Newsletter 

 PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

STRIVE

Our students are well into the routine of being back onsite and attending classes ready to learn.  I want to commend the students for their resilience this year as they work towards the final term in 2021. The regular communication with students about our expectations and support for them has been a constant message in all assemblies and from their mentor teachers. This term has included the elections of student leaders, getting back to excursions and engaging in routine processes such as exams, which have helped make this time very busy and exciting! The Year 11 students have completed their exams and have commenced their Headstart early commencement program. This is a time when students will start their Year 12 work in preparation for 2022. 

 

Congratulations to our current Year 12 students who have finished their exams! You finally made it and we are all so proud of you. We are looking forward to recognising your achievements at the Valedictory Dinner this Thursday 25 November.

UNITE

We appreciate the support from our community in ensuring that we are all engaging in COVID safe behaviours so that the risk of spread of the virus at school is minimised, meaning that we can keep students onsite and engaged in their learning for the remainder of this year. We understand that there is an element of risk of contracting COVID-19 that will not be completely eliminated, and that this can happen to anyone through transmission in the community in a range of ways. There are so many aspects of this pandemic that we cannot control.  However, there are aspects that as a College community we can ensure we are adhering to in order to keep this a safe and hygienic place.

 

Whilst no longer mandatory in secondary school settings, wearing a face mask is a protective measure that some students and staff may wish to still engage in. We welcome students to continue wearing a mask if this is their personal preference. 

 

As you would all be aware, we have experienced some positive COVID-19 cases onsite recently which I also addressed in the last edition of the newsletter. I want the community to know that the College has all of the expected processes in place from the Department of Health and the Department of Education to ensure that students are continuing to learn in a safe environment and positive cases are managed effectively as we can. These processes recently changed as of 11:59pm on 18 November with the further relaxing of restrictions. 

 

From this point forward, any person who is deemed to be a Primary Close Contact (PCC) of a positive case of COVID-19 will be asked to test and isolate. They can then return to school once a negative result has been received and proof of this provided to the College. There will no longer be a requirement to isolate for 7 or 14 days based on vaccination status. It is strongly recommended that upon returning to school, any PCC undertakes a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT) for 5 days following their return onsite, as a precautionary measure. These RAT kits will be given to you at PCR testing clinics, and not supplied by the College. 

 

Whilst this is another change in processes, it is wonderful that students will be missing less school time due to a reduction in the required time to isolate.

 

We have appreciated the positive feedback about the processes we have in place for notifying PCCs in a timely manner when we do have a report of a positive COVID-19 case. The process of conducting contact tracing is a complicated but important task that we take seriously. Staff have been working long hours when required to provide additional support when needed and I want to thank them on the community’s behalf for their dedication to the College and the safety and wellbeing of our young people.

RESPECT

We know that there have been many changes to College Operations and our general life in the wider community recently, including vaccination requirements that must be adhered to. 

 

Whilst we understand that some members of the community have different beliefs, we ask that everyone remembers the importance of treating others with respect. We welcome feedback and questions, but if you do want to contact the College to discuss these matters, please remember that our Administration Team are always happy to help and pass on messages but deserve to be spoken to with respect and courtesy at all times. 

 

The College has a Parent Code of Conduct Policy that is able to be viewed on our College website here.  Please make sure that you are familiar with the behaviours that will ensure that our College community remains one that is focused on us all working in positive partnership with each other to support the growth and development of our young people.

FLOURISH

With the listing of restrictions, the students selected to participate in ‘The School for Student Leadership’ at Dinner Plain were able to commence a shortened version of this wonderful experience on Saturday 06 November.

  • Daniel H
  • Kirsten M
  • Toby K-B

We are very much looking forward to tuning into their presentations on 03 December and welcoming them back home 11 December.

 

The Alpine School is a wonderful opportunity for our students to extend their leadership skills, challenge themselves and engage in deep thinking about how they can make a positive impact.

 

Erin Wright

SCSC College Principal