From the Principal's Desk

Hello to all our community members.

My page header this week is of the Tallis Campus leaders.

As you will read we have hit the ground running in Remote Learning 2.0 and with it will come many adaptions to processes particularly for our Year 12 students as they work through this period to complete their VCE and VCAL studies. Announcements already made indicate there will be a great deal of consideration given to students due to the hardship they have faced through what is meant to be a very special and unforgettable year of schooling. The VCE and VCAL teams will work hard with students to best utilise these special considerations and best support students through their studies.

Remote Learning @ NBC 2.0

Again through this period we have collapsed our four P-8 Campuses into two. This time round Peacock and Hendy will be our onsite P-8 campuses with Goldsworthy open for onsite supervision of 9-12 students. Whilst many aspects of the remote learning program will remain quite similar - apart from the ongoing improvement tweaks that are already evident throughout the college - some aspects will be a little different. We will use WebEx more often to provide video conferencing opportunities for our students - a major feedback item from students, parents and staff through the previous period. This could present some excellent opportunities for the introduction of weekly drop ins for students; virtual lunchtime activity programs; discussion groups and I am sure the list will continue to grow. The Extended School Day (see Programs page) is a great example of work that we can do remotely.

Check out the range of our great kids:

From Jaxon in Year 10 and Jade in Year 2

Community Safety

A most visible difference this time round is the requirement of face coverings to be worn by all secondary students and adult members of our school community. Along with this safety measure all students attending onsite must be temperature screened before entering their learning communities. The Department of Education and Training (DET) has provided us with these support tools, which is greatly appreciated.

So much has been learnt from last time and as a result of preparatory planning by many teams, we are well placed to support our students to the best of our collective ability

Wexford Closure

Wexford Campus had a forced closure for weeks 4 and 5 of this term due to a positive COVID result within the Wexford community. Close Contact Tracing and deep cleaning have been  completed. This was a very uncertain time for our entire Wexford community, a challenge that was met with great positivity and spirit. Whilst we remain hopeful that this will be our only experience of a forced school closure we do remain alert to the possibility that further closures may be require through this period. I wish everyone who have themselves, or have family members who have contracted the virus, a speedy recovery.

SEED Podcast and Follow-up Video

Be sure to check out the most recent SEED podcast that featured Craig Mottram. Wonderfully hosted by Wexford students Stevie and Jake, Craig is so generous with his time and answers for our budding talk show hosts. Craig has also followed this up with a message to all members of our school community that he sent through off his own bat last week as the college entered Stage 3 lockdown and remote learning.

SEED Craig Mottram podcast - not to be missed listening 

Craig’s video message for school community - 

iNewsletter

This is our third iNewsletter and like previous editions we hope to  present and celebrate the work going on around our college. All our community should be so proud of. All editions include the use of multiple media formats to share with the community and hear from your children and young people. This is engaging and insightful quality work our students complete every day. Please don't just read the words. Check out the pictures and links too. We have great kids and they are proud to show you their efforts. Use the link again and again to come back to other pages if you are time short.

Communicating to the College

The ways we want to communicate to our students and families is now clearly defined.

We will give messages as announcements, alerts and news arises through:

Compass. Please consider  installing the COMPASS App on your phone.

Facebook: In addition to enjoyable up to the minute items we use the College Facebook Page to share important announcements. I also schedule a Live Facebook hook up with community members for chat and clarifications and celebrations.

Videos: I have enjoyed working with our multicultural assistants (MEA's) as we try engage non english speaking community members who use oral language as their tool.

A great 'Thank you!'

The College was approached by Kane Builders, Quintessential and GMHBA staff to have a fun competition to 'Name the Crane' that was going to be doing the heavy work at the site on the corner of Moorabool and Corio streets in the city. The prep children in all of campuses and our Early Learning Centre were given the chance to colour in a giant picture od the crane and think of a name for it. They were asked to write or tell their teacher why they chose that name. We then sent the 70 odd entries to the organisers and they picked the winning name. We have not been able to have any kind of excursion to take the winners to see the crane because of COVID19 restrictions but we think that early in September there will be an announcement in the papers.

Here are a few of the ideas and a couple of the colouring entries. 

Liftsy because it will lift things to the building

Boomka – when it moves around it makes a boomka boomka noise 

Fish – because it has a hook

Kai the Crane - Because he is my best friend 

Lala (Because it will dance through the sky)

Rainbow the crane will be colourful like a rainbow)

Kobe - because he ist all

Sophie-  it would be funny to see a Crane named Sophie

Here are some of the entries and a beautiful picture of the kinder children on Pyjama Day with all the entries.

Some DATE changes

We have some change changes to dates that you will have in your calendars that we announced on COMPASS

Student Free Curriculum Day:

The College's School Council agreed Student-free Curriculum day was scheduled for Friday 21 August . Council voted last night to postpone for one week to allow students and staff to create greater momentum in the Remote Learning 2.0 program. So, on Friday 28 August there will be no program for students at the college and onsite supervision will not be available. Staff will be undertaking professional learning.

3-Way Learning Conferences:These learning conferences are used to support parents and carers to participate in learning conversations with students and their teachers. Schools are required to provide two such opportunities each school year.  The new dates for these conferences have been endorsed by School Council.

• Year 11 & 12      Conferences will begin from 3 September
• Prep - Year 10    Tuesday 6 October  & Tuesday 13 October (Term 4)

Bookings will be made available via the Compass booking system. Details of when and how to book for Learning Conferences will be shared with families very soon.

Well, enough from me. Enjoy these news pages and insights into the college in your reading over the next three weeks.

Keep safe 

Scott Diamond

College Principal