College Newsletter Issue 1 / 23 February 2018 From the Principal A Day at St Andrews I sit to write this reflection on a Monday evening, following a “typical” St Andrews day. Hmmm – is typical really a thing? This morning, prompt and prior to the customary 7.00am commencement, more than 100 students alighted from the vehicles of (in some instances) somewhat blearyeyed parents and dispersed to the gym, ensemble practice rooms and the rigour of Kokoda training. The week, just an average one, had commenced. A hard-earned shower and a “supplementary” breakfast for many saw the students (and staff!) ready and off to class.
Coast City Council regarding initiatives to enhance traffic flow on and near to campus, I poked my head in at the Peter Pan rehearsal. With a cast of 180, from Years 4-12, it is one of many joys of working in an E-12 school environment that caters for students from 3-18 years of age. Watching the older students “shape” the younger cast members was the highlight of a fulfilling day. Even at 5pm, as they cascaded out of the Ruth Butler Theatre, their energy was infectious. Get in early for tickets – it is a bumper show and the “House Full” sign may well come out. Now, I sit just doing a few little things that won’t wait until tomorrow, one which is just another shade of “typical”. It is a joy to live and work in this community. Thanks for being on the bus with us! David Bliss Principal
Chaplains Chat Our new school year is up and running and pretty much in full swing. Students are settling into their new year level and the challenge of new routines and learning are being met well - all the way from our Preps through to our Year 12s. As we head towards the half way mark of Term 1, staff in Middle and Senior school are busily checking student progress so that a formative grade can be attributed to each student as an indication of how everyone is travelling in their learning journey.
In the Middle and Senior Schools, we commenced with Chapel, acknowledging a cornerstone of our very existence as a College. Then, off to maths, chemistry, accounting and all manner of other delights. I took a wander through some Junior School classrooms, with the diversity of learning experiences across and within year levels the highlight. I even dropped off my academic gown to a Year 6 class who were doing some role-playing in preparation for their trip to Parliament House in Canberra next week. A tight schedule of meetings ensued and at times I allowed the intrusion of emails to encroach on the important. Lunch was spent with a group of Year 12’s, as indeed most of my days are, after which my lunch dates will be taken over by the Year 6’s. It is the “student voice” that is a primary driver in decisionmaking. Of course, school does not finish at 3.10pm for many. After leaving a progressive meeting with officers from the Gold
Ash Wednesday (14/2) is a significant day within the Christian Calendar and it is set down for the Wednesday - six weeks before Easter. It marks the beginning of a time referred to as Lent. Just as students are assessed academicaly to check out how they are going, Ash Wednesday can be a time to take stock of how we are going in our day to day living. We can ask ourselves questions around how we treat others. What is our attitude towards people who are struggling in life. How much do we need for our self and how much are we able to share with others…. The checklist around what is truly important in life can be quite extensive if we drill down and seriously consider how we can live in a manner that contributes to the greater good. As we do this in an objective, honest manner each of us will see that we regularly come up short in how we desire to live our lives. We tend to judge others, speak unneccessary harsh words, may be even inflict harm on others so that we can get ahead. These types of behaviour suck the goodness out of life. They leave us and the people we inflict it upon damaged.