From the Principal – May 2024
Our recent ANZAC services were a poignant reminder of the debt we owe for our freedom and in turn, our responsibility to carry on the values of mateship, service to others and citizenship. Information about what happened is critical in protecting our national memory. We are not just encouraging our young to respond emotionally to what has happened in wartime, we are expecting, as a College where education is our critical mission, that they will all graduate having a deep understanding of why this day has importance to our nation and to us as citizens.
Our guest speaker at the Middle and Senior Service was Air Commodore Sandy Turner CSC Director General Logistics, Air Force. Not only has she a distinguished career in Defence, an inspirational role model, Sandy is also one of our ‘Mums’ here at St John’s.
Air Commodore Sandy Turner brings extensive experience and leadership to her role as Director General Logistics in the Royal Australian Air Force. With over thirty-three years of service in various leadership capacities within the RAAF, Air Commodore Turner has proven her capabilities and commitment to the Air Force.
The following day, there was ‘a sea of red’ as so many of our students, staff and parents attended the Forest Lake ANZAC Service, filling one’s heart with pride and love. To honour our returned service men and women is such a privilege and as a Forest Lake community to witness Mr George Churchwood RSL receive a standing ovation as he lay his wreath as the oldest serving member in his 101st year was a memory to last a lifetime.
War is a truly brutal business. It causes devastation that reaches far beyond the battlefield and resonates through generations. The sadness that characterises ANZAC Day services reminds us of this devastation and urges us to become the peacemakers of the future. Talking to our students it soon becomes clear that for them there is no contradiction between honouring the sacrifices that have been made on their behalf whilst at the same time decrying the circumstances (and those responsible for creating them) that lead to war.
As we watched representatives from the Forest Lake Community come forward to lay their wreaths at the base of the Cenotaph, we could only pray that such young, such precious, such innocent lives might be spared those traumas which, even as I write, young Australian men and women are experiencing in the various theatres of war that blight our world today and which have stained the pages of history for thousands of years.
In commemorating the bravery and sacrifice of our soldiers, it’s only natural that we reflect on the strength and resilience that binds our community together. Just as we honour the courage of those who served, we also recognise the unsung heroes closer to home—our mothers. They, too, embody a spirit of selflessness, nurturing, and love that sustains us through challenging times.
This past weekend we celebrated our mothers, grandmothers, aunts and sisters, and mother figures in our lives; to all of those strong, beautiful, inspiring women who reach into the hearts of our children, leaving footprints of love that they carry with them forever. Whether they are close by, far away or angels on our shoulders, we honour those feelings of blissful, unconditional love and care that resonate when we speak of our mothers.
I have come to realise just how important celebrating Mother’s Day is for our community because, yes the events are immensely enjoyable, but also because we share a sisterhood, and our stories and our journeys have a wealth of diversity.
What is affirming is that these occasions provide a place to connect and strengthen networks of support. I recall all too well that when I began having babies, many of my friends were not and I didn’t have a mother’s group. However, I do recall, belonging to a school community and having these occasions helped me realise I was not alone.
Let’s infuse our hearts with the warmth of belonging as we eagerly anticipate the upcoming College Carnival on Saturday 25 May. It’s an opportunity for us to come together once again, celebrating our unity and rallying around one another in the spirit of camaraderie and fun.
Mrs Maria McIvor
Principal
