Bernard Burgess

Dear Catherine McAuley, Catholic College families,

The season of Lent continues and during these forty days in the lead up to Easter, as a Catholic community, we are called to be reflective in our own lives and compassionate towards others. These qualities sit comfortably into the charism and culture of CMCC and each of our students are encouraged to make them a part of their everyday life within the college.

Week eight seems to have arrived quickly in this eleven-week term and takes us well into the final stages of Term One. I continue to be impressed with the hospitality displayed by our students towards all visitors and newcomers to the college. The Mercy value of hospitality lives in this community and is a credit to all who have nurtured this in the now four years and one term the college has been open.

At a recent whole school assembly with our Mercy values of Faith in Action, Compassion, Hospitality and Courage as the foundation for my address, I spoke of the many examples of these values being lived out, in and amongst our students each day. Examples included, reverence and respect displayed in our college Liturgies and various assemblies, involvement and participation in the college Swimming Carnival and other community events, the positive rapport between our staff and students and between peers, and the positive learning culture in our classrooms and learning spaces.

Conversely, I spoke to the rare but significant matters that occur in schools at times that are not represented in our Mercy values at CMCC. These included but were not limited to, malicious damage to property, inappropriate and disrespectful language or behaviour directed towards or in response to staff and malicious physical contact with peers or other community members. Each of these matters were clearly communicated to our students as unacceptable at CMCC and that a lack of adherence to them would result in significant consequences including exclusion from the school for short or long periods depending on the circumstances.

I know that our families appreciate high expectations and standards in the college, continue to make CMCC a highly sought after school, to which many in the community aspire to be a part of. We appreciate working in partnership with our families to ensure those standards are always maintained.

As the final weeks of the first term of the school year continue, our families are encouraged to stay connected to their children’s education through regular contact with the school, especially where there may be worries or concerns regarding academic progress, social or wellbeing matters and of course in the spiritual and faith life of our students.

With best wishes for the final three weeks of Term 1

United in Mercy
Bernard Burgess
College Principal