High school ushers in new era

Narrogin Senior High School has an influx of new staff members. Seventeen staffers, including the principal, English and maths teachers, a psychologist, chaplain and nurse, started at the school last week. Principal Janine Keall stepped into the role after former principal Melissa Walker took 12 months leave. Mrs Keall said it was unusual to have so many staff members move on. “It’s just been one of those years when sometimes staff come here as a graduate or after a few years teaching to spend a few years here getting to understand the education system,” she said. “They learn their craft, classroom practices, content and then for some, they move back to their roots, such as Perth, or seek a coastal position.” Of the 17 new staff, Mrs Keall said at least half were graduate teachers, including former NSHS 2012 head boy Blake Howieson. Mr Howieson is studying a masters degree at Edith Cowan University and said he was happy to be back at his high school. “It is a bit freaky working alongside my old teachers ... I’m still getting used to calling them by their first names, but it always feels like coming back home,” he said. “The community among teachers is lovely. “I’ve had so many offers for support and I’m excited to see how, as a school, we are changing.” Mrs Keall said graduates always brought passion and motivation to their classrooms. “It’s lovely to have new staff on board to bring different ideas and ways of teaching and learning,” she said. “We are all currently transitioning with the State’s Away All Day new phone-ban policy and we’re finding the kids are interacting more and communicating with conversations. It’s working quite well.” Students at NSHS were previously allowed their phones during recess and lunch time and sometimes during class as a learning tool. Mrs Keall has been working in education since the 1990s. She is a qualified maths and physical education teacher. “I have been the head of maths at Margaret River Senior High School and Cape Naturaliste College, but for the last four years I was the associate principal at Newton Moore Senior High School in Bunbury,” she said. Mrs Keall said NSHS would have several new initiatives in place over the course of the year. “One of the big changes will see the establishment of a Clontarf facility for our Aboriginal boys and we’ve also applied to become an independent public school,” she said. “There is a high indigenous population at Newton Moore. “They have a girls’ academy and a Clontarf facility and I’ve worked very closely with those, so for me it’s really exciting to be a part of the planning process and to see a Clontarf established in Narrogin.” “I think it’s going to be a wonderful addition to community and school.”