Principal's Report

Stay positive in this trying time

The beginning of Term 3 certainly wasn’t as we had planned. We continue to navigate the ‘second wave’ and the ‘new normal’ in schools but, having said that, it is important to remember that we are working together to support our students, our staff and our community. The daily news in more recent times has focused on the message that we are far from defeating the threat of COVID-19 and we need to take every precaution.

For our Year 11 and 12 classes, and those Year 10s who are attending a Unit 12 class, it has meant continuing face-to-face learning at school with additional hygiene practices and social distancing expectations and the wearing of masks. For the Year 7 to 10 classes, it has meant going back to Remote and Flexible Learning until at least August 19.

Our planning for our students both off- and onsite continues and is constantly reviewed to ensure we are catering for our students with a rich learning Program reflecting feedback from students, parents and staff. I appreciate that for some of our students this has been a difficult time but there are avenues to take to ensure that you are working towards positive outcomes and expectations. I would encourage students, parents and carers to contact the school to seek support if there is any area of concern – be it wellbeing or subject-based. Teachers, too, will email parents in the event that students are not fulfilling the requirements and expectations.

Our teachers have gone above and beyond to ensure our curriculum ensures that students can participate in high-quality learning opportunities that build on their skills, knowledge and experience. I also want to acknowledge our students who have demonstrated resilience and support for each other as we continue to adapt to this changing environment.

One of the areas that I believe is a key part of our collective responsibility is to reach out (from a physical distance) to others and support one another as best we can. At this point, I want to acknowledge the work that all essential workers are performing to keep us safe and provide for us - a big shout out to them all, including of course our own staff.

We all need to continue to look after ourselves and each other. I would encourage everyone to actively access the supports around them if things become challenging. This might be seeking help from a friend, family member, teacher, our Wellbeing Team, or another trusted adult. Last week’s Weekly Update provided a number of resources to tap into if you, or someone you know, require help (https://www.sosc.vic.edu.au/our-college/wellbeing-support/ )