What an amazing turnaround we have had since our last newsletter!  We have transitioned from a College of over 600 students to one with under 40 students on a daily basis.  This has been a remarkable challenge, though the engagement of our staff throughout this period has been amazing.  Further in in this newsletter you will see some amazing updates regarding remote learning from learners in each sector, which is just wonderful to see.  The feedback we have received from our community has been extremely positive and we thank parents and carers for their efforts in continuing the education of their children at this time.

You will have noted the release of the first version of Remote Learning @OLSCC last week in our regular updates.  The world of remote learning is spinning so fast that you can expect an update of this (version 2.0) prior to the holidays.  Throughout the experience of engaging in Remote Learning this week we are finding new ways, different ways and better ways to do remote learning and as such this will constantly evolve over the coming months.  As mentioned yesterday, Remote Learning @OLSCC is our new normal until we are directed otherwise, and we are planning for this to occur for at least Term 2. If you have not yet read Remote Learning @OLSCC, I encourage you to do so, so you have a common understanding of what this looks like at OLSCC, and keep an eye on the website after the holidays with more information for parents and version 2.0 of Remote Learning @OLSCC.

Amongst this madness of change in our community, I again ask our community to think and act in ways aligned to our Catholic beliefs. Of critical importance we must give more than we expect to receive, take only what we need, heighten our social connection using technology, carrier pigeon or the good old fashioned letter, and consider ways in which we can help the most vulnerable at this time. Please take the time to check in on grandparents in your street and do the shop for them, don’t take your kids to the shops with you, keep your social distance and use technology for your social catch-ups.  My siblings, parents and I had a catch up on Sunday night on Facetime, while the kids all hung out on Zoom in their playspaces.  It was great to catch up with everyone and really not that different to a face-to-face conversation!  And like always, what was planned for half an hour quickly blew out to much longer.

Have a fantastic last week of term and enjoy your socially isolated holidays!

Peter Cuskelly

Principal