The end of this week signals the end of a disruptive term due to lockdowns and the changes to some of our calendared activities. Despite this, it was a hugely successful term given how well we coped with the enforced changes and adjustments to the calendar. Particularly pleasing is how well we have been able to accustom ourselves to the shifting conditions by which we work and learn; and the story of our successes this term is a testimony to our hard work.

Enforced adjustments to the college calendar
Despite the set back of not being able to run with the full Year 9 City Experience program, what was able to be achieved as an online experience was terrific. Year 9 Level Coordinators, Ms Lucarelli and Ms Tully provided a virtual program that was hugely engaging and educative and a program which the students enjoyed. Sitting through some of the online student presentations last Wednesday, I was proud of their commitment to the program and the knowledge they demonstrated about the history, population, and dynamics of their city.

The Year 10 Work Experience program was also hampered by the pandemic and therefore was not able to take place in the designated week during Term 2. However, we are hopeful that it will be possible to have a Year 10 Work Experience week sometime in late Term 3. Despite the COVID set-backs, and the enforced lockdown, the learning and teaching program continued as best as we could make it and the Year 10 exams were successfully conducted online.

Semester One Reports
The Semester One Reports are being written at this stage and they will be available for parents to access online via MyPenola in the second week of the holidays. These reports tend to be good indicators of your child’s progress in respective subjects, but also reveal information about their levels of engagement in the learning process. Given the difficulties of the past year, with disruptions to the normal patterns of education, ensuring that proper levels of engagement to school are in place is critical for a successful year. The Parent Teacher Student Partnership Meetings originally scheduled for the first week of Term 3 have been pushed back to Thursday 12 August. I wish all students every success and a favourable report.

Term 3
Term 3 offers new challenges. It tends to be a busy term with a range of events and activities for all students. One of the areas that will feature heavily on the college calendar will be related to program choices for 2022. Students will be taken through a range of important processes and information sessions to ensure that programs and subjects selected for next year fit within their career aspirations. More details will be available to parents through Newsletter entries and letters on Operoo in the coming weeks.

I will be taking some leave during Term 3 and will be replaced for my period of absence by Ms Liviana Daniele. Ms Daniele is currently one of the Year 11 Coordinators but will assuming the Head of Campus role for the duration of the term. I wish her well for this new challenge.

Best wishes to all for Term 3