From the Principal

What a challenging term this has been for all of us.

When we began in July, I don’t think we could have predicted how events would unfold. However, as a community, I believe we have emerged even stronger than ever and achieved amazing things. 

Great learning has been happening across the school, with many teachers and students taking risks and becoming creative with technology. Student attendance and engagement has remained strong and most are enjoying their classes. One of the priorities for us when we return will be for us to capture our learning stories and share them with each other.

Our first ever phone Parent/Teacher/Student conversations were extremely successful, with a record number of parents attending appointments. We will be repeating this opportunity in Term 4 and are exploring how we offer an online option for families to connect through video conference, if they prefer. Can I remind families to keep their contact details up to date by notifying your House Administration Officer of any changes.

There is no doubt that with the warmer weather, the rolling back of restrictions and continued drop in COVID case numbers, there is growing optimism and positivity across the wider community. Term 4 reflects this and will be an exciting time for the school. 

We will be welcoming our new Year 7 2021 families through a series of online meetings and webinars before Orientation Day in December. Our Year 12 students and their families will be experiencing their last weeks with us and a priority for all staff will be to prepare students for exams and make their final days as memorable as possible. I will be holding a Forum with the Year 12 Student Leaders in the first week of term, along with student representatives from each House, to discuss how we will celebrate their achievements and acknowledge their contribution to the school.

Our focus for our students in Years 7 to 10, who will begin the term with a remote learning program, will be to prepare them for a smooth transition back to school, identify any gaps in their learning and be confident they are ready for next year. 

Term 4 will also include continued planning for 2021. We will be introducing an improved Senior Studies program that we will communicate to families shortly, finalising the STEM Academy for Year 9 students, which will launch in 2022 (further details regarding this exciting new program will be available soon) and beginning the tender process for our Stage 5 building project. The Design, Technology and Foods Technology facilities will begin by the end of the year, with completion expected by the end of 2021. These incredible new learning spaces will provide amazing learning opportunities for students and allow us to finally vacate the original Cleeland buildings on Ann Street. Exciting times for the school indeed.

Finally, I want to thank you all for your ongoing support during this challenging time. I hope you enjoy your holidays and have a restful break. I look forward to seeing you all in Term 4.

Take care and enjoy the sunshine.

Susan Ogden

Principal