From our Principal

Dear Parents, Students and Friends,

It was wonderful last week to be able to send our Yr 12 students off in style. An assembly, live streamed out to families, provided students with the opportunity to be together and be acknowledged for their outstanding achievements and for parents to be a part of our wider audience. Our Yr 12s have been impressive throughout this year so it was no surprise that they continued in this same manner to the end. We wish our VCE students the very best as they begin their final exam program.

A number of awards were presented as part of the Yr 12 final assembly. Congratulations go to the following award recipients:

Cranbourne Campus

Clyde North Campus

Recalibrating back to School Life

Congratulations to students on their successful return to face-to-face teaching. Whilst there has been much media speculation around students requiring settling in periods as they return, I would like to acknowledge the very positive manner in which students have returned and engaged in their learning. Attendance rates last week were consistently in the high 90s in terms of percentage of students in attendance at school which suggests that students are keen to be back in the classroom. Our approach, as mentioned before, is to focus on the essential learnings between now and the commencement of our Headstart program. Our Headstart program will commence on Wednesday, 18 November 2020 and heralds the beginning of the new academic year. This year, more than any other year, attendance at each and every day will be essential to ensure a smooth commencement to student’s 2021 academic program. In the meantime, we continue to support student’s essential learning program for 2020, confident that the work undertaken by students in the remote, blended and face-to-face forums will provide students with a platform to embrace their 2021 academic year.

Building Projects

There has been significant progress on a number of building projects this year. The following are a list of projects and their progress

Cranbourne Campus

• VCAL Building – to be completed late November and will provide opportunities for a hands on, collaborative learning environment
• Car Park – construction is currently underway on a new carpark on the south-west corner. This will provide easy access to the new uniform shop currently under construction.
• The Administration Building will commence at the end of this year

IMPORTANT NOTE: No access to St. Peter’s College via Cranbourne-Frankston Rd will be possible from Saturday, 12 December 2020 for the entirety of 2021. Further details to follow.

Clyde North

• Stage 6A – Hospitality/Food/Music/Drama/Dance – will be open for classes from the beginning of Headstart (18 November 2020)

New Deputy Principal Appointment

Mr Matthew Williams, our current Deputy Principal – Mission and Catholic Identity will be leaving us at the end of 2020 to take up a new appointment at another school. I am pleased to announce that Miss Fiona McKenna has been appointed to the role of Deputy Principal – Catholic Identity and Mission to replace Matthew. Fiona is a current staff member, well known to many as the Pastoral Leader on the Cranbourne Campus. We look forward to having Fiona serve our community in this important and senior role commencing in 2021. Below you will find Fiona’s qualifications and leadership experiences which together will serve her well as she embarks on her new work:

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Arts (Hons)
• Graduate Diploma in Education
• Graduate Certificate in Religious Education
• Master of Educational Leadership
• Master of Education and Theology – to be completed this year

Fiona’s previous Leadership Experiences include:

• Assistant RE Co-ordinator – Emmaus College
• Assistant Yr 7 and Yr 8 Co-ordinator – Emmaus College
• Yr 9 -12 Co-ordinator - Emmaus College
• Head of Kostka House – Presentation College Windsor (PCW)
• Religious Education Faculty Leader and Acting Co-Director of Faith and Mission (PCW)
• Learning Leader – PCW
• Pastoral Care Leader – St. Peter’s College

Best wishes for the week ahead.

Mr Chris Black

Principal