Dear Parents and Carers of Good Samaritan,

We are certainly living in what will be marked as an extraordinary time in history. Bushfires and floods, the global COVID-19 pandemic, amazing rain periods due to the El Nino effect and now we see Russia invading neighbouring Ukraine.

I cannot help but think about the paradox our school faces as we focus on Connection and Belonging re-establishing the whole school timetable and yet we are faced with images of children being displaced, fleeing the safety of their own home with their families, tanks mowing down innocent civilians in their cars as they try to escape - it just seems so diabolical. How can this happen in what we consider to be a modern world?

What the world is witnessing can be very difficult for our children to understand, particularly when we are focusing on the importance of feeling connected and having a place to belong to. All the more reason that we should be working to help our children understand the facts about this world situation, to be critical in their thinking allowing their compassion for others to be informed and generous.

So where do we start? In a practical sense, I would highly recommend the ABC Podcast Squiz Kids. This is a short podcast that is updated each day with world news and is communicated in simple ‘kid friendly’ language. Last week the podcast had 2 episodes that included Russia’s movement into Ukraine.

Pope Francis has also put an appeal out to the world. He expressed his deep concern about the threat to the peace of all. Pope Francis urges us to look also to prayer and fasting as people of faith, particularly today - Ash Wednesday.

The Vatican also reports that Pope Francis spent time with the Russian Ambassador expressing his concern about the war.

Whilst we need to make sure that our children are informed, we also need to balance that with the reassurance that their lives are different and that they can be grateful for having the opportunity to connect and belong in a safe environment.

Our PB4L day on Monday focused on learning about our sense of belonging and the important connections we have in our school community. This involved the students focusing on 3 main ideas:

1. identifying belonging to their class and community
2. the connections they have with other students and the staff of the school 
3. how our school rules, procedures and processes help to keep us connected and allow us to belong to our school community.

This was a most successful day and we have observed the children easing back into the whole school timetable and routines very well.

This week I leave you with the 2022 Project Compassion prayer - as we commit our prayers for all those within the community of Ukraine - may they feel our connection to them as we pray with compassion:

Loving God,

We thank you for the gift of our lives and

for the life of every person, both near to us and far away.

We thank you for the wonder of your creation.

Through fasting, almsgiving and prayer

may this Lent draw us deeper

into the warmth and light of God’s love.

May we see the world more clearly,

Especially those who are often overlooked.

May we come closer to your heart,

which you showed through the cross of Jesus.

May we be full of hope for future generations.

We ask this in Jesus’ name.

Amen

Until next time, as we journey together, with Jesus,

Toni Sillis

Principal