Principal's Message

                                                                     Mrs Josie Crisara

 

During this Advent season in the Christian calendar, we celebrate a wonderful period of preparation for Christmas, the anniversary of the birth of Jesus. Advent challenges us to reflect on the themes of Joy, Peace, Love and Hope.  Christmas gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect on those things that are important around us – family and friends.  May the Christmas spirit fill your homes. 

 

Wishing all families and staff a  Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

Presentation Night

Thank you to families who joined us for the livestreamed Presentation Night.  This provided an opportunity to celebrate the achievements of students in 2021 and thank students, parents teachers and support staff for all their great contributions. 

 

I spoke about the concept of Kintsugi, the Japanese tradition that emphasizes rather than hides and disguises breakage and repair. It is commonly applied to pottery that might be broken. The pottery is repaired by mending areas of breakage with lacquer mixed with powdered gold, silver or platinum   The art form illuminates the breaks and stresses it as an important event in its life, contributing to its worth. It is an art form.

 

There are many artists who have embraced this type of transformation in very creative ways.

 

Bing Wright, who uses shattered mirrors to capture reflection of sunlight connecting the beautiful with the flawed. 

 

 

 

 

 

Jim Bachor, who uses  mosaics to fill potholes to find a solution to a very annoying problem.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jan Vormann, who used Lego bricks to repair war damaged buildings in Europe.  The vivid colours and bricks trying to remind us of the importance of thinking positively. 

 

 

 

 

Rone walls are by an Australian artist who paints beautiful faces on walls of derelict buildings to draw attention to time and for us to consider our relationship with it.  To value time. If anything, this is something we all have. 

 

 

 

My interpretation of Kintsugi is that items are made more beautiful because of their cracks and their brokenness, not in spite of them, and I feel that this is something that can be applied to us all. We are made whole again in spite of our challenges and difficulties  and they we are more beautiful and unique having been broken. This is especially true for children who are often shaped by their childhood experiences. It is important that we teach them from a young age to honor and celebrate the things that make them unique.

 

Kintsugi is, in a way, a gift.   It is an invitation to individuals and communities to embrace the breaks, knocks  and damage in our surroundings and visualise the broken parts as something to celebrate and see how they can be transformed. 

 

“To suffer damage is to be human and to wear scars proudly is to celebrate who we have become.” So embrace imperfection. Be resilient in times of change. Show care and respect for our environment, our community and ourselves.

Awards

Congratulations to students who have received awards this year including subject awards and School Colours for Academic, Cultural, House, Service and Sport.  These awards come from hard work and great effort.  Students are encouraged always to do the very best they can and contribute to the broader activities on offer. The attached list highlights student achievement.

Staff farewells

We wish the following staff all the best as they move onto new schools and opportunities: 

  • Mr Luciano Bernes (retiring)
  • Ms Jacqueline Flood 
  • Ms Felicity Donohue  
  • Ms Ella Kim  
  • Mr Garrick Li  
  • Ms Kerrie Neophytou 

Staff who are finishing contracts are:

  • Mr Victor Brincat
  • Ms  Anthea Heiniger
  • Ms Leonie McNaughton

With the expansion of classes in Prep to Year 9 we look forward to many new students and staff commencing in 2022.