Congratulations and well done to our students and staff for completing 10 weeks onsite, following the previous two years of COVID interruptions and challenges. Students have continued to positively reconnect with each other and build their confidence throughout this term. We are getting back to a normal rhythm of school life with students eagerly involved in their learning and in the extensive co-curricular opportunities that we offer.
Welcome Back. We have had a wonderful start to the new school year and are hoping that there is more certainty for the students, staff, and families during this third year of living with COVID. There was a real sense of excitement when the Year 7 and 12 students returned on Monday, 31st January and the other year levels on Tuesday, 1st February. The State Government has extended the availability of the Rapid Antigen Tests to students and staff for the remainder of Term 1 and they have doubled the number of air purifiers in schools to keep protecting students and staff.
Congratulations to all members of the Blackburn High School community following a second year of successfully navigating through the COVID lockdowns which have brought significant challenges at a local, national and global level. We achieved a lot as a school community and seized on the opportunities in November and December, to conduct a range of activities including: the Year 6 transition workshops, Year 9 City Experience Camp, Year 10 Sailing Camp, Big Day In, Presentation Awards Day and the Year 12 Graduation Celebration.
On behalf of the Blackburn High School community, congratulations and well done to the Year 12 graduating class of 2021 and all the best during the examination period. We are very proud of your fantastic achievement and thank you for enriching our school community over the past 6 years. I know that Mr Vezey, who sadly passed away earlier this year, would be very proud of you too.
We are continually taken aback by the resilience and commitment of our entire school community during another term of disrupted learning.
In response to the ongoing lockdown, students in Years 7-10 moved to a model of checking in more regularly with their teachers during scheduled lessons, which has proven a successful necessity as remote learning continued all the way to the end of Term 3.
Congratulations to the Blackburn High School Community for continuing to work together and navigate through all the challenges of the latest remote and flexible learning period.
On behalf of the staff at Blackburn High School, thank you to our parent community for your invaluable support and encouragement throughout the term. The Blackburn High School Community has worked through a number of challenges this term, beginning with the sudden passing of our much loved and respected Assistant Principal, Mr Geoff Vezey on day 1. We mourned his tragic loss but also had an opportunity to celebrate and acknowledge his outstanding contribution over the past 10 years. We welcome Dr Louise Hartley and Mr Scott Conte to the Principal Team, who are the new Assistant Principals taking on Mr Vezey’s responsibilities.
Blackburn High School is pleased to present the official renders of our new STEM Centre. After many months of planning and design we can now show you a little glimpse of what our state of the art Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Centre will look like. Demolition of Old Freeman is set to take place later in Term 3 and paves the way for breaking ground on the new construction. Stay tuned for more exciting updates.
Twenty one students completing the Bronze Duke of Edinburgh Award attended the Mitchell River hiking camp in the first week of Term 2. The two groups set off on Tuesday and returned on Friday after walking close to 30 kilometres carrying food, tents, clothes and other equipment on their backs. Throughout the camp students developed their outdoor living skills including cooking on Trangia stoves, setting up a tent, travelling as a group and navigating using a compass.
Congratulations to the students, staff and parents for a wonderful conclusion to Term 1 and what a term it has been. Students are to be commended for their positive transition back to onsite learning and for their efforts and achievements throughout the term. I would also like to acknowledge the incredible work and dedication of the teachers and ES staff for supporting and encouraging our students.