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From the Principal – February 2022

Mon, 28/02/2022Posted by:

Over the last few weeks, we have delighted in having our students back on campus and face-to-face learning. As advised at the start of term, our theme for the year is Connectedness and we arrived at Connectedness via a heartening and life-affirming journey through Know thyself (2019), Kindness (2020), Gratitude (2021). Our choice of a theme each year allows us the opportunity to privilege a particular value that we believe will bring harmony and growth to our community, and Connectedness feels almost like a culmination of our journey over the last three years. We look forward to being more physically connected with our community after 4 March when we can once again host events and welcome our parents back on campus.

Last September many of you participated in the College survey providing your feedback to assist in making improvements for our students and community. Over a three-week period, 695 parents out of a total of 1678 eligible parents responded to the survey. This equates to 41.4% which is a significant increase on our 2019 survey engagement at 22%. We hope to build on this again in the future.

We have received very positive results with Academic Excellence, Values and Culture and School Reputation amongst the top five reasons for selecting St John’s. The results and feedback will form the basis of much of our planning work throughout the year to ensure that St John’s remains an exciting and vibrant educational leader. I look forward to sharing with you in the next edition of Ripples some key focus areas for the College and planned initiatives.

There have been numerous examples and anecdotes of how we are re-connecting and dedicated to the development and growth of your most precious gifts to us-your sons and daughters. ‘Every student matters’ is a mantra at our College and in believing this, there are many ‘gifts’ of our community who as a collective are vital to the heart of St John’s.

I have spoken before of my ritual when attending Junior School Chapel on a Friday or when in the Performing Arts Centre Foyer of making a point of looking up at the stained-glass cross. I take in the magnificent richness of colour, the kaleidoscope of light and colour that leaves me feeling a sense of gratitude. I focus on the details of the ripples signifying unity. This, of course, is about much more than beautiful glass. There are 1200 children in our College, and in every one of them is a gift to which when connected they contribute to the whole. They are the colours that contribute to our St John’s Way.

I recently shared with the Year 6 cohort that when I was their age my grandmother taught me to crochet and I could be seen gracing a white poncho on many a family occasion. I haven’t held a crochet hook since those days, until early January when I became aware this craft has become in vogue as a mindfulness activity.

It was at that point I thought, I am going to make a blanket, to help my students feel safe and protected. This was something tangible that I could do for the students, “Bibi’s Blanket-Made with Love”. The colours of wool I have chosen are reflective of joyful children and adults which make our College unique.  Some of the colours can also be symbolic of life stories we are going to share in a book.

As I continue to crochet Bibi’s Blanket, everyone in our St John’s community will be involved in the journey, connecting through the joy of storytelling. Each and every one of you is a gift from God.

Mrs Maria McIvor
Principal