Principal

First Week of Lent

We have, once again, commenced the great season of Lent. It is an invitation for the Christians to go on retreat. Now, none of us can walk away entirely from our daily responsibilities to exist in some other realm for any period of time. And Lent is certainly not about trying to do so. But surely, all of us must sometimes pause amidst the increasing pace of life, with all its associated increasing noise, to consider, just for a moment, who is important in my life? What do they truly need, as opposed perhaps, to what they want? And how can I, with all my imperfections, help to meet those true needs? When I am deciding what is best for those I love, it takes some precious time and thinking about. But the results don’t just make a difference to them. It has more likely also brought out the best in me.

Lent is the time when we pause to ask those same questions. The well-known traditions of prayer, fasting, which is really going without unnecessary excess in my lifestyle; and almsgiving, in other words being serious about giving from the much that I have to those who have so little. They are an effective means of making the most of Lent for the betterment of everyone.

What Messages Are We Sending Our Children?

My sincere thanks to the overwhelming majority of our parent community who quickly adapted to and followed our revised Kiss and Ride arrangements.

Since we changed these arrangements, we have alleviated much of the traffic congestion around the College. I have been out and about each morning and each afternoon. Over the last week, Kiss and Ride has been empty from 3:35 PM! That means that the arrangements are safely and expeditiously sending our students home in a 25-minute period. Secondary students and their Primary siblings are being collected quickly, efficiently, and safely, under staff supervision, from 3:25 PM until 3:35 PM, 10 minutes!  In the opening days of school, we were not clearing Kiss and Ride until 3:50 PM, so there has been a vast improvement. 

However, even after warning parents/carers about the Council’s and residents’ concerns in Merley Road, Barker Road, and Newton Road, I have been finding students waiting, all alone, way past 3:35 PM, unsupervised and all this, at the direction of their parent(s). 

The only place to drop-off and pick-up students is in the Fraser Street dedicated Kiss and Ride Zone.

My staff and I have been sending students back to school when we find them waiting alone in side streets and challenging those being dropped off in other places, particularly Merley Road, in the morning. Next week, we will commence issuing sanctions.

Why are we making such a strong point about Kiss and Ride?

• Student Safety when getting in and out of cars: There is a minimal risk of any boy being hit by a car in Kiss and Ride. There is rostered teacher supervision, so we ensure they get in curbside and do not dart across busy roads or between parked cars in areas where drivers are not expecting to see students.
   
• Students are not isolated in side streets: Imagine the real possibility of a driver having a medical episode and mounting the curb. We do not know they are there and cannot render assistance. Seeing a young 9 or 10-year-old waiting alone at 4:00 PM, vulnerable and at risk, is simply too great a risk for me to accept. They should be in the library, safely reading or doing homework until they are collected from the McGlade Library.
   
• Open flouting of road rules: Waiting to be collected in no-stopping zones, crossing a busy road with no pedestrian crossing, and sitting on residents' fences is not good citizenship. Mr Byrne and I have wasted hours in the last fortnight fielding genuine and well-founded complaints from Police, Council Rangers and residents.

I know that this is only a minority of parents/carers, however, this minority of parents/carers is making it impossible for the College to exercise its duty of care to its students. 

Parents/carers openly defying practices and procedures that have served us well are not using the best judgement: they are sacrificing safety, supervision and collective wellbeing for their own selfish convenience and expediency.

What messages are ultimately sent to students when their parents defy school rules?

1. Modeling Disregard for Authority: Children observe their parents' behaviour closely. When parents openly defy rules, it communicates that authority figures (such as teachers, school administrators and even the Principal) can be disregarded or challenged. This confuses children about the importance of rules and boundaries.
    
2. Questioning the Validity of Rules: Parents who openly defy school rules may unintentionally convey that rules are arbitrary or unnecessary. Children might start questioning why rules exist and whether they need to follow them.
    
3. Emphasising Personal Preferences Over Collective Wellbeing:  Defying rules often stems from personal preferences or convenience. Parents who prioritise their own desires over adhering to rules may inadvertently teach children that individual needs supersede the wellbeing of the community.
    
4. Creating a Double Standard: When parents break rules while expecting their children to follow them, it creates inconsistency. Children notice this disparity and may feel resentful or confused.
    
5. Undermining Trust in Authority Figures: Open defiance erodes trust in authority figures. Children may generalise this distrust to other contexts, affecting their relationships with teachers, peers, and other adults.
    
6. Impact on Problem-Solving Skills: Parents who openly defy rules miss opportunities to model problem-solving. Instead of finding constructive solutions, they demonstrate that breaking rules is an acceptable way to handle challenges.
    
7. Stress and Anxiety: Witnessing parental defiance can cause stress and anxiety in children. They may worry about the consequences or feel caught in loyalty conflicts between parents and school.

In summary, parents' actions significantly influence their children's attitudes toward rules, authority, and community responsibility. It's essential for parents/carers to model respectful behaviour and engage in open communication about rules and their purpose.

You chose our College for a reason: it has an enviable record of student achievement, strong and firm boundaries all within the Catholic context of striving to improve the collective wellbeing of others above our own needs. Please work with us!

In Memoriam

• We keep Mr Menck in our prayers as his beloved stepfather passed away last week.

Dr Vittoria Lavorato

Principal

SPC boys can do anything! 

**except divide by zero