Principal's Report

The Common Good (cont.)

In our last newsletter I outlined some Catholic Social Teaching around the concept of the “Common Good”. This concept is generally understood to be the greatest possible good for the greatest number of individuals and, in our Catholic Learning Community, education is the prime focus.

So, how does our school community maintain a peaceful environment and work towards the common good? The answer is, only through mutual respect and honest communication. The ethos of a school is a major factor in establishing and maintaining high standards of performance and discipline.  All participants in our school community need to be sensitive to the possibility that the values of the home and of the wider community may differ from the values that the school tries to promote.

The cooperation of parents is critical in maintaining the ethos of the school. Parents need to be acquainted with and embrace the school’s stated goals and objectives, share its core values and support its curriculum, its staff and its leadership. When joined by a common set of beliefs and purposes, parents and staff form a powerful team with far-reaching positive effects on students and the entire school community.

When parents choose to enrol their child at a school, they agree to subscribe to its mission, follow its rules and abide by its decisions. Trust and mutual respect are the most essential underpinnings of effective working relationships between parents and teachers. While parents may not agree with every decision made by the school, usually, enough common ground can be found to continue a mutually respectful relationship, if people are of good will.

A positive school ethos is based on the quality of relationships between teachers and students, parents and teachers, parents and their children, and the manner in which they trust each other. A positive ethos will then flow through all the activities of the school and help to form a strong sense of social cohesion within the school.

We have recently upgraded the College website and in addition to a bright, fresh appearance, placed on it a number of policies that are necessary to ensure that we have a positive school ethos.

I trust that everyone finds the new website informative and takes the time to appreciate the hard work of the Branding and Communications team. We thank them very much for their creativity and hard work.

Half way

Next week we pass the half way mark of this term. Before long the busy time of end of semester will be upon us and our focus will shift to end of semester tests, exams and reports. No doubt there will be assignments and projects to finish as well. Hopefully most students are settled into the routine of Term II and have also developed a good routine for managing their time in order to get work submitted on time.

Our students will have to make sure that they plan their homework and study time to fit everything in. Teachers too have a busy time as they grade the work that is submitted, supervise and assess exams, and then write reports.

Over the next week it would be good for all families to make time to revisit the suggestions made at the recent Parent Teacher Student interviews and to also review the family calendar to make sure that students have adequate time set aside to make the most of the last weeks of Semester I. This is not a time to let fear of failure interfere with the opportunity to make sure that the end of semester report accurately reflects the efforts made. I reiterate the challenge to all students to ensure that they always submit their best work and that they approach every lesson and piece of work with a genuine desire to make the most of the talents they are blessed with.

Acting Leadership appointments

I will be absent from the College for all of Term III to undertake a mixture of Sabbatical Leave and some Long Service Leave. During my time away Mrs Kirrilee Westblade and Mr Grant Kemp will hold the roles of Acting Co-Principals. Mr James Rogerson will step into the role of Acting College Leader – Catholic Identity and Ms Ged Ryan will step into the role of Acting College Leader – School Operations.

Mrs Jenna Laughlin starts parental leave later this term and Mrs Tracey Pearson has been appointed Acting House Leader – Brigid House.

Mrs Claire Hogan will step into the role of Acting Education for Justice Leader.

Kildare Education Ministries and I have every confidence that the College will be well served by these appointments.

God Bless,

Michael Delaney

Principal