Principal's News 

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

The theme of Refugee Week 2020 is celebrating the year of welcome. 

A more welcoming country doesn’t start with politicians, it starts with us.  

Welcome is an attitude towards all people, including people from refugee backgrounds.  

As a country that has been built upon the migration of people from all parts of the world, may we continue and also adjust to be a country that reaches out to the ‘other’ especially those seeking refuge from war, dislocation, ethnic persecution, insecurity etc.  Recently our response to our brothers and sisters in offshore detention centres is at odds with our Catholic Social Teaching for the Dignity of the Human person.  We live in the hope that Australia reflects the values of compassion, inclusion and respect for others in a world that currently  showing unhealthy signs of individualism.

Our children will be the hope for our future and through the guidance and education that we provide as parents and educators they will welcome in a world that is hopefully free of division and non acceptance. 

Reports

As our school moved to remote learning as a result of COVID-19, our usual ways of working and engaging with students has looked different in Term 2. Included in this change has been how we assess and report on student learning. Our school, teachers, students and families have all had to adapt, change and respond to the landscape – sometimes on a daily basis. There have been countless positive opportunities and new learning, but there have also been challenges and we have each responded as best we can on a weekly basis.

I thank your child for all they have achieved and all they have contributed – they should be proud of their efforts, even in the challenging moments. I also thank each parent/carer and family member for your encouragement, feedback, patience and willingness to engage with us to support your child’s ongoing wellbeing and learning.

I would ask you to appreciate that the content on which we report is reduced, as the usual assessments undertaken in the everyday classroom have not been possible this term. 

In that context, this report will look different from usual. This is following the advice of the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA), Victorian Department of Education and Training, and Catholic Education Commission of Victoria Ltd (CECV).

The end of year report (December) will provide a more comprehensive view of the year’s learning across all usual curriculum areas.

SRC

Current SRC representatives for each classroom will continue their role until Week 5 of Term 3.  In Week 4 of Term 3, classes will vote for 2 new representatives for the remainder of the year.

This will be the final newsletter for the rest of the semester.   May I thank you all for all efforts in the past two terms in what has been a vastly different time.  We also wish Miss Quinlan a restful break for next week and the first week of Term 3 as part of her long service leave.

Regards,

Brendan Flanagan

Principal