From the Principal

It has been an exciting week in Senior School with the Year 12’s celebrating the end of their Secondary Schooling. Yesterday, on their final day at school, we all enjoyed the Valedictory Assembly. Afterwards the staff and Year 12 students enjoyed morning tea together punctuated by a Year 12 tree planting and the traditional signing of the Yearbook. While we could not have the usual Guard of Honour, the students enjoyed walking through their virtual Guard of Honour made up of balloons. We have invited the Class of 2020 back to school after their exams to enjoy a real Guard of Honour. This will be an exciting day for the whole school as everyone from Prep to Year 11 will be involved.

Last night we also held the Year 12 Valedictory Dinner. Year 12 students, their parents and staff came together virtually to enjoy an evening reflecting on their year. There were excellent speeches by our School Captains Max Murphy and Mercedees Lynch while Mr Vinu Kumar (father of Swetha) gave an insightful reflection on the parent experience of supporting Year 12’s in a remote learning environment. While we could not be together in the same room to share the dinner experience, this virtual dinner was still enjoyed by everyone. I would like to extend my grateful thanks to Mrs Natasha Prentice for her thorough organization of both of these events. I am also indebted to Mr Simon Hall for his technological skills in putting together the pre-recorded parts of the day and trouble-shooting in the evening to ensure the virtual presentation ran smoothly.

Today is World Teacher’s Day. In Australia, this day is traditionally celebrated on the last Friday in October. It was a pleasure to acknowledged the work of our wonderful teachers today. As I dropped in on classes throughout the morning, I witnessed the esteem and respect the students have for their teachers. They were all keen to make World Teacher’s Day a happy one for their teachers.

After school today I went to the stadium car park. When I crossed the road, I noticed a substitute crossing supervisor. On my return trip she pulled me aside to tell me what lovely, polite and respectful students we have at Casey Grammar. According to her, they are the best students in all of Casey! Of course she was not telling me anything I didn’t already know. I have the pleasure of interacting with Casey Grammar students every day. They really are exceptional young people. We are all lucky to belong to such a wonderful school community where respect, integrity, compassion, inclusion and excellence are demonstrated by everyone every day.

I wish you all a wonderful long weekend. I hope you can safely visit your family and friends while having time to visit those places which invigorate your soul.

Stay safe, stay well.

Mrs Fiona Williams

Principal