Return to onsite learning

This week we welcome back all of our other year levels in a staged return. Year 7 students joined us back on site from Monday, Year 8s and 9s will be in school on Tuesday and Wednesday and Year 10s will be in school on Thursday and Friday. Year 11 students have been back on site since last Wednesday.

After a significant period of time spent working remotely, please think about return to onsite programs, and how to best prepare for this.

See CHECKLIST FOR RETURNING TO SCHOOL in separate article.

General Achievement Test (GAT)

Every year, all VCE students studying a Year 12 subject complete a 3 hour exam to ascertain their capabilities in area such as literacy, numeracy, humanities, arts, sciences and much more. This exam is the GAT.

Traditionally the GAT is held in July, but as with so many things in 2020-2021, this has not been the case this year. Due to lockdowns and outbreaks the GAT had been delayed several times before students were eventually able to undertake it on Tuesday 5th October.

The Senior Students sitting the GAT experienced some other changes this year with additional COVID safe practices such as spacing them out even further than in regular exam rooms, masks being worn for the entire exam and windows and doors open to allow ventilation. Despite these differences the Senior Students at NSC performed admirably, with all students working busily throughout the entirety of the exam.

Phil Honeywell, Principal
Scott McLeod, Assistant Principal
James Murphy, Assistant Principal

Bus Timetable Changes & Early Leavers LEOPOLD AND CLIFTON SPRINGS

After many years of negotiations with Department of Transport (DOT) and McHarry’s Buslines, we are pleased to be able to announce a trial commencing on Monday October 18 which involves two end of day bus services.

The changes will also allow students to remain in their scheduled classes for the entirety of the school day, thus eliminating the need for students to leave class early to catch the connecting services to Leopold and Clifton Springs.

This trial will also address one of our ongoing challenges and concerns around improving student safety within our community. In conjunction with the adjustment to the times of the two bus services, both will stop to collect students from the NSC Bus interchange - inside the school boundaries to the East of the main office building. This adjustment will greatly improve student and public safety on what is becoming an extremely busy Bellarine Highway, especially at the time of school pick-up.

How can you help?

What is asked of our school community in support of this trial is to ensure that the Bus Interchange area is free of vehicles allowing the two bus services to have ease of access into, and out of the Bus Interchange area to collect students.

The trial details are-

Trial Date(s)- From Oct 18 to the end of the 2021 school year

Bus Services- Bus 61 (3.20pm) & Bus 32 (3.25pm)

*Route 30 and 56 will stay on the Bellarine Hwy.

Collection Point- NSC Bus Interchange Area

Points to note- 1. All students will remain in class until dismissal at 3.15pm

2. The Bus Interchange must remain free of community vehicles

We are really pleased to be able to address this area of need for our school and local community. Moving students to an area of greater safety to access their bus home, and enabling students to remain in class up until 3.15pm is a great outcome for student safety and learning. Of course this couldn’t be possible without the cooperation from our Public Transport partners (Department of Transport and McHarry’s Buslines) and of course from you all, our NSC community- we thank you!

If you have any questions about the trial, please contact the school.

Onsite/Online Classes in Weeks 2-4

We are slowly and steadily making positive steps towards the return to school for all students on Tuesday, October 26th. However, we do still have a couple of weeks with some students onsite, and some engaging their studies from home (refer to information shown below).

In Weeks 2 and 3, there will be occasions where combined Year 9 and 10 classes will have some students onsite and some working remotely. Where this is the case, teachers will set a continued learning, enquiry or revision focus for the students who are not at school (due to the difficulties of teaching some of the group onsite and some virtually). Where a student is involved with a combined Year 9 and 10 class, but is not a part of the group attending onsite, they could also use this time to continue with independent work and private study.

Whilst this has the potential to be a confusing and frustrating situation, please know that it is only a short term measure. In some classes, there might be slightly different approaches to the one discussed above - where this is the case, teachers will make contact with their students ahead of time to confirm.

As always, please feel free to make contact with us for any enquiries or concerns.

The NSC Leadership Team

• Week 2:
• Monday, October 11th: Year 7 students return to onsite programs, along with Years 11 and 12 (all week).
• Tuesday, October 12th: Years 8 and 9 can attend school for onsite programs (Year 10 continue with remote learning).
• Wednesday, October 13th: Years 8 and 9 can attend school for onsite programs (Year 10 continue with remote learning).
• Thursday, October 14th: Year 10 students can attend school for onsite programs (Years 8 and 9 return to remote learning).
• Friday, October 15th: Year 10 students can attend school for onsite programs (Years 8 and 9 return to remote learning).

• Week 3:
• Monday, October 18th: Years 7, 11 and 12 continue with onsite programs (all week). Years 8, 9 and 10 learning remotely.
• Tuesday, October 19th: Years 8 and 9 can attend school for onsite programs (Year 10 return to remote learning).
• Wednesday, October 20th: Geelong Cup Public Holiday.
• Thursday, October 21st: Year 10 students can attend school for onsite programs (Years 8 and 9 return to remote learning).
• Friday, October 22nd: Year 10 students can attend school for onsite programs (Years 8 and 9 return to remote learning).

• Week 4:
• Monday, October 25^th: Years 7, 11 and 12 Continue with onsite programs (8, 9 and 10 learning remotely).
• Tuesday, October 26^th: all year levels return to onsite programs.

LEATHER BOUND

At Geelong Technical School

Cost is free and consent is due now.

Students will design and prototype a leather product using Illustrator and a laser cutter.

Program Outline

• Introduction to design thinking with a hands-on project
• Introduction to the CAD program Adobe Illustrator
• Use of a laser cutter to prototype a leather product
• Creation of a graphic poster marketing a product