Dear Parents, Guardians & Students,

I’m sure everyone is looking forward to the holidays after a term that has seen many of us having to take time off due to illness. I wish all students and staff a restful mid-year break and I hope that everyone has an opportunity to re-charge in readiness for the second half of the year.

While we continue to encounter both student and staff absences, we have focussed on continuing with learning and extracurricular activities wherever possible, such as the final Year 7 Mornington camp, SIS sports and Aspire 9 activities.

Farewell Rob Knight

As noted in the last edition of The Paduan, Mr Rob Knight, Co-Director, Tyabb Campus, has resigned as from the end of his current period of leave. Rob is a much-valued, long-serving member of the Padua College staff, and a founding member of the Tyabb Campus staff. It was wonderful to have Rob and his family join us for the end-of-semester Awards Assembly at the Tyabb Campus earlier this week. This was followed by a staff liturgy and celebration where colleagues celebrated Rob for all that he has brought to Padua College over his 20 years of service.

Performing Arts Centre

The official Blessing and Opening of the St Clare Performing Arts Centre (PAC) will be celebrated by Bishop Tony Ireland on Thursday 28 July with a number of special guests invited.

Students and staff are loving this new learning space and we are now just awaiting the completion of the theatre within the St Clare PAC, with the mobile stage expected to be delivered and installed in the coming weeks.

Covid-19 Update

While awaiting information from the Victorian Government and CECV on the testing requirements for term three, we would expect that rapid antigen tests (RATs) will continue to be provided for use by students and staff.

Recently, rather than distributing boxes of RATs to every student each fortnight, we have made them available for all students to collect from their homeroom teacher at any time. This preferred method of distribution has meant a significant reduction in wastage. All students are able to request a box of RATs from their homeroom teacher at any time and are encouraged to do so if they have used their allocated tests. Students are still able to access one box of RATs each fortnight and we believe this will continue into term three.

A reminder that currently it is recommended that RATs are used by students and staff only when they are symptomatic and twice-weekly surveillance testing is no longer required.

RAT testing is also required for five days if a student or staff member is a close contact of a confirmed case and they are attending or working at a school.

Students and staff must continue to notify the Department of Health and the College if they return a positive RAT result and I remind all families that if your child is positive (or a household close contact) then we require this to be reported vid the College Covid-19 Notification Form which can be accessed via the mask icon on the College homepage or via the following link: https://www.padua.vic.edu.au/covid-19-information.

As has previously been advised, if students are close household contacts they are still able to attend school as long as they are not symptomatic, they wear a face mask when indoors and test for 5 of the 7 days that they would have previously been in isolation.

While various illnesses continue to be experienced by members of our community, students are encouraged to consider wearing masks when in spaces where they are unable to socially distance and to continue to sanitise their hands regularly. Hand sanitiser is located all around each of the Campuses of the College and students should continue to use this regularly.

I also remind all families that if students are displaying any symptoms of Covid they should remain at home.

Condolences and Congratulations

We extend our condolences to Mrs Fia Hobson (M) on the passing of her mother recently.

Congratulations to Mrs Loretta McKail (M) on the safe arrival of baby Lucy Oliva on 7 May.

We farewell the following staff at the end of this term:

Cassie McLean (T)

Robyn Gooley (M) (following current LSL)

Susie Wheelahan (M)

Kate Wilson (M)

Rob Knight (T) (following current LSL)

We also farewell the following staff whose contracts conclude this term:

Stephanie Hankinson (M)

Frank Colcott (M)

The following staff will be taking leave from the commencement of term three:

Belinda Taylor (M)

Clare Parks (T)

Bernadette Devlin (M)

Kelli Cook (T)

Penny Markham (T)

Mark De Fazio (M)

Petrina Tyler (R)

Barb Roeding (M)

Sharon Ryan (R)

Gina Thompson (T)

Jo Mirabella (M)

Jenni Wilson (M)

Leah Hirt (M)

Anthony Barnhoorn (M)

Julie Barnhoorn (M)

Laura Roberts (M)

Peter O’Halloran (T)

Monica Brown (M)

Anna Whittaker (M)

Matt Laurie (M)

Sean Chappell (R)

Bomani Jackson (M)

Matthew Price (M)

We welcome the following staff who will be commencing at the beginning of term three:

Meelane Roussel (ongoing)

Leanne Milne (term 3 replacement)

Janine Cox (term 3 replacement)

Corrie Williams (Term 3 replacement)

Nathan Scagliarini and Ben Farish (job share term 3 replacement)

Phil Shanahan (3-week replacement)

Vilma Disney (3-week replacement)

The following staff are returning from leave at the beginning of term three:

Mary Logan (R)

Brian Filgate (R)

Liz Filgate (M)

Vicki McFarlane (M)

Morgan Lynch (M)

Jo Goldsmid (R)

Chris Main (M)

Amanda McQueen (M)

Danny Galvin (R)

Aaron Utber (M)

Lewis Lynch (M)

May God bless you and your family,

Prayer

God of peace and love

You have given Padua College the life and witness of St Clare of Assisi.

Through her powerful intercession, may St Clare teach us to meet all with peace and love.

Through this spiritual gift, make us imitators of the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.

We implore all to open our hearts to love and carry with us the flame of eternal charity to all whom we meet.

St Clare of Assisi, pray for us.

Amen.


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