I often have the opportunity to walk new families, colleagues or visitors around our school and there isn’t any doubt that our learning areas are well resourced and that we have attractive buildings and furnishings. However, the feeling that our school is a safe and positive place for children to learn doesn’t radiate from buildings or surroundings, but from the people within who generate an atmosphere that is welcoming, happy, faith-filled and exudes a love of learning. Our LIVE the GA Way initiative has been a wonderful contributor to our spirit of community.

Engaging in ‘LIVE”, reminds us that our Christian identity can be found in the choices that we make in our relationships with others. The choices that determine how we treat others, the care and concern that we offer and how we show and encourage respect. We were reminded that our relationships are strengthened by the hope that we give and receive, and by the relationship that we have with God. From time to time, we may need to reflect on the choices that we make so that we can develop new relationships, or perhaps rebuild or strengthen others, and in turn, this encourages a closer relationship with God.

Importantly, as adults, when things don’t go as planned, or perhaps when we need to rethink the choices that we’ve made, we seek support from our family and friends, and take the opportunity to reflect. Often time, this requires us to ‘think restoratively’. This approach means working together to solve problems in a way that enables a sense of community to be lived that brings our Gospel values into action.

This thinking has informed our LIVE the GA Way framework, that aims to inspire a ‘way of living’. LIVE the GA Way has been developed to empower our students to consistently demonstrate actions and behaviors that reflect an integration of Gospel values in the everyday; using their gifts and talents to live our motto, ‘To Achieve Life’.  We look forward to continuing our implementation of LIVE the GA Way, and sharing in our work with all in our community.

As we begin the ​term together, let us pray that all in our school community continue to seek God in all people, places and events. God of new beginnings, may this school term continue to bring us closer to you and to each other. Amen