SENIOR SCHOOL

DIRECTOR OF TEACHING & LEARNING

2020 can best be summarised in one phrase ‘you are on mute’! This became the catch phrase for the year as St Catherine’s moved to online learning in the blink of an eye. For St Catherine’s, this shift or ‘pivot’ to use another key word from 2020, was quite seamless. There was adjustment for teachers, students and indeed parents, but after the first couple of weeks, classes were humming along. Our ability to run classes online so well reflects work done over the last two years in developing our digital resources and skills in using technology. Extensive professional learning has enabled staff to develop sophisticated resource portfolios online, move to digital feedback on student learning, and an increasing level of skills in delivering lessons with technology. When the pandemic arrived, we were already in an advanced stage of readiness. Throughout 2020, our teachers most ably led by our Heads of Faculty, have shown dedication and commitment to delivering outstanding teaching and learning for our students. The girls have responded in true St Catherine’s fashion with a spirit of can do. While we made some adjustments to the daily timetable, and incorporated more breaks between lessons, we have learned that quality teaching and learning comes from teachers being well prepared, delivering classes with clear instructions and a sound framework.

After COVID-19 we believe education will be transformed. As a School, we will need to adapt and adjust to what the students are telling us. 2020 has been a year which thrust the School into unknown territory and pushed everyone out of their comfort zone. Everyone responded with resolute determination to ensure St Catherine’s reputation as an outstanding education institution endured during this most extraordinary year.

Mr Robert Marshall

Deputy Principal, Teaching & Learning

DIRECTOR OF STUDENT WELLBEING

We are in awe of the tenacity, resilience and perseverance that our students have shown in 2020. Due to COVID-19 they have missed seeing their friends, additional screen time has been challenging and uncertainty has led to some feelings of apprehension or anxiety. But they have continued to find ways to connect, adapt and to focus on what they can control. In my check-ins with students I asked, “What have you learnt about yourself this year that will make you stronger or more resilient in future?” Girls shared that the lockdown has taught them to be more patient, to pause and reflect, to be grateful, positive and to value balance in their lives. Many have discovered that they can be more independent, self-motivated and organised learners. They shared that they have been able to revisit what they used to love before life got too busy (jigsaws, photo albums, knitting, reading, board games, singing, or playing a musical instrument). Spending time with family was echoed as being the best part about the restrictions, many citing lunches at home, dinner with everyone around the table and shared break times. Playing with a pet, a walk with a friend or going for a run were favourite pastimes. Most have taken the opportunity to participate in the online Co-curricular or sport sessions on the Learn@Home hub. Blue Ribbon Spirit sessions and Funtastic Friday afternoons have provided much needed opportunities for fun, frivolity and friendship. Trivia, scavenger hunts, bake-offs, theme songs, online lip-syncing and karaoke have bought much joy and laughter. 2020 will be remembered as a year of accomplishment, resilience and agility as much as it will be for challenge and isolation.

Ms Merran O’Connor

Deputy Principal, Student Wellbeing

ENGLISH & LITERATURE

This Year has been Unique

This year has been unique Although, Coronavirus has not made us weak. We can handle anything life throws at us Trying to without a fuss. Our social skills may have decreased But we know now at least. It is okay to be on our own Maybe once or twice, it was acceptable to groan. We have read, listened and spoken, And we know our world may be broken. We say yes to love, we say yes to life, Even though, we are in time of strife. Our computer skills have increased But, our talking skills may have decreased. Talking to family and friends We should try to have a cleanse. From the almighty screen time, And make sure to have a good bedtime. This year has been tough, Everything has been so rough. Online schooling may be hard, Some people may even be scarred. We may only dress our top half, But at least, we can have a good laugh. We are all at home Stuck in some form of dome. So we live and we learn, Even though this year has taken a turn. We continue to live life to the max during these times While I’ll stay here making some more rhymes….

Jessica Paterson Year 8

Created in Writer’s Club 2020 What a year 2020 has been in education, what a journey, how much has changed. As I write my 2020 article, we are once again in the midst of online learning and Victorians are in Stage 4 restrictions. As educators, we have all had to adapt more than ever before, learn to deliver our lessons remotely and teach without any face-to-face interactions. For students, it has been relentless, a notable absence of those meaningful social interactions and days and days of screen time. The core of teaching and learning is the relationships that form between teachers and students. In the English studies, fundamental to our courses is discussion and an in-depth and often personal exploration of literature and student experiences. This has been a challenge for our subjects and one where every teacher and student has had to reflect on their teaching practice and pivot (sometimes off balance) into a new virtual world. What has become clear is that the students have shown remarkable resilience in their ability to adapt and adopt a more independent approach to their studies and learning. Our 2020 School vision states that a St Catherine’s student, “will always persevere, even when the path ahead seems challenging.” The path we have travelled was one that hadn’t even been constructed, there was no foundation for COVID-19. However, we travelled that path as one; teachers, students and parents. What has not changed is our students’ ability to write; to put pen to paper, fingers to keyboard and write creatively, analytically and persuasively. COVID-19 has given us all much to reflect upon and to be grateful for as through this challenge emerges opportunity as depicted in Jessica’s poem.

Mrs Ceri Lloyd

Head of English & EAL

2020 Reflection

Truly, the year 2020 has been both an interesting and challenging year. A year that is quite literally like no other. This year marks a beginning of a new decade, and it also marks the beginning of a new journey, one that is out of all our comfort zones. However, with challenge comes great growth, and I believe that as a School we have learnt many things in the midst of adapting to online schooling. No one ever thought that a school and education system could operate on something so far from normal and practical. I’m sure that we never thought we could all learn through our computer screens just as if we were in a normal classroom setting. Yet it surprises me every time that we have adapted so well and become so flexible in changing our methods and ways. Extra-curricular activities still continue to operate, and music lessons continue to happen even if there is a great barrier that blocks our learning experience. If there is one thing that we have learnt this year, it is resilience. It is that we can always adapt and make the best out of every situation, and despite how impossible, ridiculous or absurd an idea may seem, if we persevere with it we can make it through together, stronger and more experienced than ever.

HEALTH & PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Throughout 2020, the Health and Physical Education Faculty faced the challenging question: “how can St Catherine’s students remain active despite COVID-19 restrictions?” Through adapting the curriculum, staff were pivotal in supporting the health and wellbeing of our students. All Year 7-10 students gained an understanding of the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines, which state that those aged 5-17 years old should accumulate 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous physical activity daily. Students enjoyed the opportunity to take ownership of managing their activity through the creation of a personalised activity plan as well as 7-minute and 20-minute workouts. The skills and independence gained throughout this experience will assist in maintaining lifelong, regular physical activity. A number of our Year 9 and 10 students enjoyed the elective subjects of Sports Coaching, Personal Fitness and Wellbeing, Human Movement and Global Health. These subjects allowed students the opportunity to explore Health and Physical Education in greater depth and provided an excellent pathway to VCE studies. In Health Education, students explored a range of relevant issues such as cyber safety, bullying, nutrition, body image and the impacts of risk-taking behaviour, while our Year 10 cohort undertook a teen Mental Health First Aid course. The development of students’ health literacy will prove vital in assisting them to make well-informed choices during their remaining school years and beyond.

Mr Nick Racina

Acting Head of Health & Physical Education

HUMANITIES

As in every year, the Humanities allows students to look beyond the School and to understand that history is often repeated, as this year has shown. Additionally, students have learned about the way in which Australia responds to a global crisis is both similar and different ways to other countries, and that society and businesses, more than ever, need to adapt to changes to ensure future success. The year has limited the opportunity for students to be physically present inside classrooms, or to travel on class excursions, or have conversations with guest speakers. However, it has not limited their learning. Humanities teachers have innovated their online classes to enhance students’ access to digital resources and remote learning programs to ensure that students have continued to progress in their knowledge and skills. During Term 1, Year 8 Geography students were able to continue with the traditional field-work excursion to St Kilda Beach and would probably now happily re-experience the summer storms that descended upon their visit. While excursions retreated from the School landscape as the year progressed, practical learning still took place in many classes, including in Unit 3 and 4 classes where students undertook activities to develop and apply their understanding. Humanities teachers have worked very hard and collaboratively to maintain and enhance student learning experiences during this challenging year.

Mr Paul Gilby

Head of Humanities

LANGUAGES

In the absence of Exchange Programs, overseas tours, excursions and competitions, we celebrate all the classroom learning which took place in different and challenging conditions in 2020. While all St Catherine’s students ‘stepped up’, it is to my Year 12 students of French that I wish to pay tribute. Their commitment to success was evident every day when they completed SACs, participated virtually in the Alliance Française Competition, prepared online for the oral examination, and generally didn’t miss a beat!

Ms Anna Pianezze

Head of Languages In August 2020 Emma Froomes (Year 10) competed with students from around Victoria in the Hanyuqiao Speaking and Performance Competition for Second Language students of Chinese, held online. Emma gained a special mention for her performance.

Ms Winnie Xie

Chinese Teacher

As a new member of the St Catherine’s School community, 2020 has definitely been the most exciting and unique year in my teaching career. I was impressed by how conscientious all the students have been and the great work they have produced. Their strong spirits are very inspiring.

Ms Cindy Tian

LOTE Teacher

MATHEMATICS

It seems that 2020 decided to throw up a few more problems than solutions; no two terms were alike. The spirit of the St Catherine’s community, as always, enabled us to come together to ensure that we would rise above the difficulties posed by COVID-19 through unity and care for one another. The wonderful Mathematics staff were agile and effective in their delivery of the curriculum, always going the ‘extra mile’ in supporting our students both in and out of the classroom. Online learning provided us with the opportunity to consider different ways to teach. While not always face-to-face, many of the fundamental pillars to learning Mathematics remained. Staff discovered new and interesting ways of engaging with students during lessons as well as, providing them with individual assistance when the need arose.

This year has shown both the teachers and the students that no challenge is too great. We have grown together, we have experienced together and we continue to overcome together. As in Mathematics, no problem is ever too great to solve.

Mrs Angela Klancic

Head of Mathematics

SCIENCE

Despite the impact of COVID-19, the VCE Physicists, with Mr Barry, Mr Brown and Ms Stevens, managed to attend VCE Physics Activity Day before lockdown. The VCE Biologists participated in three online activities with Ms Macgeorge: in conjunction with the Gene Technology Access Centre and the University of Melbourne. Many programs were cancelled but Emily Dziedzic and Gloria Meng participated in the Chemistry Olympiad Examination and Rhea Werner participated in the Junior Science Olympiad Examination with the support of Ms Jackson-McRae. Science Week, Innovations for the Oceans, was marked by an online assembly. The RACI Hartung Lecture was conducted on online and delivered by Dr Jessica Holien. Mrs Fernando delivered the ASTA’s SPECTA program to the Year 7 Science Honours class through the use of pre-prepared experimental kits. Mrs Midgley maintained the Year 7’s Science and Sustainability program through student experimental work online. The psychologists, under the guidance of Mrs Brady, Mrs Fernando and Ms O’Malley, identified the location and functions of the four lobes of the brain by constructing brain hats. The creativity of staff in developing engaging activities has aroused student questioning and challenged their scientific understanding. The Science Faculty staff, including our laboratory technicians, Ms Stevens and Ms Nguyen, have encouraged students to embrace the wonders of Science and guided them on their way to becoming scientifically literate citizens.

Mrs Vanessa Jackson-McRae

Head of Science