Kerrie Williams

Assistant to the Principal - Student Wellbeing

Welcome Back to School

It is very true to say that schools are very different places when we do not have students here – quiet and mundane. It is very pleasing that we have seen for the first time in a very long time all of our students returning to school. This brings school to life with noise, laughter and happiness as we try to return to the new COVID normal.

With all of the students now having returned to the school campus and ready to work towards the end of the year we are reminded of how important it is to allow all of the students to regain some order and normality. It was back in June that many of these students have been in a classroom with others.

Our priority now that we have all of our students back on campus is to ensure that students are able to settle in. Our focus is helping them settle in by checking where each of them are in relation to their wellbeing.

Homeroom has been extended to allow everyone an opportunity to catch up and chat about things that they have not been able to do face to face due to the lockdown. We have also provided morning tea for the students on their return.

We are prepared to cope with school in the new world where COVID is part of our everyday life. This includes masks and all the other things we need to do to keep everyone safe.

Hopefully for only a short while until we have a vaccine…

Uniform Reminders for everyone

With the return to classes now for all of our students we remind all of our families that for the remainder of 2020 students can wear either their winter or summer uniform. We acknowledge that with our uniform shop closed that it may have been difficult to get all parts of the uniform for some families. With this in mind we have made the adjustment for all of our students.

A student should only be wearing their PE uniform on the days that they have Health and PE and not every day of the week.

We hope that the focus on returning to school is not so much about the uniform but about settling back into the routine and expectations of the school.

Brigidine Celebration Day Winners

With the return of all students this week and last week for Year 12’s, prizes for those students who were winners on Brigidine Celebration Day will be distributed this week.

At the assembly at the end of term 3, we acknowledged the recipients of the awards for Brigidine Celebration Day. We had over 400 entries from the day and many categories such as the Rock Painting and 3 Phone Calls of Care were very popular.

We have awarded over 50 prizes for individuals or groups that had 3 or more entries in different categories. We had one group that had 17 different entries which is an outstanding effort.

We also awarded over 90 prizes for students/groups that won a category.

I have sent a Seqta Direct Message to all of the multiple award winners and those individuals/ groups that have won a category. Students have chosen the kind of voucher they would like and these have been purchased in anticipation of all of the students returning this week.

We congratulate all those students who so positively engaged with the day and the activities.

Being Safe when travelling to and from school and exercising

With the increased movement of students that have now returned we need to remind everyone of the importance of being safe and alert while moving to and from school.

We have been advised by the Brimbank Police of individuals in the community whose behaviour of late has been unacceptable when in public. If students when walking to and from school notice anything that is not appropriate they are encouraged to ring the Brimbank Police and inform them of what has happened as soon as is possible.

Final Day for our Year 12’s – Celebration Day with a difference…

Our last day for Year 12 before they begin preparation for their exams is Friday 30 October. We have been working with our Year 12 leaders to plan the day in a COVID safe environment as we endeavour to allow the girls to have a fun morning and begin the transition and handover to this year’s Year 11’s.

Awards Night – it will be different but it will still happen

With the return of Term 4 we would normally be very much into the final stages of our Awards evening.

However, this is 2020….

This will mean that our Awards night has been moved to the first week of December – which is the last week of the school year.

It will be held virtually and Year Levels are in the process of identifying those students who have demonstrated our core values in this challenging year.

It will be filmed and then released to the community on the evening in December.

We look forward to keeping you informed of our process and how it will work in future editions of the Marian.

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