What an extraordinary year we have all experienced together as we have again navigated going in and out of lockdowns, onsite and remote learning, and all the normal joys and challenges of an academic year. I am incredibly proud of our community and the communal response to the challenges of 2021, and I thank students, staff and families for your willingness to collaborate and support one another. As we move towards Friday and our students’ last day, I express my gratitude to all within our community for your efforts to support one another, maintain connection and continue quality learning and teaching again in 2021.

Yesterday we welcomed our newest students to the College, the future class of 2027, for their Orientation day. We are deliberate in calling them the class of 2027, as we want to maintain high levels of retention and engagement. Students had a fantastic day and were supported by staff to experience life in secondary school. It is always a great day as you welcome new members to the community.

Students continue Early Start today and tomorrow. On Friday, we will conduct our Awards Assembly for the whole school community, which will be available for families to watch via a YouTube link concurrently or later that day. As with every day of school, this last day is a day when we want the entire student population involved in bringing 2021 to a close. We will conduct our Ball Games in a similar rotational format to last year. Students will also take part in a year level liturgy and assembly through the course of the day in the Damascus Events Centre. Students are encouraged to wear PE uniform on Friday, given the active nature of the day.

Tomorrow is a casual day as a fundraiser for the St Vinnies Christmas appeal. Since last Christmas, the persistence of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ongoing housing crisis in Victoria has seen many people who were already facing hardship experience an even more challenging twelve months. At the same time, many new families have suffered the indignity of poverty and disadvantage for the first time. At Damascus, we are helping St Vinnies buy a Christmas meal for those in need this Christmas. Students are asked to bring a generous donation on Thursday for this valuable Christmas Appeal.

Our Sustainable Racing Team spent the weekend in Dimboola riding and enjoying the fruits of their efforts in 2021. It has been a great team effort to build and test our sustainable vehicles, and I thank the wonderful volunteers who have supported the program and two amazing staff; Alan Strange and Rachel Beardall, who have made this program a reality in the most challenging of times.

Our rowers are not quite finished for 2021 yet. Next week, there is a week of extended training culminating in a training day in Geelong on Saturday 11^th December. The schedule for the extended training can be found on the Team App. Rowers are also competing this weekend in Geelong and Carrum, so we wish the crews well in their respective competitions. Last weekends regatta in Carrum saw our junior girls Div 4 come home with gold medals – congratulations to all involved. Our seniors also trained on the Maribyrnong on Sunday in near perfect conditions. There will be rowing camps again at the end of the holidays, and details will be published in the Team App.

Semester reports will be available online in the Parent Access Module (PAM) from Friday afternoon, 3^rd December. This final report is a compilation of the feedback provided progressively on the assessment tasks undertaken throughout this second semester. The final report will also include; AusVELS assessments, work habits and any final results. VCE results will be available to students who undertook a Unit 3/4 subject on Thursday 16^th December. Senior students will receive communication on the different means of receiving their results. The College office will be open, and Careers Coordinator Georgia Shillito and Assistant Principal-Learning & Teaching, Ashwin Pillai, will be available for advice, and a member of the College Counselling Team can be accessed if needed. The communication to families outlines how to access these staff.

As any school year draws to a close, we farewell some wonderful contributors to the College.

A number of Damascus students have secured apprenticeships or further training, some are pursuing passions in the area of their respective gifts, and some Damascus families are relocating. To those leaving us for different educational pathways or employment, we congratulate you on your courage and thank you for being a part of the Damascus journey. To those families who we farewell with students finishing up or relocating, thank you for choosing Damascus and best wishes in life beyond the road to Damascus.

Damascus College is very lucky to have such a hard-working and committed staff team, and I am very grateful for their willingness to give it their all in this year of constant challenge. My pride in the community response has been led by the Damascus staff. This week we celebrate some very special staff who are concluding their time at Damascus College. I provided fuller insights into these educators’ contributions, but I again acknowledge and thank Angela Hoban for her work since 1996. Twenty-five years of service to this community as a caring and committed educator is a wonderful achievement, and we are very grateful for Angela’s service.

David Neate concludes following 18 years of generous service. Among David’s many achievements are his Catherine King Community award and his legacy to our environmental stewardship. We thank David.

Nick Yandell has been a wonderful contributor to our community for the past 11 years – in leadership and the classroom, and we wish him well for his exciting next stage of life on the coast!!

The Damascus community is grateful for Brett Stone’s leadership of Health and PE since the commencement of the 2019 school year. We wish Brett well in his new role in 2022.

Jamison Thomas has made an invaluable contribution within our marketing and development team. We wish him well as he pursues a role within his professional field, having gained his tertiary qualification.

Chiara Angeli has done great things as the Performing Arts Administrative Assistant. We wish her well as she relocates for exciting opportunities in 2022.

We also extend our best wishes to Jaz Beaumont, who will commence her new role as a Mum early next year!! We thank Jaz for her support.

Min Myers came out of retirement to support Damascus languages this year, and we are very grateful. Min hopes to return to retirement in the new year.

The Damascus College office will close at lunchtime on Friday 17^th December and reopen on Tuesday 18^th January 2022. Education staff will return on Friday 28^th January. TA interviews will be conducted onsite on the afternoon of Friday 28^th and Monday 31^st. Year 7 and Unit 3 / 4 students and Year 12 VCAL students will begin on Tuesday 1^st February. All other students will begin on Wednesday 2^nd February. Year 12 Retreat will take place from Wednesday 2^nd February to Friday 4^th February.

Over the holiday break, the Governance of the College will transition from the Damascus College Board to the Diocese of Ballarat Catholic Education Limited. The voluntary work of our Board has been amazing through this time of change, and we look forward to the new opportunities our new model of Governance will bring. I extend the appreciation of our community to the Board, through Board Chair Brendan Maher and to 2021 College Governors, Sr Berenice Kerr and Fr Kevin Maloney. Thank you!

As we approach Christmas, able to celebrate together as families, we as a community should let our light shine. By working together this year; students, staff, families and friends of the College, we have remained connected and furthered our young people’s learning. We are grateful for our relative safety and wellbeing here in Australia. The light of Christ has shone within our midst, and I, for one, will take time, with family, to offer gratitude through prayer and worship this Christmas. Thank you for your care and support of the Damascus school community this year. God bless for the festive season, and thank you for the gift of the daily presence of your amazing young people.

Until next year…

God bless

MATT