A Year of Hope and Expectation

Happy New Year and welcome to the 2021 school year. I would like to extend a very special welcome to all of our new families. We are so pleased to welcome you to Casey Grammar School and hope your children settle in quickly.

We have commenced the school year with the hope and expectation that we will return to normal activities. We will continue to be vigilant in adhering to COVID safety measures. Please refer to the current COVID guidelines sent last week. We will keep you informed as the rules continue to change.

Parents are reminded that they should keep their children home if they are unwell, even if they only have very mild symptoms. We also respectfully request that parents do not enter the School grounds at this time. If you do need to enter the School, please make sure you enter through Reception and fill in the Pass-Tab for contact tracing purposes.

Keeping Students and Staff Safe

Parents are reminded of the importance of driving safely and respectfully when dropping off and picking up their children from school.

I implore all parents to slow down in the car parks and to show respect and patience. The end of the school day is extremely busy, and safety is paramount at all times. Respect is an important value of the School and it is expected that all members of our School community will treat others with respect.

In the absence of any traffic flow signs in the basketball stadium carpark, we have devised a safe way for students and cars to move around. Please see the attached map to refresh your memory.

Group Activities, Excursions and Camps Resume

We are very happy to be able to organise group activities, excursions and camps this year. The Year 7 camp will be held in Week 3 and the Year 8 camp in Week 4 of this term. We have made sure that strict COVID safety measures are in place for excursions and camps.

A reminder that all camps are an integral part of the Casey Grammar education journey and attendance is compulsory.

New Administration Building

The new Administration building is tantalisingly close to being finished. We hope to be moving in the next couple of weeks. I’m sure you will be impressed when you see the interiors of this beautiful building.

During the holidays the old maintenance shed which sat adjacent to the PAC car park was removed. The area remains fenced off as work is completed to prepare the site for the installation of our refurbished Melbourne Tram. This will be another beautiful and historical learning space for our students.

School Uniform Policy

As you are aware, there have been some changes to the School’s Uniform Policy. 

Below is a list of the changes:

• Socks. Boys from Years P-12 will wear navy socks with red and white stripes with their summer and winter uniform. Girls from Years P-12 wear white short socks with their summer uniform. In winter, girls wear either navy tights or long navy socks (Junior School) or short navy socks (Senior School). The sock changeover period is Terms 1-3 of 2021. By Term 4, when students return to summer uniform, we expect all students to be in the correct socks.
  
• Sport socks. The white sport sock with the red and blue stripe continues to be the School sport sock. The white ankle sock with the logo can be worn as a sport sock until the current stock of logo socks are all gone. The sport sock changeover period will be longer while we use up the current stock of logoed socks.
  
• Shorts. Shorts for girls are currently being manufactured and will be available in Term 4. Boys and Girls will have the choice of wearing long trousers or shorts in summer and winter and on formal occasions.
  

• New rugby top. These are to be worn as part of the PE uniform. Junior School students should continue to wear their blue PE top with their PE uniform. These Junior School blue PE tops will eventually be phased out of JS and replaced by the Rugby top. Senior School students may commence wearing the Rugby top as soon as it becomes available. The Rugby top must not be worn with the formal uniform.
  
• Shirts. The summer shirt is designed to be worn untucked and students are permitted to wear them untucked. Winter shirts with a tail must be tucked in.

Parents and students are reminded of current School uniform rules, which have not changed. 

These include:

• Shoulder length hair must be tied back at all times when in School uniform.
• School dresses must be knee length (i.e. the same length on the knee as the school shorts).

• Students must not wear jewellery to school (except for a watch and a cross on a chain long enough to be concealed in uniform).
• Students should wear one pair of earrings in the lobe of the ear. They should be plain sleepers or studs.

To ensure uniformity, all uniform items should be purchased through our official suppliers (Buxwear).

Class of 2020 – VCE results

Congratulations to the Class of 2020. Despite the disruptions and stress encountered by all students (and their parents and carers) last year, the class of 2020 has achieved some excellent results. Our median study score was 30.

Last year we had 53 students enrolled in a scored VCE and nine in an unscored VCE. We had 100% satisfactory completion.

• 17% of our scored students achieved an ATAR over 85 (placing them in the top 15% of the nation) 
• 26.4% achieved an ATAR over 80 (top 20% of the nation) and
• 52.8% achieved an ATAR over 70 (top 30% of the nation). 

Graduates Excel in Science and Film

Our 2020 Dux is Lilli Blommestein. Lilli plans to study a Bachelor of Science at the University of Melbourne concurrently with a Diploma of Languages (French). Lilli has also been awarded a Principal’s Scholarship by the University of Melbourne.

We were also thrilled to receive the news that Joel Rasmussen’s short documentary film, Wrangler, has been selected for the VCE Top Screen Exhibition 2021. Joel’s film will screen at ACMI in Federation Square from March 2021.

Congratulations to Joel and his inspiring Media Studies teacher Ms Natalie Burns. Joel plans to study a Bachelor of Media and Communication at Swinburne University of Technology.

Recognising Staff Efforts

We are so proud of the commitment and resilience shown by our students throughout their difficult year. I would also like to acknowledge the dedication and hard work of the teaching staff who went above and beyond to ensure their students' learning continued smoothly throughout the year.

This year we welcome a number of new staff and returning staff.

Mme Kate Morgan – has returned from a year’s leave to commence as Head of Senior School

Mr Brad Schreuder – Senior School Head of Booth House

Mr Michael O’Conner – Head of Mathematics

Ms Rosalind Klein – Physics and Science teacher

Ms Rebecca Carrie – PE and Commerce teacher

Mrs Casey Standish – Science and Mathematics teacher

Mrs Melissa Herbert – Religious Education teacher (Term 1 Long Service Leave for Mrs Cheryl Pereira)

Ms Ashleigh Stanic – Prep Learning Assistant

Ms Tamika Doyle – Prep Learning Assistant

Ms Chaille Hurst – Year 1 Learning Assistant

Ms Jacky Howgate – Year 6 Learning Assistant

Ms Taylor Philpott – AFL trainee

We welcome back the following staff who have returned from maternity leave:

Mrs Emily Driessen – Year 3

Mrs Selda Gurbuz – Senior Mathematics teacher

I wish all members of our School community a safe, happy, and productive 2021. 

Fiona Williams

Principal