Deputy Principal

“(The) Internet has contributed to certainly a new kind of communication among us…When we talk about human community, we certainly now have a tool in our hands that enables us to reach out as we never have before. It broadens our sense certainly of what community is and even of our own place in it.” Joan Chittister, OSB

We espouse Community as one of the Benedictine values creating opportunities so that everyone - students and staff- feels that they matter and that they belong. We know that this sense of connection to people and place, where we are known and appreciated for who we are is integral to our sense of self and well-being. During the time of online learning we continued this focus in a number of ways, with the intention of doing what we usually do in a different environment, in a different way but still holding uppermost our connectedness and community.

Communication was the fundamental response to our community in action. Regular updates were promptly published on our website so that our families were aware of information as we received it. Making ‘How are you going?’ phone calls to all families gave us a chance to check in with parents just as our fortnightly Pastoral check-in surveys allowed us to hear from our students and respond effectively. Parent forums were another occasion for feedback across the year levels and Mary and I very much appreciated the social aspect of these conversations alongside the insights offered. Teachers emailed and phoned parents to support students and Mary Fitz-Gerald and I sent a postcard to every student letting them know we were thinking of them.

Progress meetings, webinars and information sessions via zoom provided effective opportunities for school and home communication. We ran a Community time programme twice a week where students could choose from a range of options such as yoga, embroidery and pets on screen time or participate in year level or whole school activities such as Trivia Tuesdays and Chalk Art. In Pastoral Group sessions, students joined in in year level programs, social time and assemblies. Our Health and PE team ran a Virtual fitness Hub and continued the early morning Tuesday and Thursday running club sessions as online get togethers.

What have we learned from the challenging times and circumstances of 2020? We are further convinced that our students can be courageous and creative, adaptive and versatile. Our families have been supportive and realistic, patient and constant in spite of all sorts of other demands and challenges. Our colleagues have been inventive and collegial, forgiving and constant as we continued to deliver our regular programs and opportunities in this new and unexpected environment.

We have all been drawn into a closer consideration and then appreciation for those things in our lives that really matter, and our Mater Christi community is one of those. As you read through this Yearbook, I hope you are able to enjoy a sense of how our community worked, played and celebrated in this most different of years.

Julie Feeney Deputy Principal

Learning and Teaching

2020 has been a year of great challenge and many opportunities. When we started developing our approach to online and remote learning, our three key aims were to ensure continuity of learning, to support the wellbeing of students and staff, and to maintain connection to our community.

The shift from learning and teaching to online was one that required great skill, agility, adaptability and many, many hours of work by all teachers. Difficult decisions had to be made about curriculum and assessment, about what was essential for learning continuity and what we could let go. Teachers in practical subjects had to find new and accessible ways for students to experience learning and success. We have learnt so much from this experience about how to further develop strong learning relationships with students from a distance and how to use new and existing technologies to support learning.

Our Learning Management System, Canvas, was central to our approach to learning and teaching online. Together, Canvas and Zoom enabled us to stay connected and ensure clear communication about learning intentions, activities and assessment. Before long we were using these tools and a whole range of others to engage students in learning activities and provide regular, timely feedback about progress. In the midst of this, we managed to tap into new opportunities and students were able to connect with and learn from experts at organisations such as The University of Melbourne, Young Change Agents, Melbourne Zoo and Yarra Ranges Tech School. The willingness of all teachers to adapt to these significant changes, seek out new and exciting opportunities, and to listen to and respond to student feedback about their learning experience, has been nothing short of astounding.

It’s difficult to express just how proud we are of our students and their 'can-do' attitude in the face of extended periods away from their teachers, classmates, friends and the extracurricular activities they so enjoy. Time and time again they rose to the challenges of online and remote learning and showed themselves to be learners who are knowledgeable, principled, open-minded, caring, willing to take risks, balanced and reflective - learners who have the skills to advocate for and manage their own learning.

None of this would have been achievable without the strong partnerships and collaboration between staff, students and parents. The relationship between home and school has never been so important as we’ve worked together to support student learning and wellbeing. Our hope is that we can continue to build upon these relationships to shape how we engage with parents in the future to continue to support and improve student learning outcomes.

Our undertaking for 2021 is to build back better, for all of us to apply our new learning to the classroom context, to reimagine contemporary learning and teaching practices, to engage in conversation with our communities about what learning could and should look like. A big challenge, but if 2020 has taught us anything, it’s the power of collaboration and community in the face of adversity.

Collette Bond Director of Curriculum