Principal's Message
We had high hopes for the start of the new term and a sense of normality. Unfortunately we have had a setback and remote learning is back in play for a couple of weeks. However, my spirits have been boosted by the way that the staff and students transitioned back into this mode and have been trying to make good out of an unsatisfactory turn of events. I do pray that all of you and your families have kept out of harm’s way and that you are all safe. I am reminded of the words of Oscar Romero who said:
It helps, now and then, to step back and take a long view.
The kingdom is not only beyond our efforts,
it is even beyond our vision.
We accomplish in our lifetime only a tiny fraction
of the magnificent enterprise that is God’s work.
Nothing we do is complete, which is a way of saying
that the kingdom always lies beyond us.
No statement says all that could be said.
No prayer fully expresses our faith.
No confession brings perfection.
No pastoral visit brings wholeness.
No program accomplishes the church’s mission.
No set of goals and objectives includes everything.
This is what we are about.
We plant the seeds that one day will grow.
We water seeds already planted,
knowing that they hold future promise.
We lay foundations that will need further development.
We provide yeast that produces far beyond our capabilities.
We cannot do everything, and there is a sense of liberation
in realizing that. This enables us to do something,
and to do it very well. It may be incomplete,
but it is a beginning, a step along the way,
an opportunity for the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.
We may never see the end results, but that is the difference
between the master builder and the worker.
We are workers, not master builders; ministers, not messiahs.
We are prophets of a future not our own.
It is worth reading through this prayer and perhaps picking out a line that speaks to you at this very moment. I take great heart in the line that the seeds we plant will grow and flourish and that “they hold future promise.” That is why we do the things we do as parents, guardians, teachers and leaders. That is, to provide for our young people and give them the promise of “the Lord’s grace to enter and do the rest.
School Review 2021
Day 1 of the whole school review was held on Tuesday 13 July. This day is primarily organised in order for the College to show that it satisfies the guidelines set by the Victorian Regulations and Qualifications Authority (VRQA). Two external reviewers, Meredith Nolte and Leslie Tulloch, were onsite to facilitate this day.
Day 2 & 3 of the Review are scheduled for 27 & 28 July. The Reviewers will be connecting with the College to assess our performance against 5 spheres of school improvement. The 5 spheres are:
- Religious Dimension
- Leadership and Management
- Learning and Teaching
- Student Wellbeing
- School Community
The Reviewers have arranged a schedule which involves meeting with students, staff and parents with a view to gauge the community response to the current school performance in each of the spheres. It has also been planned that the reviewers will visit classes and see the College in operation. However, due to the current Covid-19 restrictions the 27 July schedule will be facilitated through an online process. At this point we have not received confirmation with respect to 28 July. As an organisation that has a culture of school improvement we support the review and aim to generate information that will assist in the provision of a School Improvement Plan for 2022-2025.
School Calendar
Unfortunately the spectre of Covid-19 has affected our school calendar again this year. The Year 12 Retreat, the General Achievement Test (GAT) and the Year 9 Camp have all been affected by the recent lockdowns. Furthermore, we have had to change a number of dates to accommodate specific needs of the school or facilitators of events. We will send out a letter to all families summarising the changes in the next few days. Our preferred option is to not cancel any event or activity and, instead, reschedule or provide for them in a different format. We thank you for your patience and support.
Raymond Pisani
Principal