ENewsletter

Covid Update

And so it is that one and a half months later we continue to find ourselves continuing in this less than favoured mode of teaching and learning, with living and communicating through means other than face to face. Not ideal, but please don't lose patience, please don't lose Faith and please try in as much as you are able to follow through with as normal a routine as you possibly can so that together, we can achieve the goal sought, and return to a 'normal' and functioning society.

Hope, however does not alone bring results, without being helped along and aided with action by each person involved. Everyone's active participation in sticking together, following requirements and helping each other achieve these daily goals will greatly assist in reaching the desired outcomes. Curriculum and procedural matters that change will be made known to all respective parents via either myself or one of the Leadership Team managers as this occurs.

Applicable Possible Refund: Camps

It's quite obvious now that excursions and camps will not be permitted to be held or taken during this term. Before any decision is made however, we are taking the next logical step in trying to secure dates for each of these venues during the second half of Term 4, God willing things improve by then, as our first choice is to reschedule rather than cancel them. These camps serve a very valuable purpose and learning experience from both an academic and social perspective as well as towards our students overall personal growth.

This opportunity was lost in 2020 due to the premature decision taken in Term 3, 2020 to cancel and refund camps and activities - one which we don't wish to repeat again this time for our student's benefit.

IF no dates can be secured during the preferred dates, then the College will commence the process of seeing what costs have already been forwarded to venues, which venue will refund deposits or not, and then calculate the fair and reasonable calculations to ensure that families with multiple children at the College are refunded any amounts appropriate, and according to their individual situations.

I repeat last year's constant enquiry, the Activities Levy Fee is NOT purely for camp. It covers over 13 different sub-fees including but not limited to transport for sport, numerous IT levies paid annually in total for school internet and program licenses that are used particularly by class teachers and students and especially during home learning and on-line teaching.

The College in fact increased the range of programs and abilities/strengths of these to ensure a greater breadth could be utilized, and in our current circumstances, I'm glad this decision was made.

We utilise our funds to stretch as much as this is possible as our funds are limited. Rest assured that we will NOT retain any funds paid by you that are unused. If this is the eventual outcome, we aim to refund any unused funds once decisions have been confirmed that no other options are available to us, with this action then being notified to all and not just some, at the appropriate time.

Itemized lists of fees included will not be issued or distributed as a few people have demanded. Any possible refund that may be given at the end of the year will be according to general procedures used across the board to relevant families taking into account their own family enrolment/s in the school and which year level this applies to.

Independent VS Systemic Schools Structures

Lastly, please understand that we are not connected to the Department of Education or other System such as the Catholic schools are, or the Anglican schools are. These are systemic schools and so their authority group receives all funding at very high levels, and the authority then distributes these across their schools as required or specific needs arise. Their flexibility in meeting their obligations is better managed as they have a central pool that can be redistributed or processes altered temporarily to assist in specific instances.

I say these things to highlight that we are financially alone as a number of families have pointed out to me on numerous occasions: "But the Catholic/Anglican school did this to help their families in need" .... "how can you call yourselves a 'Christian' school?"...... and "they're far more considerate unlike you who always asks for money and doesn't care"....

Yes we do care and yes we do receive standard funding but we are not funded at the same funding categories of the above system schools by any means. Financially, we have no one to depend on except ourselves. We are 100% financially self reliant on fees that are in most instances lower than Catholic school fees, and yet our results exceed these more established and developed schools, and indeed numerous other schools across the city and State annually with the little that we have. Fact: regardless of our limited funds and resources that we manage to overcome all obstacles through our human resources (Staff and students) and consistently have been named the highest achieving non-selective school in the South West region of Sydney.

I write these things as the situation currently is not normal, and these matters would not normally be made public, however we are all in uncertain times and these are not normal circumstances.

I cannot tell staff that they can't get paid for the work they are doing and the services they and the college are providing, and may I add that the workload during a lockdown period far exceeds the standard workload as acknowledged by all our students and parents in the surveys that were conducted last week;

I cannot tell the utilities companies such as electricity, gas and telephone systems I'm sorry but can I pay next month, I cannot tell the service providers for sports and association's subscriptions and internet services that I'm having difficulty currently and the list goes on...

Please be patient with my office and finance staff, they are required like everyone to follow the policies and procedures and they take no pleasure in having to follow up families for fees payments, nor can they make or have authority to make adjustments to procedures as they do not have the flexibility within their level and roles to do this. We do understand the difficulties faced by many people, we experience this on a daily basis and we are not immune to this, however ask for your understanding that the school depends on payments of fees and for these to be timed so it can also meet all its own obligations without facing shortages, discontinuations, and penalties in meeting our financial obligations.

We will do what is right and ethically proper however, processes required will be practiced throughout to ensure equity to all.

Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox College - Newsletter

Volume 26 Edition 5 - August 2021

Welcome to Saint Mark's Coptic Orthodox College eNewsletter

From the Head of College

Update - Dep Head of College - Mrs Deborah Grohala

Update - Head of Secondary Students - Ms Mary Williams

Update - Head of Teaching and Learning - Mr Peter Joseph

Update - Head of Primary - Mrs Silvia Nada

Technology Updates - Mr Remon Metira

Screen Recording

Term 3 - Week 4

Stay informed with the SkoolBag App

Building and Construction Update @ July 21 (Swipe or Click to view each)

Upcoming Dates

In the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit - One God, Amen!