From the
Principal
Dear families of Killester,
Our Gospel this week comes from John:
Some Greeks approached Philip: “Sir, we want to see Jesus. Can you help us?” Philip went and told Andrew. Andrew and Philip together went and told Jesus. Jesus replied: “The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Listen carefully: Unless a grain of wheat is buried in the ground and dies, it is nothing more than a grain of wheat. But if it dies, it sprouts and reproduces itself many times over. In the same way, anyone who holds onto life just as it is destroys that life. But if you let it go, reckless in your love, you’ll have it forever, real and eternal.” John 12, 20-33
As we prepare for the sacred time of Easter, this parable of the grain of wheat is given to us so that we may all reflect on our own suffering and discover the ways it can bring about eternal life with our God.
There has been discussion in various forums over the past few weeks to do with issues of gender and our response as a society in calling out issues that women face; these have ranged from sexual assault allegations in our Nation's Capital; consent education; gender inequity and assault in the workplace and a myriad of other concerns. This conversation is one we continue to have at school and will undoubtedly be part of our discussions for years to come. It was wonderful that a number of our students attended the Women's March for Justice earlier this week, adding their voices to the growing number of people who are demanding that the rights of women be given due attention by our government and by society at large. The young women of Killester are always encouraged to use their voices to advocate when they see any examples of injustice.
Just to ensure parents can be confident that we are meeting our obligations, consent education is part of the Year 9 Personal Development Course and forms part of the Respectful Relationships work that is being rolled our across the College. These can be challenging conversations for families and there is some very helpful information and suggestions on the College Website under SchoolsTV.
There has been a huge amount of activity these past few weeks and I thank all of the staff who gave so willingly of their time to attend the Year 7 Camp and Year 11 and 12 Retreats. All activities that involve staying overnight mean that staff have to give up time away from their own families and lives so I thank them for providing these opportunities for our students. All reports from each of the camps/retreats was overwhelmingly positive, there are many photos and reflections further in this newsletter. Additionally the Year 10s had their 'Dare to Dream' Week which focused on careers education and the start of preparation for Year 11 and 12 Pathways conversations. The week involved significant organisation and was also very well received by the students.
Today is when we celebrate Harmony Day, there were so many vibrant, rich and colourful representations of our multi-cultural community. There will be more information in the next newsletter but here a few snaps from lunchtime:
Following discussion with students we have made the decision to remove the arbitrary dates that mark when summer or winter uniform can be worn. As of Monday students may choose to wear either the winter or summer uniform any day dependent upon the weather. Students are reminded that they are not permitted to wear a combination of uniforms (eg: stockings with the summer dress) nor does this relate to the wearing of the PE Uniform which is permitted only when students have a scheduled PE class.
As usual our weeks have been busy and the students of Killester have been unwavering in their goodwill and application to their work and community service. With only two weeks before the holiday period I hope all remains calm as we enjoy these days of glorious autumnal weather,
Sally Buick
Principal