We warmly welcome all members of the Damascus community, as we commence the start of Academic Term. I trust your Easter was one that provided you and your family with the opportunity to reflect, enjoy the time to be with one another and friends. We are people of the resurrection living in the light, always searching for hope, joy and love. We are the people of Christ, one body, with many parts.

Please join me in welcoming Amanda Tait, Kirsten Roth, Margaret McIntyre, Anita Lidgett, Sarah van Deur, Zach Jans and Charlie Brown to the Damascus team. This term we also wish Gavan Walsh well as he embarks on a period of Long Service Leave.

I thank the many families who joined us for our Easter Liturgy last term, like so many of you at this time, I needed a time to connect with our community, to seek support and comfort that can be found in prayer and community. I, too, am deeply troubled by the recent news that focus on the suffering and violence that families in our community are expressing. I urge each one of us to challenge stereotypes about gender and assumptions about power, we need to be people that are respectful. Behind that news is the embedded widespread presence of coercive control in so many homes and places of work. The vast majority of the victims of violence are women, mostly women who have been bullied by their partners. We need to call out inappropriate and disrespectful, behaviour. Our society has to find ways of educating men to treat women as equals and ways of empowering women in such situations to take the authority that is rightly theirs without triggering violence. Such education is a life-long enterprise that takes place in homes, in schools and in society across the globe.

This past fortnight the College has played host to seven Indonesian guests, Dr. Niknik Mediyawati, M.Pd. M.Hum., Dr. Ariani Selviana Pardosi, M.Pd., Siti Amaliyah, M.Pd., Randi Ramliyana, M.Pd., Friska Melani, M.Si., Choirul Asari, M.Pd. And Tashya Bellerina Agatha, S.Ikom. Our guests are from sister school in Indonesia. It has been lovely for us to reciprocate the hospitality our students and staff experienced last year when we visited Jakarta. I would like to acknowledge the commitment and professionalism of Brendan Bawden who has led, coordinated and embraced this vital trip. The guests have participated in many Indonesian classes and were able to meet students’ of whom they tutor fortnightly online. In today’s interconnected world, embracing diversity is not just a choice but a necessity. As we strive to prepare our students for the realities of a globalized society, hosting individuals from different religious and cultural backgrounds provides them with invaluable opportunities to broaden their perspectives and deepen their understanding of the world around them.

This week we celebrated St Martins feast day. Students of St Martins house attended school in a flurry of green, demonstrating strong house spirit. We met as a College for a whole school assembly where students from St Martin’s showcased their diverse talents and fostered a sense of belonging and pride.

Congratulations to all students (and staff) who participated in the school lap of the lake last week. It’s fabulous to see so many students enthusiastically running around the lake, activley engaging in physical activity and promoting their wellbeing.

A reminder to all that Friday 26 April 2024 is a student free day. Staff of Damascus College will be participating in a day of professional learning. We continue to embed the Reframing Learning and Teaching Environments (RELaTE) Reframing Learning and Teaching Environments (ReLATE) is a research and trauma-informed education model that provides a blueprint for schools to create supportive environments for teaching and improved student learning and wellbeing. We are into our second year of the program.

Next week we celebrate Catholic Education week – In the light of Christ. this is an opportunity for us to celebrate our Catholic identity.

Subject teacher interviews commence next week and will be offered both online and face to face. These interviews provide opportunities to directly engage with teachers and gain comprehensive understanding of a students performance in specific subjects. Teachers can provide personalised feedback, highlight areas of excellence and offer constructive advice to address any challenges the student may be facing. If you haven’t already done so, please access PAM to make appointments.

With every blessing