Last Sunday, we celebrated the Feast of Corpus Christi (Body and Blood of Christ). The feast celebrates the Real Presence (not a symbol) of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. It is for this reason that Catholics venerate the Eucharist with such reverence.
On Sunday 6 June, Pope Francis celebrated the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as Corpus Christi, with Mass in St Peter's Basilica in the Vatican.
Pope Francis said ,"in the Eucharist we contemplate and adore the God of love. It is the Lord who does not break anyone, but breaks Himself. It is the Lord who does not demand sacrifices, but sacrifices Himself. It is the Lord who asks for nothing, but gives everything. To celebrate and live the Eucharist, we too are called to live this love".
The Solemnity of Corpus Christi, meaning the “Body of Christ” in Latin, provides an opportunity for the Church to focus on Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist, which Pope Francis urged us all "to go out with enthusiasm carrying Christ to those we meet in everyday life. We become a church with the jug in hand, which awakens thirst and brings water. Let us open our hearts in love, to be the spacious and hospitable room where everyone can enter to meet the Lord. Let's break our life in compassion and solidarity, so that the world sees through us the greatness of God's love. And then the Lord will come, He will surprise us again, He will make Himself food for the life of the world. And it will satisfy us forever, until the day when, in the banquet of Heaven, we will contemplate His face and rejoice without end".
Return to Onsite Learning Friday 11 June
We are all very excited and eagerly looking forward to the return to on-site learning, with all students to return on Friday 11 June. Therefore, as per the Victorian Government and the Catholic Education Commission of Victoria Ltd (CECV) guidelines, the remote learning program ended at the conclusion of classes on Thursday 10 June. This means if you choose to keep your child/children home after this date, that we can no longer continue the remote learning program as teachers will be teaching their timetabled lessons in the classroom.
It is really important to remind parents/carers that, if your child is ill or is feeling unwell, they must not attend school. They must remain home and seek medical advice. Any student who demonstrates symptoms of illness whilst onsite will be isolated in the College sick bay or another separate room and parents will be contacted to collect them.
As the main risk of introducing COVID-19 to the school environment is from adults, close proximity between adult members of the school community should be avoided, particularly during school drop-off and pick-up. Access to the school site is restricted for anyone other than immediate school staff and students. Parents should only enter the College grounds when essential, having contacted the school by phone or email prior to entering.
We understand that some families may feel anxious about this move back to on-site classroom teaching and learning. I can assure you that this decision has been taken on the basis of the best health advice available to our state.
Face Masks:
Face coverings will again be mandatory for people aged 12 and over when inside. Therefore, all staff students and visitors are now required to wear masks to and from school, as well as on the College premises (indoor and outdoor).
In the past, many students have not brought a face mask with them to school, despite prior communication asking them to do so. We have handed out a large number of disposable face masks to students who have required them. However, our own stocks of disposable face masks are very low, and we will no longer be able provide students with face masks.
Therefore, I ask all parents to ensure that their child has a face mask with them at school at all times as per Government guidelines. Students without a face mask will not be able to attend classes.
Conclusion of Remote Learning:
Firstly, I would like to congratulate all students on the completion of a further two weeks of remote learning. Overwhelmingly, students have been very engaged, connected and involved in their learning throughout this period. A big thank you also to parents and families who have supported the students through this unusual learning journey this term. Attendance rates across the year levels have been very high, with an overall average of 97% attendance across the school. Below are the attendance rates for each year level:
- Year 7: 98%
- Year 8: 97%
- Year 9: 96%
- Year 10: 96%
I would also like to express my thanks and gratitude to our teaching staff, who have gone above and beyond this term to ensure students had a positive remote learning experience. They have worked long hours and have tirelessly re-written curriculum, course outlines and assessment tasks to again accommodate remote learning. They have also undertaken various new and contemporary modes of pedagogical delivery, including the use of flipped learning, video conferencing and MS teams throughout this period, to enhance the students remote learning experiences. These key learnings will benefit the ultimately have long-term benefits for College, and will enhance future learning and teaching experiences.
We also thank the College IT, maintenance, counselling, learning diversity, library, support and administration teams who have been actively working on-site over the past two weeks. They have done an exceptional job throughout the remote learning period and have also been actively, preparing the College for the return of on-site learning.
Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday
Please note that Monday 14 June is a public holiday (Queen’s Birthday).
End of Term 2 Thursday 24 June
Please note that as the examination schedule has been pushed out by a week (due to the COVID lockdown), the final day for students in Term 2 will now be Thursday 24 June. Students will finish at the normal time of 3:15pm. Friday 25 June is a staff Professional Practice Day and Report Writing Day.