Dear families

As the season changes, and we conclude our first term in 2022, we reflect on what has been, and look forward to what is to come in Term 2, especially to reconvening planned events and meeting more as a community in person. We extend our heartfelt thanks to you all for your support this term as we have navigated through changing sets of guidelines and operating protocols.

With Easter coming in the middle of the holiday break, students have been reminded this week to reflect on the importance of the Easter message. While we might separate the Easter and Christmas celebrations, we know that the gift in our Christian tradition is the same, the resurrection message of hope and of God’s great love for all. My prayer for our community is that we will know this great love and that as a community, we will always and actively reflect this out into our wider community, in our participation, and in our concern and care for others.

Staff

In the Secondary school, during Term 1 we welcomed Mr Hiep Nguyen as Technologies teacher.

Mr Mark Downsborough, Dean of Administration will be on long service leave in Term 2 and Mr Limpie van Aswegen will be acting Dean of Administration. Mr Lyndon Rice will be acting Secondary Manager Learning Technologies. Mrs Santie Brink, Head of Arcadia House will be on Long Service Leave too and we welcome Mrs Kendall Sallery to the role of Acting Head of Arcadia House, and Mrs Bernadette Lhota to the Acting Head of Windsor House role to relieve Mr Rice. Mrs Esbe Maree from the Secondary Curriculum Office will be on Long Service Leave in Term 2, and we thank Mrs Helen Fox from our Secondary Attendance Team for stepping in to support the Curriculum team during Mrs Maree’s leave.

In Primary School, we welcomed Ms Rebecca Clayton (Class of 2013) who has been appointed as the teacher for Year 6.1. Mrs Angelina Ryan will be on Long Service Leave in Term 2 and 3. Sadly, Primary Teaching and Learning Leader Mrs Christina Roodt, who is currently on Leave, will not return to the College. We thank Mrs Roodt for her wonderful contribution to the Primary community and will miss her. Mrs Belinda van der Walt, Primary Education Assistant, will also be leaving us, and we also thank her for her long-standing contribution to the College. For Term 2, we will welcome Ms Carrie Thornton as Primary Health & Physical Education teacher.

We wish all our students a wonderful Easter break, and pray that they return for Term 2 feeling refreshed and ready to go. While summer seemed to pass faster than some might hope, the weather is wonderful, and Perth, in April is a beautiful place to be, so some outside time for the mind, body and soul is encouraged for our young people. We continue to hold those who are affected by COVID in our thoughts and prayers.

Paul Sonneman-Smith

College Principal PK-12