Principal's Post

Dear Parents,

It has been a week of contemplation and reflection that reminds us of the self-sacrifice that enables us to live with the freedoms we enjoy today. On Wednesday, November 11th, staff and students stopped at 11.00am to acknowledge and pray for all those who have given their lives in conflict. Remembrance Day is commemorated across the globe and the tradition is certainly marked each year at the College. Year 8 student Oscar Del Vecchio played The Last Post before The Minute of Silence and then Reveille. The Year 8s led the community through prayers, prose and finally The Ode.

On Friday the sentiment of acknowledging those who serve us as part of our emergency services took a different platform due to our current Coronavirus restrictions. Our tradition has been to invite men and women connected to the College, particularly Old Collegians, to join our Steven Tynan Memorial Service, which features in our first assembly of Term 4 each year. Last year Patrick Cincotta eloquently reminded all of us at the assembly of the significant mental health pressures associated with those serving our community in the respective departments. Older and younger officers are required to deal with traumatic situations that can have considerable impact on their lives. Blue ribbons were sold on Friday to raise funds for the Blue Ribbon Foundation. This Foundation is a cause that raises funds to improve facilities in public hospitals named in memory of the fallen officers. Year 11 students, Josh Hicks and Ryan Dean, worked with Ms Tina Giacco to utilise Vic Police footage to create a presentation to acknowledge the emergency services and remember Steve Tynan. The presentation was shown to Homerooms on Friday. The video can be accessed on MAZCOM and is also attached via the following link:

The English exam was conducted on Tuesday and there was a general sense of relief from a few perspectives. The exam was a milestone for all schools this year, as we have all dreaded the possible interruption of arrangements due to virus concerns. The English exam is the first exam for many and the longest exam, three hours, so there was a sense of genuine relief as students completed the paper and exited the building. 

The Year 11s and 10s start exams next week and the 7s to 9s will have a reprieve from exams as they continue to enjoy the dynamics of the face to face classroom. They will have some testing so that we can accurately measure metrics relating to competence and understanding. This year all students in Years 7 to 11 will finish on Friday December 4, after they complete a week of transition to their respective year level.

Yours sincerely,

Mr Tony Coghlan

Principal