I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our wonderful staff, students and parents/guardians for the incredible work and dedication shown during the transition to remote learning. The learning curve has been significant for all of us; however, I have been so impressed by people’s willingness to learn new skills and embrace online learning.
Over the past few weeks, staff across the College have continued to develop their skills in the use of:
- Google Classroom
- Video conferencing calls using Google Meet
- Google Forms for assessments
- Screen casting
- Online learning tools
We are very thankful for the ongoing support we have received from the wider College community. The collaboration between students, carers and staff has been crucial in the continuation of our teaching and learning programs. In particular, the daily conversations at home with your child are invaluable in the learning process, and they put your child in good stead for their learning each day.
Our dedicated team of teaching staff are currently in the process of completing the next set of progress checks, so this will provide you with feedback about how your child is progressing with their learning in this remote context.
2021 SEAL Program
Our Select Entry Accelerated Learning (SEAL) Program has been running for 23 years and it is renowned as one of the few accredited SEAL programs in our community. We are proud members of The Academy of Accredited SEAL Schools (of which there are only 40 schools across Victoria). The program is targeted at academically gifted and/or talented students who are looking to accelerate and extend their learning.
On the weekend, all of our 2021 SEAL applicants sat the entrance exams online and next week, Ms. Roberts and I will be interviewing all applicants. We are very proud of our accelerated program and the rigour in our selection process.
Please see below a summary of the data we triangulate through our SEAL Program enrolment process.
SEAL Geography/History Competitions
Please note that the Australian History Competition will not run in 2020. However, the Australian Geography Competition has extended the sitting date until September. I will continue to keep registered SEAL students informed as information becomes available.
The committee’s achievements to date include:
- MEX working party – continuing to improve MEX units
- Presenting to all staff about assessment clarity
- Organising the Elevate Study Skills evening for parents
- Space re-design (particularly looking at the Year 7 centre)
In Term 1 of 2020, the committee was meeting on a fortnightly basis to discuss what, how and where they learn. However, the current context has made it tricky for the committee to continue their wonderful work. Some of the key priorities for 2020 are:
- Reviewing the holiday homework expectations across the College
- Exploring avenues for parent engagement through guest speakers
- Continuing to provide feedback about learning space development and furniture choices
- Providing student voice for reporting and assessment processes
- Streamlining the book borrowing system in our HUB
I have thoroughly enjoyed working with this group of insightful and enthusiastic students, and I look forward to continuing to work with the team to achieve their goals in 2020. If your child is interested in joining the committee, they should speak to a committee member or myself about this fantastic opportunity to make meaningful change in the College community.
Alice Leppin
Director of Pedagogy and Innovative Programs Years 7-10 (including SEAL Coordinator)