Welcome to Term 3. While the cold weather continues and more rain is predicted, we at GPCC are looking forward to a positive term of good work and progress. I trust that you not only survived the holiday break but found time to have quality conversation and activities with your children.

For our Secondary parents, a reminder that our long-serving Head of Secondary, Mr Peter McLellan is finishing up on Friday 29 July after 24 years in the school and over 15 of those as Head of Secondary. Our Deputy Principal, Mrs Jane McLarty will be stepping in to fill the role for the remainder of the year as we prepare to advertise for a replacement. We will be saying goodbye to Mr McLellan at a special secondary assembly next week, but he may be back to do some casual teaching for us as he works out what he is going to do next.

This term is Trial HSC exams for Year 12 students and exams for Year 11. This can be a stressful time especially for those who may not have been working as diligently as they should over the past two terms. Remember to be aware of mood changes in your teenager and support them with positive encouragement. We are confident they will do well, and these trial exams are important in the final run up to the HSC to highlight areas of focus for them in each subject.

There is increasing talk of the potential impact of the new strains of COVID around and mask wearing for those who have a member of their family with COVID or who are suffering from a cold is strongly recommended. At this stage there are no special requirements on schools, but I have asked staff to be careful to wear a mask if they have a cold or believe they may have been in contact with a COVID positive person. If your child is showing any symptoms of COVID or the flu, please keep them at home and get them tested.

We are celebrating our 40 Year Anniversary this year and you are all invited to a Thanksgiving Service to be held in our MPC in conjunction with Green Point Baptist Church, our founding Church. The service will be at 2:30pm on Sunday 7 August and it would be wonderful to have many of you join staff and Church members to thank God for his provision of our school. Reminders will go out through our social media channels as well. We will be celebrating with students on Wednesday 27 July, but due to the number of students involved, we cannot have you as parents attend that.

I reminded staff at the start of our preparation days, that we serve a great God. He is a God of miracles, a God of hope and a God of comfort and presence. Whatever lies ahead of us this term, we can be confident God is at work bringing about his eternal purposes and we can trust that He is with us through every circumstance. May this also be your experience.

Phillip Nash

Principal