High School springs back to life

JOYFUL chatter filled the Ballarat High School quad and gym on Monday.

Year 12 students caught up for their first normal school day, studying remotely for the last three months.

Principal Gary Palmer welcomed them back just two weeks before their ‘study without teaching vacation’ period and final exams.

His staff organised recreational, inter-house lunchtime activities for the last ten days, to ensure they have fun and stay active.

“This is what we’ve all missed,” Mr Palmer said, “The laughter and the fun.”

Working at home during her last VCE units, Georgie Simper said the isolation made her realise what Ballarat High means to her.

“I love coming to school, seeing my friends… They’ve been really supportive of me, and it was a big thing not having them there,” she said.

“It’s been eye-opening, not seeing my teachers face-to-face or having them there to help every single time I needed assistance. They’re all amazing, but it’s been really hard.”

Fellow year 12 Sophie Kurzman said her cohort has handled remote learning well.

No two students have approached it the same, and they’ve all grown differently, but one thing is uniting year 12s; they’re savouring their little time on campus, if only for a couple of weeks.

“We probably won’t ever be in a situation like this again,” Sophie said.

“We can’t complain about something we have no control over. We’ve taken initiative for our own learning, we’ve become more individual and responsible. When we need to knuckle down, we do.

“It’s really good prep for next year. Uni is all on your own back, the teachers don’t remind you of deadlines, and if you don’t get your work in on time, you don’t get it in at all.”

Mr Palmer agreed the transition to university may be smoother this time, having developed a greater independence and sense of self-motivation.

“No one’s holding your hand at uni. Remote learning has built a bit of resilience and persistence in them, and they’ve realised sometimes you do get some tough knocks,” he said.

“Some kids have found more focus without their peers, but mostly they’ve missed sitting in class, engaging with one another and asking each other questions about their work. Those peer-to-peer engagements can be really powerful learning experiences.

“I dare say they’ve been texting, emailing, ringing and contacting each other on social media, but they’ve missed the face-to-face stuff; fun, laughs and jokes.”