As we speed towards Year 12 Graduation, it is a time for Year 12s to reflect upon their journey at the College as they finish their courses and prepare in earnest for their HSC Examinations. They will have made important connections with so many of our staff who will continue to pray for them in these final weeks of schooling. I want to thank the Year 12 staff who will be running workshops during the study vacation for their Year 12 classes.
We are truly blessed with a wonderful Christian staff here. It is a pleasure to be able to speak with prospective families at enrolment interviews, and speak of our staff being active in their faith and in their churches, who genuinely care about the academic and spiritual progress of the students under their care.
We welcome back Dr Anna Nalla into the staff team this week after her family leave and I wanted to thank Mrs Helen Bull for fulfilling the role of Coordinator of Wellbeing so ably in her absence. Our wellbeing staff are such a blessing to our community and I want to commend them for the role they play in looking after the development of our students in so many ways. From inspiring them to find ways to be involved in College life through the Student Recognition Scheme, to preparing them for leadership opportunities through the Student Voice group or Year 12 Leadership roles to assisting them with reflecting on the poor choices they have made at times and coaching them through how to restore relationship with their peers and teachers. We are lucky to have such wise, patient and caring professionals in these important roles.
We farewell Stuart Batcheldor from the College this week also. After joining Thomas Hassall Teaching staff way back in 2006, he has taught in the Junior School predominantly in his time here as a classroom teacher for Years 3 and 6 and as a PDHPE teacher for all grades in Junior School. He has lent his expertise in many ways when needed over a long period of time. During the Covid years, Stuart helped with on site supervision and in 2023, he has assisted in the TAS and PDHPE departments. We thank him for his service and wish him well as he moves on to new challenges.