Principal's Message

Dear Parents and Carers, 

Week 8 is always tough in schools, both teachers and students are in the “business” end of the term with exams, assignments, reporting and marking. The release of holidays is too far away, and cortisol levels are rising. For some of our young people this will play out as anxiety and for others we may see it in conflicts in friendships or at home, quite simply it is the time when our young people may “get on each other’s nerves”.  As parents it is often difficult to help them navigate as we don’t have the full picture and they may not have the tools to respond in a different way.  As children grow through adolescence, friendships become more important and supporting our children, particularly in our world with its online influences, may be difficult and frustrating. 

With this in mind, our Family Connect group asked Jana and Daniela, our College Counsellors, to assist parents with a presentation of helpful strategies to guide their children through adolescent friendships.  We invite you to attend the presentation on "Understanding Your Teens' Friendships” on Tuesday 20 June at 6pm.  This presentation aims to provide parents with practical tools to help you guide teens to finding and maintaining meaningful friendships while developing effective conflict resolution skills and setting them up for success in their social lives. 

I reflected on the intention of this session in light of our college values – faith, hope and love. As a community of faith, we are called to have an awareness of God’s presence and give ourselves to the fullness of life. It is the strength we need to overcome uncertainty, indifference, or desire for control. Mary, Our mother, showed great faith in God. Her witness and willingness to say ‘Yes’ to tough situations shows us that having faith doesn’t mean that you will have no worries or won’t make mistakes, but we can surrender our anxieties to God and to each other.  What follows then must be that we trust and have confidence in being a capable, valuable, and we believe we are called to do hard things and to persevere when times are tough. And as such we could say “I’ve got this even if it is hard”. 

As a community of hope, we believe we are called to generosity and hospitality of Spirit, we believe we are made in the image and likeness of God and we do make a difference for those around us. What follows then is the knowledge that I have confidence I will be supported, and I am an inherently good person. And as such we could help our young people reframe their responses, always asking first “I know they are a good person too, can you give them the benefit of the doubt before you react?”  

As a community of love, we believe we are called to forgiveness and compassion.  This leads to a sense of “walking in another’s shoes”, looking at each other with “soft eyes” and having empathy for what could be going on, for responding in a way that reduces the sting or hurt to each other.  And as such we could say “What must it be like for them.” 

Using our values as guide posts will help us all navigate tough times over the next few weeks.  Another technique often suggested to assist young people to navigate tough times is using affirmation statements, something like “I am brave and strong and powerful”. I would like to suggest that we could promote an affirmation for our own St Mary’s students – “I am faith-filled, hope-filled and loving, St Mary pray for us”. 

I commend those staff and students who are stepping up each day as living examples of faith, hope, and love.  

I look forward to the opportunity to connect with parents at our parent event on June 20.  

May the faith, generosity, and love of the Spirit be with you as we navigate the last few weeks of the term. 

God bless,

Ms Kerry Manders 

Principal 

smw.principal@cns.catholic.edu