Principal's Report
Dear Parents and Carers
System Conference
Our staff joined staff from across our Diocese (over 800 staff!) for our System Conference on Tuesday and Wednesday last week. This was an enriching and affirming experience for us with outstanding speakers and the opportunity to meet and work with staff across our Diocese.
The first speaker was Mr Peter Turner from the DIocese of Wollongong who really set the tone for our two days. I found his keynote challenging and thought provoking. He challenged us with the following questions -
For what do you wish to be known?
Why?
He discussed this statement as both a personal question and also as a collective ie school/system. For me this question brings back the vision for our Annual Improvement Plan:
Our vision is a faith filled Catholic Professional Learning Community, founded on faith & focused on learning, working collaboratively to enhance the learning for all, resulting in students who are creative, confident and informed people ready to make a real difference in our world. We believe that everyone can learn, not always at the same time or in the same way, and we strive to create learning opportunities for all.
For me this statement encapsulates what we want for our students, that they are confident, creative, informed ready to make a real difference in our world. Peter went onto say that improvement in learning is impossible without strong pastoral care that promotes wholeness and integrity.
Pope Francis said it clearly
‘Education cannot be neutral. It is either positive or negative; it either enriches or it impoverishes; either it enables a person to grow or it lessens, even corrupts.
The mission of schools is to develop a sense of truth of what is good and beautiful. And this occurs through a rich path made up of many ingredients’
Our challenge as educators in Catholic schools in our current time is to work to ensure that the education of our students is positive, that it enhances, that it grows each member of our community, students, staff and parents, and that it leads to us being the best version of ourselves.
As parents and carers, you have made the choice for Catholic education for your children. So why a Catholic school?
We promote wholeness
We are faith ie values driven
We are good schools … where learning matters
Another great keynote speaker was Andrew May who has worked with the NSW and Australian Cricket teams as their Physical Performance Manager, as well as with the Sydney Swans and many Olympic athletes. Andrew presented a keynote ‘Matchfit - striving to unleash your full potential in work and in life’. He challenged us around our own wellbeing and identified the following areas - move, fuel, recharge, think, connect, and play , that are all part of a big role in how we feel.
We have taken this challenge seriously, that if we are not well, how can we be there for our students. To that end, a number of us have committed to participating in the running festival at Coffs Harbour on Sunday 8th September. Wish us well as we embark on becoming Matchfit!
Acting Assistant Principal for 2019
It is with pleasure that I announce that Mr Damian Roff was successful in gaining the position of Acting Assistant Principal for 2019. I congratulate Damian on his appointment and look forward to continuing to work with him in this new capacity.
Changes to reporting
Academic Reports for Year 7 - 10 will be posted at the end of next week. With the move to Compass, our reports will be changing. Unfortunately, the Compass version of reports was not ready for this round of reporting and we have had to put in an interim measure. These reports are a mixture of the old report and new. Please be assured that this is interim and the new reports will provide more information to parents and carers. The reports will have a cover letter that details what the new reports will look like and the information provided to parents.
Student conferencing will replace traditional Parent-Teacher Interviews. Student Conferencing will be with your child’s PAC teachers and take the form of a 15 minutes conference led by your child. This will be a more meaningful experience for everyone. In particular for Year 10, this will provide a great foundation for subject selection into Year 11. Conferencing will occur in Week 2 Term 3 for Stage 5 (Year 9 and 10) and in Week 3 Term 3 for Stage 4 (Year 7 and 8). Parents can contact teachers for subject interviews as required.
What new learning will you undertake this week?
Thank you
Regina Menz