Good morning to the Principals, Teachers, Parents and Students of Hazel Glen College. Seth and I are here today to give you the details about the pros and cons of home-learning and how it has been for us.

At the moment COVID-19 was a shock to the world as it continues to spread. Changes to Australia have made it easier to adapt to new lifestyles as we wait in hope to return to our “normal” lives after this pandemic.

In the past 6 weeks of this recording, our College has undergone several changes to our education as now students are diligently working from home and adapting to their new learning environments.

For us Year Twelves, many of us prefer working from home as we found ourselves more productive in our own learning space. We are able to manage and prioritise our work according to our timetable, which is making the switch to home-learning easier. Additionally, many students feel comfortable in knowing there is flexibility in their workload, and if they do have troubles, the teacher is only a Google meet or Webex call away.

With the commencement of home-learning, I was excited to manage my own time in my own way while connecting more with my family. At first, I struggled with having the motivation to complete work, but now, I’m learning languages and instruments while healthily balancing my schoolwork. As many of us will be graduating this year, our College’s Pathways Coordinator has been tirelessly helping us to make the best decisions for our future. Not only am I confident in what I want to do in life, but in how I can achieve those goals.

While I have been at home, I have discovered new sources of entertainment. Because eventually, you run out of things to watch on Netflix. I have found working at home to be easier as I can create my own timetable and am able to manage the workload according to when I need to do it by.

Yet working at home comes with many distractions, but there are more excuses to get out of doing house chores during school hours. I have had time to binge many shows on Netflix and Disney+ but have had time to think about my future. This has been a challenging switch, yet working from home has become a bit more relaxing. For now, it is just a matter of waiting for everything to dial down and we will be able to go back out.

For students who are struggling with adapting to this strange environment, here are a few tips that we found to help us:

Set up routine and structure for your workday making sure you create boundaries between ‘work time’ and ‘home time’.

Exercising for only 10 minutes a day is a sure way to increase your mood and overall health.

Ensure to spend some time with your family but also have some space: make sure to enjoy the time at home whether it be watching tv, scrolling through Tik Tok or playing a video game.

We hope everyone is staying safe during this global pandemic. Please remember to wash your hands and stay inside, and we’ll all get through this together.

Once again this has been Julie Williams and Seth Peachey with Term Two’s Newsletter, signing off!

Welcome to Week 4 of Term 2

As you are well aware, life as we know it has certainly changed a great deal. Firstly, I would like to thank our school community for the manner that they have embraced home learning and supporting the Department of Education’s request that all children who can learn from home, MUST learn from home.

I would like to sincerely thank parents for their feedback on our remote learning program earlier this week, our home-school partnership is what is integral to making our remote learning a success. Your positive feedback has been affirming, inspiring and encouraging to us all. On behalf of all of our teachers, Educational Support and Leadership we thank you. 

Our Junior School Teachers will continue to contact your children to assist them with their online learning via Webex. We are striving to ensure students are maintaining their connection to school, with their peers and their teachers. We understand that by providing face-to-face experiences, teachers are able to provide support and engagement, with the intent of increasing motivation and confidence. This allows teachers to regularly monitor student wellbeing and support student learning whilst building a sense of community. 

We want to reassure you that we do not expect parents to be experts, or to have to sit down with their children for large periods of time to complete set work. We simply ask you to “do what you can do”. We understand there will be good and bad days but ultimately trust that you know your child best. If you feel your child would benefit from a break and enjoy some quality time reading a story with you, cooking, going for a walk or just needing some wind down time, please know you have our full support. Our families wellbeing is what is most important to us. Especially during these challenging times. It really was so lovely to see so many smiling faces at our online Joke time last Friday! A little bit of laughter definitely goes a long way. Finding the humour and playing is integral to happy, healthy kids and families.

During this extended isolation, it is natural to feel confused and worried as to what is going to happen. It is important that as parents, we make our children feel as safe as possible and continue to provide them with a regular routine and a sense of life being “normal”. We want you all to be aware that we have a well-being team that is able to support both you and your child during this time. If your child is feeling distressed, anxious or overwhelmed and you would like help with supporting them during this time our friendly well-being staff are happy to help. Please discuss this with your classroom teacher. 

We are all in this together. On behalf of all of our staff thank you for your continued ongoing support and encouragement. Please continue to look after each other and stay safe.

Rebecca Richards

Acting Junior School Principal

My name is Kim Donnelly and I’m the Acting Middle School Principal.

With so much going on around us, I’d like to reassure you that our transition to remote learning is continuing to run successfully.

While there may have been a few bumps in the road while we all adjusted to this new way of teaching and learning, we are incredibly pleased with how well most students have adapted. Teachers have been connecting and engaging with students to provide the best possible learning programs in all areas of the curriculum and supporting them with any difficulties that have arisen.

If you or your child have any concerns about their remote learning program, please contact their teacher via email as a first point of call. For further queries, please contact the college, where your concerns will be directed to the appropriate staff.

In this difficult time, we know that the mental health of students is crucial. During normal school times, our Wellbeing team is available to provide phone, email and online support to students and parents about issues around their mental health, social issues, anxiety and referral to external support services. Please see the Compass post from the College principal for direct contact information or contact the college.

I’d also like to reiterate the message from the Victorian Government at this stage that all students who can learn at home must learn from home. Teachers, along with the support of curriculum leaders across the college are continuing to develop a comprehensive, flexible remote learning program that caters to the needs of all students.

I’d like to finish by wishing you and your family all the best. We look forward to seeing all students back when the time is right. 

Thank you and stay safe.

Kim Donnelly
Acting Middle School Principal

Welcome to the Senior School newsletter for Week 4 of Term2.

I would like to start by acknowledging that this video newsletter is coming at a time when Senior School’s buildings and classrooms have been empty for 4 weeks this term as we have transitioned to remote learning. I certainly miss the hustle and bustle of the normal school day with all of our students and teachers coming and going to their classes and whilst we understand that it is important for the health of our Victorian Community that students learn from home we certainly look forward to a time when classes can resume.

The current situation of remote learning during the COVID 19 pandemic is one that is challenging for our College community. Whilst many students have enjoyed the flexibility of working from home and have found greater focus and concentration, others have found this experience overwhelming and isolating. There is no doubt that everyone is missing the experience of being at school with friends and teachers.

I would like to acknowledge the work of all of our teachers who have transitioned to remote learning so well and have developed new skills in using google classroom, running video conferencing, making instructional videos and finding new ways to teach in a remote learning environment.

Students, you have had to learn to work in a new more flexible manner and whilst some of you have found this challenging, I know that the majority of you have engaged in your remote learning in a positive and productive manner. I would like to remind all students that having a daily schedule of learning and following your Compass timetable is the most effective way to maintain an organised learning environment.

Year 12 students, I understand that this remote learning has caused a change to the way that the VCE and VCAL had been planned. I can reassure you that the VCE and VCAL programs have been adapted to help you complete Year 12 in a supportive manner. Unit 4 course content has been reduced in VCE subjects and SAC assessments reduced, this means that there will be more time to revise the Unit 3 content that has been delivered this term. Exams have been rescheduled into December and so, therefore, there will be plenty of time to prepare for this and I expect that you will finish for study leave in mid November. Mr Harvey and Ms Robertson have been working hard and the Year 12 commemorative jacket is now available for order for you to wear in Term 3 and 4. In addition, the Year 12 common room will be available for use when we return….although social distancing measures will unfortunately still need to apply!

To our Senior School parents, I would like to thank you for your support and assistance with your child’s learning, during this remote learning. Whilst most students have been able to work independently we know that the support from parents in helping students to organise themselves, complete tasks and communicate with teachers has been a key to success as a three way partnership between student, parents and teachers. Thank you to all of the parents that have completed the survey that was sent out this week, it has been overwhelmingly positive and gives great feedback on areas for further development, we appreciate your time in completing this.

I hope that all students and families are able to get out of the house for walks, bike rides or other exercise whilst the weather is still fine to help keep both body and mind refreshed. Whilst we are unsure of when school will resume as normal, some Year 12 practical subjects will resume next week with appropriate social distancing measures in action. Please look after yourselves at this time when it is important to stay at home, we certainly miss our Senior students being at school and look forward to welcoming you back to school when it is safe and appropriate to do so.

Neil Baillie

Senior School Principal

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