A Word from the Principal

Ash Wednesday and Lent

Yesterday we celebrated Ash Wednesday and this begins the season of Lent. This season in the Church is one of preparation for Easter and the significant events that are commemorated through the Easter events.  On Ash Wednesday, we are marked with a cross of ash on the forehead to remind us of the fragility of life – from dust we come and to dust we go.  This act reminds us that we need to be humble and to remember our origins. Our actions towards others are important, and so begins the notion of repentance for the human vices of greed, wrath, pride and envy (to name just a few). The culture of “wanting more” or “wanting what others have” becomes obsessions which pollute and poison relationships with other people.  This is the season to clear out the dust and cobwebs of our lives, to reconnect with others and to build bridges in preparation for Easter, the resurrection and the hope.

Safety

Last week the media outlets were full of the tragic images of a young family lost to domestic violence and a horrific story of the grooming of a student at St Kevin’s.  Both these stories remind us of the need to keep our children and students safe.  Safety isn’t just the responsibility of families, it is the responsibility of schools and the community.  Unfortunately, it seems that these stories are only told when it is too late, when these things have happened to our young people.  Safety is not just about physical or sexual safety, I am mindful that parents are aware of cyber safety, car safety and food safety.

From the moment our students are dropped off at the Kiss and Drop zone, I am conscious of the need for them to be safe.  I request of parents and carers that when dropping children off that they are extra vigilant of students walking to and from school, that they follow the traffic regulations and that they are also thinking about the safety of students. 

When students are in class we use an internet safety screener which alerts staff to searches being conducted that might be dangerous to our students or indicate that we need to further support the children in our care through dialogue. 

At lunch time I have asked parents and carers to be aware that some of our students have life threatening reactions to nuts and that we abstain from sending nut products, like Nutella and peanut butter, to school. Our staff are on duty at lunchtimes to watch over and, where possible, prevent mishaps.

The College takes the safety of the children in our care seriously.  It is timely to remind families that the College cannot monitor the interactions of students on social media when they aren’t here.  I am aware that TikTok is a large part of the secondary student’s conversations and would like to prompt parents and carers to be aware of the discussions currently happening about TikTok and it’s origins and purpose.  I remind parents that the same rules should apply to TikTok as to any other social media account. Websites like Norton provide a number of excellent parameters for social networking.  Children need to remember that whatever they post is there for a lifetime – theirs. 

I have also recently heard the App Melon mentioned. This App is a 17+ restricted App for a reason.  I suggest parents have a discussion with their daughters about the use of an App that is set up for an older age group and why this might be the case.

So many distractions happen for our students in their day to day lives, it is important that we continue to be the adults and work with them on safety.  How to keep themselves safe – they are after all – our most precious gift.

Changes to End of Day Arrangements

Please note that the College Office staff are incredibly busy at the beginning and end of each school day.  If you are making a change to the pick-up/transport arrangements for your child, or if they have a last-minute appointment arranged, please let the College Office know before 1.00pm so that we can ensure this message is relayed to your child.

If a student will be travelling into the city at the end of the day, please ensure that they have written permission signed off by their Clan Teacher.

Thought of the Week

Fiona Nolan 

Principal