Dear Parents, Carers, Students and Friends of the St Gregory's College Community,
As I sit to write my final College Newsletter article at the College, I must admit to feeling quite emotional about leaving a place I have grown to love. St Gregory’s has been my ‘home’ for the past three years and as the College has continued to grow, so have I. I have thoroughly enjoyed the journey and have very fond memories to call on when I leave in December and begin my new role as Assistant Director – Catholic Education, in the Diocese of Lismore.
I thank the St Gregory’s community for their support over the past few weeks since the announcement of my departure, and I extend my thanks to our staff, students, and families for their farewell messages. I have been humbled by the kind words and sentiments expressed by our community to me for the leadership I have provided at St Gregory’s. I am proud of St Gregory’s, and it is a blessing to hear our staff, students and families speak so glowingly about the College and the impact it has on their lives. While I will no longer be here each day, I can assure you that each day the St Gregory’s community will be in my thoughts and prayers, and I look forward to many opportunities to return to the College for a friendly visit and to say hello.
I extend a very special thank you and welcome to our new Acting College Principal for Semester One, 2022, Mr Paul Brooks. Mr Brooks is an outstanding Deputy Principal at our College and he looks forward to the support of the community over the first half of 2022 as he takes on the leadership of the College. Together with Mr Joel Weekes as the Acting Deputy Principal and Mrs Diana Ivancic as the Acting Head of the Junior School, the College has outstanding leaders in place to ensure a wonderful commencement to 2022.
The new College Principal advertising begins in early December with an appointment to be made by Marist Schools Australia Ltd in the first few months of 2022, ready for commencement in Semester Two, 2022.
2021 – A YEAR OF CHALLENGES & ACHIEVEMENTS
It feels as if this year has once again passed in the blink of an eye! It is hard to believe that we are nearing the close of a challenging but highly successful 2021 year. Surely it was only last week that I was sitting at my desk writing my first communication to you for 2021, thinking the year ahead would be relatively normal! It has been an absolute privilege for me to again lead the College over the past year and witness the continued amazing growth of the College. I am not sure if you agree with me, but I have a strong sense that our College has ‘grown’ considerably during the past twelve months and we are continuing to rapidly develop - a great culture of teaching and learning, a strong sense of community and service to the wider community, and a wonderful spirit that epitomises our patron, St Marcellin Champagnat. This year, as a College we have continued to be very proactive in many areas, always with the benefit of having a ‘rear vision mirror’ so we can see where we have come from, and with the ‘headlights’ on so we can assess where we need to go and how we might achieve our potential as a College over the coming years.
2022 promises to be another great year for the College with new facilities completed to start the year, and ongoing capital projects taking place that will further enhance the quality of our College. Stay tuned for exciting updates throughout 2022 about our emphasis on high standards, quality teaching and learning, enhanced wellbeing initiatives and great opportunities for our students across a broad range of co-curricular pursuits.
Departing Staff and New Staff
At the end of the school year we farewell a number of staff members who have provided dedicated service to the College, many over an extended period of time. Mr Brooks has been providing detail of our departing staff in his Newsletter articles. On behalf of the College community, I thank all our departing staff members for their contributions to St Gregory’s and for helping make our College a centre of excellence. I wish them every success in their new ventures and assure them our prayers are with them as they continue their journey beyond St Gregory’s.
A full list of staff appointments for 2022 will be provided to parents and carers prior to the commencement of the 2022 College year.
NEW LITURGICAL YEAR (Year C)
The new Liturgical Year will begin on Sunday 28 November. Advent is a time of preparation. In the Catholic Church, Advent is a period of preparation, extending over four Sundays, before Christmas. The word Advent comes from the Latin advenio, "to come to," and refers to the coming of Christ. This refers, first of all, to our celebration of Christ's birth at Christmas; but second, to the coming of Christ in our lives through grace and the Sacrament of Holy Communion; and finally, to His Second Coming at the end of time.
The season of Advent is peculiar to the Western church. It has no counterpart in the East. Outside of Rome, it may have arisen as a three or six-week period of preparation for baptism on the feast of the Epiphany. When the birth of Christ came to be observed in Rome on 25th December in the fourth century, Christmas was taken to be the beginning of the year. Thus Advent, once it took shape, served as the conclusion of the year. It was characterised by an emphasis on Christ’s coming in glory at the end of time rather than on preparation for his nativity. It was Gregory the Great who shortened the season from six weeks to four.
REFLECTIONS ON THE 2021 YEAR
I begin my reflection on this academic year with a focus on one of the major things we as a College, have been aiming to achieve – developing students with a positive growth mindset. I use a quotation from a world-renowned personal, social and emotional development ‘guru’, Mr Mark Dowling: -
“One of the most important gifts we as parents and educators can offer young people is a positive view of themselves. Without this gift, they will flounder throughout life and be constantly seeking reassurance from others, as they cannot see it from within.”
The world around our students is changing more rapidly than it ever has before. Our students are constantly exposed to technology that did not even exist just five years ago, conceived, and developed almost alongside the children themselves. By the time our current Year 7 students graduate from university in just 10 years’ time, the cycle of rapid change will have gained further momentum. By the time our Kindergarten students reach the age of 21 who knows what experiences the world will be offering. Good or bad our students need to be equipped for these experiences and having a positive view of themselves will be paramount to them succeeding in this rapidly changing world. As Carol Dweck quoted in her ‘growth mindset’ text, “Heroes take journeys, confront dragons, and discover the treasure of their true selves.” This is the same message we have for our students at the College.
There is a commonly held view in society that, “The future of our world depends upon the education of its youth.” When I look at the students at St Gregory’s; when I see their hard work; when I share in the celebrations of successes; when I am witness to their kindness and support for each other; when I experience their social justice initiatives; when I hear of their exemplary respect and conduct at the College, on trips and activities, I have every confidence that the young people at this College will be precisely the kind of young people who are making and will make a positive difference to the world, from our own domestic sphere to the international stage, and all points in between. In a list of things that make me proud as the College Principal, I note that academic achievement is one part only of the interrelated dispositions that make up what Aristotle would have defined as ‘the good citizen’ and we refer to as the ‘whole person.’
To the students of St Gregory’s College – congratulations on your achievements in a challenging year. I think that most students realise that engaging in all the opportunities this College presents has significant benefits. What students give every lesson, each day, and each week comes back to them in so many rewarding ways. Students, please recognise the need to always do your best, to seek and take the teacher’s advice, to complete your homework and assignments on time and to love what you learn. Recognise that learning can be fun and can set you up for life if you give all you have to the process! Never be frightened to succeed academically – be proud to achieve your ‘personal best’ in all you do. Congratulations on continually building your education here at St Gregory’s College, and my very best wishes to you all for your future growth as young men and women.
YEAR 12 HIGHER SCHOOL CERTIFICATE & ATAR RESULTS
The 2021 Higher School Certificate results will be released on Monday 24 January 2022, with the Australian Tertiary Admission Rank (ATAR) results released earlier in 2022, on Thursday 20 January 2022. Please keep our Year 12 students firmly in your prayers and thoughts as they complete their HSC Exams over the coming week and then in January as they celebrate their results. A report to our College community will be prepared and distributed following the release of the results in late January.
YEAR 7 – 10 – RETURN OF FINAL ASSESSMENT TASKS
Students and their parents / carers are invited to the College on Thursday 9 December between 1.30pm and 4.30pm to collect their Year 7 – 10 final Assessment Task results (for several courses) from the Brother Luke Hall. Mr Ric Bombardiere, our Director of Studies has provided further details of the collection and checking process for this afternoon in a separate email to families and in his Newsletter article. Please note that only double vaccinated parents / carers are permitted on-site at the College.
FAREWELL TO OUR DEPARTING STUDENTS & FAMILIES
At the end of the school year we will also farewell many families from our College community. A few families are re-locating out of the area and some families have decided to try another school for their child in 2022. For whatever reasons we are farewelling these families, I extend our prayers to you for the next phase of your son’s / daughter’s education. We hope their time at St Gregory’s has been one of happiness and contentment. We wish you God’s blessing on your journey beyond the College.
LOOKING TOWARDS THE START OF THE 2022 COLLEGE YEAR
As we conclude the 2021 school year and look forward to 2022, I remind parents and carers of some important ‘non-negotiables’ for students to commence the new school year on either Monday 31 January (Kindergarten to Year 6; Year 7; and Years 11 & 12) or Tuesday 1 February 2022 (Years 8 – 10). Parents and carers, please assist and support us in the following: -
- College Uniform – please ensure your son / daughter is dressed properly in the full College summer uniform at the start of next year. This includes formal black school shoes (leather uppers that can be polished). Sports uniforms are only to be worn as required by each student’s timetable, for sports days, and never on a Friday.
- Hats - All students (Kindergarten – Year 12) must own and wear a College hat (which can be purchased from the College Uniform Shop) when they are in the yard and during PDHPE and sport.
- Hair Styles – please ensure your son / daughter has their hair properly groomed and cut for the start of the school year. No ‘radical’ cuts, styles or colouring are permitted. Girls must have their hair tied back and boys must have haircuts which meet the College guidelines – as per the College Student Diary.
- Punctuality - respect for the College begins with being on time and staying on time each day. Students should present on-site and be ready to move to Homeroom each morning.
COLLEGE CALENDAR – 2022
The 2022 College Calendar will be published next week to all families. For your information and planning purposes for 2022:
- Term 1 – 2022 (Students) – * Monday 31 January (see notes below) to Friday 8 April 2022 (10-week term)
- Please note: New Year 7 – Year 11 Boarding Students arrive @ 10am on Sunday 30 January 2022; and Returning Boarding students (Year 8 – Year 12) arrive at 1pm on Sunday 30 January 2022.
- Please note: On Monday 31 January 2022, Year 1 to Year 6, and Year 7, Year 11 and Year 12 students commence. Year 7 will have their Orientation Day on Monday 31 January 2022.
- Please note: On Tuesday 1 February 2022, Years 8, 9 & 10 commence.
- Term 2 – 2022 (Students) – Tuesday 26 April to Friday 24 June 2022 (9-week term)
- Term 3 – 2022 (Students) - Monday 18 July to Friday 23 September 2022 (10-week term)
- Term 4 – 2022 Students) – Monday 10 October to Wednesday *7 December 2022 (9-week term)
Note 1: Public Holiday – Wednesday 26 January 2022.
Note 2: Student Free Days (Term 1) – Friday 4 March 2022 (Staff Professional Development Day) & Monday 7 March 2022 (Staff Professional Development Day).
Note 3: Easter Period – Good Friday – 15 April 2022 – Easter Monday – 18 April 2022.
Note 4: ANZAC Day – Monday 25 April 2022.
Note 5: Student Free Day (Term 2) – Friday 20 May 2022 (Senior School Only) Parent – Student-Teacher Interviews (Years 7 – 12).
Note 6: Student Free Days (Term 2) – Friday 10 June 2022 (No Staff & No Students in the Junior School & Senior School) & Monday 13 June 2022 (Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday).
Note 7: Student Free Days (Term 3) – Friday 26 August 2022 (Staff Professional Development Day) & Monday 29 August 2022 (Staff Professional Development Day).
Note 8: Student Free Days (Term 4) – Friday 11 November 2022 (Staff Professional Development Day + Year 7 – 2023 Student Orientation Day) & Monday 14 November 2022 (Staff Professional Development Day).
Note 9: Year 12 students conclude classes on Thursday 22 September 2022. Year 12 Graduation Day – Friday 23 September 2022.
Note 10: * Year 7 – 10 students commence Semester 2 Exam Block on Monday 28 November 2022 until Friday 2 December 2022. Year 7 – 10 conclude Semester 2 on Friday 2 December 2022.
Note 11: * Year 11 students conclude classes on Wednesday 7 December 2022.
Note 12: * Kindergarten – Year 6 students conclude classes on Wednesday 7 December 2022.
Note 13: Staff Professional Learning Days on Thursday 8 December & Friday 9 December 2022.
FINALLY ……
I take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff for their dedication and commitment to their roles in the College during 2021. It is a pleasure to work in a school where staff professionalism is clearly evident. I have felt great support from all staff during the year and I know how much they want (as I do) to make St Gregory’s the best school possible – a centre of excellence. I know they will continue to work towards this during 2022 and I ask for your support in all that we do here at the College to benefit the education of your son / daughter.
Personally, I would like to express my thanks to my Leadership Team for their outstanding support throughout 2021. I greatly appreciate their wise counsel and friendship. They have assisted me greatly in my role as Principal throughout the year.
I especially thank Brother Bryan and the Brothers in our community for their presence, their support and their ongoing prayers for myself, Sue and our College community. We are blessed to have our Marist Brothers as part of this community.
I also sincerely thank our hard-working Boarding staff, Health Centre nurses, our Finance Team, our Support Staff, our Grounds, Maintenance, Laundry and Cleaning teams - to each and every one of these significant support people to me – I say thank you for assisting me to make St Gregory’s the great College it is today.
I thank the parents, carers and students who show amazing support for the College. Thanks for walking the journey with us, for accepting that we don’t get things perfect every day and that we are all in this together.
I conclude by wishing each of you God’s blessing for a joyous Christmas and a wonderful start to 2022. Take time to celebrate the Holy Season and to enjoy the company of your family. Be safe over the holiday period and stay healthy and happy. You are always very welcome to visit me in Lismore!
May Mary, our Good Mother, Saint Marcellin Champagnat and Saint Gregory continue to guide us and inspire us on our journey.
Mr Lee MacMaster – College Principal (K-12)