Edition #16, Friday 15th October 2021

Principal's Report

Welcome to Term 4

A belated welcome back to Term 4. I trust that you have enjoyed the break and found some opportunity to relax even if we were limited in terms of opportunities to travel and gather with family and friends. We now wait expectantly as Covid-19 lockdown restrictions are gradually eased over coming weeks.

General Achievement Test (GAT)

On Tuesday 5th October, all students studying a Unit 3/4 subject were required to sit the General Achievement Test. This was a huge undertaking even in a non Covid-19 year, but the extra health precautions required this year added an additional layer of complexity. Thanks to the Senior School leadership team whose thorough planning made for such a smooth process and to our Senior students who continue to apply themselves so diligently to their studies this year. Thank you also to the many non-teaching staff who assisted in supervision this year amongst a small band of our regular invigilators.

Roadmap to return to onsite learning in Term 4

From Thursday October 7th:

Year 12 (VCE units 3/4 and final year VCAL
Remote and flexible learning continues for all students in Years 7 to 11, other than for children of permitted workers and vulnerable students (including St Mary鈥檚 students who choose to learn onsite)

From Tuesday October 26th:

Years 7 and 11 return to onsite learning full time
Years 8 to 10 return to onsite learning for 2 days per week
Year 8 - Tuesday 26th and Wednesday 27th October
Years 9 and 10 - Thursday 28th and Friday 29th October

From Friday November 5th:

All levels return to onsite learning full time

Returning to Onsite Learning

While many students have been eagerly awaiting the return to onsite learning and the opportunity to reconnect with their teachers and friends face to face once again, there is understandably some who will feel some trepidation and uncertainty after learning remotely for so long. Dr Michael Carr-Gregg provides advice to parents in regards to discussion of the concerns about the transition back to school with your young people:

Mid Term Break

A reminder that Monday November 1st is our mid term break and there are no scheduled classes on this date. The College will be closed to everyone except for students undertaking the VCE Psychology and Further Maths exams on this day.

Covid Safe Practices

Resources will be provided to students over the coming days and weeks to remind them of the expectations regarding behaviours that will assist in minimising the risk of Covid-19 infection. The key messages that will continue to be emphasised are:

Stay home if unwell;
Get tested immediately if any of the following symptoms appear: fever above 37.5 degrees Celsius, night sweats, chills, acute respiratory infection (such as cough, shortness of breath, sore throat), loss of smell, and/or loss of taste;
Maintain good hand and cough hygiene;
Do not share food or drink and use a water bottle (drink fountains are not allowed to be used);
Do not share other utensils;
Maintain social distancing as much as possible;
Wear a fitted mask at all times;
Minimise time at lockers by carrying essentials in a small bag during the day;
Parents/guardians must remain in cars during drop-off and pick-up times. Only adults who have an essential role will be permitted to enter College premises;
Ventilation in classrooms will be increased and we are also expecting to receive air purifiers as they are rolled out as part of a Victorian government initiative.

Darren Atkinson
Principal

Learning @ 海角大神

Spring is a complicated time in Victoria if you are a student. The students in the Literature class might even call it a paradox. The days are getting longer, the spring flowers adorn the garden and the weather should be improving. It tells students that summer is just around the corner with its promise of lazy days and time outside with friends. But to get there, students need the term to end and this means assessment, the measuring up of what you have done for the year.

Year 12 students have this ambiguous feeling of impending joy and serious challenge right now. For Year 11 students it is not far away. We all know what the word assessment means, that we will be challenged about what we have learnt. When we have to complete an online module for compliance or workplace safety, what is our first question? Is there assessment? Usually followed by the pessimistic, how many can you get wrong and still pass? In other words, feeling trepidation about assessment is not just something students feel, but for them it is annual and it arrives as the weather and the gardens improve.

We know that learning is incremental and it is often hard to see how far you have come as a learner so it is understandable that students can feel concerned about exams. There are ways of studying that can maximise this and I have written about them before. Today, I want to say something much simpler about preparation for assessment, to all students, not just those with external VCE exams. Use the time you have. There is no point in looking in the rear view mirror at what you might have done, look forward and do what you can do with the time left. If you have systematically studied throughout the year, two weeks is still time for improvement. A great deal can happen in a month. If you have not worked as well as you planned, there is no point in investing emotional energy in that, or justifying why, instead use what time is left to improve.

Doing something is much better than doing nothing. The key skills and knowledge are still within your grasp, but effort and focus are required. Teachers provide plenty of resources to improve. They want students to do well. Focused effort now could really help to make the lazy sunny summer days even sweeter.

Michael Box

Deputy Principal Learning

A Note from Nap

Resilience building in times of languish

There is no doubt that the last few months have been challenging for most people, with the uncertainty of what the immediate and long term future may hold often leading to unrest, and in some cases, degrees of anxiety and perhaps fear. I referred to the impact of languishing earlier this year following the disruptions that the 2020 lockdowns had in anticipation of the projected small lockdowns that 2021 would bring. As scientists and leaders worked towards addressing the dangers imposed by the pandemic, we anticipated that the year would resemble, in part, what 2020 had been like, but I could have never imagined how broadly the feeling or state of languishing would be shared by people in our community following another long period of time in lockdown.

As the health officials have addressed the dangers of the pandemic, it has been inevitable to experience the precautionary measures without the impact of disturbance they have had on our everyday lives. Thankfully, despite the threats of the pandemic to our society in general, our 海角大神 community has mostly kept safe. The return of our Year 12 students for face to face learning has been a blessing and the College has continually planned for the anticipated return of all students, keeping in mind their safety as the key priority.

During these times, it is easy to lose sight of the big picture and get caught up in the complexities of the challenges we face. It is necessary to seek and maintain optimism, to find reasons to be happy and to embrace the role we all have in keeping our community safe. Resilience is something that must be built to overcome the setbacks that we will all experience in our life鈥檚 journey. Without resilience, it is very difficult to learn from our mistakes and to appreciate our triumphs as the result of our hard work and dedication. I suggest that as your child starts to consider what a return to school for face to face learning will be like, that you provide the necessary guidance so that they understand their responsibilities to themselves and their community once they physically return to the College.

It is essential that your child starts to prepare for their return to school now. In the last weeks, it has become very clear that the threat of COVID-19 cannot be considered "a problem for certain areas of the city" but rather an issue for everyone. Our returning students have mostly adhered to the rules and regulations that emerge from our COVIDSafe plan at the College and this has allowed for classes to take place in safe and productive ways.

So, with your child preparing for the return to school, please discuss the importance of safety and both individual and collective responsibility when it comes to not only looking after one鈥檚 own health but also the wellbeing of others. Please discuss the importance of wearing masks, sanitising, social distancing and the understanding of all the requirements set upon all students of the College, whether here now or planning to return in the near future.

As the transition to face to face learning looms, it is important that students maintain a positive outlook on everything as it unfolds. As challenging as this may be, they should continue to embrace the opportunity to engage with their teachers and peers through remote learning before returning. There is considerable support available to all students by their teachers and their understanding that all measures are there to protect them from dangers is pivotal for them to appreciate how fortunate they are to live in a society that values health and the wellbeing of all members.

The focus, when planning the return to school, should be on consolidating the progress that has been made in remote learning. If the experience has not been positive, it is important that you communicate this with your child鈥檚 teachers in order to address any gaps and offer the necessary support. Please also encourage your child to be informed about how to protect themselves by following the school鈥檚 COVIDSafe plan.

In order to assist you in supporting your child, please refer to the following information about free seminars.

Parent Webinar Series

I am excited to announce that parents of 海角大神 College have exclusive access to Elevate Education鈥檚 Parent Webinar Series for Term 4, 2021. Elevate works with our students, delivering high impact workshops on study skills, motivation, wellbeing, and exam preparation. By tuning into their webinar series you will learn how to better support your children at home through reinforcing the skills they learn at school.

The webinars will take place across Term 4, beginning Wednesday 20th October at 7pm. Registration is essential and is free for parents of 海角大神 College.

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The webinar is run live, online, from 7pm 鈥� 8pm where the presenter will share Elevate鈥檚 key research and skills, and will conduct a live Q&A so you can ask them questions directly.

Parents and Friends Network

Earlier this week, our Year 12 students received a wonderful gift from the P&F Network. It was a box containing sweets as a way to encourage the students to remain positive and focused. We are all appreciative of this gesture as it symbolises the support that exists from the parent group towards the student body.

The P&F Network meets each month and all parents are welcome to attend their meetings. They run many projects in support of the students and the College community. Please read their invitation in this newsletter to become a part of the Business Directory project or considering joining the P&F Network.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me at the College.

Dr Napoleon Rodezno
Deputy Principal

Spiritually Speaking

Inspirational Church Leaders

Over the past week, the first of two Plenary council meetings occurred to discuss the future direction of the Catholic Church (see the summary article in this edition of Lighthouse). As I have followed the proceedings each day I am reminded of leaders in the past who have inspired me through their determination to see the Church grow and maintain relevance in a contemporary society.

Firstly, there is Pope John XXIII, one of my all time favourite popes who demonstrated great compassion and determination to 鈥渙pen the windows鈥� of the church and bring significant change to the way people could participate in the church. While many thought he was chosen as a 鈥渃aretaker鈥� pope who, due to his illnesses would not create much change, John XXIII himself set about initiating Vatican II which revolutionized much of the church. In his own words 鈥淐onsult not your fears but your hopes and your dreams. Think not about your frustrations, but about your unfulfilled potential. Concern yourself not with what you tried and failed in, but with what it is still possible for you to do.鈥� There are many inspirational, humble and at times amusing quotes from this man, far too many for this article. There is a movie 鈥淭he Good Pope鈥� which explores his time leading the church for those interested.

Second is Oscar Romero - a bishop in El Salvador who, coincidently, was not overly convinced in the changes occurring due to Vatican II. He was a 鈥渜uiet, conservative, bookworm鈥� who was chosen to be the Archbishop of El Salvador as he was least likely to cause waves in an already tumultuous country. Instead, Romero鈥檚 eyes were quickly opened to the dire situation of the people in El Salvador. His understanding of being a disciple of Christ changed and he became more outspoken, and his actions to protect and help became known world wide. 鈥溾€�. Despite threats, he continued to speak out for the poor and suffering, even begging the US not to sell weapons to his country. Ultimately, Romero was assassinated while presiding over mass, yet his passion and compassion continues to lead others.

My third inspirational Church leader is our current pope, Francis. He will be the topic of our next Lighthouse edition. For now I leave you with this prayer of peace from St Pope John XXIII.

Lord Jesus Christ,
who are called the Prince of Peace,
who are yourself our peace and reconciliation,
who so often said, 鈥淧eace to you,鈥�
grant us peace.
Make all men and women witnesses of
truth, justice, and brotherly love.
Banish from their hearts whatever might endanger peace.
Enlighten our rulers that they may guarantee
and defend the great gift of peace.
May all peoples of the earth becomes as brothers and sisters.
May longed-for peace blossom forth
and reign always over us all.
Amen.

by St. John XXIII

Tania Grace

Assistant Principal - Mission

Senior Years & Middle Years Report

Senior Years

Next week, Year 12s will conclude their formal classes. For this cohort, their VCE or VCAL experiences have been significantly different from their predecessors, and the reason for those differences does not need spelling out. Nevertheless, despite everything, some things have continued. Last Tuesday the GAT was completed. Since the start of term, most students have elected to return to learning onsite. There was even a dress-up day and some little treats, courtesy of the Parents & Friends Network.

Still, there has also been concern expressed about the impact that the last eighteen months have had on the students鈥� results and aspirations. Everyone applying for tertiary studies has been encouraged to make application via VTAC for SEAS

For results, the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) will use the Consideration of Educational Disadvantage (CED) process. This process considers the disruption to learning caused by the pandemic and it applies to every student completing one or more VCE/ VCE VET (scored) Units 3鈥�4 in 2021. VCAL students will also have access to special consideration process.

Basically, the process is that each student has the opportunity to submit a Student Statement that alerts their teachers to any significant disadvantage they have experienced due to school closures, physical and/or mental health implications, added responsibilities or financial hardship. That part of the process is now complete. Teachers then calculate what is called an 鈥榚xpected score and grade鈥� - a student's expected level of achievement had it not been for the pandemic.

For VCE, this data along with the student鈥檚 results are analysed and moderated by the VCAA. They consider every student's performance in every VCE study and in each assessment and restore a student's results to where they would have been without the disruptions

For VCAL, assessment decisions are based on teacher judgement.

Meredith Greenwood
Head Senior Years

Middle Years

With the school welcoming back Year 12鈥檚 last week, the other year levels begin to prepare for their return. As we wait for final confirmation and directions from the Victorian Government it is time to begin to check we are ready for the changes ahead.

We have missed being in the school classroom with our young people sharing interests, engaging in discussion and discovering new ideas. We look forward to these times arriving again soon. We need this time leading up to the return to begin making the transition from home environments to the public. Teachers are discussing and designing lesson activities that enable students to revisit, renew and re-engage friendships, their sense of safety, feelings of belonging and enabling a reconnection with their learning.

At home, preparations for returning to school may have also started. There are the practical considerations such as where is my school hat, have I enough masks and do my shoes still fit? Life is about to change quite a bit and the important thing is to encourage your child to allow time to readjust, to be kind to themselves and to those around them, to remember their teachers are there to help so share concerns about their adjustment back at school. The has excellent conversation starters and information for family鈥檚 to assist managing COVID-19 and changing routines.

There will be questions about what to expect and some nerves regarding initiating changes. As communication becomes available to the school regarding the return to school parents and then students will be directly emailed with details. We look forward to our community being able to re-join together onsite soon.

Rachel Crawley
Head Middle Years

Wellbeing Matters

Transitioning back to onsite learning and how we can support young people to manage

There are many of us counting down the days until we can resume learning together at school again. While there is still a relatively short time until this occurs the time to start preparing for this transition is now.

It may take us a little time to adjust to our new normal and there are a few things that will look and feel different than we have experienced before.

Dealing with change can be tricky especially for young people. There are however some simple steps we can take to support young people to continue to grow and develop resilience. Routine is key and many of us have had significantly different routines learning and working from home. Making sure we eat well, maintain positive levels of activity and get enough sleep will enable us to better manage periods of challenge.

Reach out a youth health and wellbeing organisation have some practical suggestions to help individuals of all ages to cope with the degree of uncertainty that accompanies change.

As parents and teachers it can be tempting to jump in and solve problems for our children and students when we see them struggling. A level of discomfort and struggle is an important part of the learning process and often an effective way to develop the strength, skills and capabilities we require to live to our full potential and truly thrive. Acknowledging feelings of uncertainty, even a degree of fear is normal. Allowing children and young people to help come up with potential strategies is recommended by health and wellbeing experts. Michael Carr-Gregg in a special edition of school TV explains why this is important and how to prepare to transition back to school.

Slowing the pace of life has been a positive thing for many of us. We look forward to the comfort of some old routines and the excitement of building new ones.

Cheryl Kane

Child Safety & Wellbeing Coordinator

海角大神