From the Acting Principal

I had the pleasure of meeting with the Executive of the Old Collegians this week. The Old Collegians’ Association (OCA) is a vital part of our College with their core purpose to inspire a lifelong community of engaged, connected and active alumni.

The OCA co-ordinates several activities each year designed to build relationships, partnerships and networks.

The Old Collegians currently supply the ‘Class of’ blazer pins for all Year 7s and new students to the Senior School, an Art Prize for Senior and Junior School Speech Days, Life Membership to the School Captains and students who have attended the College for all 13 years of their education, Year 12 graduation gifts and support the College reunions. The committee is focused on growing our alumni database to ensure connections continue to grow. If you are an Old Collegian and have updated your contact details, we would love to hear from you!

On Wednesday night, we celebrated the Class of 2022 Valedictory Service and Dinner. This was such a special evening as students, families and teachers enjoyed a meal together and listened to the Heads of House share reflections on each of our Year 12s. It is always a beautiful reminder of how well our teachers get to know our students over their time at College.

At this event we also launched a new initiative for graduating families - our amazing families who are finishing their time at The Hamilton and Alexandra College. A magnificent new honour board was unveiled Wednesday evening where the graduating families and their children who have completed Year 12 will be honoured and remembered forever. The Graduating Families Wall of Honour will be located in the Kantor Family Music and Performing Arts foyer.

We are really proud of this initiative, the last of our special sesquicentenary projects. This is our inaugural year and from next year on, we will be honouring graduating families present and past. We hope that families will come back for many College community events and enjoy their family’s plaque.

Along with the Graduating Families Wall of Honour family plaque, the Year 12s received a symbolic gift. An English Oak, the same as these majestic trees along the iconic Myrniong driveway.

I would like to acknowledge and congratulate Mrs Alana Brown for her initiative and drive to establish this very special tribute to our College families.

COVID-19 UPDATE

With the incidence of Covid-19 infections rising significantly throughout Victoria (up by 63 per cent last week), we must remind our College community of the importance of measures to reduce the spread of infection, namely:

Stay home when unwell – students who are unwell should not attend school or early childhood education centres. This prevents the spread of infection to others.
Rapid Antigen Testing (RAT) - if unwell, undertake a RAT and if positive, stay home for at least five days from the onset of symptoms and notify the Health Department. The school has RAT tests available if any families need.
Social distancing – with Covid-19 spread primarily through respiratory droplets and aerosols, avoiding close contact and staying more than 1.5 metres apart from other people will help reduce the spread of infection.
Personal Hygiene – practice good personal hygiene, including covering nose and mouth when sneezing, disposing of tissues after use, coughing into one’s elbow and thoroughly washing hands with soap and water (or hand sanitiser containing >70% alcohol).
Up-to-date vaccination status – this is our best protection against serious illness.

KRISTEN WALDRON

Acting Principal