Peter Corkill

Principal

Dear Parents, Students and Friends of John Monash Science School,

Well here we are at last, nearing the end of one of the more amazing term’s in the school experience of probably all of our staff and no doubt all of our students. While I cannot say hand-on-heart that everything is back to normal, I can say that we are all back onsite at JMSS, and things appear to have settled into a productive and focussed pattern that I hope and know we can maintain for the remainder of the year.

The period of lockdown challenged every one of us – teachers, support staff, students, and parents. Collectively I think everyone in our community has come through this time in very good shape, and in a good position to launch a rewarding and productive assault on the rest of the year. I hope our Year 12 students did well in the SACs this week, and as a consequence will be able to act upon the feedback they will get to continue the march to exams in November. VCAA has advised today that all VCE results, as well as ATARs, will be released on December 30th. 

I am particularly pleased for all of our students back together as a single cohort. This no doubt will please our Year 10s who had little short of a term to get to know one another prior to the lockdown. From what I have seen over the past two weeks they are loving being back together, as indeed are the Year 11s and 12s.

I would like to pay a special tribute to all of our staff who have gone above and beyond since the virus emerged midway through Term One, and then caused everyone to rethink, react and respond in ways not imagined on this scale before. They have been simply wonderful, and their dedication, hard work, and determination to keep every student going has resulted in students returning onsite excited to be back, and in a good position to finish the year on a high note.

I will issue the normal Covid19 Update this weekend and next, as well as a revised A-Z Guide for both staff and students. After an extensive survey of students and staff regarding the lockdown period, likes and dislikes, and what to keep and what to abandon, we have made the following decisions, both of which were endorsed by the vast majority of all respondents:

1. We will be returning to the Pre-Covid Daily Class Times in Term Three;

2. We will continue one day per fortnight of online learning in Term Three at least, and this will be every second Friday to coincide with School and House assemblies. Once restrictions lift to allow such assemblies to resume onsite in schools, we will most likely continue one day of online learning per fortnight, and issue a schedule of all such days to parents and students well in advance so you can all take note and make any preparations you need to. We are doing this to maintain momentum in the use of these technologies by both staff and students. 

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of our students and staff a well-earned and restful break over the holiday period. Please use the opportunity to rest and recharge, ready to meet whatever waits in store - hopefully a far more predictable and harmonious period for everyone. And to all the parents, a huge thanks to you all for your wonderful support over this time. Your words of thanks and encouragement kept us all going strong, and reminded us all yet again of the important and privileged roles we play in the education of your sons and daughters.

Peter Corkill

Principal