Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,

There is some light at the end of the tunnel and we really look forward to seeing all students back onsite from next week.

What has been achieved over the past two terms has been remarkable.

We have reimagined our approach to teaching and learning in a very short time frame.

Our students have adapted and shown incredible resilience.

But we will be glad to have them back.

However we know there are some future challenges…

It has become apparent that during COVID, some cracks in society have appeared or been unearthed. By far the majority of Victorians have stayed the course, and acted in such a way as to collectively meet the challenges of COVID. But I think what we are seeing is an increasing lack of trust in our institutions, raised awareness of the effects of privatisation and increasing inequity and a renewed urgency around climate change. None of this is irreversible.

As a College, we want to address these. We want to reconnect our students and give them purpose in their learning. We want to give our students stability and hope. We want to continue to focus on building their capabilities – to be adaptable and ready for the future and we want them to remain optimistic despite the challenges of 2020.

Our focus for Term 4 is to reengage our students and provide opportunities for social learning. We will support their wellbeing by ensuring that each student is known and valued. We will assess and support the learning needs of all students and provide a rigorous learning program. However, I believe it is easier to make up for loss of learning than for the loss of wellbeing so our primary focus will be ensuring that all students are travelling ok.

We also want to continue to build the teacher and family relationships and the educational partnerships that were developed during Covid. I think parents have a far better understanding of their student’s learning and have supported that in a very meaningful way during lockdown.

We are very excited to have the energy and opportunity to be working with our students face to face (masked of course). We are also very aware of the challenge of identifying and supporting those whose remote learning experience left gaps – in terms of their wellbeing and their academic progress.

Return to School:

We are maintaining strict protocols around hygiene, social distancing and mask wearing.

We are implementing staggered times at the beginning, during and end of the day to relieve traffic around the school.

Our instrumental music program is, at least for the first few weeks, operating a blended model. Some instruments are not able to be taught onsite and will continue to be taught remotely. We are limiting the movement of Instrumental Music teachers between different worksites to reduce the chance of contamination and school closure. We hope that these restrictions will only be short-lived.

Calendar

We have had to cancel all large group activities for the remainder of the year.

The Year Level teams are investigating different opportunities for students.

Year 10’s are engaging in virtual work experience
Year 9’s will engage with an alternative program (with elements of City Experience)
2021 Year 11’s and 12’s will have a shortened Start Up program
Year 10 and 11 will complete exams (only English and Maths for Year 10)
Year 7 & 8 to be determined.
Year 6 to 7 Information Evening will be a virtual event
The format for state-wide Orientation Day for Grade 6 students is not yet determined.

Year 12

Our Year 12 students have been incredibly resilient, but naturally feel robbed of many of the celebratory parts of their final year.

The Senior Team have put together a program for the Year 12’s final day on October 30. We are hoping to provide some real opportunities for students to celebrate and video footage will be taken of different parts of the day to share, including the final assembly (streamed into different classrooms).

We are also hopeful that we can hold a bigger event – possibly a twilight family picnic on the oval. This will be dependent on restrictions being eased and the weather gods!

Other suggestions welcome.

Works around the School

We have had a temporary electricity cable put underground from the front of the school across the soccer pitch. The Victorian Schools Building Authority (VSBA) have a longer term plan for upgrading our power to service the growing school and new portables near the gym.

In the short-term, the VSBA will be able to remove the generator that has been powering our new portables.

We have had some additional seating put in around the oval, partly to encourage greater use of the space. The aim will be to add some shade sails in the near future.

The J-block courtyard is also complete and looking great!

Planning for 2021

There will be some changes to our College structure for 2021.

Our primary focus and purpose is to provide a learning environment that gives every student the opportunity to unlock their potential. We have high expectations and will continue to aim for excellence. What we also all recognise is that wellbeing is the necessary foundation for excellence.

As a College, we do see the importance of learning from the past twelve months and being innovative in the programs and opportunities we offer our students. We aim to reposition our students to navigate an uncertain future and to engage with the world.

The College has been planning to move to a new timetable and House structure for a few years now. In 2021, there will be a far greater emphasis on House connection and engagement with programs that develop what are now seen as the Global competencies - communication, collaboration, creativity, critical and ethical thinking, citizenship and building character.

This is an exciting time for us to reimagine and repurpose what we do and how we do it! More to come about these changes in the next few weeks.

Congratulations!

Our students have been part of state and national competitions during remote learning. They have done an amazing job.

Our science students did a great job with the Science Talent Search, with our school being so successful overall, we won the Hugh McKnight Encouragement Award, which recognised the high quality of entrants overall. Particular thanks to Finn Mulhall, Veena Nair and the science team for their work.
We were also very successful in the National Maths Talent Quest, with students from 7E and 8E receiving recognition for their achievements. Congratulations to Xavier Phillips (7E), Jack Snowdon and Maya Cotton (8E) for commendations.

A huge congratulations to Ansh Naidu, Joe Lim, Kevin Zhang and Vinh Pham for winning the National Award! Thank you to Sally Ho, Caitlin Vine and Sue Calder for their work with these students.

Vale Katherine Hondromatidis

It was with great sadness that we learnt of the sudden passing of Katherine Hondromatidis (Class of 2008).

The Hondromatidis family were very involved and well known throughout their time at the College.

Our heartfelt condolences and deepest sympathy go out the Hondromatidis family at this extremely difficult time.

Take care, stay safe.

The Principal Class Team

Sharon Grimes, Principal

John Munro, Assistant Principal

Emma Ford, Assistant Principal

Rachael Smith, Assistant Principal

Darren Murray, Assistant Principal

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