Newsletter 11 2021

Dear Members of the St Andrews College Community,

Welcome back to what has been a very different start to Term 3 than what we had anticipated. Thank you for the way in which you have supported our endeavours to keep all people in the community safe, and at the same time engage in the online learning provided by the College. Although I have been very pleased with the feedback that I have been receiving overall in relation to student engagement in their learning, some students have been struggling in the online environment. If that is you or your child please contact the College ASAP. We have systems in place to support all students along this journey.

I anticipate that the Lockdown will continue into Week 4 as well and I am awaiting confirmation on that at the time of print. Please stay safe and well. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your families.

‘It’s All About Learning’

Reflection: Gold Dust or God Dust?

In his book “Life is Messy” Matthew Kelly talks about being each other’s wounded healer. The word wounded creates very different images to the words hurt or injured, yet all three relate to pain that we physically feel and the hidden emotional wounds, injuries and hurt that often go unnoticed. All three cause similar reactions within us to find a way to remove the pain, fix the brokenness we see and acknowledge the wounds we cannot see. Trauma is the Greek word for "wound". Although the Greeks used the term only for physical injuries, nowadays trauma is just as likely to refer to emotional wounds. We now know that a traumatic event and life experiences can leave psychological, spiritual and mental symptoms, long after any physical injuries have healed.

When we reach into the life of another, Kelly lists our love, kindness, goodness, compassion and acceptance as the gold dust that is mixed into the glue we use to create a safe place for the other to be heard. It is in this sacred space that we hold their trauma, woundedness  and the shattered pieces of life, that appear to be beyond repair, with dignity and reverence until the mending begins.

Henri Nouwen, says ministers must be willing to go beyond their professional role and leave themselves open, as fellow human beings, through their own wounds and suffering - in the image of Christ. In other words, we heal others from our own wounds, as Jesus ministers to each of us through His wounds of suffering. In ministering to one another, we mend the cracks of the other by reaching out through our own vulnerability and our own woundedness. Being wounded healers, we reach into the pain of those we seek to support and it is through the grace of God and God’s consolation that the broken pieces of life come together – is this God-dust I wonder? Christ bore the wounds of his suffering in His risen body and our wounds will become signs of glory in the resurrection, when we are lifted to eternal life with God, wounds and all.

In the messiness of life, Kelly refers to our God given gifts as being the gold dust we add to our acts of service to one another, and it is our Christian belief that it is through the broken wounds of Jesus that He commissions us to embrace those we encounter. In doing so could we be sprinkling the God-dust of Christ's love, compassion, acceptance, acknowledgement, peace, joy and authentic presence on all those we encounter?

Debating News:

Our Year 10A team still remains in the Finals and we will resume in the coming weeks when we return to face-to-face learning. The competition has been put on hold while online learning is in place.

Year 11 Subject Selections:

Due to Lockdown and online learning we will be conducting our interviews via Zoom next week. Due to some excellent organisation from Mrs Deschamps and Ms McKechnie we are ready to go. Thank you to parents and students for your understanding and support. I look forward to discussing with my allocated group their choices and options for 2022 and beyond.

Year 9 2022 Information Evening:

As we move into subject choices for Year 9 2022 we will be conducting the Information Evening via Zoom. Thank you in anticipation for your attendance..

Building Works on hold until Lockdown for builders concludes:

Unfortunately all building works have been put on hold due to the lockdown orders in Sydney. As a result the College Hall on the Senior Campus wall panelling and the addition of more Apple TV’s,  the Creative and Performing Arts side of the Hall to allow for larger Music, Drama, Dance, Photography, and Art displays and performances will be completed ASAP after the lockdown is lifted.

The Art classrooms on the Senior Campus will recommence immediately once the lockdown is lifted.

The Hall Flooring on the Junior Campus is completed but the line marking still needs to be completed once the lockdown is lifted..

Enrolment for Year 7 and 11 2023 

NOW OPEN