Pastoral care continues during remote learning

Nagle College Captains Ellie Holland and Will Atkinson attend a virtual school assembly

Nagle College Captains Ellie Holland and Will Atkinson touched on the importance of community at a live-streamed College assembly recently.

Nagle College aims to create an environment which is supportive of individuals and group; is conducive to worthwhile learning; enhances a sense of belonging and demonstrates a caring concern for the well-being of all students and staff.

In addition to supporting students academically, Nagle College continues to support the emotional and physical wellbeing of its students by ensuring pastoral care continues throughout the second round of remote learning.

Morning pastoral, which provides staff and students the opportunity to connect, now takes place virtually. Despite the challenge of maintaining this connection virtually, some pastoral teachers have strengthened their bond with students.

“Every single day I send a personal email to each of my students. I want to make sure they feel connected and supported. Students who began remote learning by writing one-word replies are now writing the most beautiful letters back to me, which also helps with their letter writing ability,” said Ms Julie Henley, Chisholm House Coordinator.

Live-streamed assemblies allow our Student Leadership Action Team to connect with students and staff, much like they would during on-site learning. College Captains Ellie Holland and Will Atkinson touched on the importance of community at a recent College assembly.

“It’s perfectly normal to worry about how the pandemic is complicating our studies and stopping us from seeing our friends each day, but the most important thing is stopping the spread of COVID-19 and protecting the health of everyone in our community,” said Will.

Ellie commented, “It’s important to adapt your mindset and see the positives in every situation. Even though going back into remote learning may be considered a disadvantage to our learning, we have done this before. Hopefully round two of remote learning has been a smoother ride for most of you [students] and that you’re all well prepared to tackle the challenges that each day possesses.”

Clubs and activities are also continuing virtually. The College Book Club, led by the library team, meets fortnightly on a Tuesday and is attended by students across all year levels, staff, and even younger siblings.

Mrs Paula O’Neill, Nagle’s Sport Coordinator, recently organised an Inter-House dance competition where students joined a ‘Just Dance” room and danced to garner points for their House. Additionally, beginning Wednesday 2 September, students, their families and Nagle Alumni will be invited to participate in the House Step Challenge 2; the first challenge took place during the first round of remote learning and was a huge success.