Great News!
First and foremost, for the first time since late July we have had Year 12 students return to face-to-face learning. To say that we are happy to have them back is a massive understatement! The thing that I am particularly proud of is the way that our community has risen to the challenges that they have had to face this year. All students have shown themselves to be resilient, technologically proficient and above all else, connected to one another, despite the challenges of long periods of isolation and not being onsite for large periods of the year. With most of our Year 12 students finishing formal classes next week, we wish them well for the future.

I wish to take this opportunity to express my sincere gratitude to you for your continued support and encouragement of all that we are doing at Penola in support of your daughters and sons. I have been overwhelmed by your generosity and the positive and resilient attitude you have displayed throughout this extraordinary period. I think that a positive attitude is the greatest gift we can give our children during difficult times. However, it is also often the most draining and difficult of endeavors. I often ask myself in these moments; who is caring for the carer? Each of you has shouldered a heavy burden, from juggling working from home and supporting children with their home learning, to dealing with the future uncertainties inherent in our current situation, among a million other things.

There is no doubt that this year has been very difficult for all of us. However, for our Year 12 students, it has been particularly disappointing and sad. They have missed out on so many milestones and celebrations that are very much a part of Year 12. I know as a community we all really feel for them and are extremely proud of how they have shown so much maturity and resilience throughout the year. We are looking forward to spending time reconnecting with them. We have also been working hard to plan celebratory activities that can take place at the conclusion of the VCE exams.

On behalf of the whole college community, I thank our graduating students, for their contributions to the life of the school and for the way that they have shared your talents and gifts with us. I thank you also for the leadership that you have exercised, and I particularly wish to recognize the contribution of those who accepted leadership roles this year, especially our captains, Grace G (12E) and Monica A (12C), and our portfolio captains, Jordan G (11B), Jayan D (12G), Jackson G (12F), Hans A (12D), Benjamin P (12A) and Liana O (12G). Each one of our graduates leaves us with our best wishes for the future and our prayers that God will bless them abundantly.

Confirmed COVID case onsite on Wednesday 6 October
As you would all be aware, a confirmed positive case was onsite on Wednesday 6 October. Fortunately, they weren’t onsite for the entire day only the afternoon. As a result, staff and students who have been in direct contact with the case have been sent home to get tested and isolate. A deep clean has occurred in the areas where the student has been including reception and the campus office. We made the decision to conduct a deep clean of the McCormack building as well as Reception, Campus Office and LKE classroom. The new procedures from DHS do not require a complete shutdown of the school. The Department of Health confirmed that the student was not infectious whilst onsite and all staff and students can come out of isolation and resume at school.

2021 Calendar Changes

The following decisions have been made in an attempt to clarify our calendar for the remainder of the year.

• Final College Assembly – The final College Assembly which will involve the Transfer of Leadership as well as the farewell to our Year 12 students will now take place on Friday 22 October not Monday 18 October.
• SWOTVAC – We have made the decision to reduce SWOTVAC for our Year 12 students so as to maximise their time onsite. We are conscious that this increases the exposure and risk for our Year 12 students in terms of potentially being exposed to COVID and we will continue to monitor in the weeks ahead. SWOTVAC will commence after the final College Assembly on Friday 22 October.
• Graduation Dinner – Obviously our Year 12 Graduation Dinner originally scheduled for Friday 19 November will not go ahead as only 150 people are allowed to gather indoors. We will survey our year 12 families to see whether they would like to have the Dinner in late February/early March 2022.
• Exams – Years 7 – 10 Exams will not take place to enable more time for teaching and learning in 2021. Year 11 Exams will take place on Wednesday 17 November, Thursday 18 November, Friday 19 November, Tuesday 23 November, Wednesday 24 November and Thursday 25 November.
• Professional Practice Days - Professional Practice Days will take place on Monday 1 November, Monday 22 November and Friday 26 November for both campuses.
• Headstart – Headstart has been reduced to 4 days and will take place on Monday 29 November – Thursday 2 December for our current Years 8-11 students. Our current Year 7 students will only have a Headstart program on Thursday 2 December 2021.
  

Return to School for Years 7-11
All Dates below are subject to health advice as they are linked to double vaccination rates

From Tuesday 26 October all students will return at least part-time.

• Years 7 and 11 students will resume 5 days a week.
• Year 10 students will attend on Tuesdays and Fridays
• Years 8 & 9 students will attend on Wednesdays and Thursdays

Vulnerable children and children of parents or guardians who are on the authorized provider and authorized worker list can continue attending onsite.

Remote and flexible learning will be delivered to students on the days they are not onsite.

All Years 7-11 students will resume full time on Friday 6 November 2021.

COVID Testing
I encourage all staff and students to be tested in the lead up to their return to school to ensure that they are not spreading COVID-19 unknowingly. Can I recommend that this testing takes place no later than Friday October 22 as the results from testing are taking up to 72 hours to come through.

Staff Vaccinations
As most are aware, the Victorian Government have mandated all education workers to be vaccinated.

• By 18 October 2021 all school staff are to have had a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine or produce evidence of a booking to receive a vaccine by 25 October 2021, unless a medical exemption applies.
• By 29 November 2021 all school staff are to be fully vaccinated with two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, and to show evidence of their vaccination status, unless a medical exemption applies.
  

Student Free Days this Term
Monday 1 November is a Student Free Day to allow staff time for planning, preparation, assessment of student learning, collaboration, curriculum planning and professional learning. This day will be student free for both campuses. I recognise that this creates an imposition on families and thank you in advance for your ongoing support as we strive to improve student outcomes.

Monday 22 November is a Student Free Day to allow staff time for planning, preparation, assessment of student learning, collaboration, curriculum planning and professional learning. This day will be student free for both campuses.

Friday 26 November is another Student Free Day. This will allow our Senior students (Year 11) a small break between finishing exams and commencing their Headstart program and allow our staff to have a correction Day to finalise grades. For our Junior campus staff, time for correction and report writing of the end of year reports

Our current Year 8-11 students will commence their 2022 Headstart program from Monday 29 November to Thursday 2 December. Our current Year 7 students will have a one-day Headstart program on Thursday 2 December.

Year 7 Enrolments 2023
A reminder to all our existing families that Year 7 enrolments for 2023 closed on Friday 23 August. A number of families applied after the close of enrolment last year and it makes it very difficult to accurately plan for the following year, so I ask that you submit your enrolment as soon as possible. Often families assume that we know that there is a younger sibling, and I would be very disappointed if one of our existing families missed out on an enrolment due to not submitting their enrolment in a timely manner.

Glenroy Bell Times from Monday, 25 October

Reflection
For me Term 4 is the beginning of something wonderful: Spring, new journeys and for all those who love Christmas it is the beginning of the countdown to Advent. As the end of the year approaches for the students, it is important to savour the experiences of these final few weeks at school. Taking the time to laugh with friends, enjoy the warmth of the approaching summer sun, the fragrance of the blooming blossoms and to remember how lucky we are to live in such a beautiful city. This term we will be focusing on offering thanks and goodwill to not just God within prayer, but amongst the teachers and the students as a focus within religion classes. We hope that you have the opportunity to stop in a beautiful park or on a sandy beach, and to lie down and look up at the wonderful sky that encompasses us. To take in its grandeur and simply say, ‘Thank you God for this wonderful gift of life and nature, I am eternally grateful.

Spring Awakening by Lily Baker

Spring is the magical time

When the rainbow lorikeets hum and the honey suckles Blossom,

When I actively bounce down the sand dunes

And onto the pea green grass,

The waratahs and the wattles bloom,

And my heart opens to the riot of spring.

I love this time when everything comes to life,

Nature triumphs in the trees, swaying freely in the wind,

Stealing my train of thought

And making my imagination run wild.

I am inspired by this heavenly kingdom,

The tranquility of dew droplets falling,

Slowly

The mastery of the rain.

I feel connected.

Tree sap trickles down the bark of native gum trees

I examine this, calmly, curiously.

Sometimes the wind whispers to me at dusk

Giving me confidence within my body

I promise

I will always make the most of springtime.