When ACG Parnell College re-opened our doors on Friday 19th November, the enthusiasm and excitement of our Year 0 to 10 students upon seeing their friends, classmates and teachers was something to behold. With many students having waited a long time for this moment, their animation and vibrancy brought a smile to every face on campus.

While incredibly proud of the highly interactive learning platforms and virtual classroom environment our teachers have continued to provide during this latest Covid-19 lockdown, Principal Damian Watson was pleased to welcome our youngest learners back into the classroom. As he notes, "For a number of our students (and their parents), the lockdown has been really difficult socially; students have missed their friends, teachers and the human contact which comes with being in the classroom, and this is why many of our students have opted to return to school."

However, with the school year drawing to a close and given that online learning has been so successful, some parents have decided to keep their children at home for the remaining two weeks of Term 4. Accordingly, a number of students will continue to follow our remote learning programme, with the ongoing support of our teachers.

Mr Watson explains: "We have made the decision to offer both in-class and online learning for the final weeks of the 2021 academic year, for all levels, for full school days. This allowed our parents to decide what is best for their children and family circumstances and means that we will continue to provide a quality education for all of our students, whether it be on-campus or online at home. "

For our students who have returned to our classrooms, school life looks slightly different from usual at ACG Parnell, with numerous health and safety measures in place to ensure the safety and wellbeing of students and staff alike. These include fully vaccinated teachers and support staff, mask-wearing for all staff and students from Year 4 and above, social distancing, and daily deep cleaning protocols.

Mr Watson is deeply appreciative of his staff's extraordinary efforts over the past three months. He believes their contributions have been pivotal to ensure purposeful learning continued uninterrupted at ACG Parnell College. He is also quick to acknowledge the ongoing support and understanding that parents and caregivers have provided, alongside our students' outstanding attitude and efforts, which have enabled our online programmes to flourish.

Says Mr Watson, "ACG Parnell's core values have shone throughout these difficult times. Our staff and students have maintained an academic focus, they have been whole-hearted in their approach, and lockdowns have imposed no limit on our determination to do our best."