Over the past 18 months we have learnt to expect the unexpected but the speed at which our circumstances changed last week was still a surprise. One minute we were enjoying a very ‘normal’ return to school and a few hours later we were once again cocooned in the safety of our homes.

I thank all students, families and staff for the resilience, positivity and grit that you continue to show in the face of the unexpected. The transition to Learning from Home has once again been seamless. Attendance and student engagement are strong. However, I know that ensuring a ‘seamless’ transition between onsite and offsite learning, requires much from students, staff and families. Thank you.

In this newsletter, we have included a short article by Professor Lea Water on COVID fatigue and the role that practising gratitude has in alleviating the impact of stress and uncertainty. Practising gratitude is a key component of the GEM (Gratitude, Empathy and Mindfulness) program that students learn about in Pastoral Care.

Hopefully, Lockdown 5.0 will finish on Tuesday and we will all be back onsite on Wednesday. Stay safe and take care.

Tokyo Olympics: Thomas Deng

For many lockdown will seem a little easier once the Olympics start at the weekend. We are delighted that Thomas Deng (Year 10 2012) has been selected as captain of the Olyroos for the upcoming Olympics. He is very worthy of this honour and we wish him and the team all the best as they pursue their Olympic dream.

Changes to eligibility for onsite learning

In extending the lockdown, the Victorian Government announced a change in the eligibility for onsite learning. Supervision is also available for students where a parent/carer indicates that a student with a disability is vulnerable because they cannot learn from home or informs the school the student is vulnerable due to family stress. Families are asked to contact the school if this is the case.

Semester 1 Reports

These are available to families through the Parent Access Module from today, Friday 23 July. Students can access reports through SIMON, the student learning management system. Congratulations to all students who have achieved their personal best in Semester 1.

Student Parent Teacher Conferences

Due to COVID, the student, parent and teacher conferences will once again be online this term. This week all families received a letter (mail) with their PAM access code and instructions on how to book the S/P/T conference on PAM. Bookings need to be completed by Tuesday 27/7/21.

If you did not receive the letter, please contact the College and we will provide the details.

Newsletter

The newsletter is published fortnightly on Day 10 (Friday Week 2).

Newsletter Days for Term 3 2021:             

Fridays:    06 August,     20 August,     03 September,     17 September      

The newsletter can also be accessed on the College website at http://www.crcstalbans.catholic.edu.au