[On-screen text: Introducing your new principal]
[Upbeat music plays throughout]
A smiling woman comes gradually into focus as she walks towards us.
Joanne Camozzato (in voice over): Hi, I'm Jo Camozzato and I'm really excited to be the principal of your new school.
We see Joanne sitting at a table, working on a laptop computer.
[On-screen text: Joanne Camozzato]
[On-screen text: Truganina Secondary School (interim name)]
We see Joanne standing and speaking to someone off screen.
[On-screen text: What environment will this school promote?]
Joanne: I want students to try to do their best, have the ability to make social connections, and I also want them to think outside the box – to be creative. That's what actually takes you into the future. With my teachers, I really want to encourage them to connect with the young people that come onto our site, to connect with the families and to really personalise education so that they make meaningful relationships.
If you don't build relationships with families and students, then, you know, as a teacher, you don't feel as fulfilled or as challenged in your work. I think it’s really important that you do have wellbeing and learning balanced in a school.
[On-screen text: What was your journey into education?]
Joanne: I decided to become a drama teacher and I began teaching drama, theatre studies, English, literature, and eventually I added psychology to that, and sort of merging my skill set. So I've worked extensively with young people in wellbeing, and then moved across and worked with teachers in teaching and learning. And through all that, somehow I became a principal.
[On-screen text: What type of leader are you?]
Joanne: I'd like to hope that I'm a principal that enjoys connecting with young people, enjoys finding out more about families. That I'm supportive of my staff, both teaching staff and education support staff. But I'm also really curious, like, I like to meet people beyond the school community. Maybe another way of looking at saying, ‘I think I'm a fun principal’ – is … what I'm trying to say is that if you're happy and comfortable in the workplace, you actually do give your best.
[On-screen text: What are you looking forward to on day 1, Term 1?]
Joanne: I'm looking forward to when the students arrive and they realise that the school is actually for them – that this new school, with all its facilities, its amazing buildings, the new teaching staff, is actually all being built for their education and they enjoy the experience.
[On-screen text: How will the design of the school help support students and teachers?]
Joanne: The design of the new schools, I suppose, reflect modern learning. Very open, they’re flexible learning spaces, which means you can make them more private or you can open them up. The school is unique because we're actually across two campuses; so it's one school, but there's a junior school – years 7, 8, 9 – and there's a senior school – 10, 11 and 12.
And I think this does provide a unique experience because you can come in in early adolescence and then when young people are ready for that next step, sort of nearly about to enter adulthood, they come across to the senior campus. And I think that's a really unique opportunity.
A white background appears with the VSBA and Victoria State Government logos.
[On-screen text: www.schoolbuildings.vic.gov.au]
A black background appears and white text appears.
[On-screen text: Authorised by The Victorian School Building Authority, 33 St Andrews Place, East Melbourne]
[Transcript ends]
Updated