20-November-2015
Principally Speaking
And so another year draws to its end and I find myself once again sitting down to write the final newsletter article – and wondering how we got here so quickly!
2015 has been a significant year as we look back on events that have happened – both within our community and within our world.
Within our own community, we have celebrated the opening of the Carey Centre, with Jump and Timber hi-lights of this long-awaited space. Foundational to Carey is the belief that people matter and we have therefore sought to be a place where people can belong and connect, and where meaningful where relationships are forged. Our Forrestdale campus is also well underway and on-target for its opening next year – another place for people to connect and become part of a community that cares for and supports one another. 2015 has certainly been a significant year in Carey’s history!
As a community, we have shared many of life’s ups and down, our joys and frustrations. We have celebrated our children’s successes and those expectations that have been met – or even exceeded! And, I hope, we have together worked through those times when our expectations, either for our children, or perhaps for ourselves, have not been met.
Failure to meet expectations, in all aspects of our lives, has the potential to be a cause of significant conflict. Our challenge, of course, as parents and educators is how we choose to deal with conflict. Do we use it as an opportunity to model to our children healthy conflict management strategies, positive attitudes, effective communication skills and strong values eg respect, courtesy, integrity? Or do we model an inability or unwillingness to confront conflict and deal with disappointment – and in so doing potentially disempower our children?
As we prepare our children for the future in a rapidly changing world, one of the absolute certainties is that our children will face conflict, disappointment and the failure of expectations to be met. This can occur in their relationships, their performance and ability, even their appearance – in fact, in all aspects of life. If we do not equip our children to effectively manage conflict and deal with disappointment in a healthy way, the results can be profound – broken relationships, disempowerment, stress and anxiety, disease, depression: the inability to live a life that is fulfilling and happy.
Conflict is nothing new – nor is our inability as humans to manage it particularly well! As we begin to turn our thoughts towards Christmas, we can see the impact of conflict in the story of the birth of Jesus Christ. During this time in history, under Roman occupation, a jealous king demands the death of infant boys; a young Jewish couple with a new baby flee in fear for their lives becoming refugees in a foreign country; armies invade and plunder; the wealthy hold power, the poor are oppressed, conflict and human suffering are prevalent.
In 1847, Placide Cappeau de Roquemaure, a French wine-seller, was asked by his local priest to write a poem for Christmas. He penned the words to the now famous Christmas Carol ‘O Holy Night’. With great sensitivity and profound wisdom he wrote of that night long ago when Christ was born…
“ Long lay the world in sin and error pining
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth
A thrill of hope, the weary world rejoices
For yonder breaks a new glorious morn.”
History paints a bleak picture of mankind’s inability to manage conflict and live peaceably with one another. Our newspapers today paint a similar picture and one could well ask in 2015, how much has really changed? In the past week alone, terror has reigned in France, Nigeria, Lebanon, Iraq and the West Bank. Lives are devastated, hearts and bodies broken by unimaginable, senseless acts of violence. Each victim, not a nameless person in a far off place, but a person just like you and me, with a life-story of hopes and dreams, joys and sorrows, family and friends. Lives forever changed.
So many of us today feel the pain and the weariness of a broken heart or a broken relationship; the despair of loneliness or feelings of inadequacy; the fear of a life-threatening illness; the overwhelming hopelessness and helplessness in the face of global crises such as terrorism, war, starvation ….
I love the phrase that Cappeau de Roquemaure ascribes to the birth of Jesus Christ, the appearance of the Son of God. He describes it as the moment in time when ‘the soul felt its worth’. This one event that transformed the world forever and became the focal point for human history, brought a ‘thrill of hope to a weary world’ in the realisation that a new day was dawning – a day that would reconcile mankind with his Creator, God and in so doing, the soul would feel its worth.
Whatever your personal circumstances, whatever disappointments or conflicts have touched your life, it is our prayer that you too will experience a ‘thrill of hope’ this Christmas and that your soul will indeed ‘feel its worth’ in the realisation that you are of immeasurable worth to God, the One who created you and loves you unconditionally.
God Bless you and your family this Christmas
Jennifer Argue
Staffing Update for 2016
There are just a few changes to our staffing for next year.
We are delighted to announce that Ms Tara Masters and Mrs Natalie Waddell will be joining our wonderful ELC Team, replacing Mrs Lara Wills and Mrs Carolyn Dorsman who will be joining the Forrestdale Team.
Mrs Tania Williams, currently in PP will be stepping into Kindy, replacing Mrs Jo Gudgeon.
We are thrilled to welcome back to Carey Mrs Jessica Selah (nee Ball), who will be joining the Year 3 Team. Mrs Emma Bone, will be moving to the Year 5 Team, working with Mr Karl Najjar and Mrs Janet Austin, as our third stream roles out.
Farewell to Mrs Jo-Anne Gudgeon
After 11 years of exemplary service to the College Community, Mrs Jo-Anne Gudgeon will be leaving Carey to take up a Leadership position at South Coast Baptist College. Mrs Gudgeon has been an integral part of our staff team bringing her own special kind of magic to Kindy! Many children have started their Carey years in Mrs Gudgeon’s Kindy class – some have even now graduated from Year 12 – and I know she has blessed countless children and their families throughout her time here. Although we are sad to see her go and she will be greatly missed, we are delighted that she has this wonderful opportunity to be a blessing to many more children and their families in the South Coast Community. I am sure you join with me in thanking her for her wonderful contribution to our children, and wishing her God’s richest blessings as she moves into this new venture.
CLASS PLACEMENTS 2016
Each year, staff spend a great deal of time planning the placement of children into classes for the year ahead. Social networks, learning styles and special needs are all considered when determining the placement of children.
If you have any specific concerns about your child’s social network or special educational needs that the teacher may not already be aware of, you are most welcome to discuss these with your child’s teacher. Where possible and appropriate, parent requests of this nature will be given consideration, however, with so many children to place each year, please be aware that it may not be possible to accommodate such requests.
Throughout the year, teachers have worked closely for many hours each day with your child/ren. They are well qualified to make an objective decision about the best possible placement for your child for next year.
To this end, please note: Requests for particular teachers for the year ahead will not be taken by classroom teachers. If parents have a valid request for a particular teacher for their child, this should be put in writing (hard copy) and addressed to Mrs Kellie Newbold, Assistant Principal Curriculum.
However, please be aware that this does not guarantee that such requests will be accommodated. There are many factors to consider when placing children and staff spend many hours allocating children to classes. Requesting specific teachers may not necessarily be in a child’s best interests and may result in disappointment if your request cannot be accommodated.
At the end of the term, once students have left, staff will be involved in sessions for planning and review. During that time, class lists for 2016 will be determined, although the allocation of teachers to classes may not be confirmed until staffing for next year is finalised.
Prior to the commencement of the 2016 school year, children will be notified of their class placement, via a letter from their class teacher.