From the Principal Class Team

Dear Parents and Guardians

Welcome to our final Alba News for 2020 – a year that many of us will be happy to leave behind. Saying that, though, makes me slightly uncomfortable; firstly, because we don’t know what 2021 will bring; secondly, and much more positively, because wanting to forget 2020 and move on runs the risk of diminishing or ignoring the many positive things that have resulted from us facing the many challenges of COVID pandemic together as a school community.

The expertise, dedication and skill of our staff was never more evident than it was this year. Each day they were ‘in your homes’, side by side with their students, and with you, through phone calls and Google meets. Along with teaching and learning, they provided devices and internet, health and wellbeing services, course counselling, assemblies and class visits, parent teacher interviews, food parcels, books and other resources, lunchtime games and clubs. They kept our community connected and protected, and we are so grateful for that. 

Experiencing this has drastically altered how we interact and project ourselves as a school community. Assemblies, sports carnivals, MAC, celebration days organised by VCAL and the SRC, lunchtimes with friends, Graduation Night, the end of year concert …. These, and numerous other rituals define and shape us as a community; and they become a valued part of the history and memories that we share of St Albans Secondary College. 2020 has impacted all of that, and challenged our strength as individuals and families, as colleagues and friends in more ways than we can even know or understand at this point. 

Unsurprisingly, in the face of these challenges, it is this very strength as a community that has carried us through the turmoil of this year. The pandemic, like all crises, has amplified things:  feelings, weaknesses in systems, what we value and miss; and It has given us a new-found appreciation of the small, ordinary things, like coming to school or work, and being with friends and colleagues. We have learnt and grown in ways that were just as unimaginable at the start of the year as us all being together in one assembly is now. The skills and qualities we have developed as a result will always be part of us as people, as students, teachers, Education Support staff, parents, and as a school. Together, we have learnt how to be flexible, adaptable, to problem solve on the run, to communicate and collaborate in different ways, and students have learnt what it means to take control of their own learning.  It is these positives that define 2020 for me, and give us a lot to be optimistic about.

We could not be more proud of the way in which our school community adapted to online learning. The efforts of everyone have been truly outstanding. I want to acknowledge students and staff for their commitment and leadership this year; and to thank parents for the trust you placed in the school to look after the wellbeing and education of your children through this. Your support has been critical to the success of what we have all achieved. 

Likewise, we are fortunate to be supported by a dedicated School Council under the leadership of Dr Tracy Nero as president, and Ms Natalija Nesvadba as Vice President. They, together with the other 7 parents, community member, 2 students, and 6 staff have thoughtfully and empathically steered us through a most challenging year. Their generous support for all of us is vital and really appreciated.

This year has also been one of loss and sadness for many members of our community in different ways. Our thoughts are with them, and we hope that 2021 brings them a sense of peace and renewal.