Junior School Update

Hello,

I wanted to start by thanking every member of the Junior School community for such a fantastic start to Term 2. I am very proud of each and every student, parent, extended family, and staff member for the way that we have continued to look after each other in these unparalleled and extraordinary times. I have had so much positivity come from teachers who are working hard as they adjust to this new mode of teaching, students who are engaging with our Online Learning Model and families who are supporting us. Thank you for all of the messages of support and appreciation that have been received via email, phone, and on social media. It is greatly appreciated by all staff members.

The vast majority of our students are engaged in remote and flexible learning when just a month ago we were all in classrooms together, face to face, waving and smiling as we moved through corridors and out in the yard. The extraordinary achievement to make this transition with such relative ease and is testament to the individuals who make up our community – staff, students and parents. As we continue on this journey together, it is likely that the resilience of everyone will at some point be tested. Parents and families may notice students becoming moody and disengaged. It is important that we all work together to support one another and remember that at the end of the day, taking a break to go outside and enjoy a change of scenery isn’t going to be the worst thing that could happen. In fact, it’s amazing what a change of scenery and getting up and moving can do for our mindset.

It is important, as we keep moving forward, that students log on to Webex classes so that attendance can be recorded. If there are reasons this is not possible, students should email their teachers to communicate this – I cannot emphasise enough the importance of keeping up clear and regular communication. Students should also be submitting their weekly Learning Tasks so that staff can provide feedback and adjust Online Learning Plans to better cater to the needs of students.

Finally, don’t forget that we are here to help you. Nobody is in this alone and we are set up to support you if you are feeling down, anxious, stressed or overwhelmed. Please don’t hesitate to reach out and make contact with either your subject teachers or a member of the Junior School team.

On behalf of Tammie, Anna, Peter, Hannah and myself, we cannot wait to see you all back in classrooms as soon as this is possible!

Nicole Taylor

Junior School Leader

Middle School Update

Hello, Parents & students of the Middle School.

As we know, we are all encountering a completely different way of schooling.

I would like to congratulate you all on the way you have participated in this new way of learning. It is pleasing to see, when I look at attendance rolls, how many students are logged on and engaged in classes.

All school expectations, in relation to behaviour and attendance, are the same as if students were actually at school.

I would like to thank the front-of-school office staff who have assisted the Middle School during this term.

Andrea and Ross have been regularly contacting students & parents to assist with any enquires.

Parents can contact Andrea Coad by calling

51279246 or Ross Magnuson on 51279257

Please remember to log on to classes so that your attendance can be recorded.

Finally, students, keep up the wonderful work you are doing and if you are having any difficulties, please either contact the teacher involved or the Middle School.

We hope that you are all back on site in the near future.

Darren Mitchell

Middle School Manager

Senior School Update

Hello all,

I hope everyone had a great break and enjoyed their Easter at home.

We have had a positive start to the online learning environment in the senior school and have our wonderful VCE and VCAL students and teachers to thank for that.

There are a lot of students working very hard from their homes and we are very happy to be hearing lots of positive feedback from parents, staff, and students.

We have had a couple of key announcements that I would like to remind you of.

Firstly, the Year 12 GAT has been moved to November this year and Year 12 exams to December.

Secondly, mid-year exams for Senior School have been postponed to enable us to provide more teaching and learning time for everyone and also relieve some of the workload stress that has been occurring.

We are still awaiting notification from VCAA regarding end-of-year exams, however, it is important that you all remain focused on your studies and trust that we will keep you informed as soon as we know details.

Any new information will be posted in the news feed on compass, so please check there regularly. We currently have an assembly posted there for VCE students and another for VCAL, as well as an update for all Senior Students.

Our Senior School team have been working hard to make sure that every student is feeling supported and confident in their learning via video chats, phone calls and emails. This process is currently working well, and we are all enjoying this connection with our students.

We understand that this uncharted territory can still be daunting so please remember that we are all here for you and if you need any support, please reach out to any teacher or staff member.

Justin Rea

Senior School Manager

Lowanna College

Issue 2 · 05 May 2020

In this issue