The Anchor

Principal's Report

Welcome back to Term 4.  I hope that families have had opportunity to re-group and refresh after an eventful Term 3 and look forward to the excitement of heading into our final term for the year.

 

We welcome back Andrew John from Long Service Leave, and Rebecca Scott-Toms who joins us this term to teach Mathematics. We also welcome Melissa Fiacchi who will teach Health and PE and Natasha Smith who takes up a new position as Human Resources Coordinator.

 

We also welcome back the Japanese Tour group of Year 10 and 11 students and staff, led by Ms Katsikitis from their wonderful cultural experience in Japan. You are encouraged to read the report on the tour highlighting the amazing experiences that were shared.  Our Vision for Learning principles were all met:

  • Risk Taking, as students tried new foods, and embraced a different culture and stayed five nights in a home stay;
  • Purposeful, as students and staff engaged in language exchange and sharing their culture with those at Sundai Kofu High School;
  • Shared responsibility, as they worked together, sharing hotel rooms, travelling through very busy train stations; and
  • Inclusive, as successes were celebrated and individual characteristics were embraced.

This term we focus on the theme ‘Expressions of Faith’. In the year of celebrating the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, we are reminded of the way Martin Luther’s faith through his actions, brought about change for Christians in the 1500s.  His faith was evidenced in challenging some of the practices of the Catholic Church at that time, and his commitment to translating the Bible into German and making it available to all people, not just those that were educated. 

Martin Luther’s life work is reflected in the following Bible passage: Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

 

How people express their faith varies with each person. On the recent tour to Japan, we observed the Japanese Buddhists and Shinto very openly express their faith through the rituals they perform as they enter their temple.  Cleansing their mouths and hands and openly selecting key things they wish for as they pray, was displayed in their actions.  Christians too have symbols and actions. Wearing a cross, using the sign of the cross, praying, offering thanks before meals and gathering together to worship, are all expressions of faith.  Expressions of faith come through other actions like caring for our friends and family, sharing our faith experiences with others and serving others with our gifts like music, compassion, and communication.

 

In the holidays our community mourned the loss of teacher, colleague and friend, Steve Liebelt. One clear memory I have of Steve, was how he clearly expressed his faith through his actions and in words, particularly in Chapel messages he shared throughout his time at the College.  We celebrate his life and are strengthened by the knowledge that his faith in his Lord was strong and that he is in heaven with his maker.

 

Thank you to all who have sent special messages of encouragement to the College staff and students at this time of sadness.  Your prayers and support have been a source of strength in recent weeks.

 

Every day we have opportunity to express our faith in our classrooms and workplaces, with our friends and family.  May our faith be evident as we move into our final term for the year.

 

Blessings

 

Heather Vogt

Principal