From the Principal

Having Fun at School

One of my favourite parts of the school day is lunchtime. I try and keep my calendar free so that I can wander around our beautiful campus and say hello to lots of students and staff. I keep moving as I am sure our wonderful young people don’t wish me to take up too much of their time but it really is a pleasure to spend informal time with members of our community.

At some of our Parent Information evenings, I have mentioned that we want our students to enjoy their time at school. The formal and informal interactions are much more pleasant if there can be a sense of fun and enjoyment when attending to everyday school and working lives. Fortunately, we have so many positive people at the College; teachers with a wish to pass on the joy of learning and students with a positive outlook and friendly disposition.

A reflection at the end of the day can enable us to ‘review the day’ and hopefully look forward to a good tomorrow. The Jesuits have given us the beautiful prayer of the Examen. For young students the Examen may look something like this:

• Begin with some quietening down.
• Thank God for something special you are aware of.
• Go over the day in your mind.
• What was the best thing I heard?
• What was the best thing I saw?
• What was the best thing someone did for me?
• What was the best thing I did for someone else?
• Is there anything I regret or feel sorry for?
• Tell something to God about your day as a friend talks to a friend.
• What can I do tomorrow?
• Finish with a short prayer.

Before our children can enjoy their education, they need to feel safe. This week members of our College Leadership Team attended a Leaders’ Forum for Catholic schools in Western Australia (CEWA). I was in Sydney at the time for a meeting of Loreto Principals. At both meetings, attention was given to Child Safety Messages. We want the children in our Catholic Schools to feel both safe and valued.

Over the course of 2018 there will be more messages promoting the CEWA Child Safety Framework. Attached to this Newsletter there is a link to Archbishop Costello’s Pastoral message. There is direct reference to the recent Royal Commission and the necessity for the Catholic Church to improve its practices. We pray that our Lenten period may be a time for those changes to commence. 

Year 4’s interpretation of the EXAMEN.