Welcome to Week 2. As I write this newsletter I am reflecting on the past two weeks and some of the highlights:

• Some students have returned to school and it has been wonderful to see their faces as they have a chance to personally connect with their friends again.
• I have been looking over teacher’s shoulders as they run Zoom lessons and I am so impressed by what they are doing to engage their students. I just had the pleasure of seeing some of a Year 8 History lesson on the Aztecs with Mr Quinn and his class happily working together online.
• Each Year group has had the opportunity to attend a Zoom Year Assembly.  I have been part of these assemblies as House Leaders develop creative activities to engage the students and to support their wellbeing.It has been quite funny to see how many dogs and cats are joining these assemblies with their owners!

You should have already received an email outlining the plan for next week as we gradually transition back to full face to face teaching.

Students who do not fall within these groups for a particular day, but need to be at school, may attend as needed as is the current situation. During Week 3, students will be supervised doing online learning, however, there will be staff to assist them with their learning as required.

A decision for Week 4 will be made by assessing attendance and the lack of COVID-19 in the community.

Our goal is to have students return to normal face to face lessons as soon as it is safe to do so. Please be assured that the College has a variety of safe practices in place:

• Over the holidays all classrooms were given a detailed clean including a carpet shampoo and air conditioner cleaning
• Students will be encouraged to continue social distancing of 1.5 metres. Staff are also expected to social distance 1.5 metres from students and each other
• Hand sanitizer is readily available in all classrooms
• Playground seating is cleaned at the end of each break
• Desks and toilets are cleaned twice daily

I think we are all considering what we will change in our lives as a result of this pandemic. It is a sad time for everyone but can also be a chance for reflection, growth and opportunity. Pope Francis’s message sums it up nicely.

“We have realised that we are on the same boat, all of us fragile and disoriented, but at the same time important and needed, all of us are now called to row together, each of us in need of comforting each other.”

Stay safe and please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns

Kathy Holding

Principal

ONLINE LEARNING AND RETURN TO FACE TO FACE TEACHING

Well done to our amazing students for always doing their best and adapting to the remote learning world. It has been a steep learning curve for us all. 

We will continue to provide information with the current advice to ensure the safety of all students.

Week 3 arrangements have been posted to Compass by Mrs Holding so to summarise:

• Remote learning will continue in week 3
• Year 11 and 12 students may have some face to face classes but these will also have a ZOOM link so any student at home may join in.
• Year 11 and 12 students who House day is on a different day to a Year 1 or 12 day may choose to come in or learn from home.

If there are any difficulties with this arrangement please contact us here; we aim to be flexible with this transition and realise that the arrangements won’t fit with some parents working conditions. 

Week 4 will be advised.

However any student who needs to be at school for whatever reason, should come to school – the school has never closed and remains open.

USING ATOMI – YEAR 11/12

Just a reminder that each week you should set aside 1 hour to complete any clips marks as ‘need to revise’ Atomi identifies your weakest area and assigns targeted videos to help you with this. This is aimed to put the content you need to know into your long term memory – very helpful for exams!

YEAR 12 PARENT/TEACHER/STUDENT CONFERENCES 26 MAY

Each year there is a further opportunity for Year 12 parents and students to meet to discuss mid-year reports and the remainder of Year 12. This separate Year 12 PTS Conference will occur on the 26th of May from 3.30pm to 6.30pm. Interviews will be 10 minutes in length.

Due to the Covid-19 restrictions around social distancing, the Conferences will take place via ZOOM. Bookings for the interviews will be made via the School Interviews website as normal - go to: https://www.schoolinterviews.com.au

The booking code is: zrx6k

Bookings will be open from 9am Wednesday 13^th May.

Year 12 students will be given a meeting code/link for each teacher via one google doc which will be posted to both Compass and their Google classroom page so that they can access the Zoom platform. 

On the afternoon of the Conferences, students will join the meeting with their teacher - they may be in a ‘waiting room’ until the teacher is available but should remain there. Interviews should not exceed 10 minutes. 

Parents and students will be able to attend the conference from their home as no onsite conferences will occur.

If you have questions please contact us at the College.

THANK YOU PAST STUDENTS

Quite a number of past Hennessy students responded to our calls for assistance and have offered to help our senior students this term. This is wonderful and we encourage students to take advantage of this.

Assistant Principal - Teaching and Learning                                       Director of StudiesSHARON HIBBERT                                                                             ANDREW FOURACRE 

I hope you are all keeping well in these challenging times. As a parent, I have witnessed some of the challenges families face. Converting my sewing room back to a bedroom for a child returned from interstate studies. Trying to coax school children to online learning, I know one of my sons hasn’t found the $20 inside his closed laptop, where as another one checks in on a Saturday not remembering what day of the week it is. I understand some of the challenges.

 As we begin to phase in a return to face to face learning over the next few weeks this will present challenges for some of our students. Challenges may include:

• Students returning to  face to face learning versus  screen time.
• Regaining a day to day routine. Actually getting up, breakfast, getting dressed in a uniform and getting to school versus rolling  out of bed and flicking on the computer.
• Over whelmed by the amount of work to do or they haven’t completed.
• Stresses of senior study and needing to catch up
• Reconnecting with friends

There will be other challenges that as parents you will be aware of. Can I please encourage you to contact a member of the College’s Wellbeing with any concern. I am confident that there is no challenge we can’t address or at the least share.

As you are hopefully aware there has been Year Assemblies across the last fortnight to continue to engage the students as part of the Hennessy community. I would like to thank Mrs. McInerney and the House Leaders for their guidance here. The year assemblies have highlight what fantastic Student Leaders we have with each Year Assembly be led by a House Captain or Vice-Captain and I would like to acknowledge their leadership and input into these assemblies.

I look forward to seeing you returning to the College over the coming weeks.

Mark Chifley

AP – Mission and Wellbeing

PARENT RESOURCES 

Elevate Education are doing an online FREE parent webinar 

 Elevate’s Head of Parent Engagement, Kane, will deliver the 60-minute webinar, which will delve into practical strategies for parents on how to boost their child’s motivation, and keep them organised and engaged with their education. We'll also be offering online 1:1 support for their children, should the parents feel their child needs some extra support staying on top of their workload and building effective study habits over this time.

Event Title: How to help your child study effectively during the COVID-19 pandemic (Yr 7-12 Parents)

Date: Wednesday 6^th May

Time: 6pm

Sign-Up Link: https://www.elevatecoaching.info/parent-webinar-aus/

Cost: Free

ONLINE SAFETY

An online safety guide has been attached – please feel free to have a read through this booklet, as it contains very useful information on how to support your children (and yourself!) during this season. (http://esafety.gov.au) 

AMY MERGARD | Student Wellbeing Officer/Aboriginal Education Worker

Hennessy is participating in Hangout for the Homeless this year. Date Saturday 26th May. 

Sleep at home but not in your bed. When you register, join our team "Hennessy Catholic College" 

www.hangoutforthehomeless.org.au