Acting Principal's Report 

Working together, learning together

All students are active participants in a learning culture which promotes academic excellence and personal development through a diversity of challenging experiences.  

As a community, we have weathered many storms in 2020. From personal challenges faced by students in isolation and missing friends, to teachers having to learn brand new skills in delivering a curriculum solely online. With just two weeks left of term, I would like you to reflect on how far we have all come.

Celebrate Your Strengths

Please take time to acknowledge the strengths that have enabled you, your family and our community to rise to the challenges we have faced. In understanding these strengths and the actions we have taken, we can draw upon them in both our personal and professional lives into the future.

The recent student led conferences provided students with this opportunity. Whilst it has been an incredibly challenging time, I was filled with pride when I heard from my students and their families about their growth in relation to self-awareness and self-management.

The Power of Gratitude

At a time where building connections is more important than ever, it's valuable to understand the power of gratitude. With gratitude, we acknowledge the goodness in our lives, and that the source of that goodness lies at least partially outside ourselves.

I ask you to have a conversation with your family and friends by using the prompts below from The Resilience Project. I also ask that you take time to express gratitude to the people in your life who you are grateful for. I know just how much this means to my staff who have received such lovely messages, and I ask that you continue to do this.

• What went well for you today?
• Who is someone you feel grateful for today and why?
• What is it about our home/school that makes it a special place?
• What is something that you are looking forward to tomorrow?

I thank my staff who continue to reflect on, and improve their practice in an effort to meet the needs of their students. Whilst working through their own challenges associated with the pandemic, they have continued to demonstrate care and compassion for our students, whilst supporting them to achieve improved academic outcomes.

Thank you to our parents and carers for partnering with us. We understand the pressures that have been placed upon you and it is important that you know that we appreciate you.

Thank you to our students for continuing to show up. Our attendance across the College is consistently above 95 percent each day. However, our students are not just showing up, they are continuing to take on the learning opportunities which are presented.

Transition back to on-site learning

I will update you about a return to on-site learning as soon as advice is communicated by the Department of Education. We are aware that whilst some members of our community will be looking forward to returning to on-site learning, it may be a challenging time for others. With this in mind, here are some key contacts at the College:

Middle School:

• Ms Gina Carroll - Assistant Principal
• Ms Kelly Spiteri - Head of Middle School
• Ms Carly Sayer - Head of Middle School
• Ms Anna Ditchburn - Year 7 Coordinator
• Ms Sousanna Katiforia - Year 8 Coordinator
• Ms Courtney Taylor - Year 9 Coordinator

Senior School:

• Ms Belinda McGee - Assistant Principal
• Mr Tyran Dennis - Head of Senior School
• Mr Jonathan Tennent - Year 10 Coordinator
• Ms Asli Dulger - Year 10 Coordinator
• Ms Ramya Annavarapu - Year 11 Coordinator
• Ms Elly Stewart - Year 12 Coordinator

'Managing the Coronacoaster': Webinar

On Tuesday 25 August, the Department presented a free webinar for parents and carers by renowned child psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg.  Its aim was to support parents and carers in managing home learning and fostering resilience with a range of free online resources.

Following the webinar’s success, a second session will be held on Tuesday 15 September. This will focus on strategies to support families in managing their wellbeing, dealing with uncertainty, and providing the opportunity to ask Dr Carr-Gregg questions. You can register your interest here.

Raising Learners Podcast

The Government has partnered with the Raising Children Network to fund a 10-episode podcast called ‘Raising Learners’.Launched on 1 September, the series addresses common parent questions received by the Department’s coronavirus hotline and Parentline. High-profile guest speakers will address topics such as connecting with your child’s school community, how to best support your child’s learning, what to expect for VCE and VCAL students and how to keep your child safe online. 'Raising Learners' will be available via the Raising Children Network and podcast apps.

We wish your family continued good health as we progress through the final weeks of term. Please remember to lean on us and the many resources available to support you and your child during this time.

Glenn Morris

Acting Principal