STUDENTS across Greater Shepparton funnelled back into schools across the region last week for the start of a school year that all hope will get a smoother run than 2020.
There were some teary-eyed parents and carers dropping off young, new preps, donning shiny new shoes and uniforms that are perhaps a little too big at the moment, full of excitement as they waved farewell and joined classmates for their very first day of school.
At the gates of the McGuire Campus of the Greater Shepparton Secondary College last Thursday morning, campus principal John Sciacca greeted students back to the fold after a six-week break.
“It’s lovely to be back this year,” Mr Sciacca said.
“We’re just looking forward to being able to do all the people stuff that we couldn’t do last year.”
Mr Sciacca said after the turmoil of 2020, students have emerged more resilient, although expressed concerns that some would need extra academic attention to bridge the gap over last year’s lockdowns.
“We’re going to have to make sure we increase the support for some students, because they’re just a little bit behind. We’ve got the support from the Department of Education and Training to have some extra tutoring,” he said.
“I think the students are more grateful. But they’re also more appreciative of what’s around them and the supports that are there.
“And they are resilient. More resilient for sure.”
While everyone is hoping to avoid another period of lockdown, Mr Sciacca said the school was more prepared than ever to facilitate remote learning if the worst should happen.
John’s message to the students and staff last Thursday was simple:
“My message this morning is around care and love and that we look out for one another. And that we be the best people we can be, and part of that is being ready to learn. That’s the message,” he said.
At Shepparton’s Notre Dame College, principal John Cortese, said the staff and students had learnt a lot from last year’s periods of lockdown, particularly around the importance of relationships.
“Nothing is as bad as it seems, and nothing is as good as it seems,” he said.
“We’ve got a very good school…I think we’ve got a great school. The kids are wonderful. However, if we were told by Daniel Andrews that we were going back into a lockdown, shoulders would sag a bit.”
