Principal's Message
The end of Term 2 is always a very busy time for students and teachers, with considerable time and effort invested in the assessment and reporting of student progress.
Assessment is of course an ongoing process informed by daily classroom observations and regular checkpoints, but it is very satisfying to see student growth and achievement captured in so many ways as the first semester draws to a close.
Progress reports, student reflections and goal setting, end of cycle comments on Compass and end of semester reports showing achievement against the Victorian Curriculum, teacher and Year Level Coordinator ‘strengths and next steps’ feedback, the new merit certificates for students who have shown exceptional commitment and achievement in specialist/elective subjects… through all of these mechanisms I have seen numerous examples of Camperdown College students working hard and with great success to achieve their personal learning goals.
In addition, today’s Junior and Senior Campus Celebration of Learning assemblies recognised additional, ‘stand out’ attendance and learning achievements, while also celebrating the many and varied individual accomplishments that we have witnessed during Term 2.
I congratulate all students who have made progress towards their short or long term goals this semester; particularly those who have surprised even themselves! Many of us have heard the old adage ‘The harder you work the luckier you get’ and it is terrific to see students, young and old, experiencing the connection between effort and outcomes.
As the semester concludes, we can reflect on the challenges that were presented by two further lockdowns and the positive manner in which our school community responded to these unwelcome interruptions. These experiences prompted us to review our remote learning practices and update our Camperdown College protocols, clarifying the different expectations and practices for short and long term periods of remote learning. This information has been provided to all families through a Question and Answer handout that has been include in the end of semester report envelopes. Please keep this on hand for future reference, although we are all of course hoping that no further periods of remote learning will be required!
The short notice provided to schools and families in the previous lockdowns also prompted a review of our on-site supervision application process. School Council has supported a simpler process which will now see families apply in advance at the beginning of the school term if they believe they meet the ‘authorised worker’ eligibility process. Parents who requested on-site supervision during the Term 2 lockdown have been provided with a Term 3 application form in their student’s report envelope, to be completed (one per family) and returned to the office by Wednesday 14th July. If you did not receive an application form and believe you are eligible, please contact the office.
With two weeks of school holidays ahead, parents may be looking for guidance in supporting their children to stay safe online. I highly recommend the Australian Government’s e-safety website https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents as it provides a wealth of information and resources to parents and young people. Whether it be webinars, conversation starters or ‘big issue’ tip sheets you are after, I hope that you find resources of value on this website.
In closing, I wish all students, staff and families a very happy and safe holiday, and look forward to seeing you all when school returns on Monday 12th July.
Ms Cherie Kilpatrick, Principal
Friday 25th June 2021