Principal
The word unique comes to my mind as I consider the start to the 2020 school year.
The first days of any school year are always a unique time. New students and new families mixed with those who are returning for another year at Nudgee College. Warm embraces and displays of friendship are mixed with the tentative gestures that come with first encounters. Getting started and finding their way around this big school is always challenging for new students. But this challenge is moderated by staff and fellow students who are looking to welcome, support and encourage. In effect, the important foundations are being laid for what is to come in the months ahead.
So welcome back to many and welcome to new families and students. This year, we will start the school year with approximately 1,680 students and more than 290 boarders. Amongst them, there are over 280 new students commencing this week. The preparation for the year has been extensive and extends back to the end of the 2019 school year. Many support staff have worked tirelessly throughout the holidays, while teachers over recent weeks have dedicatedly prepared for the year ahead.
The past summer has also been unique in another way. The ravages of fire have affected us all and we continue to hold those most affected in our thoughts and prayers. Across large parts of Queensland, and over the border into North-Western NSW, the drought has been relentless. Students in our Boarding Village return from farms and communities that are still suffering. The College continues to support them in a variety of ways and we pray that the rain that began to fall in recent weeks becomes more widespread.
Of course, unique certainly applies to the circumstances unfolding around the Coronavirus. We have communicated on a daily basis with our community and will continue to do so as the situation changes. I include our latest update, which was circulated earlier on Thursday.
Upon entering the campus it is evident that building projects are underway. There is a building site at the MacKillop Building on Edmund Rice Way that will be transformed into the Early Learning Centre through the course of 2020. At the top of the campus, an extensive building site encompasses the heritage precinct, including Edmund Rice Mall, as well as the Treacy, Duhig and Gallagher buildings. This project in the central part of the school will cause some disruption to daily routines that we will all need to adjust to throughout the remainder of the year. We will update the community on these projects during 2020, as well as the Flats project when it commences at the end of the term.
2020 is also a unique year in Queensland education. Our Year 12 cohort will be a part of the first year level to complete the Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) under the new senior assessment and tertiary entry regime. The Year 11s will follow in their footsteps as they commence their senior studies this week. This system of senior assessment will see the QCE represented by the attainment of an Australian Tertiary Admissions Rank (ATAR) score. This new landscape will challenge everyone – students, parents and teachers included. Last year, we commenced a regular communication process to convey the changes to long standing policies, procedures and practices. This will continue and I commend the work of Dean of Learning and Teaching Mr Jason Sepetauc and the Heads of Faculty and Subject Coordinators in preparing and working with our Year 11 and 12 cohorts.
Finally, unique is a word that can be applied to Ms Julie Kopittke. As we advised our parent body earlier this week, Julie passed away on Monday following a heart attack late last week. Julie was a much loved House Mum in Hodda Boarding House as well as an assistant in the Advancement department. Her husband, Brendan, her adult daughters and extended family have been in our prayers this week. They were present in the Chapel on Wednesday evening when the Boarding community led a poignant tribute to her. The impact that Julie had on many Hodda boys and fellow staff was clearly evident throughout this occasion. Her sunny presence and caring demeanour will be missed. Her funeral details are still to be advised.
With every blessing for the school year that is now underway.
Mr Peter Fullagar
Principal