DEPUTY PRINCIPAL REPORT

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our parents and carers for their ongoing support as we start Term 2. These are indeed interesting times, as we navigate a new learning dynamic in which we continue to teach from afar, at least geographically. Please know we miss your children very much; a school is a very empty place with no students!

We will always be so grateful to our parents and carers who have become supervisors of learning in such a short period of time. Amidst a million pieces of advice in these times, please accept this from me: do not be too hard on yourselves. If you can continue to ensure your home environment is conducive to learning and that your child is online and engaged with the work, we will continue to deliver the best curriculum for these times. Our motto has been ‘the learning continues’, but this is absolutely underpinned by wellbeing coming first and a range of support networks exist in the college to help if you are feeling overwhelmed.

World renowned learning expert John Hattie has written recently about the degree to which these times will not define the learning outcomes of a generation of students. His research here was based around the Christchurch earthquakes and Hurricane Katrina: https://corwin-connect.com/2020/04/visible-learning-effect-sizes-when-schools-are-closed-what-matters-and-what-does-not/

There have been many discussions amongst the teaching staff around the silver linings that have emerged from this COVID-19 crisis. The degree of collaboration within and across faculties has been remarkable, and this will remain in a post coronavirus world I am sure. Likewise, there has been some truly innovative teaching and learning going on, with use of green screens, videos of talking cows (in what appears to be Mr Dawson's voice?) and an array of other applications of technology that aim to keep our lessons effective and interesting. I am certain we are going to emerge from this with a wider range of teaching and learning tools, and I am also certain our students will emerge with a different appreciation of schooling and technology as well!

We are all excited to see Year 12 return to the college this week and look forward to a time in the future when we can be the TRAC community of old. Interestingly, I still do feel the heart of that community, even via emails and screens-different, but it is still there. I would also like to thank those parents who expressed an interest in the online forum being provided by Elevate Education and we will be keeping a close eye out for further opportunities provided by this excellent provider.

As always, if you wish to speak about your child’s learning, please make contact with their teacher. In times like these the triumvirate of teacher/student/parent is more important than ever. As always, I am happy to talk learning with you as well.

Stay well.

Anthony Heffer | Deputy Principal - Teaching, Learning and Innovation