Dear Parents, Friends and Families,

The second semester started off smoothly and a bit quietly with Year 9 students out on Endeavour and Year 10’s having the Mittagundi or Wollangarra options. It’s wonderful to return to Victoria for the Year 10 programs after being unable to travel in 2020 and 2021. I’m looking forward to having the entire student body back together next week.

Thank you to the small group of parents who came along to the Schoolbox Information Night and to Damian Tite and Rod Diehl for running the session. It was incredibly informative and useful.

I visited two of the Endeavour groups on the weekend and was impressed by their courage in taking on this challenging adventure. One of the groups was doing the abseil and many students did it multiple times and tried more advanced skills. The best part for me was to see the cohesion that had developed within the diverse groups of students and the willingness to share the required duties.

I hope your students participating in our Outdoor Education expeditions have the opportunity to share their many experiences with friends and family.

I am also very grateful to our dedicated staff Emma Shearer, Kim Moloney and Felicity Dowdell; they went above and beyond to ensure that every student had the opportunity to participate in the program. This is truly inclusivity at its best!

I must also give a special mention to Dave Atkins and Emma Shearer for putting in countless hours of organisation and planning so that our students can benefit from one of the best adventure programs in the country. A former Head of Outdoor Education, Dave Armstrong, who is now principal of Wangaratta High, sent his son Alec along to participate in the program. He didn’t want his son to miss out on the experience. In a phone call, Dave told me he remembers every part of the expedition and that our program was unique and such an important part in the growth and development of our youth.

Another busy week at the College included Year 12 Parent Teacher interviews, a university application session and a Parents’ & Friends’ meeting. Some Year 11 students participated in the Tomorrow Man/Tomorrow Woman sessions and the Australian Maths Competition ran over two days.

I’ve also received numerous applications for leadership positions from the Year 11’s and College Captain interviews with elections to be held next week.

As we continue to enjoy the beautiful weather in Central Australia, I’m happy to be here at the helm of the College for a few more weeks.

Kind regards,

Leslie

Volunteers Needed for Old Timer's Fete