St John Paul II College Nicholls eNewsletter

Message from the Principal

Being involved = Partnership

I have had the privilege of meeting some parents this week who have generously put up their hand to nominate to serve on our College Community Council. This advisory group is designed to support me in the running of our school, so that I am informed, well advised and of course, listening carefully to the needs, wants and desires of our community. The Council will also include some students, and staff representation. I am grateful to these people.

Our work as educators, and your role as parents, intersects at one crucial point: your child. We are here because we have a vocation to teach; to work with young people to grow their faith, knowledge, skills and understandings, and we partner with you in assisting you in growing decent citizens, who will lead (and already do!) purposeful, meaningful lives.

Given this intersection and partnership, it is imperative that parents have opportunities to engage with the life of the school. This is not limited to coming to parent/teacher exchanges, or when called in for a meeting, but also includes many other opportunities to come to the College. I am conscious that we need to offer more varied and regular invitations to be involved in the life of the school, and am keen to foster close ties with families. When school, parents and their families are actively involved, the dialogue is easier, the understandings about raising adolescents are enhanced, and relational trust is built.

Please be on the look-out for the invitations we send to you to come onto the College grounds for events and celebrations, and to contribute to the future of our College. For example, last Friday, mums (and those in mothering roles) were invited to come in to celebrate Mother’s Day. There was a beautiful prayer service, led by Fr Troy and created by our Mission and Ministry Coordinator Mr Matt Bourke, followed by a high tea. It was delightful to welcome about 70 mums to this event. Perhaps next year we might have even more mums come along.

Every Wednesday morning at 8.20 am we have Mass in the College chapel. Parents are warmly invited to attend as are all students.

With respect to your child’s learning, we have a golden opportunity to improve our reading results at the College. Our recent testing (called PAT reading) has revealed what we already suspected and that is the growth in students’ reading from year to year is not where it could be. For this to improve we are investigating the introduction of a school-wide reading program that has an evidence base of success. What you can do at home to assist with reading is insist that your child spends some time every day/night reading a REAL book. This is absolutely preferable to reading online using a device. Your modelling of regular reading (especially fathers for sons) is invaluable in setting the example that “around here we read”. Accessing quality literature and non-fiction is the key. The distraction of social media and the short attention span it requires flies in the face of, and disrupts, our ability to engage in sustained reading. Like any muscle, the reading muscle must be practised if it is to develop. I would urge your support of our efforts with reading in your homes.

We live in a complex world, and our children have to navigate not only this world, but find their place in it. They are simultaneously dealing with the peaks and troughs that come with growing up. Anything we can do, together, to assist them navigate this time, will be beneficial. We are better at doing this, when there is synergy between home and school.

Dr Craig Wattam