It has been a great start to Term 4!
I want to thank our wonderful Year 12 teachers for the way they have continued to support their now graduated classes in the lead up to their HSC Examinations by running some workshops in the holidays and continuing to field any questions that are sent through as their students revise and prepare. Our Year 11 accelerants have also been involved in serious preparation for the selection of HSC examinations that they are sitting.
College life is in high gear once again and we have had a host of activities and events for students, staff and families to be involved in these first two weeks of term such as the Ensembles Evening and the Year 7 Orientation Day. It is always great to meet the new Year 7 students and families joining our community and the Orientation Day is a great way for the new students to get to know each other and our Year 6 students who will be in classes and sharing the Senior School journey together.
Earlier this week we had a special event: the class of 2024’s Dedication Service. This was a great opportunity to set the stage for the incoming year 12 students by recognising the journey that is ahead and to pray for them in their studies. Parents and students heard about the expectations and the support that is available at Thomas Hassall. We outlined the HSC process and assessment requirements as well as the importance of setting up regular routines. It was an encouraging evening. The students committed themselves to good work practices and a desire to lead the younger students with integrity. It was very special to meet with parents as well and to share in our common goals.
Students in Years 9 and 11 will have been excited to receive their subjects for next year. I want to congratulate all of the students in Year 11 who put themselves forward for Student Leadership. We have such a wonderful group of students in this cohort and the team that was chosen will lead the College admirably over the next 12 months.
It has been exciting to have our new Director of Teaching and Learning Mr Jason Corbett Jones announced and we look forward to welcoming him to our community in the new year. It is also a time where some of our staff team move on to new opportunities. I would like to take the opportunity to wish Mr Stuart McCormack every success in his new role at Shore as the Head of Students. Mr McCormack has been instrumental in many programs over his 8 years at the College and I have been lucky enough to work with him in a previous setting also. His dedication to the students and staff and his expertise in executing his role have been greatly appreciated. His passion for keeping up to date with the latest research in Student Wellbeing and his passion for creating conditions under which students and staff can flourish has been a hallmark of his career and will continue to be in his new setting I am certain.
I am excited for the opportunity to take a few weeks of long service leave over the next little while. I will return later in the term and look forward to catching up with you again as we head towards the end of the year and all the celebrations that it holds. If you have any learning enquiries in my absence, please seek out the teacher and Head of Department, and then reach out to Mr Roger Young for assistance.