2021 - A producti DR PETER MILLER, PRINCIPAL
There has been much discussion about the unpredictability of the last two years and the disruption it has brought to all our lives. In the early phase (2020) of the global pandemic the possibility of a lockdown and the associated remote learning was undesirable. Throughout this year the shift in and out of lockdown, and remote learning, have seemed inevitable at increasingly short notice. It was a difficult balance between community safety and the desire to have our children at school. Term 3 saw schools in Regional Victoria bounce in and out of remote learning on 24 hours notice on more than one occasion. Consequently, over the last 12 months we have been exceedingly frustrated and occasionally angry at the circumstances we find ourselves
6 Ad Astra Issue No 141
in. Uncertainty brings with it uneasy emotions and unhappiness. It is my intention for The Geelong College to provide students with experiences that prepare them for a life beyond school. They may be academic and intellectual, social and emotional, physical and artistic, or creative and spiritual. The personal experiences vary with each student reflecting the unique interplay of significant academic achievements experienced as a consequence of or during classroom lessons; messages received at collegial gatherings such as assemblies or Chapel; informal interactions with teachers outside of class time, or with
other mentors at school in music, productions and sport; and, the other adventures such as camps, excursions and trips. All of these interactions provide our students with opportunities for great lessons or even simple moments they can treasure. The way these experiences have taken place over the last two school years has been challenged and changed. Consequently, we have been forced to reflect upon the nature of the College experience and the benefits for our students. In doing so, we have thought about wellbeing, what brings happiness and how we can address this.
