Concord Connect

Principal's Report 

Dear Parents and Carers

 

Announcement : Funding in State Budget

 

I begin this Newsletter with some extremely exciting news. Concord School has been allocated $10 million in the 2020-2021 State Budget to upgrade and further modernise the school. While we have managed to improve our facilities in recent years, this will provide us with the funding to refurbish or rebuild the rest of our school with exciting and innovative spaces that can maximise the opportunities for our students. 

Orientation Day - Bundoora Campus Only

We have our Orientation Day on the Tuesday, 8th of December. On this day all students, including those who are new to the school, will work with their 2021 teachers and classmates in their new classrooms. Please note that following this day there may still be changes to teachers and/or class groupings. 

 

Lower Primary students who will be at Bundoora next year will be receiving further information regarding the arrangements for the day from Kath Moore.

 

Just a reminder that the following day is a Pupil-Free Day.

Information Sessions in 2021

 

This is just a ‘heads up’ in preparation for 2021. On the evening of Wednesday, 3rd February, we will hold an Information Evening for all Prep to Year 10 families. 

Parents and carers will be invited to attend a meeting in their child’s section where information about all curriculum areas, camps, excursions, routines and structures will be discussed. There will be time for questions and parents will get a chance to meet all of the teachers working in their section of the school. 

 

We will then hold a separate Meet the Teacher afternoon/night on Tuesday, 16th February. This will give parents and carers the opportunity to meet one on one with their child’s classroom teacher and provide information that will assist the teacher to get to know their child. 

 

VCAL will hold various other sessions throughout the year. 

COVID-19 and Changes to School Operations and Events

 

The Victorian Government announced that Victoria moved to the Last Step of the roadmap for reopening from 11:59pm, Sunday 22 November 2020. As a result of the changes announced, some important updates have been made to school operations.

 

A summary of these changes are

  • Parents/carers and other visitors may now visit school premises.
  • To support contact tracing, schools must continue to keep a record of all staff, students and visitors who attend on site for more than 15 minutes.
  • Face masks for staff and visitors to the school must be worn indoors, unless an exemption applies. Face masks are not required outdoors except where 1.5 meters physical distancing cannot be maintained.
  • Staggered start and finish times in order to reduce congestion are no longer required.
  • Graduation ceremonies, assemblies and other school gatherings (e.g. school sports) on school sites involving external guests are subject to a gathering limit (including students, staff and visitors) of 150 indoors or 300 outdoors. Parent/s will now be permitted at the Year 6 and 12 Graduation ceremonies and Chris and Bronwyn will be providing further information. Face masks can be removed briefly for photos or giving a speech.

Principal Awards 2020

 

Recipients of the Principal Awards for 2020 will be invited to join myself and the Leadership Team for a lunch on Monday 7th December to acknowledge and celebrate their achievements. 

 

Recipients are: Isaac Dearing (LPF), Chloe Battista (UPD), Aidan Fuhrmeister (78E), Luca Del Cielo (91E), Rin Okamoto (LPA), Charlie Dowsett (LPE), Talia Butera (UPC), Mark Dell Anno (78F), Lachlan Susanof (91G), Keely Purcell (12A), Rin Okamoto (LPA), Matin Pavir (UPB), Sascha Uhlmann (91D), Daniel Thompson (12B)

 

Congratulations to all of our recipients!  It is a tremendous achievement to win this award as this award is given only to those who have excelled in their work and in their behavior. Well done and I look forward to our lunch.

 

 

Jason Coningsby

Principal