Clyde North Campus News

Term 3 Begins

It is a very warm welcome to all students and families back to school for term 3. The holidays gave us the opportunity to reconnect with friends and family as COVID 19 restrictions were eased somewhat in the beginning. However, we now find ourselves living back under stage 3 restrictions. Whilst we have hindsight, knowledge and experience of what this involves, such as remote learning, staying home and social distancing, there is concern that we may see a heightened level of anxiety and stress within our community. But we must trust that we are united in this together and it is a shared experience. A shared experience that comes with shared hope, shared support, shared humour and shared faith, that we will get through this together. Whilst remote learning may have been difficult and uncomfortable we did survive and, in the process, learnt a lot about ourselves as learners and educators. We will again, as our skills are far more refined and developed cope with remote learning. As a parent of teenagers, I too face the situation of one child at school, while the other two remain at home on remote learning. This will once again provide us as a family with challenges, just as our St Peter’s families may experience. But we are in this together, so let us share our stories, our concerns, solutions and ideas. Please be confident in sharing with us any concerns, queries or helpful tips, all are welcome. 

For the seniors that are on campus, we are encouraging them to take up challenge of embracing this period of time as one of acute concentration on being senior students focused on their educational mission. Right now, they have all the campus resources at their disposal, the space in which to study, and all the College personal including House Leaders, teachers, and the well-being team ready to support this mission. I understand the level of anxiety and to some extent sadness for our VCE students especially year 12, but this year does not need to be framed in the negative, there is much we can achieve right now and right here at St Peters with face to face learning. We need our senior students present in classes maximising their learning opportunities. We have put in place all the appropriate measures to ensure a safe and healthy environment, including morning temperature checks, which actually have been a lovely way to meet and greet each other at the start of each day.

Remember the bridge over social distancing is always only a smile away.

The new COVID 19 campaign  asks us to put into practice the catch phrase we are all in this together by focusing on what we need to do. Check out the clip

The new campaign focuses on getting Victorian’s on the same page about 'what we need to do' to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. It includes a hand gesture to support the We part of #whatweneedtodo. I shared this with the seniors this week, and here is their version of #whatweneedtodo following the lead of the Chief Medical Officer. 

To further support our teachers, parents and students through this next period of remote schooling and living under COVID 19 restrictions, the pastoral team have been very busy developing dedicated resource pages on SPACE. These will be introduced over the coming weeks. Parents and carers are reminded of the valuable resources available to them via our website. Please remember feel free to contact the school or myself should you have any concerns, questions or great ideas on being better than the best during this next phase of restrictions. 

The World's Greatest Shave

Finally, there is this……   I received this email late last term from year 8 student Saoirse O’Riordan.

The email certainly put a smile on my face and reminded me of the wonderful loving faithful community we are.

"Good Morning Ms Banda and Mr Sambell, I would like to inform you that I am partaking in the World's Greatest Shave on 26 July 2020. I have been growing my hair since I first shaved it on 26 August 2016. I will be shaving my hair to a number 2 or if I can, a number 1. I would like your help to help me support blood cancer. Please spread the word through the school please. 

Thank you."      

To help support Saoirse O'Riordan, please click here.

I wish you all a safe and productive week.

Julie Banda

Deputy Principal - Head of Clyde North Campus