From the Principal

Last week of Term

You will undoubtedly agree that term two has been another hectic and challenging time for teachers, education support staff members and families. Despite the higher than usual level of absences, the onset of a cold and wet start to winter, continuing need to adopt COVID safe practices, and many other challenges, we have worked together to maintain on-site working and learning as well as provide camps, excursions and other activities which have led to our students being provided with enriching learning opportunities throughout the semester.

It was timely that we farewelled our students for the coming holidays on Wednesday afternoon, before the end of the term, to make some time for our dedicated and hardworking staff to plan, prepare, and undertake some professional learning.

Over the last while, our students have been very busy completing and then submitting final pieces of work for the semester. I am sure they have been looking forward to the break over the next two weeks. Teachers have also been very busy correcting and providing feedback about student progress. This feedback and the Semester One Statement of Results will be available online through the parent portal from June 30 2022. As usual, we do not have scheduled Parent/Students/Teacher Conferences to follow up on these reports. However, parents are most welcome to contact teachers early next term to make a time to discuss student progress during Semester One.

I wish all students a restful break and encourage them to spend some time revising and preparing for the next term. In particular, VCE students should be using some of this time to review the work covered to date, preview and prepare for the work ahead and complete any set work given by teachers.

Please note that classes resume for term three on Monday, 11th July 2022. (Yr 12 VCE students will complete a mid-year English exam at the College on this day between 9 am and 11: 30 am.) .

Staff changes next term

Some staff members will be taking long service leave next term. On behalf of our school community I wish them a very relaxing and enjoyable time.

• While Mr Michael Timms is away, Ms Kirsty Allan will be the Acting Deputy Principal – Students.

• Ms Rosalind Willshire will be teaching Mr David Alexander’s classes.

• Ms Martina Gulino will be teaching the classes currently taken by Mrs Jane Alexander.

• Mr Laurence Johnston will be teaching the classes currently taken by Ms Kirsty Allan and Mr Michael Timms.

• And the classes currently taken by Mr Anthony Gravener will be covered as follows: most of his classes by Mr Ken Stewart, Yr 10 Mathematics by Ms Rosalind Willshire and Yr 9 Physical Education by Mr Greg Fisher.

COVID-19 update

As you would be aware, following advice from the Acting Chief Health Officer, the Victorian Government recently announced changes to the pandemic orders.

There will no longer be a mandated vaccination requirement for staff working in mainstream schools. This change will come in from 11.59pm Friday 24 June, so in effect from the start of Term 3 2022. With almost 100% of school staff now vaccinated across Victoria, this will cause little change to our school.

As part of the changes, from 11.59pm Friday 24 June 2022, parents and carers who have COVID-19 can transport their non-COVID-19 children via private vehicle to their primary or secondary school when an alternative person is not available to assist. This will include school holiday programs held on school grounds. This means that parents and carers will be able to leave COVID self-isolation to take their non-COVID-19 child to school or school holiday programs via a private vehicle. The parent or carer must travel directly to and from the school only. They must remain in the vehicle at all times, unless it is reasonably necessary to leave the vehicle to walk the child to and from the entrance of the school safely. They must wear a face mask at all times. At our College, the best place for parents to drop off their daughter or son is our front driveway off Peninsula Drive.

Family members are asked to continue reporting positive COVID-19 cases to both the Department of Health and our own testing portal.

You must also let the school know if your child is a close contact. Students who are close contacts and want to attend school should still take 5 RATs over 7 days and wear a face mask whilst indoors if they are aged 8 years or over.

Students should continue to stay home if they are unwell, even if they test negative on a RAT.

Thank you for your support as we continue to make these adjustments.

Access to & communication with the College during the holidays

We will use the opportunity of the Term Two holidays to conduct a necessary relocation of all of our major services to prepare for the construction of our new Senior Centre. This will impact the availability of our ICT infrastructure. Therefore the ‘Xuno’ Parent Portal will not be available from Mon. 27 June to Wed. 29 June 2022. I ask parents and students to avoid contacting or coming to the College during these times. We apologise for any inconvenience.

Best wishes for the school holidays,

Michael Exton | Principal