THE following letter – sent to all parents and carers by Mr Harvey on September 11 – outlines the College’s plan for end-of-year events in 2020:
“We are all aware that 2020 has been a year like no other and will be forever remembered for the impact that the COVID-19 virus has had on us all. Our College community continues to adapt to the restrictions placed upon all of us, particularly as a school as we navigate this academic year.
Whilst appreciating that the restrictions have impacted members of our community in different ways, many of us have been forced to make decisions about events in the future based on the pandemic as it currently stands.
The most notable, with regards to any future events at the College, revolves around the extension of Phase 4 restrictions and the 2m physical distancing requirements, by the Western Australian State Government until at least 24 October 2020.
As such, we provide this overview of the significant end of year events that occur in Term 4, all of which celebrate the wonderful achievements of our students and giving thanks and gratitude for what we have shared. I appreciate that not everyone will understand the decisions we have made,however I hope that all will recognise that to be able to host these events at all, is a luxury that not everyone can experience. It would be devastating if we were forced to cancel or could not seek alternatives.
I have attempted to be concise with these details, to capture the main points of change. Further details will be shared at an appropriate time to the relevant parties involved.
College Community Day
We were devastated that restrictions prevented us from hosting our annual and much-cherished St Norbert Day and Harmony Day events. We have decided to hold a modified celebration on Friday, 16 October. The program of the day will include a Liturgy of the Word, a House Assembly to farewell respective Year 12 students from the House, a Book Week parade, a staff versus student soccer match and a concert. Arrangements for lunch and other finer details will be shared separately.
Year 12 Graduation Events
As best as we can, the College endeavours to host the following Graduation events on Friday 23 October. We apologise that an earlier communication suggested other arrangements however, the extension of the Phase 4 restrictions have forced us to amend our options.
- Breakfast for College staff and Year 12 students – commercially prepared and individually packaged.
- Graduation Assembly – to be held in the Fr Peter O’Reilly Centre, with limited tickets available to parents and families. This event will be live streamed through our College secure social media platforms. Two of our student year groups (year levels to be determined) will be housed in the Xanten Theatre and other rooms, to accommodate the physical distancing requirements in the Fr Peter O’Reilly Centre.
- Graduation Mass in the evening will be followed by the Graduation Ceremony.
These special events will also be held in the Fr Peter O’Reilly Centre. Families will be required to order tickets through TryBooking when available. There will be a limit of 2 tickets maximum per family of each graduating student, as the floor plan and measurements do not allow for unlimited access. Unfortunately due to the COVID restrictions, we are unable to provide supper for families this year. The cost of packaging and serving the food under these conditions was too prohibitive.
Annual College Presentation Night
The current restrictions that apply to the Perth Concert Hall prohibit the College from holding our Annual College Presentation Night at that venue. Unfortunately we were unable to find a venue that could accommodate our College community and the format of our evening at this point in time.
In an effort to acknowledge the achievements of our students and the gifts and talents of our performers, we have investigated and made a decision to enlist the help of a professional production company to pre-record this event. All speeches, student performances and award presentations will be packaged into video format and able to be viewed by students and their families online at 7pm on Wednesday, 28 October (the original time determined for this event). Further details will be shared regarding access to this publication.
In closing, our College value of community is one which gives us great pride at St Norbert College. Whilst these events cannot be as we’ve come to expect, and perhaps are not what we would normally appreciate as members of such a great community, we feel that the formats chosen are a far better option than to cancel.
We hope that all members of our community understand and appreciate the disappointment in making such decisions. We do however, welcome feedback so that, if we are unfortunately in a similar position in 2021, we may be able to make adjustments.”