Bialik College Annual Report 2020 Principal’s Message
Shalom Kehilla, 2020 was a year like no other, yet despite all its challenges, it was an opportunity for all of our community to enact Dirchu na oz - Step Forth דרכו נא עז! - our school motto With Courage!
Faced with the global pandemic we endured significant disruption to schooling, a stop-start nature of campus learning, an impact on each person’s wellbeing and VCE chances, social isolation, and the drip drip of negative news that chipped away at what should have been an otherwise unremarkable year.
We could have crept into a ball, retreated to our living rooms and hidden from sight. Yet that is not how we as a community, as a school, as families and as citizens deal with challenge. We as a community are used to challenge.
Yair Lapid said that “there is not one family in all of Israel whose members sit at the table and say ‘oh well not much happened to our family in the last 300 years.’” 2020 was no exception.
Our community demonstrated incredible resilience. That we are in a war against an unseen and unseeable enemy, yet we have as a community pulled together, supported each other in learning and mental health, rallied our human and financial resources to where they are most needed, and genuinely made the best of what is a bad lot.
At Bialik College we were determined that not a single lesson of learning would be lost. Every lesson took place in real-time, on-line. Our wellbeing team stepped forth with parent engagements, a new approach to psychology and wellbeing. Our Shuk (canteen) started Shuk BaBayit – Shuk In The Home, feeding our community during the lockdown. Our College community rallied to be amongst a small minority of independent schools to offer across- the-board fee relief to every family in our community, and to reduce fees in both Terms 2 and 3.
Our graduating class of 2020 achieved the highest result in the State, placing Bialik College as Number One at VCE once again.
This Annual Report is a taste of the incredible journey and success story that is the Bialik family. I hope that you are inspired to peruse our website and pay us a visit.
B’Shalom, Jeremy Stowe-Lindner Principal
2 | Bialik College - Annual Report 2020 | 3 Our School Bialik College is a cross-communal Jewish Zionist school, embracing an inclusive approach to Judaism. We are committed to the pursuit of excellence in an enriching, innovative and nurturing environment. All students attend one campus in Hawthorn, creating a close-knit community of students from as young as 3 months in the Creche, and 3 to 18 years in the Early Learning Centre and main school. We are dedicated to empowering our students with the knowledge, skills, dispositions and values necessary to achieve their potential and to contribute meaningfully to the Jewish, Australian and global communities. Background Bialik College is Melbourne’s oldest Jewish school and began its existence modestly as a Zionist Sunday school and kindergarten in 1942 in North Carlton. The kindergarten was the first educational establishment in Australia to use Hebrew as a language of instruction. As the local Jewish population grew and developed, Bialik transformed into a modern, vibrant and growing kindergarten, primary and secondary school complex. The College’s first Year 12 class graduated in 1990. Step Forth with Courage The school’s motto, Step Forth With Courage, is derived from a Chaim Nachman Bialik poem, Lamitnadvim Ba’am, which was written in 1900 in Odessa shortly after the second Zionist Congress. A poem full of pathos, Bialik makes an impassioned call to the younger generation to rebuild the Land of Israel.
2 | Bialik College - Annual Report 2020 | 3 Bialik College Council 2020 Council Members: President Kate Beaconsfield The governing body of Bialik College is the School Council. Principal Jeremy Stowe-Lindner The Council sees its role as: Past President Graham Goldsmith AO • Setting the strategic direction and mission of the Vice-Presidents Dan Feldman College Lorraine Elsass • Ensuring the College is run in a prudent financial manner Honorary Treasurer Peter Eben • Fundraising Honorary Secretary Miri Zevin • Construction and refurbishment of the College’s Council Members Mark Blankfield physical assets Adam Burman • Appointment, and subsequent review, of the Rebecca Burrows Principal Michael Carp Stacey Dodge The Council also reviews plans for implementation of Nigel Givoni curriculum and new developments in the educational Adi Glasman offerings of the College, as presented by the College Boaz Herszfeld Educational Leadership. Michelle Jablko Sally Robin It also reviews any plans that have material financial Tyson Wodak implications. Director of Business David Simmelmann Council meets at least 2 times per school term. Life Governors Graham Goldsmith AO An Executive committee, which is elected from the Alan Goldstone OAM Council members, meets more frequently to deal with Jack Gringlas OAM matters arising between scheduled Council meetings Jeffrey Mahemoff AO and to consider some matters of importance prior to submission for discussion by the full Council.
Council has a number of sub-committees including Finance, Audit, Risk Management, Building, Nominations, Fundraising and Marketing to assist it in carrying out its function.
An AGM is held in November each year when three positions on Council are subject to election.
“... an enriching, innovative and nurturing environment” Bialik’s Mission statement
4 | Bialik College - Annual Report 2020 | 5 Professional Learning Bialik College Staff Senior Educational Staff: Staff Composition: Principal Jeremy Stowe-Lindner Some 234 individuals formed Bialik’s staff of 2020 of whom: Vice Principal 130 were teachers & Head of Senior School Gary Velleman 34 were specialist support 64 were administrative and other staff Assistant Principal, 6 were maintenance staff Pastoral Care & Head of Middle School Ian Poyser The full-time equivalent for the above staff is: Teachers 113.70 Head of Primary School Karen Friede Specialist support 22.88 Head of ELC Daphne Gaddie Administrative staff 52.02 Maintenance staff 6.0 Director of Learning and Innovation Fiona Gordon In 2020 there were no Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander staff at Bialik College. Director of Jewish Life Dan Sztrajt All teaching staff are qualified to the standards required by the VIT. Retention Record: A total of 26 staff members departed Bialik during the 2020 calendar year. Of these employees, 15 were teaching staff and 11 were non-teaching staff.
4 | Bialik College - Annual Report 2020 | 5 • What do curiosity and creative participation look like Professional Learning in the Years 5-9 classrooms? In the context of a rapidly changing world, Bialik College • What social, environmental, and pedagogical has been adaptive in our approach to professional learning structures best support a culture of curiosity and over the past year. We have embraced new digital platforms creative participation in the Years 5-9 classrooms? and built capacity in our community to efficiently use • What pedagogical tools and resources best support technologies during the Digital Bialik period, including educators in their pursuit of students’ engagement in Seesaw and Microsoft Teams. The new platforms harnessed curiosity and creative participation? our teachers’ collective desire to deliver a rigorous synchronous curriculum, whilst promoting connectivity The participatory endeavour promoted experiential and collaboration. The integration of new ways of learning, increased innovation, and the development delivering teaching and learning at Bialik will modernise of teaching and learning resources; all designed to how we work, think, and learn in a post-pandemic world. promote the keywords inherent in the title of the inquiry: . The pandemic also brought to the forefront of our Community, Curiosity, Creativity, and Participation professional learning schedule, the need to support the Professional learning across the College was also delivered wellbeing of our community. International speaker and by the Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) Committee. The author, Dr Justin Coulson, worked with the staff, offering committee explored what a RAP is, why it is important to practical strategies and advice on how to boost wellbeing have an action plan, and what understandings and culture at Bialik. The responsive and balanced research was we would like to build so that reconciliation can evolve welcomed by all participants and reinforced in workshops and develop at Bialik. As a group, teachers embarked on conducted by the Social and Emotional Wellbeing team. thoughtful learning and rich conversations.
Staff also engaged in the Respectful Relationships Building staff capacity, both individually and collectively, professional learning program. The program, consisting was a strategic intent of the professional learning program. of two sessions, developed teachers’ capacity to promote This included opportunities for subject teachers to and model respect, positive attitudes, and behaviour deepen their understanding of their subject area, develop across the school community. The whole-school approach pedagogy, enrich students’ learning experience, and was intentional in improving the social and emotional improve academic outcomes. Provisionally registered wellbeing of our community members. teachers were supported by a mentor who coached them to achieve full VIT registration. Coaching in numeracy and At the end of 2020, Bialik completed our 15-month literacy was offered to teachers in both the Early, Primary research initiative with principal investigator at Project and Middle Years, and VCE teachers accessed VCAA Zero, Dr Edward Clapp. Through pedagogical innovation, seminars to ensure that they are meeting the requirements participants involved in the Establishing Communities of of the curriculum. Curiosity and Creative Participation inquiry explored the following questions through collaboration:
6 | Bialik College - Annual Report 2020 | 7 Literacy and Numeracy at Bialik Due to COVID-19, the 2020 NAPLAN tests were cancelled. However, teachers diagnostically analysed the 2019 NAPLAN results in Reading, Writing, Spelling, Grammar and Punctuation, and Numeracy to map student progress and identify trends. Data was analysed as a cohort and on an individual basis to highlight student strengths and areas for development. Teaching and learning targets and goals were set to inform curriculum development and maximise student achievement.
Below is a summary of our 2019 results:
Year 3
Year 5
Year 7
Year 9
6 | Bialik College - Annual Report 2020 | 7 Bialik’s Students Community satisfaction In our most recent surveys, 87% of parents indicated Characteristics of Students: that they would recommend Bialik as a school of choice The demographic of Bialik families reflects that the and 92% indicted that the opportunities provided by the majority hail from Caulfield and Elsternwick. College for students to participate in Melbourne Jewish communal life and local issues was important. 99% of students identify with the Jewish faith. 77% of students from Years 8 -12 volunteer in the Attendance & Retention Record: community, at least once a year. With a focus on the 1,009 students were enrolled at Bialik College in 2020 College’s response during COVID in 2020, overall, 83% of from 3 Year Old Kinder through to Year 12 and 61 children parents and 2 out of 3 students indicated that they felt the enrolled in Bialik’s new creche. educational provision was excellent.
The table below, outlining Bialik’s Student School 92% of the staff indicated that they enjoyed working at Attendance Report for 2020, indicates an average Bialik, with 91% feeling they had a trusted colleague with attendance rate of 94.09%. Illness, injury and family whom they could confer if a personal or professional commitments account for student absences. issue arose.
Attendance is managed & supported in accordance with the school’s Attendance Policy.
13 students were withdrawn from the school by the end of 2020 and 18 joined throughout 2020.
2020 ENROLMENT DATA Attendance Rate Attendance Data Year Levels Male Female Overall % attendance Prep 16 22 n/a Year 1 26 30 99.61 Year 2 34 29 98.50 Year 3 28 30 97.89 Year 4 33 32 98.78 Year 5 41 23 98.28 Year 6 47 33 95.48 Year 7 51 37 94.81 Year 8 28 52 95.15 Year 9 39 45 96.02 Year 10 50 33 92.92 Total 393 366 96.46
8 | Bialik College - Annual Report 2020 | 9 “Big enough to offer a spectacular range of opportunities for our students, while small enough to know every child by name.” Principal Jeremy Stowe-Lindner
8 | Bialik College - Annual Report 2020 | 9 Academic VCE Achievement Bialik’s Class of 2020 performed extraordinarily well. Post-School Destinations These results reflect the commitment and hard work 98.73% (78 out of 79 students) of Bialik’s Class of of the students and their dedicated teachers. 2020 students who applied for a course received tertiary offers. Of the 80 Year 12 Bialik students who presented for their VCE in 2020: Over half of the 2020 Bialik student cohort is doing a double degree so are counted in two course types-ie Commerce /Law is counted above in both Management and Commerce and of students scored 99 or Society and Culture. 13.75% above, placing them in the Our students chose to undertake a wide variety of 87% top 1% of the State. paths for tertiary education:
Number of Course Type students perfect study scores of 50 Architecture and Building 3 87%7 across 3 subjects. Creative arts (Design and Media) 8 Engineering and related technology 12 Health - nursing, podiatry speech pathology, 11 medicine, chiropractic Management and Commerce 42 scored 95 and above, Natural and Physical Sciences 17 placing them in the top 5% 48.75% Society and Culture, arts, public relations 25 87% of the State.
Class of 2020 - Post-School Destinations scored 90 and above, 65% placing them in the top 10% 87% of the State.
of study scores were over 40, placing them in the top 8% 39.9% of the State and the median 87% ATAR score was 94.6.
10 | Bialik College - Annual Report 2020 | 11 CLASS OF 2020
College Operations
Income 2020 Expenditure 2020
Fees 61% Salaries and Staff-Related Expenditure 74% Government Recurrent Grants 13% Teaching and Curriculum Expenditure 4% Other Income 25% Administrative and General Operating Expenditure 11% Fundraising 1% Debt Servicing 0.3% Capital projects 6% Depreciation 5%
2020 Revenue 2020 Expenses
10 | Bialik College - Annual Report 2020 | 11 Sam & Minnie Smorgon Campus 429 Auburn Road East Hawthorn, Victoria 2123 Telephone (03) 9822 7981 www.bialik.vic.edu.au [email protected]
“BIALIK IS A HARMONIOUS COMMUNITY, LEARNING AND THRIVING TOGETHER ON ONE CAMPUS.” Principal Jeremy Stowe-Lindner