Austin鈥檚 Butterfly听
Across the semester in different听forums听I have been sharing the story of Austin鈥檚 butterfly to help create an understanding about striving for excellence. Most recently I shared the story in our 蘑菇视频 Community meeting held听virtually each听Day 9 during Wellbeing.听
Austin was a听first grade听student who was asked to create a scientific drawing of a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly as a learning task. The story shows the 6 iterations that Austin completed as he listened to peer and teacher feedback and听continued听to strive for the best version of the butterfly that he could create. It speaks to persistence, agency, acting on听feedback听and belief that something greater is possible. The final image was incredibly close to the photographic听version听and one could be forgiven for thinking that it was not created by a听5 or 6 year old. It is a powerful story about striving for excellence and one that has allowed us to find a simple shared language as we come to the end of听semester.听听
Before the GAT exam I was able to remind the students to strive for the 鈥榶ellow butterfly鈥�,听and听in passing听students听in the yard I am asking 鈥榳hat has been a yellow butterfly moment for you this week?鈥� It is easy to google Austin鈥檚听butterfly,听and you will find the story and images of his 6 attempts.听Perhaps this听might be something you adopt in your conversations with your daughters as we听finish exam week, complete听end of semester听assessments听and look to the start of our next semester on Monday.听听听
Compass Goes Live Monday听22听June听
After听six months of preparation and听a power听of work by our staff听team听we are ready to go live with Compass on Monday morning.听This launch is part of our One Pace Beyond School Improvement Plan aspiration to be 鈥楾hriving Change Agents鈥� with the commitment of 鈥極ptimizing the creative, productive and ethical use of digital technology.鈥� Our first phase will include attendance, medical, timetable, calendar, excursions (known as听Events in Compass) and chronicle entries.听
Parents have been sent a resource manual and instructions for how to access the Parent portal via the web or the Compass app.听听
Students will engage in a Compass orientation via a whole school online meeting on Monday during Period 1.听听
As with any听significant听technological change, we听recognise听there may be some slight glitches on Monday听in听spite听of听the preparation we have in听place听and we ask families to be patient with us as we make this transition. Staff have engaged in multiple learning sessions and today we听ensured听all听our听casual replacement teachers became familiar with the new system. We look forward to the ease of integration that this program will provide the community as we bring on future modules across Semester 2.听
70th听Anniversary Garden Donations and Celebratory Dinner听听
We have reached the $4000 mark with our giving听campaign听for our new sacred space between 蘑菇视频 House and the Oak Centre. Every donation will help us to fulfill this听dream. It is听anticipated听that听work听will start in the upcoming school holidays. We hope the project will be听complete听in time for听Brigidine听Day celebrations late in Term 3.听
All donations to the project are fully tax deductible, which may be helpful for potential donors as we come to the end of the financial year. Donations can be made 听
We are currently working with the听Brigidine听Sisters to ensure we have captured听the names of听all the sisters who served at 蘑菇视频 over the past 70 years. We hold the sisters in our prayers as they celebrate their own 140th听anniversary on听9听July, Bishop Daniel Delaney鈥檚 day.听
Tickets are on sale for the anniversary dinner to be held on Friday 28 August at Truffleduck. It has been 10 years since we have gathered as a community of current and past staff, families and alumni. The evening promises to be a wonderful celebration and time to remember with gratitude. We especially encourage our alumni to reach out to your old classmates and form a table. Tickets can be purchased individually or discounted with tables of 10. The booking link can be found here.
World Refugee Week 鈥� a call to Live Justly听
The theme for this year is 鈥楢 Million Stories鈥�.听Currently in our Library foyer we have a world map that shows where all our families come from. We have students and families that come听from听over 42 different countries. 蘑菇视频 has had a history of welcoming refugee families. Our experience is that they have made us听richer听for what they have brought to us.听
Paul听Skippen our Ministry Leader reflects on world Refugee Week in his article 鈥榃ho gets placed under our cloak:听Strength听and kindliness in a displaced world.鈥櫶齌his is included in this fortnight鈥檚 newsletter.听
This reflection invites us to pray,听
Brigid of Kildare, widen our hearts and stretch our vision. Give us the strength to challenge exclusion and the kindliness to create belonging. May we be a community that chooses welcome over fear, hope over indifference, and action over silence. Help us build a world where every person can find safety, dignity, and a place to call home. Amen.听
As the last newsletter for Term 2 we wish every family a safe and happy holiday break and look forward to the students return for Term 3 on听13听July.听
Blessings听
Luci听