Advent Reflection

This Sunday marks the second Sunday of Advent. A time when Christians around the world focus on a deepening relationship with the Creator. It is often marked by a calendar or wreath and each new week begins a new focus; hope, peace, joy and faith.

Week 2 Peace

Over the last few weeks I’ve been binging on “Derry Girls”. A comedy set in Derry following the highs and lows of a group of school girls and their families living in Derry during “The Troubles” of the early 1990s. It explores the themes of friendships, growing up, family and peace. The show cleverly shows situations where the characters have some moments of inner peace even though the world around them is a mess of violence and war. The second series ends with the signing of the Good Friday Peace Agreement yet this outer peace does nothing to impact on the inner peace of the girls. And that is the thing with peace, it is an absence of war etc. but it is also more than just an absence of war.

Depending on which religion or philosophy that people follow, their definitions of peace may be highly different. In some Eastern religions, finding serenity or inner peace means believing that everything dies; all is nothing. This is beautifully expressed by some of the great thinkers of our time:

“We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves.”
― Dalai Lama XIV

 “Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

A Christian perspective defines peace as being in right relations, with God, with others and with creation itself (the environment).

As we move into December my hope for you, our community and world is in the words of the risen Christ, the same words shared at mass as the congregation shake hands …

“Peace be with you”.

PS For anyone who has seen the Derry Girls. How good is the Principal?

PPS Derry Girls is not a family show. Explicit language warning!

School Advisory Council

I am grateful to Samantha Kenna (Louis Year 3, Harry Year 2 and Lola who begins at St Joseph’s next year) and Anna Densley (Grace Year and Isabelle Year 1) who have both volunteered to contribute to the ongoing development of our school through participation on the School Advisory Council for 2025 and beyond. Thanks Anna and Samantha, we are looking forward to working with you.

Supporting Our Children Through Transitions

 Next Tuesday 10th December the children will move into their 2024 classes and meet their new teacher and classmates. This is an exciting time which can be met with mixed responses by children. Our staff have been working on grouping the children since the end of last term. We have sought parent input via the green form, students have identified “learning buddies” and teachers have taken all of this into account along with academic and social/emotional development of each child to create diverse groups.

If you are finding that your child is nervous about this change it might be good to discuss the difference between “safe nervous” and “dangerous nervous”. Both of these situations give us the same bodily responses e.g. butterflies in stomach etc. You can then talk to them about strategies to deal with their nerves.

Some children worry about friendships; if this is the case, remind your child that they are very likeable and that many new classmates will want to be their friend, also remind them of their strategies to make new friends. e.g. inviting others to play, sharing, playing new games in new spaces. Also remind them that their friends are always there at playtime and lunchtime and that making new friends is just as important as learning new maths or science knowledge. 

Managing transitions is an important part of all our lives and helping our children navigate these small transitions helps them build their confidence and resilience.

Matthew O'Brien, Principal