School Council Report

While the news is still filled with gloom, there is still an opportunity for us all to lift our gaze to the joy around us. The days are warmer, the mornings are lighter, the buds are appearing in gardens, and I have even seen teenagers swimming in the bay each afternoon!

At our last School Council meeting, it was extraordinary to hear how much work is going on in the background of the College that is innovative, future focused and optimistic. The Stage 2 building works are progressing at speed and the new learning spaces are beginning to come to life. Teaching staff are continuing vital work to strategically plan the growth of the school from a learning perspective, developing engaging courses for the first students beginning a VCE pathway in 2022. Curriculum committees have spent considerable time researching and mapping ways to engage the diverse range of learners in deeper study and finding ways to connect that learning to the world. And last, but certainly not least, the Finance Committee continue their careful stewardship of the college’s resources and are working hard to budget for a huge array of learning opportunities, events and campus development next year.

In this extraordinary era, we can spend much time being introspective, but there is clear evidence that acts of thankfulness and gratitude can not only show appreciation to the receiver but lift the spirits of the giver. 

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” – Aesop.

It is with this in mind that School Council has sent a message to all staff of the college, thanking them for their commitment to our community and for working together to give our students the best learning experiences and supporting environments, to guide them through the twists and turns of 2020 and 2021. We have given each staff member a “Happy Book”, a small folder to collect mementos that will remind them that they are making a difference to our young people every day. We would encourage you and your students to send a note, an email, a card, or a photo to a staff member to thank them for all they have done and continue to do.

On behalf of School Council, we hope you discover ways to enjoy the changing season and find moments of gratitude. We all hope our school community can be together again in the near future.

Annelise Pearce

Vice-President, School Council