Principal's Panorama

As we approach the end of the school year, I want to remind everyone of the importance of upholding the values of respect, value/care, safety, and dignity for all. 

These standards, rooted in our Catholic core principles and values, do not waver, no matter the season nor the time of day or the subject.  

Our Catholic principles call us to work for the common good—ensuring the fair distribution of resources, upholding human dignity, and supporting the most vulnerable in our community so that everyone can have a hope-filled future. They call us to centre our lives on the Primacy of God, fostering a deep love for God, a strong relationship with Him, and a genuine love for our neighbour. We honour the sanctity of life, recognising the sacredness of each person as they are made in the image and likeness of God, and we are called to be stewards of His creation, caring for both people and our planet. Equally, we cherish fidelity in relationships, striving for authentic, faith-filled connections that reflect compassion, kindness, and mutual respect.

Skilled Helpful Adults recognise that our young people must have a 'voice' in order to truly invested in their community and we encourage all young people to share their thoughts and ideas.

However, with that ability to represent our thoughts and opinions to others comes the responsibility to express yourself respectfully and in ways that reflect the Gospel values of compassion, kindness, and integrity. I encourage all parents/carers to help their young people finish the year strong, ensuring our school remains a place where everyone feels valued, supported, united in faith and where love for one another abounds.

At our school, we often encourage students to strive for their best, whether in the classroom, on the sports field, or in creative pursuits. However, sometimes, it is important to remind ourselves—and our young people—that not every activity is a high-stakes competition.

The phrase "playing for sheep stations" is a popular Australian saying that means taking something very seriously, as if the stakes are enormous. A sheep station, after all, represents something of great value. When we say, "We're not playing for sheep stations," we’re reminding students (and ourselves!) to relax and to keep things in perspective. In friendly games or casual challenges, it’s good to remember that the goal is to have fun, build teamwork, and enjoy the experience, rather than focus too much on winning or being the best. Understanding the difference between competitive sport and social sport is important for students and schools for several reasons:

• Competitive Sport: Focuses on performance, skill development, and achieving success in competitions. It often emphasises commitment, discipline, and striving for excellence.
• Social Sport: Prioritises participation, enjoyment, teamwork, and social interaction, often with less emphasis on winning.

By offering both competitive (Gala Days, Carnivals etc.) and social options (breaktime play and PDHPE Movement) it allows schools to engage a broader range of our young people by promoting inclusivity and encouraging lifelong physical activity. We all know that social participation is a great stress relief, fun, increases collaboration, builds communication skills and can provide a sense of belonging without the high stakes. While striving for excellence is important, it’s equally valuable to know when to simply relax and participate in the spirit of enjoyment. It is important for parents/carers and Skilled Helpful Adults to find the right balance—working hard when it matters, but also knowing when it’s okay to just play and enjoy the journey. After all, not every game is for sheep stations!

2024 Farewells

Although we will wait until Week Ten for our young people and parents/carers to find out who their teacher is in 2025, I would like to highlight some changes that we will have in 2025, so that our educators can share this news with their young people in class.

As we have a number of Skilled Helpful Adults returning from leave and others increasing their allocated days, both Ms Shamley and Mrs Brennan will be moving to new schools in 2025. I am delighted to share that both staff will stay in the Armidale Catholic Schools system, with Mrs Brennan joining the team at St Joseph's Uralla and Ms Shamley joining the St Mary's Armidale team. These two wonderful educators joined our St Mary Of The Angels Team this year in 2024 and have certainly made an impression on our angels' hearts.  We will properly farewell both Ms Shamley and Mrs Brennan at our end of year Presentation Night.

Speaking of our Presentation Evening, I have sent a COMPASS email out to all parents  and carers detailing the rationale behind the Presentation Night Awards and the criteria used to nominate and select the nominees.  As there will be no information released from the school or SHAs about who will be receiving awards it will be a fantast night of celebration when they are announced! It will be wonderful to see you all there.  

We hope you have a wonderful weekend and we look forward to seeing all of our young people on Monday!

Blessings

Zoe