COVID-19 UPDATE

Following this morning’s announcement of a week-long extension to the current lockdown in the Lake Macquarie and Newcastle LGAs, MC will continue to operate within the Level 4 guidelines that were emailed to you on Friday 6 August.

Having said that, I am very conscious of the stress that many families are currently experiencing due to the lockdown. Whether it be the generalised level of concern that the pandemic brings to our broader community, the challenge of young people learning from home while many of you endeavour to work in the same spaces, or the unwelcome complexity of unplanned financial pressure, we are each living in a time which continues to test our personal, family and community resilience.

As was the case in 2020, throughout this current lockdown MC will continue to provide your family with high-quality learning both onsite and off-site via MC Cloud, to ensure that a minimum of disruption occurs within the learning journey of each young person.

MC Cloud: Families that require specific assistance regarding the functionality of MC Cloud are encouraged to contact David Chapman, our MC Assistant Principal (Teaching & Learning), at [email protected] for that direct support. Your child’s class teachers can also be contacted directly at [email protected] (e.g. [email protected]).

Student Wellbeing: Understanding that generalised student wellbeing needs may continue, and in some instances be magnified during a lockdown period, families requiring student wellbeing support throughout the lockdown period are encouraged to contact Aaron Hodges, our MC Assistant Principal (Student Wellbeing), at [email protected] for that direct assistance and referral. Aaron Hodges will also publish a range of additional student wellbeing resources to you in the coming days.

HSC: Year 12 families who have questions or require assistance in supporting their young person over the coming weeks in regard to any matters connected to the HSC are encouraged to contact Clare Jolliffe, our MC Assistant Principal (Senior School), at [email protected] for that direct support. While Clare remains in contact with our HSC students, we also understand that families may have questions or require assistance themselves, so please feel welcome to contact Clare if such support is sought over the coming weeks.

Financial Support: The MC COVID-19 Relief Fund was established in 2020 to support our MC families to navigate through potential financial complexity due to the pandemic. This fund provides a fast-tracked system of highly flexible fee support and remission strategies that may provide your family with the financial release valve that it needs at this time. Please do not hesitate to contact Steve Andrews, our MC Business Manager, at [email protected] if such assistance may be beneficial either now or at any time throughout the coming months.

Finally, as each of you seeks to stay well and safe, MC values every opportunity we may have to support your family throughout this most complex of times. Please feel welcome to contact me directly at [email protected] if I can assist your family over the coming days and weeks.