Principals Report

Hello to everybody associated with the Delahey campus of Copperfield College Another principal’s report and another lockdown that has impacted us…arggghh. If we can find a silver lining the duration was significantly less than at the same time last year and the number of cases are manageable. Fingers crossed we keep improving all outcomes related to the virus because as we’ve been told on so many occasions, we may just have to live with it for a while. Speaking of silver lining, the transition to home schooling this time was also significantly smoother from every angle. Our staff have become so much more skilled in e-learning as a result and I have no doubt, it now places them in a stronger position of confidence to develop their repertoire of teaching in a 21st century space so much more had the pandemic not occurred. I want to take another opportunity to thank our families back in the households of our Year 11 and 12 students who I am certain supported the inconvenience of home schooling with a positive mindset. Thankyou from all the staff here at Delahey.

GAT

The General Achievement Test (GAT) has now been re-scheduled (for a second time) to Thursday August 12. The GAT is a compulsory test for all Year 12 VCE students or students in Year 11 who undertake a Year 12 subject. The GAT is a form of quality-control that checks students’ external results against a benchmark test which covers written communication, mathematics, science, technology, humanities, arts and social sciences. Students undertaking the GAT will not be required for any other classes that day

The Year 10 Experience Day

The Year 10 Experience Day has been cancelled. It typically runs on the day of the GAT and gives our Year 10s an opportunity to sample life at the Delahey campus through introductory classes and specialised sessions. Unfortunately, due to the disruptions our Year 10s have already had, as well as guidelines around students congregating in large numbers, we have had to cancel it this year.

Pathways

The Pathways and Careers Team are looking at creating an alternative program in Term 4. Hopefully, the weather will be better and the Delahey capital works program will be complete Victorian Tertiary Admissions Committee (VTAC) sessions will begin for our Year 12 VCE students on Wednesday August 4. Ms Tsaloukis, our Careers and Pathways Leader will begin with explaining the process for how students register online to create their own page. Here, they can make selections about which tertiary courses they wish to select and in what order. The session will also go through, requirements, pre-requisite subjects, definition and other relevant information to support our Year 12 VCE make the most informed decision they can regarding their post-secondary pathway.

Staff Leaving

Ms. Bryce Dermody has left. After 19 years here at Copperfield College, Ms Dermody has decided to pursue teaching at another school. Ms Dermody has been the Campus Leader here at Delahey for the last 7 years, with a role in Numeracy prior to that. We wish her all the very best in her career and thank her for her years of dedication to the students, staff and wider community of Copperfield College Capital Works update.

We are well past the two year mark when we think back to the original meetings with the architects and Victorian School Building Authority as we came together to map out a vision for how to improve the Delahey campus. The campus has now been a construction site for almost 18 months but the end is certainly near. We are now well into the final phase which is expected to be complete sometime in mid-October. A summary of changes since my last report: • The Study Centre, M10/M11, student toilets and other offices on the ‘east’ side of M Block are now complete • The Study Centre has been partitioned into a smaller study centre and smaller library while the library refurbishments go on • Landscaping works have also begun in the main courtyard area; a more structural and functional recreational space near the canteen and a more cosmetic beautification space closer to the gym • Carparking is at a premium as the main carpark at the front of the school is now a site compound for tradespeople, deliveries etc. • Parents have been reminded that if they wish to drop off their children, they should use the carpark closer to the community centre • Access into the school is a little cumbersome and ‘maze’ like. Again, this is to comply with building site regulations and OHS procedures • All M Block classrooms, the library and the Purple Team office have been relocated. As mentioned, the library is now a smaller version of itself in the Study Centre and all other classrooms have been relocated to the portables we have been provided with. • The process of decanting out of the portables and into the completed areas AND THEN decanting out of M Block into the portables was a massive task. Despite having 12 removalists, it took several staff here on campus to support those removalists on the first Friday of lockdown and the following day. The library move on its own took an entire day. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the following staff for their dedication to making the decanting possible. Without them, it would have been a nightmare, I assure you. Mick Skukan, our maintenance officer was my director during those 2 days, Kon Kapodistrias, our IT officer. Not only was Kon charged with all the computer dismantling and re-organising, Kon stepped up during the two days to take on all manner of tasks. Som Souriyavong, our library assistant. Like Kon, Som not only supported the library decanting but was always there helping out with other tasks over the 2 days. Heather McLeod, our facilities manager. Heather came in on the Saturday and was very much the ‘air traffic controller’. Ensuring all the different teams of removalists were placing furniture etc. in their right spots Bronwen Ch’Ng, our librarian. Bronwen came in on the Friday to ensure her comprehensively designed plans of what the new library would look like in its temporary position would be the most functional it could be . A big thanks from me!!!! Your support was much appreciated That’s all for the moment Stay safe, happy and healthy.

Mr Renato Carinci and Mr Dan Sullivan

Campus Principals

Copperfield College News

Issue 5

Term 3 August · 13 Aug 2021

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