Dear Families,

This week is Sabbath week. Traditionally, it is a time where we rest and take a little time out to be with our families. It is also a time where we encourage staff to leave work a little earlier and try not to hold meetings. It is important for everyone to stop in all of the busyness (particularly during this time) and try to refocus a little on our wellbeing. You may have noticed that classes continue to have ‘guest’ teachers in their classrooms. We are trying our very best during this time to make things as normal as possible and not split classes, however there may be times when this is unavoidable. Like many workplaces we are continuing to see a larger number of staff absences than we usually would at this time of year and we are not always able to source relief staff. This means teachers are often taking double classes and additional duties, and members of the leadership team are spending most of their day teaching a class. I thank you for your understanding, particularly around response times from the leadership team and teachers. The staff would also like to pass on their thanks to the SCC for organising a coffee van to help perk them up with a coffee or a hot chocolate.

Last week I had the privilege of attending the Catholic Leaders Day and Principal Retreat. The Catholic Leaders day was a great opportunity for schools to share their successes, but also to discuss some of the challenges in implementing a new pedagogy and programs. Schools were very interested in what we are doing here at St Thomas Aquinas, many principals having seen some of our teachers in various training videos. It was a good opportunity to showcase some of the wonderful work happening in our classrooms.

The two day retreat, led by Archbishop Christopher Prowse, focused on Mercy. We explored the idea that Justice and Mercy go hand in hand. The Archbishop challenged us to consider that there must be an equal balance between Mercy and Justice, that they should always be two equal sides of the one coin. The Archbishop left us with a poignant quote by Jamie Cardinal Sin, the 30th Roman Catholic Archbishop of Manila and the third Cardinal from the Philippines. He was instrumental in the historic and peaceful 1986 People Power Revolution, which toppled the dictatorship and ended martial law under Ferdinand Marcos and installed Corazon Aquino as his successor in the Fifth Republic of the Philippines. It reads:

Justice without mercy is tyranny,
Mercy without justice is weakness,
Mercy without love is baloney.

Take care and God bless

Yours in Faith

Leah Taylor
Principal