Planning ahead

With the current academic year drawing to a close, we are planning ahead, not just for the upcoming scholastic year but also for future ones.

Academic year 2021/2022,

We are preparing for the upcoming academic year. Recently, parents from KG2 upwards, should have received a ‘Continuation Letter’. Continuation letters for students who are currently in Nursery and KG1 will be sent to parents early next week. The purpose of this letter is to help us ascertain our resource and staffing needs. We currently have a small number of openings in most classes, and have some year groups with waiting lists. It will help both college and the parents on the waiting lists if you can let us know (assuming that you know), whether you will be continuing with your child’s education at St Edward’s. I do know that it can be an uncertain time for some families as to what the next academic year might hold in terms of making their decisions. This I understand completely.

As in past years if we do not receive a continuation letter response we will open up registrations to the wider public.

 

1st and 2nd ‘jabs’

Staff are being called for their vaccinations. Many are already on their second. To date we have managed to continue teaching with little or no impact to our students. We will continue to minimize the affect of potentially a member of staff reacting badly to the ‘jab’.

 

SEC Staff positions.

Shortly you will perhaps see, on social and other media outlets, including the St Edward’s webpage, openings for teachers at SEC. As it stands now, we have 3 teachers retiring, (happily?) and 2 teachers leaving the country. I start interviewing this coming week for replacements.

We are also looking to expand our course offerings – more on this shortly. In line with our Collective Agreement, I have invited staff to apply for Head of Sections and Heads of Departments. Current post holders can renew their roles.

Our interview process involves sifting through cvs, a virtual or preferable, face-to-face interview, which these days is after school hours. The actual interview will involve myself and the Head of Section, if we need a specialist person we also include the Head of Department.

Applicants are reviewed, called for a second interview if deemed necessary, and we then make a job offering.

Apart from the certification and qualifications of candidates we place a very strong emphasis on the ‘fit’. There is no point in employing someone, or accepting a position for that matter, unless both sides believe that they are a good match.

 

PD Day, May 3rd.

PD day on May 3rd was one of those uplifting occasions when I could see the quality and commitment to college from ALL staff. It made me feel both proud and very fortunate to work with dedicated professional colleagues. All took that leap of faith that I talked about in an earlier Gazette. The day was a huge success in terms of the discussions on education and how we can contribute to improving college. Because we mixed the groups in the manner we did staff made many new fiends! The energetic feeling of collegiality was palpable.

The day produced a mountain of information and concrete action points that will now be filtered, coded and implemented.

On Friday Mr. Moore and myself are meeting with SEPTA, virtually, to bring them up to speed on the day and how they can contribute as we move forward.

The main areas that we worked on were, Curriculum, Communication, Student/Staff support and well-being and Resources and Facilities. The subsections from these areas covered all of the items brought up in the questionnaires, which the different elements of the SEC community had competed. I will keep you abreast of developments and how you can be involved.

 

Ramadan.

Ramadan ends this coming Wednesday. I have been approached by some students explaining to me the significance of this day in the Muslim calendar. The three days after Ramadan, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, are amongst the holiest in the calendar. I know from past experience that it is a joyous occasion for all concerned.

The request from the boys, for these two holy days, is that any boy celebrating the end of Ramadan be excused from attending lessons.

If some boys still want to attend college we will have lessons as usual (some might want to follow online lessons). The boys have assured me, as one would expect, that any work missed will be made up.

 

Summer/Winter Uniform change.

Please be reminded that we will change to our summer uniform on Monday, 10th May. Our tracksuit days are hopefully over!

http://stedwards.edu.mt/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Uniform-list-2020-21-2.pdf