Assistant Principal's Report
Year 11 & 12
Hello!
I write to you from my dining room table, which I have spent a lot of time working from since late last term!
The sudden transition to remote learning in response to the CoVid 19 pandemic has certainly had challenges, but it is with a great pride that I congratulate our students, staff, school leadership and parents for their work to make this so successful.
VCE and VCAL teachers have been working hard to modify assessment and class tasks to deliver content through a brand new platform, while maintaining the usual academic rigour in our program.
Teaching my own year 12 English class has given me an insight into the way that our students have completely embraced this technology, as well as how hard they are working in this current environment. They are rising to this challenge in a situation that is changeable, and I admire this positive attitude of our students!
I remind parents and students that our sub school team and our wellbeing team is still working to support all aspects of the Senior Program and I am again proud of the way that our staff have supported our students and broader school community at this time.
Our wellbeing in these circumstances is particularly important when we are unable to engage in our usual activities that allow us to relieve stress and pressure such as community sport, part time work, time spent with friends and other aspects of our regular routines. It is so important to take care of ourselves and others and to reach out if you require support. So as much as possible students should maintain regular sleeping hours, find some time for some exercise and eat as healthily as you can.
There was a time when I would have enjoyed the opportunity to work from home and be able to wear track suit pants to work all day, but I am very keen to return to a normal routine as I’m sure we all are. My teaching assistant Olive the pug is not working as hard as I had hoped and this has been a source of disappointment!
I certainly miss seeing you all and for me that is the biggest challenge of the current situation. I miss seeing students and staff and all of the happy moments that we share when we are able to be all together.
Ms Ryan
Assistant Principal
Year 9 & 10
Term two has been the most unusual term of schooling many of us have encountered in our lives either as teachers or as students. I wanted to take this opportunity to say how much I miss seeing all of your smiling faces at school, however I take comfort knowing that you are all safe at home and participating in a new way of learning that has been thrust upon us because of Covid 19.
Many of you may know that as well as being an Assistant Principal, I am also a teacher of year 12 Health and Human Development, and as irony would have it, we are studying terms like the incidence rates of disease, or the given prevalence of a single disease in a community and the term pandemic, up until now was only really used to describe the global outbreak of the Spanish flu of 1919. But now, who would have guessed that we would be living through a pandemic of a new type. How quickly our world can change.
In this newsletter, I wanted to communicate to you all, that each and everyone one of you matter. Even though at present we are isolated from each other, you are still very much the centre of our thinking here at Lalor secondary College. I am confident that your teachers have been providing you with learning opportunities following the developed school curriculum, and even that you may not be physically sitting at your desks in the 300 or 400 hundreds rooms, you are continuing with your education. We are still waiting to see what term 3 will look like regarding school, and even though we may be still likely to see some disruptions, hopefully we will be back in the classrooms we have grown to love.
I want to encourage you all to take brain breaks from your learning, and if possible go outdoors to enjoy the fresh air and get some exercise. Be kind to members of your family, and help where ever you can, as this time has placed additional stresses upon us all.
I have been working from home myself, four days a week, and I understand how challenging that can be. I don’t have young children to look after, but my pets have certainly been extra demanding. I believe they think they are helping but really, I’m not sure how???
We are busy planning for your return, and will be so glad to see you all when you come back!
Laura Forster
Assistant Principal
Year 7 & 8
Dear Families,
These are certainly unprecedented times for our school, and learning looks very different at the moment, but I am full of optimism and hope for the future. When we all return to school, I feel we will be stronger people, for the effort that we have undertaken as staff, students and families during these challenging experiences. In many years of teaching, and even as a student myself, I cannot recall a more dramatic period of change that has required us to adapt. And our College has adapted very well indeed.
I join with the other Principals in congratulating you all on your efforts to maintain a meaningful learning relationship with your teachers, to stay as positive as possible, and especially to make that extra effort to be kind and caring towards those around you. It is this, above all, that will help you to come through this period positively. I know you all continue to find this environment challenging, particularly because you are missing your friends. I’m sure everybody feels the same, and I certainly do.
I very much miss seeing my colleagues every day, even for a wave through a window, or brief chat in the corridor. It is surprising how we take these things for granted, and so feel a sense of loss when they are not there. Mostly, I really miss seeing all of your smiling faces every day, and sharing a laugh. This is what usually keeps me happy. This is the most rewarding part of teaching for me, and I miss you all terribly. I want to say how proud I am of you all. I am so looking forward to seeing your faces again. Our great College reunion will be a joyous one indeed. We will have lots to share. I also miss the many chats with parents by the gate each morning or afternoon, so a special hello to all of you.
This period has made our experience as students, teachers and families unique in the history of our country. As I say, we will be the stronger for it. Our values, and priorities will be more in focus. We have so much to be grateful for, and so much to look forward to.
I want to remind all families, that the City of Whittlesea is running the immunisation program for year 7s during this term. All of the details for the venues are provided in this newsletter. Please ensure that your year 7 children receive the vaccination, just as they would if they were at school. Vaccination for year 10 students will occur next term.
Remember, during this challenging period, your sub-school staff are here for everyone. They have sent some lovely messages – see below. Please be in contact with them for any reason you may wish. The same goes for your Wellbeing team of Laz and Amanda. They are ready to engage with you for any reason – see their contacts in the compass feed.
Best wishes to you all, and we look forward to when we can be together at school again.
Tim Cottrell
Assistant Principal