Principals Blog - Term 1 Week 5

Dear Parents, Students and Friends of the St Andrew’s College Community,

Next Wednesday (1 March), as the period of Lent commences, it is important for all of us as members of the St Andrew’s Catholic College community to remind ourselves of this important liturgical period in the Church calendar. Jesus is the one who died for us. Lent is the preparation for the celebration that God so loved us that he gave his only begotten Son to pay the penalty for our sins. He endured untold pain and torture for us and did it voluntarily. Give what He did for us, what will we do for Him? This is the meaning of Lent.

Lent is also the time when the College is supporting Caritas Australia’s Project Compassion Lenten appeal. This is a real opportunity for St Andrew’s College students and families to open their hearts with love and hope to the needs of the world. I would like to think that a minimum $5 donation from each child in the College would be possible this year. If we can achieve this we will be able to donate over $8000 to Caritas – a wonderful achievement for our College.

In 2017, Project Compassion carries the message: "Love Your Neighbour.”  We are asking our students to help raise money and offer hope to the millions of families who fight for justice, peace and survival every single day. Please get behind this wonderful Lenten appeal.

Our Year 12 students recently had the opportunity to reflect on their life as part of their participation in the Year 12 Retreats held at Mission Beach. I had the opportunity to spend time with the Year 12 students at the Retreat and I was touched by the enthusiasm of the students. The staff spoke highly of the students in terms of their commitment, their maturity, their care for each other and their spiritual journeys.  My sincere thanks go to the wonderful staff who guided and cared for the students throughout their Retreats. Particular thanks go to Mrs Leanne Webster (AP Mission & Wellbeing – Senior Years) who led the Retreats so wonderfully. Mrs Webster was ably assisted by Mr Brad Greene (Deputy Principal - Senior Years) and Judith Sole (Year 12 Coordinator). These wonderful staff along with the Year 12 Homeform teachers and Year 12 teachers are to commended and thanked for their significant contribution to the lives of our Year 12 students. You have touched the hearts of the Year 12 students and they are better young men and women for your dedicated service.

I recently came across this quote from Michelle Obama and I felt the connection to the journey our Year 12 students are currently taking as they tackle the pressures of the final year of their secondary education,

Congratulations to the students in Middle Years and Senior Years who participated in our Annual Swimming Carnivals recently at Marlin Coast Pool, Smithfield.

I especially congratulate our leaders (College Captains, Prefects and House Leaders) for their enthusiastic approach to the Carnivals and their motivation for other students to join in and enjoy the spirit of the days. A number of swimming records were set on the days. This is testimony to the skill level and dedication of these athletes. I congratulate each and every student for participating and wish our St Andrew’s team of swimming representatives every success at their future meets. I also thank Mr Patrick King for his organisation of the Carnival and the wonderful support provided by staff and our House Coordinators, Mr Rob Dwyer, Miss Anna Harris, Mr Zane Dockray and Mr Stephen Hofmeister. Thanks also to the parents and carers for your support in ensuring your son / daughter attended the Carnival/s and for your support of our drop-off and collection procedures. Your support certainly assisted the overall organisation of the Carnivals.

Enrolment interviews have now commenced for 2018 with the Year 7 – 2018 Enrolment offers being sent to families on Thursday 18 May, 2017. Prep (2017) interviews have also commenced. The College will be holding our Year 7 – 2018 Enrolment Information Evening on Thursday 23 February at 6pm in O Block. Tours of the College will take place on the evening. Word of mouth advertising from our current families is an excellent means of spreading the news!

Planning for the new M Block Performing Arts Theatre, Junior Years playground development and Prep playground are continuing. We hope to be able to announce our progress on these areas by the end of Term 1 this year.

I have recently been talking to students at College assemblies about the term ‘mediocrity’. I described mediocrity as a ‘place of nothingness’ in which so many people are stuck in. As a school leader I have painfully observed students live happily in their ‘ordinariness’, refusing to seek the rewards of excellence and greatness, resigned to self-justifications, happily blaming the world for their ultimate fate. They remain cocooned within their egg-shells refusing to break out in to the exciting world of challenge and achievement.

Mediocrity literally means "halfway up the mountain." It denotes being in the middle, neither leading the pack nor sprawling on the ground, just half-way up in a state of having given up. This middle-level of success can be called a mediocrity (from the Latin mediocris meaning “unremarkable”).  As I explained to the students, mediocrity is a state of mind. It exists because we think it does. It’s a horrible trap because it does not give people the discomfort to move and change themselves. As we know, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link hence mediocrity in our students is a burden that pulls our College down.

The good news is that mediocrity can be resurrected. I have observed that inherently every student is good and capable. While some are self-driven towards achieving excellence in life, for some a continuous process of mentoring and counselling can have a huge effect in transforming them. Unfortunately there is a third category which suffers from serial mediocrity and it is important that we help these students overcome this all too familiar trait in life.

 In my experience I found the following three the most common factors that lead students to mediocrity:

1. A lack of ambition: Mediocre students lack ambition. They are happy, ensconced in their comfort zone. They are averse to taking risk & fear the unknown. They would rather walk the trodden path than blaze a trail. They don’t have big dreams or audacious goals required to achieve greatness. They set the bar so low.

2. Not holding self-responsible: These students truly believe that it is the world outside, the external circumstances around them that are responsible for their state of being and hence develop a victim mentality. They do not take the onus of their situation; hence do not attempt to change their life. Unfortunately they do not realise that all change begins with oneself and without change they relegate themselves on the dump of mediocrity.

3. Conforming, rather than daring to be different: Success today belongs to students who are ‘inquirers’ rather than those who just conform ‘go with the flow.’

In the end mediocrity is worse than failure because failure is learning, it is dynamic and lets students move on; mediocrity is static, it stalls you and keeps you from achieving your full potential.

Finally, Term 1 classes conclude on Friday 31 March at 2.40pm for our Prep – Year 12 students. All students are expected to attend classes until the end of term. I request that parents / carers wishing for their son / daughter to finish the term prior to Friday 31 March write to me in advance to request leave for your child. 

Term 2 classes commence on Tuesday 18 April. The ANZAC Day public holiday will be held on Tuesday 25 April. ANZAC Day Marches for our students will be held at Stratford on Tuesday 25 April. More details to follow via the College Parent Portal.

Finally, thank you for your ongoing support, encouragement, friendship and wise counsel. The support you provide assists me greatly. St Andrew’s is a very special community!

I wish you God’s blessings always.