From the Head of the Senior School

A TIME TO BREATHE. NO PUN INTENDED

COVID was hard on all of us. Adaptation, survival and mastery, in that order, was the name of the game. Thankfully, this year was different. Along with the relaxation of measures on a national scale, I believe we have all welcomed the return to some sense of normality.

Change breeds change

This is not to say that we are back to the dark ages. The use of artificial intelligence, and online teaching facilities have remined, adding another valuable tool to the teacher’s arsenal. Students did an amazing job of adapting to the new methods, sometimes responding to them in ways we never expected. Online submissions, digital copies and resources made available digitally were all new ways in which teaching methods were enhanced and reinvented.

Outside of the classroom, things changed as well. Trips and fieldworks were on the agenda again, along with activities within College. Interhouse tournaments resumed, along with the return to subject-specific classrooms. Students were allowed more reign to practice sports during break time; no doubt a welcome change.

New Opporunities

The physical return to College also brought with it new opportunities. Areas of the College that were never explored before, saw the light of day, literally. This is particularly true for a group of dedicated year 10 students who put their mapping skills to the test. Under the direction of Mr Galea Pellicano; Yani Muscat, Raoul La Cognata, Alfonso Tolomeo and Andreas Aquilina Bondin worked together to map out the system of cisterns below the College grounds, an activity which culminated in the deployment of a remote submersible vehicle to explore the underground spaces.

Our prize day and graduation also returned to a face-to-face format, a welcome and heart warming change. College Captain Julian Coppini’s words on the day reflected how we have all changed following the pandemic, but in a good way. Maturity, a sense of ownership, and diligence are all by-products of being in charge of one’s own learning. Both celebrations served as welcome means to reward our students for their achievements, as well as bid our year 11s a final farewell as they embark on a new chapter in their lives.

The way forward? Our faith lies with the good doctors and researchers who are steadily reining in the pandemic. For the future of all our students, both past and present, we hope this trend continues such that they may all prosper and achieve their set life goals, unhindered. As a College, we look forward to organising more activities for our boys, and enjoying their company as they journey through life.

Onwards and upwards!

Daniel Caruana Smith Head of Senior School