DEPUTY PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Teaching, Learning and Innovation

I would like to thank the College community for their support of our Continuation of Learning approach in these challenging times. It is fallacious to think an online learning world can replicate the living, breathing components of day-to-day school life and yet so much continues to be achieved during this lockdown - Book Week, Science Week, Tournament of the Minds, Music lessons... Our hard working staff are doing everything possible to maintain consistent routines, whether it is around wellbeing or learning and I know our parent body is working hard too to maintain momentum and support your children. I thank you all. 

My message to staff has been consistent and I would like to share it with parents as well - be gentle on yourself. Let’s view this moment as an opportunity to keep learning moving forward, but not at any cost. Wellbeing must come first. It is one of the key reasons we chose a path of flexibility with the teaching and learning approach and a vital part of being able to maintain any kind of momentum, even at the best of times. I know the Wellbeing team has done a fantastic job of maintaining contact via Secondary Homeroom and via Junior School Wellbeing meets every morning; I would remind everyone that these are mandatory to attend as these are key contact points for the teachers in supporting your child; we need to know they are well so that we can continue to care and support them. 

Finally, I leave you with a simple cartoon from one of Australia’s great modern philosophers, Michael Leunig. I particularly love the look on the face of our protagonist when he sits down to rest- sometimes life really is a simple as that.    

Anthony Heffer | Deputy Principal - Teaching, Learning and Innovation