From the College Principal
Dear Parents, Carers, Students and Friends of the St Gregory’s College Community,
It is quite amazing how far the world has shifted over the past two weeks. Matters of great importance two weeks ago pale into insignificance now and I am sure over the next two weeks, the sands will shift again, and we will be responding as best we can to a new set of issues and situations.
What is really important at this time is that we concentrate on the care we provide for ourselves in terms of our personal health and hygiene, and by extension, the care we offer others in times of need. Further, we really need at this time to be concentrating on the mental resilience and wellbeing that we will all need to navigate through the COVID-19 issue. As a College, our care extends to all our families and community members and we want to ensure that our staff, students and families not only feel safe, but that we are here to offer support, advice and most importantly friendship in the days, weeks and months ahead.
I have appreciated the ongoing positive feedback from many parents and carers when I forward the most recent College updates on how we are managing the COVID-19 situation at the College. We appreciate the trust you are putting in us as a College. We will continue to take advice from the health authorities and our governments, along with Marist Schools Australia and Catholic Schools NSW – this advice greatly assists us in determining what are the best ways to manage the unfolding situation.
This morning as I was preparing the Newsletter, I was sent a copy of the most recent publication from the Australian Psychological Society – ‘Tips for coping with coronavirus anxiety’. Whilst reading through the publication I was struck by the following segment titled, ‘Keep things in perspective’ – I include the following sections from this segment below: -
“When we are stressed, it is easy to see things as worse than they really are. Rather than imagining the worst-case scenario and worrying about it, ask yourself:
• Am I getting ahead of myself, assuming something bad will happen when I really don’t know the outcome? Remind yourself that the actual number of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Australia is extremely low.
• Am I overestimating how bad the consequences will be? Remember, illness due to coronavirus infection is usually mild and most people recover without needing specialised treatment.
• Am I underestimating my ability to cope? Sometimes thinking about how you would cope, even if the worst were to happen, can help you put things into perspective.”
Over the coming days, weeks and months it will be important to openly talk to and discuss with our students / your children the situation with the COVID-19 virus.
Young people will inevitably pick up on the concerns and anxiety of others, whether this be through listening and observing what is happening at home or at the College. It is important that they can speak to you and us about their own concerns.
We will need to be able to respond to their questions to the best of our ability. We need to provide opportunities to answer their questions in an honest and age-appropriate way can help reduce any anxiety they may be experiencing. The Australian Psychological Society suggests that you can do this by:
• speaking to them about coronavirus in a calm manner
• asking them what they already know about the virus so you can clarify any misunderstandings they may have
• letting them know that it is normal to experience some anxiety when new and stressful situations arise
• giving them a sense of control by explaining what they can do to stay safe (e.g. wash their hands regularly, stay away from people who are coughing or sneezing)
• not overwhelming them with unnecessary information (e.g. death rates) as this can increase their anxiety
• reassure them that coronavirus is less common and severe in children compared to adults
• allowing regular contact (e.g. by phone) with people they may worry about, such as grandparents, to reassure them that they are okay.
Talk about how they are feeling. Explain to your child that it is normal to feel worried about getting sick. Listen to your child’s concerns and reassure them that you are there to help them with whatever may arise in the future. It is important to model calmness when discussing the coronavirus with children and not alarm them with any concerns you may have about it. Children will look to you for cues on how to manage their own worries, so it is important to stay calm and manage your own anxieties before bringing up the subject with them and answering their questions.
Together we will get through. Please be assured of our support as a College at all times.
LENTEN PERIOD – We are reaching the mid-point of our Lenten journey towards Easter. We know that Easter will look very different around the world this year as a result of the COVID-19 virus. Despite churches being shut down across the world or less people attending church services this coming Easter, we know that the messages of Easter are a constant in the way we live our life – a life of hope in knowing and being in relationship with God.
This week I have been thinking about the importance of teaching Religious Education in our College. As you would be aware, our first Strategic Priority - 2020 – 2022 is about ensuring St Gregory’s College is ‘an authentic and engaged Catholic College in the Marist way.’ To live out this aspirational goal, the teaching of religious education sits right at the centre of all we do for the young people in our care. Our Religious Education program at St Gregory’s College is much more than a vessel of knowledge, it is a ‘lived experience’ that extends way beyond the classroom.
This week I was reading a professional journal and came across this excellent reflection from a teacher of Religious Education “The teaching of religion requires a blend of academic religious studies and the dynamics of human development; it involves instruction, formation, and witness. As instructor, the teacher is well- prepared and challenging, making the best use of universal pedagogical principles. As an agent of formation, the teacher involves students in friendly interaction and in respectful self-expression. As witness, the teacher models the integration of faith and life. As a blend of instruction, formation, and witness, the teaching of religion is part of a lifelong search for ultimate values and personal growth.” – From Educational Mission & Ministry
‘Agents of formation’ - I like this title, because it is a reminder of our greater purpose as teachers of the Catholic faith. The teaching of Religious Education calls us to be a witness, “to model the integration of faith and life.” I know that to be a witness, I also need to be formed in faith. So, this Lenten season let us reflect on ways we can continue to be witnesses, as parents and carers to your children, and for us as teachers to our students.