Joy. Throughout this week I have been searching for the word that captured what the faces, greetings and conversations of the Year 11 and 12 students expressed. It is truly remarkable. Many staff have noticed this feeling that is radiating from the nearly 500 senior students who have returned. They are just happy to be here. Happy to see their mates and their teachers. Happy to be in a place for which they feel strongly. They are secretly happy to have the school to themselves for a little while and to be the centre of our attention.

There are challenges ahead. There is schoolwork to be completed. Deadlines to meet. Tests to be taken. Every Year 12 student, who is present this week, has had the opportunity for a one on one session with an academic mentor. These conversations will help the transition back to school and in setting directions for the weeks and months ahead.

Not every student is back with us yet. As a boarding school this return to school has not been without some difficulty for our interstate boarders. This week travel restrictions have been adjusted by Queensland’s Chief Health Officer that have enabled these young men to return to school, much to their relief as well as their parents and our Boarding staff. I acknowledge Mr Christian Oneto for his ferocious work on this critical issue last week as well, as the support of boarders across the state by key groups such as ICPA, ABSA and QCEC. Our local member, Ms Leanne Linard, was also of great assistance to our community.

Please give a thought to a small group of senior students from Papua New Guinea who currently cannot return to school due to international travel restrictions. Our school has had a long association with families from our nearest neighbour and we are supporting our current students as best we can. There is much uncertainty about how the return to school can occur in the present circumstances.

Over the past week the roadmap to easing Queensland’s restrictions has been mentioned many times and while people may be familiar with the term, they may not be aware of some of the details. We have found this document particularly useful and I commend it to you as you consider your own family circumstances and what is ahead.

Broadly the roadmap sets out three distinct stages for easing of restrictions concerning gatherings, non-essential business and travel (among other things), as follows:

• Stage 1 (from 15 May): Gatherings of up to 10 outdoors, non-essential business relaxations, 150km travel intrastate permitted
• Stage 2 (from 12 June): Gatherings of up to 20 outdoors, more non-essential business relaxations, 250km travel intrastate permitted
• Stage 3 (from 10 July): Gatherings of up to 100, further relaxations for non-essential business, more intrastate and interstate travel

Progression to Stage 2 and Stage 3 remain subject to ongoing health advice.

While we are working hard to manage the challenge and opportunities of the present time the College continues to look to the future. Important to this future is enrolments. Social restrictions mean that we cannot hold our Open Day as we traditionally have at this time of the year. Many current parents will recall their own experiences of Open Day here at Nudgee College as well as other schools. We have had to be creative about finding a means of conducting Open Day and our Development and Communications Office have developed Open Day Online. This will be launched on Saturday and will continue throughout next week. Families who register an enrolment in this period will have their $250 enrolment fee waived.

The Admissions Office has recently distributed an email to the Year 5 2022 applicants, requesting Stage 2 information. We are currently over-enrolled for that year, so there is a need for those who are intending to enrol for 2022, and are yet to do so, to submit their application and have their son’s name on the prospective student list. If you, a family member or friend requires further information please contact Ms Susan Shakespear, Director of Admissions via admissions@nudgee.qld.edu.au or 07 3865 0545.

In conclusion, while the seniors have returned, I am very mindful of the many boys in Years 5 to 10 who cannot wait to return to school. While the vast majority are going well considering the nature of learning@home over an extended period of time, there are some who are now struggling. Please contact Mr Peter Todd (07 3865 0336) if you would like to consider an early return because it is in the best interests of your son’s wellbeing. Fortunately, there are now only seven school days before we can take the next step to returning to more regular school arrangements. I hope for parents, teachers and students that these seven days can be savoured as well as survived!

Mr Peter Fullagar
Principal

Looking at one of my son’s assignments over the weekend I noticed, with a smile, the inclusion of Habits of Mind (HOM) terminology. The College introduced HOM 10 years ago. The promise at the time was Habits are here to stay. They will not be another ‘flash in the pan’ or ‘bolt on’ learning tool that would simply wither and die, like many others seem to in schools.  A recent article from the HOM team struck a chord. I want to use parts of this article that explored how the Habits apply to the ‘new normal’.

HOM: Thinking about your thinking

With stay at home and social distancing orders in place for Queensland, students truly are without the resources that school can offer. Therefore, we can help students to become more aware of their thoughts, to know when they understand or do not yet understand something during their learning process. I believe it is important to note that this includes both their mental wellness as well as their academic understanding.

Our teachers help students to develop the practice of ‘mindfulness’. This strategy asks students to turn their mind from the hustle and bustle that is occurring all around them and instead pay attention to their mind and self. By encouraging this strategy, they may better recognise when and how they are feeling stress so that they may do what is necessary (relax, exercise, stretch, research, find help, etc.) to take care of themselves.

HOM: Persisting

It becomes easy for students to give up when they are faced with questions and have that feeling that they ‘don’t get it’, especially when isolated in their houses without access to tutors and/or their teacher. Those who can persist through challenges are those who can engage in strategies and ideas to help them through confusion and questions.

One way staff are helping students become more persistent is by working with them to co-create questions and a list of strategies to use as they work to get ‘unstuck’. By having these ideas to navigate through their questions, it becomes easier to not give up and identify what may help them when they experience other challenges in the future.

HOM: Listening with understanding and empathy AND thinking flexibly

While these two Habits may seem the most obvious, they may also be two of the most essential. Every student’s world has been disrupted, and while we often complain that students spend too much time on their phones, it should be noted that as the students interact in class Google Meets, they become more alive.

As we listen to and recognise what the boys need, we can adapt our plans to ensure we are meeting the boys where they are. As we respond to their needs, we also build stronger relationships with them as we demonstrate that their voice matters in this time of disruption.

HOM: Thinking interdependently AND taking responsible risks

In this unprecedented time we need to try out new ideas, find out what digital and media tools can help our boys learn, help them build capacity with these tools, and understand what actions are and are not working by sharing our experiences with one another (parents and teachers alike). As we gain insight from one another, we can continue to build more effective learning opportunities with our sons. By receiving student feedback, we can refine our plans and enhance their learning experiences.

Final thoughts

Shutting down the familiar school setting and moving to a virtual environment has resulted in a wide variety of emotions for students and teachers alike. Making it more difficult, teachers cannot meet as easily with students to speak with them one on one to better understand what is going on in their current reality. This new state of being highlights the definition of the Habits: “Having a disposition toward behaving intelligently when confronted with problems, the answers to which are not immediately known.”

By returning to a focus on specific Habits, I believe we have refined our plans and actions to better meet the needs of the boys and teachers in these forced online experiences. We may be socially distanced but it seems to me that utilising the HOM as a framework for interacting and supporting growth allows us to be more effective as we work through NC@home.

Mr David Johnston
Deputy Principal

Mr Stephen Meara
Dean of Identity

The latest QCE Memo containing information on Year 11 and 12 learning and assessment

Throughout Years 11 and 12, students have participated in lessons focussed on their study skills that have been led by an external company, Elevate Education. These have complimented boys’ subject-based learning and have been aligned with the skills that boys need at different stages of their senior journey. So far, these have focussed on:

• Time management skills
• Study skills
• How to ace exams 

Feedback from our senior students has indicated that they have found these sessions to be highly engaging and helpful to their studies.  

Last week, Elevate Education hosted a free webinar for parents focussed on how parents can help their children remain motivated throughout their senior years. Next week, they will offer another free webinar for parents focussed on how you can help your son develop the skills associated with effective study. This will occur on Thursday 28 May at 6.00pm. If you would like to participate, please click on this link to register. And don’t worry about numbers - Elevate Education has ensured us that there will be enough spots for all Nudgee College parents to attend!

Ms Natalie Webber
Director of Learning and Teaching

As many know, each week for the last three weeks we have sent the boys a simple survey we have called the Weekly Wellbeing Pulse Check. It goes out every Thursday morning. The boys are asked simple rating style questions (1-5, with 1 being low/negative and 5 being high/very positive) about mood, sleep, connection with peers, coping with study, exercise and general emotional state.

An average of 1,000 boys a week have filled out the survey. Overall the boys have coped very well. Exercise rates have increased in recent weeks - unless they are fibbing to us! Sleep, as always, is an area to look at.

When boys return low numbers, it triggers alerts to myself, House Deans and school counsellors. There has been a great level of follow up to all individuals whose ratings have indicated they may be struggling.

Here’s what we have found:

Stress level

General Mood

Exercise

Contact with peers

Sleep

Mr Peter Todd
Dean of Students