As the third term of 2021 draws to a close, I take this time to reflect on all that we have achieved in our school, even though COVID 19 has again interrupted our lives.

 

Our community has again been able to pivot from face to face to remote learning on a number of occasions.  The HHA staff have been determined at all times to remain connected to our students, they have done this with their usual level of extreme professionalism and care for the young people that we work with.

For our students and all students throughout Victoria, maintaining the enthusiasm for remote learning has been a challenge.  I do thank all of our young people for engaging in the variety of activities and events that have been offered to you on line. 

At HHA we have attempted to change it up and do different things to keep you engaged and learning with us.  Though they have not all been formal outcomes-based classes we have continued to see you show commitment to your learning and wellbeing and we congratulate you all for this.  A big thank you to our staff who have organised and run a number of on-line activities during school hours.  We even had our dinner time cooking lessons and reading club this term to keep us all connected.

This term we have also been able to run for all in our community our Sunshine Vaccination Hub.  It has been so pleasing to meet so many of our parents/carers and the siblings of our students on these vaccination days.  I do encourage you, if you have not yet had “the jab” to do it soon.  The most proactive way for us to protect each other is to be vaccinated.

Our staff, for whom I am forever grateful for their professionalism and commitment to our school and our students.  They are able to come back each day refreshed and ready to work on individualised programs for each of their students.  They really are amazing our staff.

When we come back in term 4, whether to face to face or remote learning, we look forward to ensuring that all those students who are ready to graduate have successful pathways planned.  We hope to be able to hold our Graduation event at the State Library, watch out for further details to come.

If you do not already have a time and day booked for our Student Progress Interviews during the first week of next term, please book this in with the classroom youth worker as soon as possible.

I ask that you stay safe over the holiday period, follow the lockdown restrictions as they apply to us and do find something special to do for yourself.

Sally Lasslett

Principal – The Hester Hornbrook Academy

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This term has been a turmoil of on and off lockdown. So Jane N, the educator of HEAT class and James P, the hospitality VET trainer organised virutal cook along every Tuesday just before dinner where students, their families and staff can come togather and cook. The team decided to hold these sessions to keep the HHA community connected through yummy food. Starting from mac and cheese to gooey chocolate fudge brownies, you name it.

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Putting our community's well-being first, we wanted our staff, students and their families to come have a safe space to get vaccinated with few known faces around. Last week with the help of Aspen Health, we have managed to roll out 264 Pfizer vax among our HHA community here at Sunshine campus.A Big shout out to Hudsons Famous Catering-Abbotsford for organising fresh lunch packs and morning tea for everyone who attended.

         

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We are pleased to announce our purpose built Sunshine campus has been shortlisted in the Australian Interior Design Awards’ Workplace Design category, outlining how specialist designed schools can embody design excellence to create an uplifting learning environment for all students and the impact they can impart on the design community. HERE is where you can have a quick look on the article published at Architecture & Design.

Check out why our gorgeous Sunshine campus got featured:

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It's end of the term and what a term this has been. Right before we head to our school holidays, we got to celebrate the term virtually with all students, parents, carers and staff.
Starting with live music by Ciel, amazing performance by Annaliese, poerty by Lily, to Vicky's tribute to HHA, student and staff awards and sharing some classic HHA student jokes. We could not have asked for a better way to end the term !!

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