It has been another full and energising week at Como Secondary College, marked by celebration, learning and strong community connection.
Last night our Year 12 students celebrated together at their School Ball at Beaumonde on the Point. It was a wonderful venue for the evening, and the atmosphere was outstanding. The students looked fantastic, the outfits were impressive, and the dance floor was alive throughout the night. Thank you to Mr Findlater and all staff who contributed to making this such a memorable occasion for our students. These are moments they will carry with them long after they leave Como. And if any students happen to find selfies of me on their phones… it definitely wasn’t me.
We also congratulate the winners of our recent Swimming Carnival, who will now represent the College at the Interschool Carnival next week. Their effort, commitment and sense of school pride were evident throughout the day, and we wish them every success as they take on this next level of competition.
During the week, Anglicare visited to work with students as part of the Standing Together program. These sessions help young people navigate real-life issues with confidence, offering support and practical strategies that many students found valuable. We appreciate Anglicare’s continued partnership with our College.
Our Golf and Hockey programs have also been hard at work, with students getting back into the rhythm of training, conditioning and skill refinement. The commitment shown by students across both programs has been impressive, and it has been great to see them preparing so positively for the year ahead, even if it means enduring my terrible pun about “getting into the swing of things.”
We were pleased to welcome local primary school students who joined us on-site to participate in PEAC. It is always encouraging to see younger learners exploring new challenges, and we hope their experience inspires some of them to consider pathways such as EMITS in the future. With this in mind, I encourage families to promote our upcoming Open Day on Friday 13 March from 2:30pm. Please spread the word to neighbours, friends and extended family. Como is a wonderful school, and we want our community to experience what makes us proud.
Our School Development Day earlier in the week had a noticeably quiet feel without students, but it provided staff with valuable time to engage in professional learning and collaboration. A key outcome was the rollout of new IT systems for staff, which will support our BYOD approach and enhance our ability to engage students effectively with technology in the classroom. We understand some families may have reservations about the use of devices, but with clear expectations, encouragement and supervision, we are confident students will use these tools purposefully and responsibly.
I do want to acknowledge that this week I had to speak with a handful of students about their behaviour and actions, both around the school and on public transport. While these incidents were disappointing, I am encouraged that every student involved acknowledged their actions and the consequences that followed. I will continue to remind students of our Como Way values, particularly the value of integrity. Integrity means doing the right thing, even when it is difficult, and rejecting behaviour that harms, isolates or divides others. In the face of peer pressure, maintaining integrity can be challenging for teenagers. I ask families to work with me in reinforcing the importance of integrity. It is a foundation for strong character and positive relationships, both at school and beyond.
Looking ahead, next Monday 16 March we will hold our open Board Meeting at 5:30pm, followed by our P&C meeting at 7:00pm. Our P&C is being revitalised this year as a more community-driven advisory committee. While we do need to fill the required positions of president, secretary and treasurer, the focus will shift away from traditional fundraising and toward collaborative partnership and shared direction-setting for the College. If you are interested in contributing or learning more, I encourage you to come along.
Thank you for your continued support throughout another positive week. I hope you all enjoy a safe and restful weekend.
Regards
Alen Kursar
Principal
