From Our Principal
Year 12 students celebrating their completion of the compulsory SACE Research Project
WHAT A DIFFERENCE A TERM MAKES!
At the end of last term, we were preparing to move our delivery of teaching and learning to an online environment. With a cluster of cases in the Barossa, COVID-19 was very much on our doorstep. By Week 10, only 10% of our students were physically attending school. Teachers were very quickly learning new technologies and preparing resources so that the bulk of our students could learn from home. We’d developed information booklets for students and their families that outlined the ‘new’ ways of working.
The good news is that in South Australia, the rate of infection declined to such a level that mid-way into the second week of term, we were able to largely return to face-to-face lessons with most of our students back at school by Week 4.
Despite this, restrictions have changed what we have done this term with no excursions or camps, no face-to-face assemblies or staff meetings, a restriction on visitors to the school, no inter-school sport, no work experience, no Australian Business Week, etc.
From Monday, many of these restrictions will lift and we look forward to gradually returning to ‘normal’ – albeit working hard to maintain social distancing between the adults in our school community.
I would like to especially acknowledge the teaching staff for their tremendous work this semester. Many did not get a break over the Term 1 holidays as they worked to prepare for a term of online learning. When that didn’t eventuate, they had to be agile and change their plans to accommodate both students learning from home and learning at school at the beginning of the term, until we had most students back at school. Even then, with a range of restrictions in place, they needed to adjust their teaching and learning programs to work around these.
Thank you also to the support staff who have had a myriad of additional responsibilities through this time as a result of COVID-19.
RE-DEVELOPMENT UPDATE
Early works are commencing next week with the arrival of the two temporary classrooms. They will be positioned on the courts at the rear of the gymnasium.
In the first two days of the holidays we need to vacate Rooms 100 and 105 as well as the Music Room. The Music Room is being re-positioned onto the Agriculture area while the other rooms are ultimately being demolished.
We have agreed to move all the furniture and equipment ourselves to save money so are looking for some extra pairs of hands to assist on Monday, July 6 and possibly Tuesday, July 7. Please contact our Reception on 8566 2203 or email Kristen.masters775@schools.sa.edu.au if you can assist.
Asbestos removal is occurring during the holidays. No-one is permitted on site at all during that time. Look out for more details re this.
When students return to school at the beginning of Term 3, they will have some room changes as a result of this work.
YOUTH OPPORTUNITIES GRADUATIONS
Next Monday and Wednesday evening sees the Youth Opportunities graduations. Youth Opportunities is a personal leadership programme for year 10 students. Students nominate to be involved and go through a selection process.
Students are selected for many reasons – sometimes they lack motivation with their learning, sometimes they are looking to develop extra confidence, sometimes they are looking to develop a clear idea of their pathway beyond school, sometimes they want to improve their relationships with others.
Facilitated by two trainers, students come out of classes for one day per week during term 2 to participate in the programme. This year has been very different with the program being delivered online, rather than face-to-face due to COVID-19 restrictions. This has added an additional level of complexity for the students and they have shown, in most cases, tremendous resilience and perseverance to work through these challenges.
A special thanks to Ms Karen Bromley and Mrs Meagan Menzel who have been our school-based Youth Opportunities Trainers this term
END OF TERM ARRANGEMENTS
Friday, July 3 is the final day of the term. There will be lessons in the morning and after lunch we will have our customary end-of-term assembly prior to dismissal at 2:15pm. Buses (apart from the Gawler Link SA Service) will leave shortly after.
At our assembly, we present Personal Best Awards for students who have achieved ‘excellent’ effort in all or most of their subjects.
Hard copy reports will be issued at the end of assembly. They will also be available on DayMap from the end of the day.
The first day of Term 3 is Monday, July 21.
Kristen Masters
Principal