From the Principal

On Friday 21 March, the St Norbert College and St Joseph’s School communities, were privileged to witness the Ordination to the Priesthood of Fr John. It was a beautiful celebration filled with the Norbertine traditions of worship, celebrated by the Archbishop of Perth, the Most Reverend Timothy Costelloe and many other priests and religious. It was a significant event for the Norbertines of Queens Park and the culmination of years of study and preparation for Fr John. Congratulations to Fr John and we look forward to Fr John and Brothers Kenneth, Stephen and Asiri being present and active in our College. Please continue to keep the Norbertines in your prayers.

On Tuesday, staff and students participated in Holy Week Liturgies in the church. Using the Stations of the Cross, we were challenged to reflect on everyday questions as we journeyed with Jesus in His final hours. It was a most moving experienced enhanced by the actions of students and our liturgical choir. I wish the community the blessings of the Easter season; one of renewal. I invite you to attend some of the masses over the coming days in the lead up to Easter Sunday.

I would like to farewell and thank the following staff who complete their service at the College:

• Mr Christo Salachan has been with us for a short time teaching RE and PE and is moving interstate. His dedication and care of our students will be missed.

• Mrs Megan Silva kindly returned to the College to complete a short contract teaching English and HASS. We wish her blessings as she travels.

• Mr John O’Sullivan our Business Manager commences his Long Service Leave before he retires and concludes his time at the College, fittingly at the end of the financial year! 

We welcome

• Mrs Melinda Smith who joined our Administration team as our Accounts Officer in March.

Joining our College at the commencement of Term 2,

• Ms Shannon Phillips teaching HASS and English.

• Ms Monique Andriuolo teaching RE and PE.

Interim Reports have been uploaded onto SEQTA and I hope that it will be an opportunity for students, with their families to celebrate the successes and revisit goals before next term. Parents/Carers, please take the opportunity to meet teachers at the scheduled Parent-Student-Teacher Interviews scheduled for Monday 28 April. The College encourages the three-way partnership between students, families and staff.

I thank our students and staff for representing the College at the ACC Division D Swimming Carnival on Monday 24 March. Congratulations to Charles Empelo for being awarded the U19 Champion Boy! 

I was reminded recently that our current students are a generation that does not know what life was like without the internet! Many held mobile phones in their hands as parents did the shopping or watched videos on an iPad while dining out. Keeping connected and making connections have been via devices that are never far from us. 

Our children are so heavily influenced by what they see on social media, that many of them have lost their ability to think for themselves or make good choices. Influencers are no longer people that we know personally. Influencers are people we will probably never meet but we allow them to convince us of what to buy, how we should think and behave. Recently I heard on more than one occasion, that a video was made and posted publicly because it was a trend on Tik Tok. It seems to me that Tik Tok and other social media platforms have brain washed our young people. Seeing something posted and liked by thousands of people, seems to rob us of judgement of what is right or wrong and more importantly, what consequences may result. I encourage parents and carers to take an interest in what your children are viewing and posting on social media and gaming platforms, especially during the holiday period. It is not the responsibility of the College to regulate online behaviour, especially outside of school hours, however we are often required to step in to clean up the damage of poor choices made by students.

I wish the community the blessings of the Easter season. I hope that you will take the opportunity to attend some of the services over Holy Week which commences with Palm Sunday on 13 April. Easter is a time of rebirth and renewal, a chance to see Jesus as our greatest influencer who is still relevant today.

“Again Jesus spoke to them saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.’” (John 8:12)

God bless and have a restful break.

Ms S Rainford

(Principal)