Principal Report

A message from the Principal

Ms Nerina Pretlove

Stuff Happens.  I was in our school library the other day and saw a book with this title and I thought that it was the perfect description of our year so far. We certainly have entered 2020 with a bang. The year started with drought across NSW, water restrictions, bushfires, floods and now the Covid-19 virus and it is only April.  The famous poem by Dorothea Mackeller, My Country and its classic lines:

I love a sunburnt country,

A land of sweeping plains,

Of ragged mountain ranges,

Of droughts and flooding rains….

takes us to the challenges and beauty that are the core of this country. It is a testament of the tenacity and strengths of Australians that we pull ourselves together in challenging times and get on with it.

No more so than with the impact of the Covid-19 virus on education. I am so proud of my teachers and staff who have stepped up without a moment of complaint to ensure that students have access to their learning in online, hard copy or face to face options. This has required staff to move rapidly into the world of digital learning, remote conferencing, off-site administration and working alone at home whilst, in many cases, managing their own children. I cannot believe that within two weeks all staff are working in this space.

The late and great John Lennon said that, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”. It was a call to us to look around and make the most of the moment. We are planning for our students’ full return to school, without a date at this stage, whilst still delivering packages of learning through Google Classroom or in hard copy. What we know, at this moment, is that Term 2 will commence with the same structure as the end of Term 1. Please regularly check in with the Department of Education’s Learning from Home site at www.education.nsw.gov.au, our Instagram, website and Facebook for the latest news and support.

To continue our support of our students and families, every Tuesday from 9am – 1.00 pm, we will set up a collection point in the Hall to pick up hard copy packages and to deliver completed work for marking.  Families that need assistance with borrowing a laptop or technical support can ring the Front Office in advance for an appointment and meet with our Tech staff on the same day. We understand the amazing job which is being done by our parents and guardians in supporting students to maintain their learning in these challenging times. If you do come onto the school grounds, please go directly to the Hall and practice safe distancing, as directed, so that we can protect each other.

Of great concern to students, staff and families is the format of the HSC for 2020. At this stage, the information is that all students will be supported in gaining their HSC.  Adjustments have been made to performance based assessments including Dance, Music and Drama with the removal of ensemble pieces to minimise cross infection. We are expecting more forth coming information from NESA later in the second week of the holidays regarding the structure of the HSC in terms of internal and external assessment and exams.

On a positive note, we are using the time to continue the renewal of our classrooms, with the HSIE Faculty being completed over the holidays. Excitingly, the first stage of our Hall renovations has commenced with a request for tenders. We are planning a space that will support performance, ceremonies and exams in air conditioned comfort. It has been a long time coming and thanks must go to our Business Manager, Jackie Smith, who has made this happen.

So as we come to the end of the school holidays, I am thinking of having t-shirts made with Stuff Happens 2020. I wonder if there is a market!