed citizens in their communities advocating for equity, justice and compassion. Our School Motto, Reach for the Stars is a metaphor for these aspirations, imagination and dreams, where each young person shapes their own narrative and vision for the future. They do this by using their innate gifts, values, knowledge and capabilities to create a better future for all.
The assembly that was held on Wednesday 31 May 2023 and the launch of our Reconciliation Action Plan recognises the importance of Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander spirituality, language, education and culture. We are committed to working in partnership with parents, children and communities of the oldest living culture on earth, celebrating First Nations peoples’ wisdom and deep understanding of the spiritual connections to country, culture, heritage and sustainability. The Reconciliation Action Plan that was launched signals our commitment to liberating and transforming voice, action and partnerships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples in our community.
At the Reconciliation Week assembly we were privileged to have a special guest with us, the honourable Kyam Maher, a renowned leader and advocate for reconciliation in our community. Kyam has dedicated his life to promoting the rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and fostering understanding and respect between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. We were honoured to have him join and share his insights on the importance of reconciliation. His work is an inspiration to us all, and a reminder that we all have a role to play in creating a better future for our nation and being the voice for future generations.
Reconciliation Week is celebrated each year on the 27 May which is the anniversary of the 1967 referendum and concludes on the 3 June which is Mabo day. This year’s theme focuses on becoming a voice for generations invites us to stand with Aboriginal people for justice, equality and respect. It is a time for all Australians to explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation and create meaningful change in our lives, communities and workplaces. Reconciliation isn’t a single moment or just a week, it’s all the steps we take every day, that come together, to make a great leap towards a more reconciled country.
We are a school that has a proud history and together we will continue to reach for the stars and leave our own unique legacy as we continue to work towards reconciliation.
As always, our student leaders have led us through this week with confidence, passion and purpose. Our community is fortunate to be led by such an inspirational and enthusiastic team of young people who use their voices to contribute to a more just world.
Governor of South Australia
On Wednesday 7 June we had the pleasure of welcoming Her Excellency the Governor of South Australia, the Honourable Frances Adamson AC to Woodville High School.
Her Excellency the Governor took time to engage directly with Woodville High School’s student leaders to understand the schools context, achievements and growth. They shared how our new student leadership structure elevates the voices of all our students and provide opportunities to participate in decision-making, and to understand their rights and responsibilities as active and informed citizens. Year 11 and 12 students, had the privilege to engage with Her Excellency to learn about her role as Governor, her leadership, sphere of influence and civics and citizenship. They asked insightful questions and were inspired by her service as Governor in South Australia.
36ers and Woodville High School Basketball Academy
I am excited to officially announce our exclusive partnership with the Adelaide 36ers Basketball Academy as one of the three schools alongside Rostrevor College and Sacred Heart College.
This is an amazing opportunity for all our students, particularly where some may not have the ability to join district clubs and other associations. By connecting with the academy, students not only have the opportunity to be part of an extended group, but also have access to everything that Adelaide 36ers Academy offers. Continued success on the court, led by our Basketball Specialist and State Coach, Mr Ryan Vivian has seen our basketball teams promoted to higher levels in the School Sport SA Statewide competitions each year. The connection between education and industry facilitates authentic learning experiences and student opportunities. This combination enables our students to acquire the skills, capabilities and values to support future educational and employment pathways. The Woodville High School Basketball Academy has been established to provide students with the opportunity to improve individual and team-based basketball skills, tactics, and strategy, while also promoting leadership and confidence to challenge themselves in a nurturing environment.
The Woodville High School Specialist Basketball Academy complements the HPE curriculum. Students will have access to both the content created by the specialist Woodville High School teachers and resources and knowledge provided by the Adelaide 36ers’ Academy. The Adelaide 36ers’ Academy program allows students access to professional coaching opportunities as well as access to leadership speaking events, game day experiences and coaching workshops. The partnership also includes Adelaide 36ers player visits, school clinics and work experience opportunities for Specialist Basketball students.
EMS and FROG
Over the course of term 2, we have continued to invest in the development of our new digital solutions, in collaboration with the Department for Education. There has been some amazing inputs from our students through this process, taking ownership and participating in the design of their online learning environment in Frog LMS. As a school we have started to invest further in creating a more holistic experience through class learning hubs. This will be complimented over the coming months by the introduction of new features to increase communications between teachers, students and parents. These features will include messaging apps as well as new online spaces for teacher / student feedback and collaborative working. These new features will be steadily introduced over the remainder of this term and into term 3.
Another area of focus in on parent and caregiver access to information and services for Woodville High School. Alongside Frog LMS, the Community Portal provides the means for secure access as well as enabling access to online services. Additional services are continually being added with a focus on convenience and ease of use. The introduction of these new technologies does require refinement and we will continue to consult our parent community with a view to delivering ongoing improvements. One of these improvements is the introduction of the mobile (phone and tablet) App. This will not replace the existing access through your browser, but will make access and notifications considerably easier when they are managed through your device (iPhone or android).
The digital foundations we are laying will also establish access student data in real time, something we have not had in the past. We are working on innovative dashboards which will bring together all aspects of a student’s life at school and assist with early identification of opportunities and where interventions may have the greatest and most positive impacts. The early stages of these products are in design with our staff currently and we look forward to sharing more with you soon.
ANZAC Day
On Tuesday 25 April 2023, as a proud and mature nation, we commemorated ANZAC Day; a day which welcomes reflection by all Australians and New Zealanders on all those who have served before and now, and on those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in war so we can enjoy life as we do. ANZAC Day though is not just a day of remembrance and reflection but has become a day to represent a spirit of dedication and commitment, the spirit of endeavour and endurance, which were so evident at Anzac Cove 107 years ago. ANZAC Day also reminds us that, sadly, war is not in the past and freedom is not secure, democracy is still fragile, and that those who serve today do so at such risk but do so in honour and protection of our way of life. Our students Molly H, Brandon M and teacher Jakub Tengdahl supplied the drumming for the veterans marching in at the Semaphore dawn service.
Mobile Phone Ban
I am highly impressed with the implementation of the new Mobile Phone Policy and the use of Yondr Pouches during Term 2. It has been seamless and the students have provided positive feedback that aligns with the staff feedback I have received. The students are witnessing and experiencing an increase in social interaction and conversation, less distractions in class, less anxiety as they do not have to monitor their phone and they feel there is a positive energy at recess and lunch. We will always have a few students who do not comply and as such the Woodville High School Mobile Phone Policy will be enacted.
