Welcome Back

Message from the Acting Principal

Dear Parents, Carers and Students,

 

I trust you have all enjoyed some moments of rest, relaxation and connection over the break. As the school holidays draw to a close, we look forward to the term ahead, commencing on Tuesday 9 July. Term 3 promises to be another dynamic one, filled with many engaging and student-centred learning opportunities. Amidst many other events, of note this term we will commemorate NAIDOC Week and the Cambridge Scholars’ Programme tour group will depart on 20 July. We will also continue our Opus concerts, Book Week for Primary and Secondary students, celebrate Grandparents' Day and Father’s Day, and Year 9 will embark on their Outdoor Education Camp.

 

On Tuesday we look forward to welcoming 24 new students to the College, of these there are six new Secondary School students joining us and 18 entering the Primary School. In addition, we will be hosting 12 international short-stay students throughout the term. On Tuesday 23 July, we have our upcoming Principal-led Tour, followed by a Head of Primary-led Tour on Wednesday 24 July. We look forward to engaging with prospective families on these days and thank you for sharing your positive experiences of the College with your friends and family.

 

During the break, our Boarder Marketing 2024 Regional Tours continued with Mrs Kathryn Searle, Head of Boarding and Ms Emma Dixon, Director of Marketing, Communications and Engagement visiting Emerald, Longreach and Winton. They connected with current and prospective families, caught up with Old Collegians and showcased our College at Ag-Grow Field Day 2024. We deeply value the opportunity to engage with our boarding families in their regions, and I extend my gratitude to our families for taking the time to meet with us.

In addition to the College’s regular maintenance and refresh holiday schedule, I am pleased to share that the GLA Project (which includes a new three-storey building with Design Technology workshops and multi-purpose classrooms) has also commenced. While the dismantling of the MU2 structure has begun, due to wet weather and other unforeseen circumstances, the demolition process has not yet been finalised. The demolition works will continue throughout the weekends in early Term 3. 

 

As we all appreciate, construction projects can sometimes cause disruptions, and we continue to work closely with our Project Manager to minimise any inconvenience.  

 

Upon your return to campus, you will notice that construction fencing has been erected, signalling some changes to the pedestrian access, namely: 

  • moving through the Tuckshop Courtyard area; and 
  • travelling to the STEM and Visual Art classrooms via the link bridges, rather than through the Japanese Courtyard which has been closed.

*Staff and student access is indicated by the red line in the image below. 

 

We ask that you please speak with your child/ren about these changes to pedestrian access, as well as the importance of not interfering with the construction fencing, which is there for their safety. We will also be discussing these matters with all students upon their return to campus. 

 

Please note that the drop-off and pick-up zones on Bayview Terrace and Gregory Street (Circular Drive) remain unchanged. 

We are excited about the positive impact that the GLA Project will have on our College, and are grateful for your understanding and patience during this period of growth and improvement.

 

This term we welcome Ms Amanda Pashen who will be job-sharing the College Counsellor position with Ms Kelsey Lahey. Amanda is familiar with the College, working in the Boarding House as Youth Worker. Kelsey will be on campus Monday to Thursday, with Amanda working each Friday. We also extend a warm welcome to Miss Isabella Cameron who has commenced as our Marketing and Communications Officer, Miss Rachael Fellowes, who will be joining our Primary EALD Team as a Teacher Aide, and Ms Ellie Harpe, who will be joining our Boarding Team as Residential Boarding Assistant. 

 

A reminder that the College will be hosting our Annual ‘On the Green’ on Sunday 28 July, 12:00pm – 4:00pm. Families are invited to come along and enjoy a wonderful afternoon of exceptional music headlined by award-winning singer-songwriter Kate Miller-Heidke. Please bring a picnic or sample delicious treats from our food trucks and bars. To buy your tickets and for more event information, visit here. I hope to see you there!

Our teaching staff look forward to meeting with you at the Parent Teacher Conferences next week and we look forward to welcoming students back on campus on Tuesday.

 

Kind regards, 

 

 

 

 

 

Mrs Lakshmi Mohan 

Acting Principal