Fiona Dyball - (Musician, teacher, composer, conductor, writer, consultant and liturgist)

Last week I was blessed to attend the annual Principal’s Retreat. We were privileged to listen to Fr Timothy Radcliffe OP, Master of the Order of Preachers 1992 – 2001 and awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Oxford University in 2003.

Just like the prayer above, Fr Tim proposed, “through the chaos, God brings order. This happens in ordinary ways.” We were invited to think about times in our personal and professional lives where things were spinning out of control and what we needed to do to, to bring order out of the chaos. I reflected on some of the difficult decisions or impactful moments I have experienced in my role as Principal. I thought back to what made me feel more at peace and what helped me to gain more clarity about the position I was in. For me, a quick visit to the Kindergarten classrooms, some time with Monty, a conversation with a trusted colleague, some fresh air outside; was all I needed to bring peace and calm to the situation. I believe these ordinary things are the ways that God is accompanying me in life’s challenges.

NAPLAN – This week, students in Years 3 and 5 are completing their NAPLAN tests. All students have brought an “I’ve got this!” attitude to school each day, we are so proud of this growth mindset attitude. At St Monica’s, we treat these days as ordinary school days and we know, NAPLAN is merely a snapshot of one week in the learning life of the students in years 3, 5, 7, and 9. 

School Photos – Next Tuesday is school photo day! All students are to come dressed in full summer uniform please. Ordering of school photos is available on the Compass Parent Portal, with family photos also available for purchase.

Dates for your diaries: