Dear St Thomas Aquinas community,

Thank you to our Arts Teacher, Ms Naomi Wicks, and our teaching staff for organising Thursday's Dance Concert. Thank you to our parents for supporting their children with costumes and a big thank you our students for their enthusiasm in practising and performing. I'm really looking forward to the experience. It will be a lot of fun.

Thank you to Ms Smith, parents and staff who enabled us to send Years 3 to 6 students to the OzTag Gala days this week and next. These are always optional activities in school life and having staff and families provide these opportunities is most appreciated.

How do we measure success?

Last week every priest, REC and Principal in our system came together to reflect on our purpose as Catholic schools. Our new Director, David de Carvahlo, spoke to us all. At one point he asked 'How do we measure success?' He told a story of Mother Teresa: 

Former US Senator Mark Hatfield told a story of touring Calcutta with Mother Teresa. They visited the ‘House of Dying’ where sick children are cared for in their last days, and the dispensary where the poor line up by the hundreds to receive medical attention.

Watching Mother Teresa minister to these people, feeding and nursing those left by others to die, Hatfield was overwhelmed by the magnitude of the suffering she and her co-workers faced daily. ‘How can you bear the load without being crushed beneath it?’ he asked. Mother Teresa replied, ‘My dear Senator, I am not called to be successful, I am called to be faithful.’

David has been the head of ACARA (who runs NAPLAN and determines the Australian Curriculum) as well as the head of NESA (NSW Educational Standards Authority). David knows how important literacy and numeracy development are to our students. He understands the value of the curriculum we teach. He knows how much this curriculum empowers our students.

David also reminded us that, in the end, we are called to help each child to flourish. Jesus said "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full" (John 10:10). Our role in a Catholic school is to support each child to live as one who is 'made in the image and likeness of God'...and God is love.

The Catholic charism and lens by which we view life, people and the world permeates our day. We encourage children to see and respond to God's presence in their life; to look at the example that Jesus gave us and to continually treat others with compassion and kindness.

This is our call to be faithful as a Catholic school. We continue to undertake and love this valuable work.

Happy Week 4!

Matthew Garton

Principal