Being the final newsletter of Term Three it is hard to believe how quickly time has passed during this year.

And what a year it has been! Who could possibly have imagined what 2020 was going to hold? Moving from smoke covered schools in late 2019, to devastating bushfires which affected so many across 2019 and 2020, to then have floods and finally, to top it all off, COVID-19 – something which continues to impact on our daily lives.

While NSW has been fortunate in comparison to states like Victoria or conditions in various countries across the world, our lives have been irrevocably changed and as a College we are still learning from our time during remote learning. So at least there will be positives which result in terms of the learning and teaching which the College provides.

Further good news, and we certainly need good news, is that the College will still have a College Graduation for our Year 12s and a Formal.

The timing and format for the Graduation will differ significantly from previous years – and the College is currently exploring spaces and formats which can allow at least one (hopefully two) parents/carers to attend with their children. While more details will follow, I am so pleased that our Year 12s will at least have some joy after a torrid year.

Included below are both sentiments and a prayer from Pope Francis regarding COVID-19 and, while our lives in NSW are gradually returning to greater normality, I continue to acknowledge that many families are struggling significantly from COVID-19. Thus, our hearts, thoughts and prayers continue to go out to those families. Once again, I reiterate that if families are struggling financially and need support please contact the College so that I can have a conversation with you.

In mentioning our Year 12s I would also like to acknowledge the very high quality of Major Works (Visual Arts, Design & Technology, Extension II English, Society & Culture and Industrial Tech Timber) and/or Performances (HSC Music and Drama) which have been produced/presented this year. External markers/visitors and our own staff have spoken very highly of the quality of these works. Given the nature of the mixed COVID-19 year we have seen I warmly congratulate our students.

While revision for our Year 12s will be available in Week One, Term Four there will be an official farewell for our Year 12s amongst students and staff to mark the end of their formal lessons. I wish our Year 12s all the very best as they enter their final week.