2024, Term 1, Edition 2 - Chaplain - Casey Grammar School

From the Chaplain

The First Bookend

In reflecting on Year 12, there is a sense that there are two significant bookends that mark key moments in the year. The first is the Senior School Commissioning Service and the second is the Valedictory Assembly which takes place once final classes have finished. Both focus on the hopes and dreams of our senior students, encouraging them to imagine their future.

On Tuesday, Senior School came together to commission our new Deputy Principal and Head of Wellbeing, Dr Robert Jacob, our new Head of Leaver House, Mrs Stephanie Trovato, our Senior Student Leadership team and each of our Year 12 students who were presented with their Year 12 badges.

It was a joy to see them all on the stage, having been involved in the commissioning of some of these students in Year 6! Our Commissioning Service was followed by morning tea together where we took photos and marked this special day. A central theme of the service is a reminder that whilst our Year 12s will of course have challenges ahead this year, they do not walk alone. They are supported by many people who care about them.

One part of that was inviting the staff to share an important message with them. These will be displayed in the Common Room as a physical reminder of the support for our students as well as the paper cranes our students made at their Year 12 Retreat. These cranes have been joined together to create a calendar for the students, reminding them that they are in this year, as a whole, together.

Sharing Shrove Tuesday in Junior School

Each year our Junior School celebrates Shrove Tuesday and the smell of pancakes wafts through the classrooms. We celebrate Shrove Tuesday as a significant event in the Christian calendar, it being the final day before the season of Lent begins. Lent marks the 40 days (excluding Sundays) in the lead up to Easter — one of the most important events for Christians globally.

Lent serves as an invitation for us all to reflect on our lives, our connection to God and our connection to others. It is associated with ‘giving up’ something — but there are so many different directions this can take, whether it be giving up time, money or something we particularly value. The purpose is to take what is being ‘given up’ and use it to help us to positively shift and change both our connection with God, and with others.

Celebrating the Final Year of Junior School

Many of our students in Year 6 are about to commence their seventh and final year in Junior School. To celebrate this, we have a Junior School Commissioning Service for the Junior School Leaders and all Year 6s. We also had the joy of Commissioning Ms Sarah Black who will be taking over as Head of Read once Mrs Ramos-Chan commences Maternity Leave.

The Reid Captains took the opportunity to thank Mrs Ramos-Chan for her work over the past few years, and to wish her well in this new stage of her life. We look forward to seeing the way that Ms Black will work to continue to develop the sense of community within Reid.

All the Year 6s were presented with a House candle and we loved watching the Leaders sharing about who they admire. Huge congratulations to our new Junior School Captain Vinuka who played ‘Under the Sea’ on his saxophone. I think everyone was tapping along! Thanks to all those involved in both Commissioning Services to make them possible.