Finally, the younger the boys are the more likely they are to be influenced
by what they see us do. Don't underestimate the power of children seeing the adults in their lives
reading for pleasure. Don't feel guilty for taking some time to sit on the couch for a couple of
hours indulging in your favourite book. I think it is one of the best ways to encourage your son's
reading.
EREA School Renewal
This week I have been assisting with a
School Review at St Joseph's College, Gregory Terrace in Brisbane. All schools in the EREA Network
undertake a review, every five years, to ensure that our work remains grounded in the Touchstones. While
there are many performance and compliance requirements of modern schools, the EREA Renewal process is
different.
If you think of the Touchstones as our compass that help us plot our course as a
Christian educational institution, the renewal process is a good way to check our bearings every five
years. When there are many competing priorities and pressures on schools, it can be challenging
to remain focussed on what is most important. So, during the renewal process we ask ourselves, 'Have
we stayed true to our course as a school in the Edmund Rice tradition?' The role of the panel is
to listen to the community's reflections on how they live the Touchstones as a contemporary school.
As you can imagine, participating in the panel for another school is also great professional
development for those involved. Interviewing staff, students and families about the work and life
in their school is also a rich source of new ideas and possibilities back home.
Best wishes
for the weekend ahead. I'm looking forward to coming home next week, even if it is a little cooler
than Brisbane.
Brian Schumacher
Principal
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