Principal's Report
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Reflections on Term 1
Term 1 always seems to feel as though it is busy. We start each year with a great sense of expectation and enthusiasm and, as we come to the end of term, it is worth reflecting on what has been achieved and feel rightly proud. In addition to our comprehensive classroom learning program, there have been a number of activities related to building relationships and being inclusive of each other, such as our camps programs for Year 7 and Harmony Day. There have been activities designed to push students outside their comfort zone, such as Year 9 Special Education Block and Challenge Walk. For those who love sport we have resumed EISM competitions, Swimming Championships and our Inter-house Athletics. We were also able to celebrate the excellent results achieved in 2020 at our Celebrate Excellence @Aquinas Evening and finally host the visiting team from the Council of International Schools (CIS) to demonstrate our strong progress in relation to meeting international standards. Each of these opportunities, and a myriad of others not mentioned, have required great commitment from our staff, support from our families and School Advisory Council, and enthusiastic participation from our students and, for this, I am grateful and offer my thanks. I hope that you have an enjoyable and restful break.
Harmony Day
Harmony Day continues to be one of the highlights of our College calendar and this year proved no exception. The students were given the opportunity to hear from an array of outstanding speakers, all sharing insights into the personal stories and there was also dance, music and food to help highlight and celebrate the wonderful riches that our cultural diversity can offer in Australia. A focus of Harmony Day was the plight of those less fortunate that agencies such as Caritas support both financially and through advocacy. Striving to see 鈥淕od in the other鈥 is truly a Lenten mission.
Year 7 Parent Forum and Welcome
On Monday night many Year 7 families accepted the invitation to hear reputable cybersafety presenter, Robyn Treyvaud. Ms Treyvaud spoke on a broad array of matters relating to digital wellbeing. She provided those present with with their children about what may be concerning them in the online world. The evening ended with a social gathering hosted by Parents and Friends in which new families were welcomed to the College.
Parent Teacher Meetings
A reminder to all parents and students that our Parent Teacher Meetings for Semester 1 take place on Wednesday 21st April or Thursday 29th April from 2pm to 8pm. These are important meetings to receive feedback in regards to student progress to supplement the information provided in PAM. Following positive feedback from 2020 and to ensure we maintain a CovidSafe environment we will be conducting the meetings online. To accommodate the interviews, school will conclude at 12.15pm on both dates.
Open Day Thanks
Despite the weather being a little bleak, we had an amazing turnout on Sunday 21st for Open Day. Our numbers were bolstered by families whose child was in Grade 6 and missed the tours last year. But the many seeking enrolment information for their Grade 5 would suggest that once again we appear to have very healthy levels of interest in our local community. The most common response to 鈥淲hy Aquinas?鈥 is that we were recommended by a friend or family member and I want to say thank you for sharing your positive experiences. Word of mouth is incredibly powerful. The College was presented very well and we have received a number of compliments from visitors, especially about the fine young people who acted as student guides and showed off their school with such pride.
CIS Accreditation
To conclude the accreditation visit the College Leadership Team was addressed by the Chair who commended the College on the high quality of our self study report, especially given the Covid-19 pressures. He said that the visiting team had been made to feel welcome and he regretted that they had not been able to join us in person. He spoke positively of our alignment with our core values and the strong sense of belonging amongst our students, staff and parents/guardians. The Chair said that it is clear that we have taken the recommendations from the Preparatory Visit seriously and have actively worked to improve. This was evident in our Annual Action Plan which was specific and outcomes based. Many students were interviewed by the visiting team members and they were positive and articulate about their learning (even students who had only been at the College for seven weeks). They spoke with enthusiasm about their skills and opportunities and they were, to a person, praiseworthy of the efforts of staff to make sure that their learning was the best that it could be. They could describe their learning and what they needed to do in order to continue to improve. CIS now assess the report from the visiting accreditation team and should return a report to the College by early May. This report will help shape our next five year School Improvement Plan.
School Uniform
We allow a two week change over to full winter uniform from the start of Term 2 i.e. students can wear summer uniform if the weather is still warm up to Friday 30th April. From Monday 3rd May, all students must wear the full winter uniform which includes their blazer. The College Hat is not required in Terms 2 and 3, but all students are encouraged to remain Sun Smart, especially during outdoor activities.
Easter
For Christians, Easter is the most important festival in the liturgical calendar as it celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is the cornerstone of our tradition and the essential truth on which our belief is founded. With a mix of symbols from ancient pagan rituals blended with traditional Christian ones, all packaged in tin foil for the modern consumer, it鈥檚 easy to feel confusion around the meaning of Easter. It's important to acknowledge that, in our increasingly pluralist and secular society, it will mean something different from one person to another and many will see it primarily as a holiday from work. However, we are poorer as a society if we lose sight of the message that Easter is about hope and new beginnings. Easter is a time of saying thanks for the year that has passed, asking forgiveness for the many times that we have failed to live up to our own expectations, and going forward confident that we are forgiven and loved. Easter will be different this year in many of our local parishes who will need to apply attendance quotas in accordance with CovidSafe guidelines. If you are unable to attend in person, there will be an opportunity to gather virtually in prayer as many parishes will be streaming their liturgical celebrations.
First Week of Term 2
- Monday 19th April - Student Free Day (Staff Professional Learning)
- Tuesday 20th April - All students return
- Wednesday 21st April - Student Classes finish at 12.15pm (Parent Teacher Interviews)
Darren Atkinson
Principal