Hear from Mr Byrne about the start of the year and becoming our best selves...
“Always be dissatisfied with what you are if you want to arrive at what you are not yet. Because wherever you are satisfied with yourself, there you have stuck.” Saint Augustine
The quote from Augustine is an invitation to think about what keeps us from becoming our best selves, the emphasis is on who we are not what we are. Self-reflection encourages us to think about what we find ourselves connected to, what holds us in place. Pope Francis, in Christus Vivit, wrote beautifully that we can consider the roots of a tree as anchors that hold us in place or the foundation from which we continue to grow, thrive and stretch ourselves. Are we limiting our progress by clinging to the past or growing with new hope?
What is it that makes us happy - our careers, titles, possessions, education, or romance? Are we the traveler who falls in love with the boat they are on rather than falling in love with the journey and the destination. What we are and the things we have are not bad, but they are an end rather than a means. Are we in love with material possessions, careers titles, or hobbies or are we finding hope in who we are and how we become better.
As we search for truth, like Augustine, we find the deeper our search the more we realise we cannot search for truth alone; we recognise the need for the company of friends, for a community we can search for truth and good with a common purpose. In our community we are searching for our truth with a common purpose, one that recognises truth as a representation of love and friendship and is about a search for God.
The 2023 year has started exceptionally well, in the absence of COVID-19 related planning, we have been focused on how we can improve. Our focus has been on moving forward, on the continued development of our teaching and learning. The staff have chosen to focus on collective efficacy around expectations on learners and as teachers at the College. We used a simple focus question to start the year, “Why do we work at St Augustine’s College?”. This simple but powerful exercise provided clarity and common purpose. It was agreed we are here to accompany boys on their journey to becoming educated good men, who have the power to discern and act on truth. We are in a place that establishes high expectations for ourselves and those in our care and a recognition that we need to have common language, clear expectations and challenge everyone to focus on becoming better.
Over the last few years our exceptional level of detailed planning has ensured a safe and effective return to campus for staff and students, and this year was no different. It was however a challenge when half of our site lost power two days before students returned requiring a serious incident response by the management team. We have had a 400 kVA generator in the middle of the school to ensure we could start unimpeded as scheduled. Many of you would be aware that we doubled down on the complexity of the start with an unscheduled fire drill happening just after recess on the first day at the campus, with our brand new Year 5 boys being herded to the front oval. Both of these instances presented some level of challenge, however they are examples of the level of expertise, generosity and the capability of our staff to get things done, focused on moving forward with solutions rather than fixated on what happened.
Jonathan Byrne
Principal
Rest in Peace
Your prayers are requested for:
- The Clyburn family following the recent passing of Peter Clyburn (Class of 1963).
- The Anderson family following the recent passing of Hayden Anderson (Class of 1995).
May the Lord welcome Peter and Hayden into his kingdom of peace.
