DEPUTY PRINCIPAL'S REPORT 

My father will often say ‘it doesn’t cost anything to be generous’ and he is right, it doesn’t. There is always something we can do to live with a generous heart. Immediately we will think of money and sometimes we don’t feel that we can be generous in this area, perhaps because it might mean that we ourselves go without. Certainly we all have the capacity to share but it is worth noting however that there are many ways to be generous; we can be generous with our time, our effort, our attitude towards others and our actions. Being fully human is essentially interpersonal and communal in nature. In our Catholic Tradition there is a fundamental and foundational belief that each and every person is created in the image and likeness of God. As such, every person has an undeniable dignity and is worthy of respect. This is a call to us all to recognise that same dignity in each other. This is a great starting point for generosity.

Through our Hearts and Hands Mass we can take action to recognise the dignity and worth of others in our community by giving generously in support of the St Vincent de Paul Winter Appeal. Students and families are encouraged to donate non-perishable food items, toiletries, warm coats and blankets which can be distributed in our community. This act of generosity is considered in the Catholic Tradition to be Corporal Works of Mercy, responding to the basic needs of humanity as we journey together through this life.

Through our Say Something Nice movement we can speak with generosity, bringing kindness and compassion to another person. This doesn’t need to be a grand gesture of overflowing compliments, it can simply be saying a genuine ‘hello, how are you’ or sharing a smile. When we look in someone’s eyes and speak to them with respect and kindness we are recognising their dignity, we are saying “I see you”. We all know how it feels to be on the receiving end of kindness and gratitude and how simple words, generously given can lift our spirits. It takes little effort to be nice, in fact it could be argued that it takes more effort to be mean than it does to be kind. Our School Captains have introduced Say Something Nice Day on each Wednesday in the hope that deliberate, intentional use of language will create a greater sense of a respectful community. Saying Something Nice can be choosing not to gossip or not to criticise or not to be negative. The way we speak to each other is important and the way we speak about each other is equally important.

We can also be generous in our efforts and this is particularly important in a school setting. Rather than succumb to apathy and disengagement, we can be open to the possibilities that come through effort and participation. Generosity in this regard can lead to benefits not only for ourselves but also for others, we can contribute to a positive learning environment, to a successful team task or to a fruitful lesson; all simply through a generous approach of effort and attitude. We can encourage others to be involved, we can be generous in working with those in our classes, we can be generous in responding to a request from staff. Doing our best, in our school work, in our behaviour, in the way we meet College Community Expectations,  is living with a spirit of generosity.

Little moments of generosity, repeated daily, can make a difference.