I would like to thank you all, as a community, for your continual support in what has been an eventful and in many ways a challenging first half of the year! It has been humbling to see how both students and staff have adapted in response to such challenging times.
There is no doubt that our experience with navigating the recent pandemic prepared us for how we now manage and accept change. We became more change-capable and learnt how to re-wire ourselves to be more comfortable with and open to change. It is this mindset that has allowed our College to continue to flourish this year despite many changes in the physical surroundings and School leadership.
I would like to thank the school community for your support and understanding during remote learning in the last three weeks of term two. I must admit that I breathed a sigh of relief once all students returned to face to face learning after the holidays. I want to acknowledge the members of the executive team who worked tirelessly to ensure a contingency plan was established in the event that the new building was not ready. As we commence the second half of the school year it has been most pleasing to see the students approaching School life with renewed vigour and enthusiasm. For some a new semester presents itself as an opportunity to continue to build upon the foundations laid down in the first part of the year, while for others it is seen as an opportunity to regroup. Whatever the individual’s motivation it is imperative that they take the many opportunities on offer to them.
As the optimistic season of Spring approaches it brings new life to everything around us and offers us new starts and ideas. Perhaps it is therefore not a coincidence that the second half of 2022 will also offer our community many reasons to celebrate.
With the recent opening of the newest wing of the campus, the multi storey edifice signifies an exciting and important chapter of our development that engages K-12 across all learning spheres and incorporates a range of diverse learning, administration and seminar spaces. The building offers adaptable open plan environments that support collaborative, integrated learning. Our students and staff are very excited to move into their modern campus and it has quickly become a place that fosters a sense of pride and belonging, where our students and staff grow, learn and make new discoveries together. We could not be prouder of how our school is developing.
Parents are requested to use the main administration entrance located near the roundabout on Australis Ave for all inquiries and financial payments. Please understand that schools are very busy places and appointments must be made to meet with any staff members.
Our building program continues with ongoing renovations and a major upgrade to the existing secondary facility to ensure safety, reliability and longevity of all our school assets. This building is receiving a complete interior and exterior renovation that is estimated to be completed by year’s end. The move into the new building by primary classes is dependent on the installation of handrails purpose designed for junior students. From the outset this may seem straight forward however we are dependent on a number of external entities and a date is unknown at this stage.
I would like to congratulate Ms Margi, Ms Saleh and Mrs Hanna on the recent birth of healthy babies and send warm blessings to the proud parents! We said farewell to Head of Teaching and Learning, Mr Joseph at the end of term 2 who decided to move on for family reasons. We thank Mr Joseph for all his work at St Mark’s and wish him well in his new role. We welcome Mr Morgan who will take on COS, HSIE and English in the secondary school and Mr Hanna who is looking after Year 6 for Ms Margi.
As parents we all want our children to grow into kind, ethical, resilient and active citizens. The fact is that many of the experiences that support such growth take place outside of the classroom. Educational research reveals that camps and outdoor education programs are important opportunities for great educational learning and personal development. They also play a key role in supporting student wellbeing. The College Camping and Outdoor Education Program is a highlight of the year that takes place during Week 10 of Term 3. The focus is on building interpersonal and intrapersonal skills such as independence, resilience, leadership, communication and respect for others. While it may be tempting for parents to dismiss this as an irrelevant learning opportunity or an early start to the holidays please be advised that term 3 finishes on Friday the 23rd of September. It is important to note that the Camping and Outdoor Program is not optional attendance and is booked from year to year along with transport and staff requirements therefore refunds will not be available should your child not attend.
I would like to formally thank our wonderful students for all of their hard work and efforts. I am privileged to lead such an amazing staff team and thank you for your continued dedication. I appreciate the work you do to provide our students with a rich, extensive curriculum in and beyond the classroom. On behalf of the staff I thank all parents for allowing us to share with you the privilege of educating your child, we consider it an honour to work in partnership with you.
Lastly, I am very grateful to have the opportunity to take on the acting Head of College role at here at St Mark’s College. This is a wonderful school and I am honoured to be part of this warm and caring community.
God Bless
Mrs Deborah Grohala
Acting Head of College
