Dear Parents and Carers of Good Samaritan,

Last week I was able to reflect on my principalship of Good Samaritan with the appraisal process that took place over the last couple of weeks.

I am deeply grateful to all those parents who were able to offer feedback via the survey or phone calls. I am humbled by the comments made by the students of Good Samaritan when members of the panel spoke to them. Whilst I acknowledge that I may influence the culture of Good Samaritan, it is truly the community - staff, parents and students - who make a school the place it is.

Our Good Samaritan community can strongly align the 5 core values of St Benedict with the way in which we engage with each other each day. St Benedict talks about community as being a place where all share the responsibility to create and support community; a place that creates a climate which promotes a sense of community while valuing the uniqueness of the individual and a manifestation of an ability to adapt to circumstances without compromising our values.

This week, I was able to show a family through our school as they decided upon enrolling their child into Good Samaritan. I am so proud of the responses that I receive from the children about our school. They freely say things like: ‘You always have a friend at Good Samaritan’; ‘We include everyone at Good Samaritan’; ‘Our teachers care about us and our learning’; ‘We get to do lots of things together at Good Samaritan.’

Sometimes, as adults, we underestimate the importance of community to children. As I was writing the newsletter this week I received an email from a parent who wanted me to know how our Year 5 boys demonstrated a terrific act of friendship, kindness and prayer. Community prayer for children comes in many forms, and with these boys it came in the form of remembering a very unwell friend who previously attended Good Samaritan.

At the Touch Football Gala Day the boys made the decision to play for their unwell friend, Valentino, who is currently receiving treatment for leukemia in Brisbane. Although Valentino hasn’t been at school with the boys for the last couple of years, they know how important it is to be ‘in communion, in community’ with him.

This is what we strive for our Good Samaritan boys and girls to be - people of compassion, people of community and people of faith, hope and love.

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

Toni Sillis

Principal