This year has, and continues to be, a year that we will remember for some time to come. At the time of writing this Spotlight article the school has again returned to remote learning after a short period of face-to-face teaching. Once again, the college will engage with students and families during a time of change and uncertainty. With this, however, I have been amazed by the efforts and achievements of many members within our Lutheran communities.
Our teachers have looked to articulate what it means to think deeply about a topic and provide students with skills to look at learning as a process of collaborative engagement to support creative, critical and curious thinking. In aiming to support and optimise student engagement and performance at HTLC it is also recognised that there are many pieces of a complex puzzle which makes a holistic Lutheran educational experience.
The practice of teaching to enhance wellbeing and build grit and resilience has also been vital in supporting a child to flourish. HTLC is developing the knowledge of its teachers through positive education to achieve this goal. Facilitated by the Institute of Positive Education (Geelong Grammar School) the focus is on personal transformation through understanding the science of wellbeing and the impact it has on families, friends, colleagues and students. As a Lutheran school we look to the Gospel for how we are to act and live in our world – it also shapes the way we teach and support learning – but through the use of positive education within remote learning, it has been pleasing to see how this framework has strengthened the mission of our school; supporting the holistic Christian education for all individuals in our college.
Daniel Weller
Principal
HTLC@Home (#HTLCatHome)
As restrictions to manage the Covid-19 pandemic remain, staff and students have made the most of the period of remote learning, embracing the challenge in this unfamiliar situation. With the majority of students learning from home, teachers continue to innovate their teaching practices to provide quality care and learning opportunities for students.
Staff are collaboratively reimagining how they can innovate their teaching practice to establish a new normal for students; leveraging the benefits gained from the remote learning model to ensure students continue to make thinking routine in this changing and challenging world we live in.
School development and growth
In Term 1, Dr Anne Webster, Federal Member for Mallee, officially opened the new Junior School building and classroom refurbishment. With additional classrooms, a collaborative learning area, learning support spaces and a junior innovation centre for students in Foundation to Year 2, we have been truly blessed to have such wonderful facilities to help foster rich and dynamic learning in our Junior School.
The construction of the second stage of the Senior Centre commenced this term. This building project will complete the Senior Centre precinct and include additional classrooms, a science laboratory, sport science area and sports gymnasium. The project will start in June, with completion scheduled for May 2021.
HTLC Rowing
There has been a strong start to HTLC’s rowing program in our inaugural season, with six Secondary students from the college all securing podium finishes in multiple events held during Term 1.
In February, at the Head of the Schoolboys’ Regatta at Lake Wendouree, Rory Hallinan-Johns comfortably won the preliminary final by six boat lengths before winning the gold medal in the Year 8 Boys final, finishing two minutes ahead of his nearest rival.
Maddie Toet and Freya Colbert competed in the Firbank Regatta on the Barwon River in Geelong, comfortably winning their heat and finishing third in a closely contested final.
The first HTLC Coxed Quad Scull crew competed at the Junior Girls State Championship Regatta on the Barwon River at Geelong finishing third in a very fast heat, earning progression to the C Final. The crew made the most of their opportunity in the final, finishing 4 seconds clear of their opposition to win the Year 10 Girls Division 2 final. Additionally, Maddie Toet and Alexandra Salter rowed at the Rowing Victoria State Championship Regatta in the 2000 metre Open Schoolgirls Double Scull.
The girls performed well in the heat to earn their place in the final. The girls earned a silver medal at the State Championships. As a relatively new team to the sport of rowing, and competing against schools with a strong rowing tradition, the HTLC Rowing team has had a fantastic start to 2020. We are excited to see the program grow and further improve into the future.
Western Victoria Academy of Sport
In 2020, HTLC has partnered with the FedUni WestVic Academy of Sport. With the intention of providing additional support to students who excel in their field of competition aims to offer a unique opportunity that will complement existing training programs that may not have otherwise been accessible to students in regional Victoria.
Selected students will have access to professional sport services that involve musculoskeletal screening, injury prevention and management, individual strength and conditioning programs, high performance training days, diet and nutrition support and foot and ankle injury prevention.
As an additional level of support to students we look forward to the increased opportunity provided to our students and their successes in the future.
Matthew McLoughlin
Head of Sport (7-12)
