It was with excitement at 3pm on Sunday 12 July that Illawarra reopened for our Senior Boarders at the start of Term 3. Extensive planning had taken place at the end of Term 2, and during the holidays to ensure that the reopening of our Boarding House was in line with the Government’s AHPPC guidelines and the School’s COVID Risk Assessment Matrix.

Our boarders showed maturity and resilience as they settled back into Illawarra. Each boarder had her own bedroom and allocated shower and a designated place in the dining room labelled with their own named placemat. Temperature checks and health questions before breakfast and dinner became a part of the new normal as we served meals to the girls.

The boarders who returned loved attending classes again with their peers and teachers. We had a few memorable nights during the weeks we were able to be open in Term 3. The girls loved their facial mask and Kit Kat night; their take away pizza supper and my favourite the surprise 18^th birthday parties for one of our Year 12 Chinese boarders. Keeping to COVID safe practices there were no candles on the birthday cake, the chips were served by tongs onto plates but still all the Tim Tams got eaten. We bought a number of couches into the lobby so everyone could space out, talk and share stories. Finally, at 11pm we decided we all had better go to bed. Within 48 hours we were told that Victoria was entering Stage 4 restrictions and that Illawarra would be closing again.

Throughout Term 3, Boarders’ Prep has continued to be available for all Years 8-10 students and was also offered to our new international students who had commenced in Term 3 and were living in homestay. We have also continued to celebrate birthdays though MS Teams meetings and boarders’ catch ups with various groups as well as ensuring all our boarders in homestay and overseas are doing well.

Last week in the Boarders’ Meeting I asked the question: What made you happy today? Below are some of the varied and wonderful answers:

• Nice and sunny today
• My wifi started working again
• Playing with my dogs or cats
• Went for a good run this morning
• Made my first cake
• Had a good lunch today
• Giving mum a call
• Finishing my History test
• Making my own video for PE
• Got a good sleep last night
• Received a letter from a friend or spoke to a friend
• Mum bought me a hot chocolate

I also asked this question to our boarding staff in our weekly Zoom Meeting as it is so important to focus on the positives.

Although boarding is different this term the importance of connection and communication have never been so important.