Yesterday and today have felt much more as Damascus College should, with the majority of students back onsite except our Year 10’s, and we look forward to welcoming them tomorrow. It has been fantastic to see our young people and have them engage in regular school life. I have also enjoyed the opportunity to work with our Year 12’s as they creatively plan for their final days here at school.

The presence of face masks and social distancing are stark reminders of the time in which we live, but the resilience of the Damascus community members in their positivity at being back together has been heart warning. I thank families for your enormous efforts throughout this current period of remote learning and for having students appropriately attired and supported to return to school this week. I congratulate our amazing students and staff on the spirit with which they have embraced the return to onsite learning.

As families, it is important that we continue to remember the vulnerability that may come with returning to school again this year. Coming back, and concentrating on personal relationships and learning, requires the building up again of our social/emotional stamina. Be prepared for young people to display different expressions of fatigue as they readjust to life back at school, particularly those year levels which will come and go over the next fortnight. As parents, it is very easy for us to respond to the presenting behaviour of adolescents but try to dig deeper (I am much better at giving this advice than practising it!). If we can display calm and reinforce our love and affection as a constant to counter the other changes taking place in their lives, we will provide valuable support in another time of change. Remember also that the Damascus staff team are here to help, and if your young person is finding the return to school difficult, please talk to us, and we will see if we can make this current change easier.

Our amazing Year 12 cohort now enter a very important time in their final year of school and in their lives. This is a time of significant pressure for them in a challenging year. Their teachers have worked tirelessly to ensure constant support, and students have responded to this well.

In their final month as students attending our College, let us all keep them in our daily prayer. I pray that they find the calmness and confidence to focus on completing their VCE exam preparation and VCAL concluding requirements and that their resilience and strength will support them to achieve that which they are capable of. I pray that their Year 12 experience will be the pathway to their desired future and that it will continue to help them grow, achieve and serve. I pray that each of them will impact our society for the better, and they find a genuine vocation within it.

The Year 12 students have been working hard on their final assembly, which will be conducted remotely next Wednesday afternoon, 20^th October. Families of Year 12’s will receive communication, including details of this remote event over the coming days.

With staff, our Leadership Team has been revising our calendar for the rest of the year, and I will communicate some of those changes next week.

For those families seeking a 2023 enrolment at Damascus College, the second and final of our information evenings will take place next Tuesday, 19th October, from 6:30pm. More information can be found here.

Alongside our prayers for our final year students, we also pray for all those impacted by the illness and social isolation caused by COVID-19 across our nation and world.

It is great to be welcoming students back onsite! Until next week…

MATT

On Thursday 7 October, Damascus Year 12 students Abbey Clark, Maddy Gass, Kaitlyn Keen, Liv King and Remmi Sheehan were excited to organise and be a part of the festivities planned for the 2021 Damascus Day celebrations. They had decided to organise and run the “Dunk Tank” as a fun way to raise money and awareness for Motor Neurone Disease (MND).

In support of Neale Daniher and this worthy cause, this year students were keen to exceed the amount raised last year, setting themselves the lofty goal of raising $3,000 for the cause.

The organising team worked hard and were well supported by Applied Learning Coordinator Belinda Dwyer and the VCAL staff in getting the Dunk Tank ready for Damascus Day, but then due to COVID-19 rules and restrictions the College made the tough decision to celebrate in a different way, which meant no dunk tank. The team quickly decided that they would keep moving forward with their fundraising efforts and decided they would do the Ice Bucket challenge.

The sun was shining, but deceptively so, as it was a very chilly Ballarat day, and there were no worries that the ice would melt before the challenge started.

Well done to Abbey, Maddy, Kaitlyn, Liv and Remmi and staff member Belinda Dwyer for organising such a fun fundraising activity. The students wish to thank all the brave volunteers who took part in the challenge, and the generous people who donated to the FightMND cause.

So far students have raised $1,853. A new fundraising link has been created if you wish to continue to give to this worthy cause, with just $1147 remaining to reach their goal of $3,000:

https://www.mycause.com.au/p/266042/fight-mnd-damascus-college-ice-bucket-challenge-2021

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Featured on the front page of the Ballarat Courier on Friday 8^th October, Year 10 student Akaisha O'Keefe flourishes through adversity.

As part of the 'Shout' youth publication, Year 10 students Akaisha, Kaitlyn Handreck and Year 7 student Olivia Radisich have their stories featured in today's lift-out within the Ballarat Courier.

Stories can also be read online at: https://www.thecourier.com.au/community/shout-news/

This publication also featured other Ballarat students that are speaking out on international and national issues and how COVID and lockdowns are shaping their lives.

These Ballarat students have been meeting once a week throughout Term 3 to learn more about journalism and photography with The Courier staff. They have listened to journalists, photographers and editors, writing stories and creating pictures, which has been a wonderful experience for them.

Well done to all involved, and a big 'Shout' out to staff member and English teacher, Rebekah Chadwick, for guiding the students throughout this project.

Due to the condensed nature of retail this year, Crockers uniform store are offering appointments for uniform fittings. Some of our Damascus families might appreciate the opportunity to book an appointment this year, in addition to being able to walk in to the store at any time.

To book an appointment please refer to the letter below for link and instructions.

Damascus College Fitting Letter 2021

The calendar is now live and will be open to all schools for their families to make an appointment. Crockers will continue to add additional appointments, if the restrictions allow them to do so. In the event that the store is closed at any stage, for a time where a family has booked, Crockers will contact the family to arrange an alternate time.

You can also purchase uniforms online via our two uniform suppliers websites below. This is a great way to ensure you are not left waiting for extended periods, as restrictions instore are still in place at present.

https://dobsons.com.au/schools/damascus-college/

https://www.noone.com.au/school/damascus-college/shop

Please see following the for the extended and holiday hours for the onsite Dobsons Uniform Shop: -