Principal's Message

Amadeo Ferra

To say it has been a challenging year for everyone would be a significant understatement. Recently we had our first face-to-face celebration (with over one hundred students) since school resumed from remote learning. Our Valedictory Dinner was a symbol for the adaptability all of us have had to employ all year. It was on again, off again, postponed until after exams in the hopes it would be even possible, moved onsite (as no venue was open and later not taking bookings of this size -142 students and staff), working within the Covid Safe regulations which were ever changing and live streamed through Facebook so families and friends could at least see what was happening.

A lot of planning went into the event and in the end it was more than worth it. We were always committed to making it work and giving our students the best possible experience we could. We knew that some surrounding schools like Frankston High School had decided not to run a valedictory dinner but we were determined to make it work and it was through a real community effort that we were able to pull it together. We had Year 11 VCAL and VCE students assisting with the decorations, Hands on Learning students and Year 7 and Year 8 students helping with lighting and sound. Staff volunteered and pitched in with one supplying the lights and many others taking on various roles including filming and streaming the main events of the night.

What I liked most about the night was the fact that we did it all ourselves and the end result was better than what we have had when we went to a reception centre and paid a lot more without the same atmosphere and sense of community. It felt right that these students in their final time together, would finish this tumultuous year in their school gymnasium where they had played sport or simply attended a school assembly. It wouldn’t have been right after everything our Year 12 students endured and missed out on this year, that their last time together would be spent in the Frankston Arts Centre reception room or any other public place. The decorations which our students and staff put up looked wonderful and created an atmosphere that reminded me of American Prom Night that are always held in their school gymnasiums. I couldn’t help but feel that the last time our students get to spend time together as a group with their teachers should be in the place that was their school community for the last six years.

We have a number of staff leaving us –some to retirement, others for opportunities elsewhere. On behalf of the College I would like to thank the following staff for their service to the College; Samantha Clough, Sacha Fisher, Peter Hunt, Angela Xu, Tracey Ballard, David Power, Kara Dunstan and Bruce Armstrong. Bruce came to us after having worked for two years in Echuca and has since worked for 32 years at our College. He has adapted through various school changes in that time and kept up with technological changes which shows he is a lifelong learner.

Best wishes to you all for the relaxing holiday you deserve after this testing year.