Principal's Report

As the days again grow longer we sense the coming of Spring and revel in the occasional sunny day, with blue skies lifting spirits after a protracted winter period of cold and rain.

Our students on the first Alpine ski camp this week have benefitted from the cold temperatures with healthy snow depths on nearby peaks. Downhill and XC-ski camps over the next three weeks should also have excellent conditions as they take advantage of the school's impressive camp facilities right at the base of Mt Stirling and Mt Buller.

Our school community has made a great start to Semester 2 despite the inevitable interruptions to learning from covid cases for students and staff alike. Many schools across the state have struggled to provide qualified staff for classes this year due to widespread teacher shortages. I am very pleased to report that we have appropriately qualified and highly competent teaching and support staff in all our programs, despite facing similar challenges, and that our curriculum and cocurricular programs continue apace.

In recent days the school has been working through some important changes with the formal approval and implementation of a new industrial agreement that significantly improves teacher conditions. We are also actively working on curriculum development for the statewide Senior Pathways Reform that will be introduced next year. How this impacts our students in 2023 will be detailed at forthcoming information sessions next week.

It has been especially affirming to see the return of events and gatherings enriching student experience and learning.  For the first time in recent years we have been able to hold amongst other things; the Year 12 Formal; VCAL trivia night; music concerts; Middle School production, snow camps, and MS Art & Technology Exhibition. 

A reminder that wearing masks when indoors helps to ensure that we can continue our classes and programs with a minimum of disruption. It has been encouraging to see widespread mask wearing around the college building.

Events this week:

•  VCE Music Student performance at Transit Lounge
• Library and Information Week
• Year 10 snow sports camp.
• Senior Hockey and Year 7 AFL Regional Finals 
• Friday 29th July - student free - Curriculum day 

 Please see reports on these many of these events later in the newsletter.