FAITH MATTERS

As a school community, we have been focusing on creating a culture of kindness and choosing to be nice. Choosing to be nice ties in so strongly with our school values of respect, dignity, reverence, generosity and compassion. 

Imagine a world where kindness is the expected norm, where people lead with compassion and empathy, they respect each other and choose to be nice every day, everywhere and with everyone. If we are compassionate towards others our actions towards them are more likely to be characterised by kindness.

Kindness is a basic human value, it is not only good for others it is good for us, one of Mary MacKillop’s quotes is ‘find happiness in making others happy’. Mary wrote this in a letter to her Sisters; she wanted them to be happy and share happiness with others.

On Wednesday 15th June, the Year 12 leaders created a ‘Say Something Nice’ board. Students and staff were given the opportunity to say something nice and post it on the board. It was wonderful to see the students stop and think about choosing to be nice and openly displaying their thoughts.

Anna Stewart, our talented Art teacher, has introduced ‘Wellness Wednesday’, each Wednesday students are encouraged to ‘choose to be nice’. Below is a link that the students have viewed in their Homerooms encouraging them to think about being kind.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iTUQdRhA2sQ&list=PLa5j4M_5K0ITiVldwxDunuo0cyxX-Ulpi&index=6

Last week we celebrated the Hearts and Hands Mass. This Mass is a chance for our students and staff to give generously to less fortunate members of our community. It has been amazing to see a large number of groceries, blankets and other goods being donated to such a worthy cause. Again, this was an opportunity for our students to be kind and consider others. 

This brought to mind another of Mary MacKillop’s quotes, ‘We have much for which to be thankful’. These words are displayed outside our library in the form of a beautiful mosaic created by Anna Stewart. 

It is such a privilege to nurture and guide our students along their journey in life, for them to experience positive emotions such as happiness and contentment and to work in an environment that challenges and supports the development of the whole person.