From the College Principal 

Dear Parents, Carers, Students and Friends of the St Gregory’s College Community,

A warm welcome back to the first College Newsletter for Term 2 to all our students, families, friends and staff. I also warmly welcome our new students, their families and new staff to the College. I hope your time with us brings you a great deal of joy and satisfaction. We all look forward to supporting you as you join the St Gregory’s community.

I hope the recent holiday break for students (and hopefully many parents) was an opportunity to relax, refresh and enjoy the company of each other for an extended period. I also hope you had the opportunity to reflect and share in the Easter celebrations in your Parish and at home with your family.

ATTENDANCE - I seek your support in ensuring that your child is attending the College every day of the term so as to not fall behind and suffer from ‘learning loss’ which can be significant with days off, holiday breaks during term, etc. Please remember that we aim for a minimum 95% attendance per term. Research has shown there is a direct correlation between attendance and student achievement. High performing schools have attendance rates around 95 – 98%. 

THE EASTER PERIOD - We are now in the fifty days of Easter. Easter is a festival season of fifty days whose first day is Easter Day, the Sunday of the Resurrection, and whose last day is the Day of Pentecost (Sunday 23 May). The Easter season includes the events of Christ’s resurrection and ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. As the sacrament of new life, baptism is an Easter theme; as baptised Christians, we take time during Easter to ponder the meaning of membership in Christ’s body, the church. We look at events in the church’s life, the sacraments, the accounts of the resurrection and the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus to discover their meaning and what they tell us about how we as a community are to live the life of the Risen Lord. Like the two who walked the Emmaus road with Jesus, we can know Christ in the sharing of the word and in the breaking of bread at the Eucharist. Today the whole church enters into this period of uncovering anew the mysteries of faith expressed in sacrament, word, and life lived for others. Each time we celebrate the Holy Eucharist, we say these words: We proclaim the mystery of faith: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

THE MONTH OF MAY - The month of May is marked with “alleluias” as we celebrate the Resurrection and live into the Easter joy we proclaim.  May is also marked by the Church in its dedication of the month to Mary.  As we celebrate the month of May, we reflect on the remarkable role Mary plays in salvation history.  Her “yes” to God’s invitation forever changed the course of history.  Mary offers us three essential pathways for living our faith.

1. Mary shows us how to listen.  Mary was a young girl living in a culture where she could have been stoned to death for having a child out-of-wedlock.  She knew the cultural and societal consequences of her “yes.”  She knew what could happen if Joseph didn’t understand.  She had reason to fear her parents’ reactions.  When the angel appeared to Mary, we read in scripture how she was deeply troubled.  Somewhere deep within she found the courage, inner strength, and grace to respond with full assent, “Let it be done to me according to your word.”  Mary shows us what it means to listen with full intensity to what God is asking, God’s invitations may very well demand everything of us.  Deep pondering, heart-centred attentiveness, and courageous listening are required of us, too.
    
2. Mary shows us how God’s word must be shared with others.  When Mary visited her cousin Elizabeth, they did not simply exchange a simple greeting, but one of deep faith.  God’s word is meant to be shared.  It cannot be contained within us if we are to be filled with the life it offers.  We must share it with others.  We are invited to ponder the word of God so that we might share it joyfully with others.
    
3. Mary shows us how to live in God’s word.  Mary lived moments of profound joy as well as profound sorrow.  From losing Jesus in the Temple to the journey to Calvary, Mary lived these sorrows and anguished deeply.  Mary formed and raised Jesus from the simplicity of her daily life.  She was a person in conversation with God, with the Word of God, and also with the events through which God spoke to her.  From the Annunciation to Pentecost, Mary appears as someone whose freedom is completely open to God’s will and shows us how to live in God’s word.

In this month of May, may we turn to Mary in our times of joy and sorrow and ask her to continue to show us the way to her Son.  As we strive to grow in faith and live more fully in God’s word, may we, like Mary, bring Christ to others.

ANZAC DAY - Last Sunday we once again commemorated ANZAC Day. In the tributes to all those men and women caught up in the conflicts of the past and present, there was an understanding that love underpinned the emotion of the day. There was the love of family, the love of comrades, and the love of country. In some services, tributes were also paid to the first responders from the police and emergency services who in the past year have had to deal with the natural disasters of fire and flood, as well as the pandemic. For many of the volunteers who helped during these crises, it has been the love of their community that have found them helping time and time again. 

ANZAC Day is perhaps at its most meaningful when it asks us what we are willing to do for love - what hardships we might face, what barriers might we reach out across, what friendships might we seek to make, what people might we seek to welcome?

I thank the students and the families who represented the College with great pride at the ceremonies at Campbelltown, Camden, Picton and Appin last Sunday.

On Friday 23 April at the College ANZAC Commemoration Assembly, I made the following comments as part of my address to the College community: - 

“It is essential that you, the youth of today understand the history of this wonderful country and that Anzac Day is a vital part of this history. As a teacher and the proud grandson of a World War I digger, I have always felt passionately that children should have a meaningful understanding of the significance of the Anzac spirit.

Australian children of today are blessed that they have not lived through a world war, they generally have a life of privilege where all needs and wants are provided."

Moving forward, it is the characteristics of courage, resilience and mateship that we continually need to foster and grow at St Gregory’s. When we talk about the St Gregory’s family, let’s ensure that these words are reflected in our actions towards each other. Let’s use the great examples of our past history to ensure our mateship, courage and resilience are truly lived values in each of us. We have a responsibility to those who came before us and those who will follow us in the future.

Today in a special way, we have rightly acknowledged the battlers and the heroes and salute the hundreds of thousands of Australians who paid with their lives in the service of our great nation.

The ANZAC spirit exists in each of us, so therefore let us be guided by the ANZAC spirit in facing the challenges ahead and let us strive to be worthy of the sacrifices of our defence personnel. 

We will remember them. Lest we forget.”

NAPLAN - The NAPLAN Tests will take place in Week 4 of this term – Tuesday 11 May to Thursday 13 May. The NAPLAN Tests are for Years 3, 5, 7 & 9. It is important that our students are well prepared for the tests over the three days (Language Conventions & Writing on Tuesday 11 May; Reading on Wednesday 12 May; and, Numeracy on Thursday 13 May); however, it is important to recognise that the tests are diagnostic and form one of many assessment measures used by schools to assist students, parents and teachers better understand the learning journey each student is on.

St Gregory’s is a great place to undertake the NAPLAN tests because we ensure the right atmosphere so the tests do not have to be stressful. Our focus is on the student’s wellbeing and not solely on the results they attain. Having said that we want each student to do their best in each test.

Some important NAPLAN advice for parents:

• Help yourself help your child – familiarise yourself with the test by looking at test examples online. Click on the following link for further advice and access to the test website - https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/parent-carer-support/preparing-for-naplan
• Parents are reminded that there is a link on the NAPLAN website that contains practice items for all year levels covering Language conventions, Reading, Numeracy and Writing - https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/the-tests
• The National protocols for test administration outline the need for key aspects of the NAPLAN program to be communicated to parents/carers. Useful materials for this important stakeholder group can be found on the ACARA website.
• Take cues from your child – if your child doesn’t worry, then neither should you.
• Encourage your child to do their best and try hard – choose your words carefully and focus squarely on the effort rather than the result.
• Listen to any concerns they have – validate their feelings rather than shut them down.
• Give them some relaxation ideas – anxious or nervous children will benefit from some simple relaxation strategies.
• Help them retain their perspective – while NAPLAN is a useful indicator it is not the biggest, most important thing in the world.
• The night before – make sure that your child gets a good night’s sleep.
• On test days – ensure that your child has a decent breakfast.
• After the tests – if you are worried about the results make sure you seek advice from your child’s teacher.

It is also worth remembering that the NAPLAN tests do not assess what makes each child unique and very special. They may assess current student abilities and performance in writing, reading and numeracy, but they will never tell parents what makes their child the beautiful person they are. Only you know this! So please, encourage your child to relax and do the best they can do – no pressure!

The Chief Executive of the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority wrote in the past, “We need to always keep NAPLAN Tests in context. These tests are taken four times in a student’s schooling life – over three days there are four tests that take about one hour each. NAPLAN tests what students should already know from their everyday learning and there are prizes or repercussions for doing well or not doing so well in the tests.”

A wonderful letter from the Principal and staff of Walkervale State School in Bundaberg to the students in Year 3 & 5 sitting the NAPLAN Test in recent years sums up what NAPLAN really means. This letter is GOLD! Here is an extract of the letter to the students: - 

"Soon, you will sit the NAPLAN test. Before you take this test there is something very important for you to know. This test does not assess all of what makes each of you exceptional and unique.

The people who score these tests don't know that some of you love to sing, are good at drawing or can teach others how to use a computer program. They have not seen the way that some of you can dance with grace or speak confidently to a large group. They do not know that your friends count on you to be there for them when they are sad. They don't know that you participate in sports, help your Mum and Dad or that you play with your little brother, sister or cousins. They do not know that you are caring, thoughtful and that every day you do your best. Because these attributes cannot be tested.

The scores you get from this test will tell you how you did on that day, but they will not tell you everything. They can't tell you that you have improved on something you once found difficult. They can't tell you that you brighten up your teacher's day. They can't tell you how amazingly special you are.

So, come to school ready to do your best for the NAPLAN test and remember there is no one way to 'test' all of the wonderful things that make you, YOU!"

MOTHERS’ DAY - On Sunday 9 May, our prayers and thoughts will be with all our loving Mums! On behalf of the College I would like to say a big thank you to all the ‘mums’ in the College who provide so much love, compassion and modelling to the children. I hope Mother’s Day is a time you are spoiled, and you feel the love of your children and families, and the constant love of Jesus.

CONGRATULATIONS – Over the past weeks, it has been great to witness the dedication and commitment of our students, staff and families in a range of pursuits. Congratulations to: -

• Our Show Team who have achieved outstanding successes at the recent Shows they have attended - The Royal Easter Show and The Hawkesbury Show. We are blessed with outstanding teachers who go out of their way to ensure our students have great opportunities with our cattle and sheep.
• Our Year 7 students, staff and Senior School student leaders for their Camp at Narrabeen earlier this week. A very enjoyable experience for all involved.
• Our students involved in the College Musical ‘Xanadu’ with the girls from St Patrick’s College. The students are practising each Wednesday in preparation for the June 4 & 5 shows.
• Our CSDA Debating teams and their coaches for the debating season ahead. Thank you to all the students involved, the team coaches and a special thanks to Mrs Maria Santos for her excellent coordination of the debating.
• Our ISA (Independent Schools Association) players, coaches and managers every success for their Rugby Union games this season. Best wishes to the boys and their coaches. Drop-in one Saturday at the College and experience the ISA Rugby competition!

ENROLMENTS FOR 2022 – Kindergarten – 2022 and Year 7 – 2022 enrolment processes are well underway. Unfortunately, the number of applications for Kindergarten – 2022 have been in excess of the number of places (52 students in 2022) and this has left many families disappointed in not being able to enrol their child at St Gregory’s. The enrolment criteria for interviews must be applied to all applicants. We apologise for not being able to enrol all families wishing to join the Junior School.

We have some vacancies for Year 7 2022 and we look forward to further enrolment applications over the coming months.

I thank our College Enrolments Team and the interview team for the wonderful work they are doing talking to all our families seeking enrolment at the College.   

FINALLY - As we move towards Week 3 of Term 2 (in a 10-week term), I am reminded of how special the St Gregory’s community is on a daily basis. In the first two weeks of the term, I have witnessed outstanding teaching and learning, and the commitment by our staff, our teachers and our parents; I have watched our Grounds and Maintenance Team work overtime to ensure our College is looking fantastic; I have seen our College Finance Team reach out to support our families in financial need; and, I have worked alongside our leaders in the College who give so much of their own time to ensure the College is run well. I am truly blessed to be the Principal of this fine College!

I wish you God’s blessings always. May Mary, our Good Mother, Saint Marcellin Champagnat and Saint Gregory continue to guide us each day and inspire us on our journey together.

Quae Seminaveris Metes – “You will reap what you sow."

Mr Lee MacMaster 

College Principal (K-12)