From the Principal's Desk:
Dear Parents and Caregivers of Good Samaritan,
As I write what will be my last newsletter as principal of Good Samaritan, I reflect on the absolute privilege of being able to lead this school over the last five years.
Who would have thought back in 2019 that we would have traveled through a renewed curriculum which has been the impetus for a change in our teaching; a global pandemic that stretched our limits in education but joined schools and families in a way that has never before been seen; we have journeyed through school improvement and the reworking of the Good Samaritan vision and we have laughed, celebrated and had experiences that our children will remember for many years to come.
I will remember Good Samaritan as one of those happy places of my life. A place where community is valued - where parents truly understand the importance of working together with the school for the success of their children.
I was so humbled to receive gifts and cards from the children that have expressed how they feel about me as a principal. Comments like: ‘Thank you for making me smart and having fun little days.’ and ‘You are the one who made me and my friends smart.’
This brings me so much joy to read because my focus has always been on the learning and developing the children as faith filled individuals. If I have made a difference in the learning of at least some of our Good Samaritan boys and girls, then my job is done.
As I leave Good Samaritan this week, I share with you some of a Joan Chittister reflection. I hope that you can see in this reflection our work together, as parents and principal - as a community:
Mahatma Gandhi wrote, “Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” Gandhi could have been a Benedictine. Humility is about living an integrated life, a life in which each part is in harmony with every other dimension.
What we think, what we say, and the way we go about life cannot be well lived when they are in opposition to one another. When, in fact, they simply cancel one another out, there is no integrity left to any of them….
The truth is that we are meant to be transparent. People, hearing what we say, should know what we think. Seeing what we do with our lives, people can infer what we care about and how we think about things. If we say one thing but think another, somewhere, somehow, it all begins to seep out. Worst of all, the burden of hiding exhausts a person from the soul on out.
St Benedict points us in a direction that is achingly pure: Be what you say you are. Do not lie, even to yourself. Don’t live two lives—loving parent/missing parent; honest employee/cheating employee; devoted public servant/self-absorbed public servant. The truth is that egotism is the bane of community building. No one can build anything that lasts when the materials are bogus.
At the end, three things measure both our integrity and the harmony of our own lives: self-control, respect, and freedom from self-deception. Self-control is the key to spiritual development. To be too much or too little of anything in one dimension of life creates imbalance in the other dimensions as well. Respect for other people not only measures my humility but opens me to the wisdom around us as well.
As I look back on my time at Good Samaritan, I realise that my experience here has been one of transformation. It has allowed me to humbly re-orientate myself and to take stewardship of my own resources.
My decision to move on from Good Samaritan comes after careful discernment as I relaxed into prayer with my God. My life in education feels like a tremendous adventure where I have ridden the rapids, enjoyed the sunshine, climbed the mountains and fought for what I have believed in.
The essence of Benedictine spirituality - the spirituality of our Good Samaritan community - is a spirituality of growth in God and in the human community.
Good Samaritan will forever remain a part of me because it is here that I have been formed and transformed.
May the peace of this Advent season be with you as you journey towards Christmas - and may we always be Moved to Compassion,
Toni Sillis
Principal
Thank You!
As a school community we remain incredibly thankful to our parents who continue to support us in proactive and constructive ways. Many people help out around the school each day. They do it selflessly and without any effort or expectation of accolades but I feel it is very important to mention just a few at this time of the year.
- To our P&F executive and those who voluntarily support the P&F, your continued support and encouragement for all that is done at Good Samaritan is very much appreciated.
- To the parents who help out in the classrooms, Library, on the sporting fields. Without your continued commitment we wouldn’t be able to offer the children what we do each day at the school.
- To Holly Lawson and Edward Page, our 2023 School Captains. Their commitment to the role, their willingness to lead us at assembly, and their attendance and contribution to events throughout the year has shown that they certainly have the qualities that our leaders of tomorrow will need.
- Thank you to our Year 6 students who are now ready to continue their educational journey into High School. I believe that each one of these students is leaving as a testament to Good Samaritan. They have been demonstrated commitment to their roles as our Year 6 leaders throughout 2023. A terrific group of Good Samaritan boys and girls.
- To our school support staff, both in the office and the classrooms - their commitment to their work and their diligence in ensuring that the school runs smoothly is quite extraordinary.
- To Bishop Brian, Fr Bernard and Fr James - our appreciation of their support of the school is immeasurable. We are indeed blessed to have these men as the clergy of Good Samaritan
- To Kevin Galea from the Lumen Christi Parish, and the volunteers of the Parish - our work with them to ensure that the children are offered regular and well planned opportunities to assist their spiritual development has been crucial throughout the year.
- To our Good Samaritan teaching staff. These men and women come to work every day to offer every child in every lesson the opportunity to grow and succeed. They are a passionate group of individuals who have, throughout the year, strived towards the aim of assisting our Good Samaritan boys and girls to be the best that they can be. I believe they have brought the school to a position where we are able to move confidently forward into 2024.
- And lastly, but certainly not least, to you - the person reading this newsletter. Your interest in, and support of, the school and the Good Samaritan community is very much appreciated. We cannot effectively operate without strong community support.
2024 Building Project:
I am very pleased to be able to advise that CEDoW Building and Facilities will undertake a minor capital works project to upgrade the internal areas of the two storey building. This is a much needed project that will be well worth the short term inconvenience for the longer term gain. The project is currently scheduled to begin towards the end of Semester One.