From the Principal

Dear Saint Ignatius College community members,

This is the second last newsletter for 2020. The last day of classes for Years 7-11 students will be Friday 4th December. It will be a very busy time over the next couple of weeks as students complete their final assessment tasks. Also, Years 9 -11 students sit their exams. To ensure they finish the school year on a positive note, our students need to focus on their schoolwork and adopt an organised approach right through to their last day.

Following the exams, the Year 11 students will undertake a “Kick Start” program commencing on Friday 27th November. This program provides an introduction to Year 12 subjects, and it is expected that all returning students participate. The teachers will set some follow-up work to be done over the holiday period so the Year 12 students can launch straight into their courses at the beginning of the new school year.

Reminder about change to our annual Mosaic event

Due to the pandemic restrictions, we are unable to hold our annual College community celebration evening, Mosaic, as we usually would. Instead, we have pre-recorded this event. Students will watch this during the afternoon of November 26 in their Homeroom Groups. Awards for Yrs 7 – 11 students will be presented by the teacher supervising the class at the appropriate time during the Mosaic video. A link will be sent via email to parents so families can view this year’s Mosaic at home when it suits.

Parents & Friends' Association (PFA)

The PFA provides a vital and much-appreciated service to the school community. This group of generous volunteer parents provide social and fundraising events and support College events and the second-hand uniform shop. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, the PFA’s activity has been restricted this year. Thank you to the PFA members whose work supports all students at the College.

The PFA held their Annual General Meeting on Tuesday 10th November 2020 via Zoom. On behalf of the College Community, I extend my gratitude to the 2020 officeholders and congratulations to those appointed for 2021.

President: 2020 Sandi Clark and 2021 Leanne Riley

Secretary: 2020 Cathy Dykes and 2021 Nicole Sadler

Treasurer: 2020 Peter McInerney and 2021 Peter McInerney

Board Rep.: 2020 Bernard Lewis and 2021 Bernard Lewis

Uniform Shop Coord.: 2020 Sandi Clark and 2021 Kate Callaghan

Several long-serving PFA members will be finishing up at the end of this year. I thank them for their generous contribution.

Now that the new office bearers are in place, I encourage all parents to consider “stepping up and backing up” the new team for 2021 – please consider joining the PFA and attend the first meeting next year. The date and time of this meeting will be publicised in next year’s newsletter.

Peninsula Drive traffic

The City of Greater Geelong has written to the Principals of schools located at Peninsula Drive, Drysdale to ask the following reminder about traffic movement be provided to their school communities.

To remind drivers to keep moving and improve parking options we arranged for the following works:

• Solid yellow edge lines along the full length of Peninsula Dr at all locations where parking is not permitted at any time for safety and access reasons. Yellow edge lines have the same meaning as “No Stopping” signs in the Road Rules.
• “No Stopping Next to Yellow Edge Lines” / “No Stopping in Traffic Lane” signs at key locations to remind drivers to keep circulating at all times.
• Yellow “No Stopping” symbols painted at key locations where many drivers may be tempted to start queuing in the traffic lane.
• Marking individual parallel parking bays along the east side of the road to encourage more efficient use of this space for long-term parking.
• Changing the parking signage of the bus-stabling area at the southern end of the road to enable public parking in this area outside school times. This provides approximately 20 extra car parking spaces after 3.30 pm. This area is marked by a broken yellow edge line.
• Never block a traffic lane. If you can’t enter a school car park you must keep driving. 

Either:

• Find a designated parking bay along Peninsula Dr.
• Go to the end of Peninsula Dr, turn around, go back to the Grubb Rd roundabout and re-enter Peninsula Dr. This only takes a few minutes.
  
  
• Consider alternative drop-off/pick-up arrangements, even if it is only one day each week. Children may walk/ride to and from these locations:

Children may walk/ride to and from these locations:

• McKiernan St (previously Andersons Rd).
• Reserve Rd.
• Drysdale Railway Station.

To encourage more people to walk and cycle to and from school we will also be moving the flagged Children Crossing from McKiernan St to Reserve Rd, now that there is a zebra crossing on McKiernan St.

Thank you and best wishes

Michael Exton Principal