This week the College Leadership Team took the time to reflect on the challenges of the year thus far, and also to plan so we can ensure that, as a College we progress and achieve what we aspired to by the end of 2020.  It was great to see that the COVID-19 pandemic actually helped us achieve many of our goals, such as improved use of Canvas across the College.  It wasn’t quite what we expected, though we certainly have achieved a lot greater than anticipated!  Over the coming term, we will be working hard to deliver on the strategic direction intended for 2020 whilst also being very mindful of allowing teachers to align their creativity and focus on the teaching of the children in their care.  While the work of all staff has been phenomenal and they have taken on the complex and difficult challenges since March, teachers are made for using great pedagogy to cause learning in each and every one of their students. 

Early in Term 3, we expect to release updated subject selection lines for our students in the Senior years. We are currently working with an external provider to increase our subject capacity in the Senior years by offering “Flexible Learning Arrangements” so students can complete Senior subjects via an online model.  As we are leading this project with a number of TCS rural and remote colleges, this is adding greater value to the opportunities we can provide for our students.  Mr Hodge, Mrs Brennan and I will be making decisions and completing draft 2021 timetables before releasing this to ensure it is both sustainable and in the best interest of student pathways. The most exciting aspect of this is that it begins to deepen the combinations of subjects that students can choose from.  I am well aware that, in the past, many students have left the College to study particular subjects that can only offered at larger schools and this usually results in shifting to Dalby State High School or to a boarding school.  I am excited to release the lines and combinations, and work with students through their SET planning to ensure that they are best prepared for their future pathways whether it be university, employment or further training. Please note that Year 11 students will not be required to make subject choices due to these changes as there would potentially be an impact on their ability to maintain their current QCE plan.

Starting on Wednesday this week, the Year 10 class have been involved in a Careers Intensive Program focusing on being best prepared to determine their future career pathway.  It is quite remarkable the disparity between what the workplace looks like, and what the students expect from a workplace in the future.  Mrs Baxter, along with all of her guest presenters, is doing an excellent job guiding all students through some of the most challenging thinking they will need to do before graduating from OLSCC.  It sure is a wonderful program that I wish was available to me during Year 10, and I would like to acknowledge Mrs Baxter for all of the thought, planning, organisation and the quality of the program that is being delivered this week.

As the realisation of term’s end comes, despite seeming an impossible date for so long, our students are finding it challenging to maintain their usual exemplary behaviours both at the College and in public.  There have been many selfish behaviours where our students are not considering the impact that their actions have on others.  Accordingly, it is very important at this time for families to sit down and discuss the values that they uphold, as our staff did together last week. We reflected on the values of Compassion, Forgiveness, Peace, Love, Justice and Mercy and considered how we “walk the talk” of these values through our actions. It was a very rewarding reflection and one that families can also work through together. While I understand it has been a tough year, we also have over half the year left, so we must empower both ourselves and our families to refocus on what is important and continue on our journey.

Have a wonderful last week before holidays.

Peter Cuskelly

Principal