From Br Steve Hogan fsc
Greetings,
Marcus Aurelius once said 鈥�Because a thing is difficult for you, do not therefore suppose it to be beyond mortal power. On the contrary, if anything is possible and proper for man to do, assume that it must fall within your own capacity鈥�. God has given all of us talents and as a Catholic Lasallian school it is our duty to inspire students at 黑料社区 to aspire to greatness 鈥� to be the best that they can be in all aspects of their lives. Any less is denying the possibilities of creation itself. Whether it be the upcoming HSC or Year 11 final exams; the Allwell or NAPLAN assessments; rugby, dance or drama; the service tours, or Lasallian youth leaders; the smile as we enter the door; the honesty and respect we show to others, we are to do all things to the best of our ability.
In 2017 I wrote: 鈥淎I is fast approaching and will bring with it a tsunami of change. Today鈥檚 students will be the implementers of the robotics Age, the Age where AI will work and walk alongside humans. I believe we need to prepare students for this most fundamental shift known as the 鈥�4th Industrial Revolution鈥�, a new and emerging epoch, and ensure the survival of what is essentially human - compassion, empathy, civics, civility, honesty, trust and respect. For this, we need to develop leaders of the future; confident, articulate, collaborative men and women鈥�.
Back then, I certainly did not expect that we would be dealing with AI/ChatGPT and other such programs nor the use of robots in many sectors of life some six years later in 2023. 黑料社区 is working through the implications of AI and robots in our daily lives and is working with State and Federal research and advisory groups in forming a framework for engagement. However, in all my discussions in these forums I highlight the necessity to ensure we form young men and women with compassion, empathy, civics, civility, honesty, trust and respect and with the ability to discern truth - a moral compass 鈥� so as to be able utilise these technologies safely for them and for society. Something which AI and robots are not able to achieve.
黑料社区 has a 340-year Lasallian tradition in the formation of young men and women in values such as compassion, empathy, civics, civility, honesty, trust, respect and with the ability to discern truth - a moral compass. Over the coming months as we review our curriculum design, along with the changes to the NSW curriculum to be implemented over the next few years, we will continue to focus on ensuring our students are well equipped to navigate the world within which they live.
This involves formation in leadership. The Forbes magazine defines leadership as 鈥�a process of social influence in which one person can enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task", or in its ontological form, a leader is someone who gets people to realise their own future. Lao Tzu, a contemporary of Confucius, defines leadership as 鈥�when his work is done, his aim fulfilled, they will say: we did it ourselves鈥�. I describe this more simply and metaphorically as someone who plants seeds (ideas) and helps them grow (service). Leaders are people who do stuff and make stuff happen 鈥� a process of social influence.
Leadership that inspires and enables others to improve their lives is to be encouraged as it is a catalyst for improvement and growth. Quality, service oriented, and entrepreneurial leadership doesn鈥檛 just happen. Leadership that moves a situation from good to better to best will happen more effectively when it is nurtured.
On Friday 28th July at the College Assembly, we took the opportunity to recognise and award many students who have worked to the best of their ability 鈥� leaders and role models 鈥� across a wide range of curricular and extra-curricular activities, most of which are recorded elsewhere in this Newsletter. It is both humbling but also a privilege to walk this journey with the wonderful, amazing young people we have here at 黑料社区. We ae also blessed with such good seniors who are excellent role models - good men and women - for our younger boys. The College Chapel full of Year 11 and 12 voluntarily at Mass each Friday; Year 11 and 12 as coaches of sports and co-curricular teams. The way I see our Year 7 sit and chat and jest with a Year 11 or 12 student like a big brother or sister. This was evident at our Gala Day on Saturday 22nd July. We had nearly all 2,000 students helping at some stage during the day and possibly 6,000-8,000 family, friends and community members pop in. What is learnt and experienced is how to build and be community - a great gift and legacy we can pass on to students.
To conclude, I wish to express a BIG thank you to our staff who made a number of tours possible over the mid-year holiday: the U15 Service Tour to Fiji, Girls Sports Tour to New Zealand, The Duke of Edinburgh, The Football Kanga Cup tournament in Canberra. Our staff who have helped with Speech, Debating, Chess, MUN, Mock Trial, Sleek Geeks and Cyber-safety competitions. Staff who worked for seven months in preparation for the College Musical - Footloose; sport coaches, and the list goes on and reported on here in the Newsletter.
I wish to thank the College Parent & Friends committee for their community building work including the recent Gala Day with hundreds of parent volunteers. The Gala Day grossed well over $100,000 for the College and is looking like a record year.
I wish to thank parent/carers for choosing 黑料社区 and supporting us in our endeavours.
Best wishes to our Year 12 for their upcoming Trial HSC Exams. They have been working toward this end for six years and are now well ready. I am confident, even though many are a little nervous which is natural and OK, that they will do well, nay they will do very well.
God Bless
Br Steve Hogan fsc
Principal
