Principals Partner to Deliver a Special Message to Families
Tuesday 14 April, 2020
As most Victorian students commence Term 2 with the certainty that they will spend the term learning from home, 29 Catholic primary and secondary school principals have partnered to deliver a special video message to families across the Diocese of Ballarat.
Through their many voices, the principals have united to express to families that schools are there to help during these unprecedented times – to offer support, reassurance and encouragement around having children at home for an indefinite period. The video also provides ideas on how to approach learning effectively at home and ways for families to stay connected and involved.
The video message features principals from as far north as Merbein, to Warrnambool in the south, Coleraine in the west, and Ballan in the east, along with many communities in between.
“Our principals are to be commended for their outstanding leadership and management of the rapidly developing COVID-19 situation,” says Audrey Brown, Director of Catholic Education in the Diocese of Ballarat.
“I join with Deputy Premier and Minister for Education, James Merlino, in acknowledging the outstanding work of school staffs at this time.
“We are very grateful for the thoughtful and considered leadership shown by principals and school leaders as they respond with agility to the rapidly changing context caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. Their leadership is vital to us in the midst of so much uncertainty.
“I am very grateful for the professionalism and deep commitment of teachers and other staff as they seek to ensure the continuity of learning for students in a safe and supportive school environment. Their heroic work keeps our children and young people connected and secure when they most need the familiar.
“I commend principals, teachers and staff for their important contribution to our students, families and community and for their part in allowing our country to respond strategically during this crisis,” says Ms Brown.
The Diocese of Ballarat stretches from the Murray River to the Southern Ocean, with 64 primary and secondary schools servicing 18,000 students in small rural settings through to large regional centres.
The video message can be viewed here: https://youtu.be/ggs3sVWBXyQ
