Weekly Wrap
Dear all, welcome to week 2 term 3 of the Weekly Wrap.
I feel like I keep saying the same statement. To say this week has been unusual is an understatement.
I would never have imagined that I would see the day when the entire College community was wearing a face covering. I wanted to thank everyone for the civic minded approach to safety that everyone took. I did not experience anyone looking for loopholes to avoid the necessity of wearing a face covering. Our students clearly demonstrated they understood the civic responsibility attached to the wearing of a face covering. I observed everyone whom I greeted each morning doing the right thing, regardless of the discomfort. This is such a new experience for us all, that we were expecting a period of adjustment. Our students, however, seemed to embrace the challenge with resilience and positivity. I am extremely proud of them for this.
At the end of what has been a challenging and unusual week, it is important to acknowledge that working through this time takes extra mental and physical energy as we learnt to adapt. So, it is timely to recognise that today is International Self-Care Day.
Self-care is any activity we do deliberately to take care of our mental, emotional and physical health. It is those things we do that we enjoy and that refuel us which in turn helps us to take care of each other.
For our community, both on-site and learning from home, it is a great opportunity to remind ourselves of what we can be doing to take care of ourselves at this time. Actions such as; ensuring we are getting enough sleep, exercising, communicating with friends and family, spending time in nature, hobbies, and taking breaks from the screen and media.
It’s also important to remind everyone that part of looking after ourselves is seeking help when we need it. Our College’s Wellbeing Team are always here to help both on-site and virtually. Also, there are several organisations that can help including:
- Kids Help Line provides both phone counselling and web chat 24/7- 1800 55 1800 or www.kidshelpline.com.au
- Lifeline also provides phone counselling 24/7 and web chat each evening- 13 11 14 or https://www.lifeline.org.au/crisis-chat/
Despite the spectre of Covid-19, the College did continue as normal for those in VCE and VCAL. For those learning remotely, students seemed to adapt seamlessly into their learning environment, and staff have moved quickly to support those experiencing difficulties with remote learning. We are watching the mental health of our community and if you know of anyone who is struggling, please don’t hesitate to contact us, as we may not have the same level of awareness of their challenges that you might.
Course counselling commenced this week, enabling students to select their choices for next year. These were done remotely through Teams and seemed to work very well. Parents, students and our staff linked together effectively to discuss course preferences for 2021.
Two of our student leaders from parliament, Matt and Gabby attended a Student Leaders Forum online this Wednesday, where student leaders from around the State discussed ways that student led initiatives have maintained positive morale throughout the period of remote and flexible learning. We were very proud of the way Gabby and Matt participated and contributed.
Moving into the weekend is a good opportunity for students and staff to put away their devices and get a break from screens. Constant access to learning through a device takes a toll and it is important to get a break. Use the time to exercise and get away from the screen. Congratulations to all of you for a great week in trying circumstances. As any developments come to hand, be assured we will communicate these with you through Compass.
Take care, stay safe and stay strong