The Way Weekly Update I Friday 16 July 2021

With being placed into Blended Learning at home once again, students and teachers have made the transition to online learning really smoothly.

With a few small tweaks to attendance procedures now in place, there is a real focus on quality learning activities and connection with the College through PC groups and Year Meetings. We have encouraged students involved in Zoom sessions with their teachers to have their camera flicked on, to try to replicate the classroom in small doses throughout the day and normalise the process somewhat through being able to respond and interact with one another in a virtual format. You have no doubt seen your children having these quasi classroom experiences. I have been regularly meeting with my Year 9 Maths class in this way and to be able to ask the group what questions they would like to run through from the assigned work and then go through it step by step on a virtual whiteboard has been as close to the real thing as you can get!

I have heard of the Year 12 Japanese class split up across zoom break-out rooms, simulating an HSC Japanese exam by taking turns asking each other questions in Japanese or receiving feedback from their teacher on their responses to past paper questions.

I have heard excellent reports about the Year 10 Music class, who are prepared and ready for their class Zooms, but are also effectively working via Google docs, where they can communicate with their teacher using the comment functionality.

I am aware of PC groups communicating and sharing in Kahoot trivia events hosted by their PC teacher, which is great for maintaining a positive connection with their College community.

It has been great to hear that students have taken the challenge set by our Director of Sport to find creative ways to get active and share them!

It certainly isn’t how we would like to be experiencing life at the moment, is it? We recognise how hard it can be to live, work and learn inside the family household, but we are committed to making the best of it and I want to thank College families and students for doing the same. We are also blessed to be able to rely on our faith through these testing times. A verse from Isaiah really resonated strongly with me this week and maybe it will with you also: "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

The lockdown period has been extended until at least the 30 July and we are very aware that most of our families are located in the areas where higher case numbers have been reported and stricter restrictions have been imposed. Lockdown fatigue is another term that has developed out of these new experiences. We have had to come to terms with a virus that has affected every aspect of our lives and it can leave you feeling physically and mentally exhausted.

Your children are being supported by their teachers, year advisers, staff from the wellbeing team as well as our College Psychologists.  We have a team of 3 dedicated psychologists who can assist you and your child if you feel that their mental health has been impacted or they are struggling in one way or another. 

We have a dedicated page with a range of resources to support you and your child/ren during this period. This page also provides you with a link to request an appointment for your child to speak to the psychologist.

Visit Wellbeing Page

The College is here at all times to support you during this, please ensure you reach out if you need to.

Are you an essential worker and need to have your child onsite?
The College has staff onsite each day to assist in supervising students of essential workers. It is important to register if your child/ren need to attend so that we can plan for staffing.

Register your child for onsite learning

Below is some important information if you are brining your child to the College for this supervision:

Junior School Requirements (Prep to Year 6)

• Junior School students will need to be dropped at Gate 17 on Southern Cross Drive (near Kindergarten playground) from 7.45am to 8.20am
• Students will be working through their online learning throughout the day. Please send your child with headphones.
• Students will have their recess and lunch during normal break times in the IRC forecourt. There is no Canteen Service so please ensure your child has their food packed.
• Students can wear either their formal or sports uniform on any of the days they are attending.
• At 2.30pm, students can be collected at Gate 17. Please collect your student by no later than 3.00pm unless attending After College Care.

Senior School Students (Years 7-12)

• Senior School students will enter via Gate 3 and proceed directly to the IRC (N Block Library) at 7.55am.
• Masks will need to be worn indoors at all times, unless an appropriate exemption applies. If your child is catching a bus to College, they will also need to be wearing this whilst travelling to and from College.
• Students will be working through their online learning throughout the day. A fully charged device and headphones will be required.
• Students will have their recess and lunch during normal break times in the IRC forecourt. There is no Canteen Service so please ensure your child has their food packed.
• Students can wear either their formal or sports uniform on any of the days they are attending.
• At 2.35pm, students can be picked up in the N block Carpark. Please collect your student by no later than 3:00pm.

COVID Requirements

• If your child or a member of your household has the mildest of symptoms, please get that person tested immediately. Whilst awaiting the result of anyone in your families, your child or children must NOT attend College.
• If a member of your household has been advised that they are a close contact as defined by NSW Health, please do not send your child to College.
• If a member of your household is a casual contact as defined by NSW Health, please ensure that person gets tested immediately and await a negative result before sending your child or children to the College.

The 2021 College photos that were to take place in Week 3 have been postponed to Week 7. 

The cut off date for ordering the photos have been extended.  More information will be sent out about photos next week.