To all members of the Salesian
College Community,
I hope you've all had a relaxing Easter break and that each of
you could find some time to reflect upon God's gift of love to us through
Christ's suffering on the cross.
Returning to face-to-face schooling last term, whilst exciting, also had its ups and downs. As well as being tiring in a physical sense, I also think many of us found being with one another again all day, five days a week, tiring in an emotional sense. Perhaps we forgot what it was like to interact with friends, peers, students and colleagues after being in lockdown for so long. Being with family during lockdown was a bit different. We could let our guard down, be vulnerable, snap, say things we don't really mean, and even slam a door - all of which I'm sure were dealt with in a low-key family sort of way. The difference between home and school is that there is an element of unconditional love in a family environment, where individuals have gotten to know each other pretty well over the years. If you fight with a sister, brother, or parent, you usually forgive each other rather quickly and move on.
School is a little different. Yes, we rely very much on being a Salesian Family, but we've been apart for several years and we have many new 'siblings' (fellow students) and a few new 'parents' (teachers and support staff). It has taken us a bit longer to settle into our family culture of forgiveness and patience at school. Sometimes we have been a bit snappy or judgemental, or we have jumped to conclusions about people's intentions from our own perception instead of thinking and acting out of empathy. Some have been quicker than usual to raise their voice in anger or send emails of complaint over little things. We have had to relearn the elements of restorative practices and conflict resolution. I'm sure we've all been witness to road rage and frustration as we travel to work once more, or rude behaviour at shopping centres as we show our frustration with COVID sign-in rules and vaccination mandates. I now notice that we have a major, state-wide advertising campaign reminding us how to treat each other with kindness and respect in much the same way we made 'Bee Kind' a major focus for our College in 2021. In many ways, this term has been about our community re-engaging with one another. We have gone through a challenging and thorough training period in Term 1, and I am hopeful that Term 2 will be better; indeed, the great gift of Easter in Hope!
As I reflect back on Term 1, I am so grateful for what we managed to achieve. So many amazing events were included in our Term 1 calendar, including those that we could not hold last year. The staff and students have also shown great grace and resilience. It has also been a joy to watch students return from camps, excursions, incursions, assemblies, guest speakers, morning teas, and other special events. Staff were kept busy as they made the shift from online learning back to face-to-face learning (not as easy as it sounds), supporting students who had fallen behind and struggling emotionally, whilst at the same time navigating the new world of household contacts and Rapid Antigen Testing. I want to give a special mention to our Education Support Staff who have gone out of their way to make the return to school so much easier, including volunteering to supervise students in the absence of casual relief staff. Parents, your role last term has also been outstanding. Feedback from learning conversations at the recent Parent-Teacher Interviews showed just how connected each of you are to your child's education and a willingness to go the extra mile to see them achieve their best. While there are always things we can improve and ways to do things differently, your understanding during what has been a difficult time and your suggestions for the future are noted and appreciated.
As we begin Term 2 next Tuesday April 26, I am keen to ensure
that we continue to focus on being the best we can be by displaying attitudes and
behaviours that befit our Salesian Family - peace, love, respect and
compassion.
Mr Mark Brockhus
