DEPUTY PRINCIPAL'S REPORT

Doing our Best

Writing to Sr Josephine McMullen in 1877, Mary MacKillop encouraged her to “make allowances for human weakness and difference in dispositions”. Presumably she was calling Sr Josephine to have patience in working with people who had different opinions from her, or perhaps had different priorities. Maybe the people she was referring to had let her down. In our school community we are called by our values to have empathy for others, to strive to understand each other and to work together, to reverence relationships by having patience with each other. Brene Brown possibly had a similar mindset to Mary MacKillop in referring  to what she calls the “value of positive intent’, that is, the assumption that everyone is doing their best. If we think more positively about other people then our work, our experience of life is bound to be more positive. If we do our best, and assume that everyone is doing the same then we can reduce conflict and increase understanding.

We know that students all have different strengths and abilities. Our expectations are not centred on getting a perfect score on a test, rather they are centred on each student doing their best. There are simple ways that students can do their best every day:

Be organised - come to school in the correct uniform with all the materials needed for the day, MacBook charged and ready to go. Sometimes students will need some support from parents to get into good habits in this area.

Be engaged - don’t shut yourself off from opportunities to learn and be part of things. There are many opportunities to be involved at our school, sometimes it is simply a case of making a choice to join in.

Be curious - ask questions before you judge someone or an action. Find out more so that you can understand before dismissing someone. 

Be prepared to put in some effort - learning, growing and relationships all take some work. Things seldom come our way just because we are present, we have to put the effort in!

Be courageous - sometimes things are hard and rather than avoid things sometimes we simply have to take courage and try. 

College Community Expectations

• We are on time and ready to learn.
• We always follow staff instructions. 
• We all use appropriate language.
• We respect ourselves, others and our learning environment.
• We are responsible for our own behaviour.

These provide a guide for all members of St Mary MacKillop College. Following these five expectations ensures that our community is respectful and just, a place where every student can do their best.