Dear Parents

During the last few weeks, our student leaders were inducted, and each made their leadership pledge to the College.  Although the occasions were broadcast in the virtual realm, the message of leadership at The Springfield Anglican College is that in Christ, the goal of our leadership is to serve.  TSAC Leadership is not about making our names known. It’s about making God’s name known and having the ability to love and respect the people in our care, using the authority we’ve been given with grace.  Each of us has the potential to witness and demonstrate Jesus to others.  In this way, we are all called to be servant leaders.

Easing of Restrictions

The Queensland Government’s Back to School Plan concludes on Friday 4 March and the Premier has recently announced the lifting of some restrictions to coincide with this.  The lifting of these restrictions allows the College to resume most of its normal operations and calendared events.  The current restrictions remain in place until 6:00pm on Friday 4 March.  After that time, mask wearing will be optional; assemblies, Chapel and gatherings can take place; excursions and camps can resume, and parents will be welcome on our campuses.

It is still important, however, that we observe the COVID-19 hygiene practices of regularly washing hands and distancing where possible and those who are unwell or have COVID-19 symptoms should not attend the College.

Information Evenings

With events soon to be permitted on our campuses, an invitation has been placed on Nexus to attend the Strategic Plan Information Evening at 6:30pm on Wednesday 9 March.  To RSVP to attend this event, please click here.

We will also have our Secondary Campus Open Evening on Thursday 17 March beginning at 4:00pm.  These events provide an opportunity to meet key staff of the College and members of its Council.

Uniform

Since the foundation of our College, the wearing of the College uniform has always been a part of student life, and will continue to be so.  High standards of uniform wear and grooming are important as this makes a statement to the wider community about our College.  Furthermore, a student’s personal standard of uniform wear and grooming gives an indication of how the student views themselves, and how they feel about their College.  Some years ago the College allowed girls on the Secondary Campus to wear 2 earrings in the lower lobe.  Recent feedback has suggested that this practice has become problematic, and the College is now considering returning to one earring only from 2023.  Mrs Kristie Ahern, Deputy Head of Secondary Campus, would be happy to receive any feedback regarding this (kahern@tsac.qld.edu.au).

Student Protection Statements

The College takes the safety of our students and the prevention of harm very seriously.  Each year the College reviews its Child and Youth Risk Management Strategy and its Statement of Commitment to the Safety of our Children.  These can be found here on Nexus

My very best wishes

Steven.

From the Chaplain

A big highlight of the last week for me was the Year 6 Leaders Induction ceremony. It has been a long time since I have seen a whole year group, with immaculate uniforms, so engaged and supportive in a school ceremony. Congratulations to all the Year 6 students, their new leaders and their teachers for some of the best student behaviour in this context I’ve ever seen. My impression was reinforced when I then met with the new leaders and Mrs Williams as we considered the Service projects the Year 6s would like to facilitate this year and I was blown away by their focus and enthusiasm. I predict greatness for this Year group! They are sensational young people.

This week we change Seasons in the church calendar from Epiphany to Lent, or in terms of colour schemes, from green to purple. The purple reminds us of royalty and of the journey of Jesus to Jerusalem, where the crowds at first expected him to be a military ruler but were disappointed when he revealed himself instead to be the Servant King, and the sacrificial Lamb of God. The word ‘Lent’ is related to the Northern hemisphere’s Springtime, but I’ve always thought that our Southern hemisphere’s Autumn is more suited to the wistful, sombre tone which church activities will now take for the six weeks leading up to Easter. In Lent, starting from Ash Wednesday this week, many of us will choose to deprive ourselves of what is unnecessary, or distracting, in order to focus more fully on the things which are in fact the most important – the real necessities of life. Perhaps there are some apps on our phones which could be deleted until Easter?

Lastly, high in my prayer-list this week has been the deteriorating situation in Eastern Europe, and I’d like to share a poem/prayer written by Bishop Cameron Venables:

A Prayer for Ukraine

Creator God,

I find myself with millions of others,

holding my breath:

hoping that missiles won’t be launched;

that bombs won’t fall,

and bullets won’t be fired;

that bodies won’t be broken,

and lives won’t be shattered;

and that somehow,

in your grace,

other ways forward be found

without the collective,

collateral, carnage…

of war.

With millions of others,

I pray for the miracle of a sustainable peace.

For your blessing on sisters and brothers in Ukraine

and for all the children not yet orphaned,

not yet traumatised,

not yet statistics.

Bless the leaders of each side with wisdom,

and give them all a vision

and a deep longing

for peace.

We pray in the name of the one who said,

‘Love one another!’

Amen

Peace in Christ

Reverend Jonathan