Back to face-to-face lessons

It was great to see students returning en masse this week to the College to resume to face-to-face learning. While there is greater ‘normality’ in the classroom, protecting the health of our community members remains paramount.

Social/physical distancing measures continue to be encouraged amongst students, hygiene, sanitisation and cleaning practices and protocols have been ‘ramped up’ and the distance between staff & students and staff & staff remains at the 1.5m distance. This return to face-to-face teaching has necessitated some changes in terms of the use of the College Diary, the submission of student work and the like, so we continue to appreciate your understanding and support.

END OF DAY STAGGERED PARENT/CARER PICKUP 

The arrangements which have been in place for Week 5 will remain for Week 6. At the end of Week 6 the College will review these pick-up arrangements.

Thank you to parents/carers for your cooperation. While afternoons have been busier than normal, it has been relatively seamless. It was also great to see some Year 12 student drivers willing to show their maturity and support of the situation, and not create extra traffic of an afternoon by staying back an extra 15 or 20 minutes. I thank those students who willingly assisted us.

Year 11 2021 (Year 10 2020) Subject Selections

Due to COVID-19 the College will be changing its typical process in relation to subject selections for Year 11 2021. Rest assured, this will still be a rigorous programme, but the initial information night for parents/carers and students will need to utilise online means.

More details about this will follow in the next fortnight. Expect a number of videos regarding various subjects to be available and Year 10 will be spoken to within the next two weeks about the upcoming steps and stages.

Parent/Teacher/Student Zoom Interviews

Please note that due to COVID-19, the College will need to move to online Zoom Parent/Teacher/Student Interviews towards the end of this Semester. Given the success of Year 7 2021 Enrolment Interviews by Zoom, we are confident that this medium will afford a meaningful opportunity to provide meaningful feedback about learning and ways to enhance students’ knowledge and skills.

PRAYER

Joanne McMahon, former Magdalene staff member, has created the following prayerful reflection for this newsletter.

Pope Francis’ Daily Reflection for May 27 seemed a poignant message not just for the day but for our living. Entitled: ‘Living as a Gift’ it first cites John’s Gospel (15:13) before delivering a powerful message:

“Jesus says something remarkable to us: ‘Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends’. Love always takes this path: to give one’s life. To live life as a gift, a gift to be given – not a treasure to be stored away. And Jesus lived in this manner, as a gift. And if we live life as a gift, we do what Jesus wanted: “I appointed you that you should go and bear fruit.” [Homily, Domus Sanctae, May 14 2013]

We are thus invited to reflect on this question: How is God asking you to lay down your life for others today?

In so many ways, I am sure our responses involve family, community, work and broader environments such as our national and international connections. Amongst the very dynamics in which we daily engage, how often do we stop to ponder the gift of life? How often do we see gift only as a beautifully wrapped parcel, with a brilliant bow and thoughtfully sentimental card, instead of that very ugly, recycled parcel wrapped in a hurry?

The duality of life is both the beautiful and the ugly, both are synonymous with love. And regardless of the conditions, Jesus placed none of these upon His life-giving and life-fulfilling support for us. I wonder whether the next time we face an aggressive moment on the road, a barb or profanity directed our way, or even a judgmental reaction to a misunderstanding; how can we share the notion that living is a gift?