Tenison Woods and MacKillop Centre News: God with us

This is how Jesus Christ came to be born. His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph; but before they came to live together she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a man of honour and wanting to spare her publicity, decided to divorce her informally. He had made up his mind to do this when the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because she has conceived what is in her by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you must name him Jesus, because he is the one who is to save his people from their sins.’ Now all this took place to fulfil the words spoken by the Lord through the prophet:

The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son

and they will call him Emmanuel,

a name which means ‘God-is-with-us’.

When Joseph woke up he did what the angel of the Lord had told him to do: he took his wife to his home.

Matthew 1:18 - 24

The children looked beautiful as they re-enacted the nativity play. They were beautifully dressed, poised and prepared as they delivered their lines. The crowd loved them.

I love this time of year. But I can’t help but wonder what is in the mind of others as they rush about in the busyness of Christmas. I wonder if they understand what this story is about: the fulfilment of a promise that was given thousands of years ago, about the God of our faith taking on human flesh, human nature – to walk with us in our weakness and strength, to be born, to live, to die, to hope and dream, to be hungry, exhausted, alone. Do they understand how this mystery of the incarnation is not a one and only event but a living experience in each of our lives, of how this single event becomes a moment at the fulcrum of history? Do they see the evidence in our world today of this grand visitation in our human story? Do they know God’s love, his salvation?

There is a reason that we Christians have made the feast of Christmas such a huge celebration: it is because we share the deepest hope that the incarnation will transform who and what we are, so that we come to know a part of what God knows. Indeed Christmas is not only about the birth of Jesus, about God becoming human, but is equally about humanity, us, becoming divine. We gain an insight of what is possible for me, for you, for all humanity. So why would Christmas not leave us standing in awe?

My dream is that those beautiful children who play Mary, Joseph, the shepherds, angels and wise men will grow in understanding of who these characters are and what they represent to all of us. Mary, the instrument, the Amen of God’s becoming human; Joseph, the nurturer and protector who links the Davidic promise with Jesus; the shepherds, the poor (us) of the world who are invited into the new reality, the new kingdom; the angels: acknowledging the divinity of the newborn; and, the wise men who have read the ‘signs of the times’ and who have awaited the arrival of this child who heralds a new era.

Yes, let our Christmas trees be laden with decorations and gifts be piled beneath them. The responses on our children’s faces, the excitement, glee, amusement and joy are just minute snatches of what awaits us. To see them is to see the face of God.

From my heart I offer you the warmest of Christmas blessings. Enjoy, be safe and take care.

With every blessing to you.

Peter Douglas

HEAD OF SCHOOL SERVICES, NORTH

arrivederci

adiós

auf Wiedersehen

au revoir

さようなら

haere ra

nofo a

alu a

shalom

totsiens

vale

告别

Slán agat

Përshëndetje

Viso gero

aloha

so long

تصبح على خير

It has been a privilege to work in Catholic education. More so in that I have understood every role I have undertaken as being a part of my vocation to take the Word of God to all whom I meet, teach and serve.

I began my teaching vocation in 1986 as a librarian and teacher of Year 9 RE at Marist Regional College. After qualifying for registration as a teacher, as teacher librarian and a Year 7 teacher of everything. I had studied some French, Maori, Latin and New Testament Greek, and that was sufficient for me, apparently, to teach German and Italian and a bit of French! My principals at Marist were Joan Thomas rsm and Ray Chapman sm, at Stella - Rosemary Graham rsm, at Sacred Heart - Mary Hord, Tess Ransom rsj and Betty Hurst. After that I followed Pam Barlow rsm at OLMS, Phil Robinson at Latrobe, Ellie McGinness and Trish Hindmarsh at Larmenier, then Kevin Browning at Sacred Heart. I then stepped warily into Sandra's shoes as HOSSN. In all 30 years.

In between that start and end I have met so many wonderful, gifted and faith-filled fellow teachers, an extraordinary number of talented and clever, special and amazing students. I have had some spectacularly incredible PL: ELIM with Parramatta CEO, Sedes Sapientiae at the American College in Leuven, the Oxford Summer School in Theology at Oxford, Growth Coaching with GCI, an intensive Italian language program of three weeks in Florence.

Major initiatives that came by during this period were the Melbourne Guidelines (version 2), First Steps, National Statements and Profiles, Essential Learnings, Tasmanian Curriculum, Good News for Living, Australian Curriculum. There were five CEO Directors - Fr John Williams, Paul Stevens, Dan White (Anthony Morgan also acted), Trish Hindmarsh and John Mula; four archbishops - Sir Guilford Young, Eric D'Arcy, Adrian Doyle and Julian Porteous, and three Popes - John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis!

I have written 97 blogs in this role, as principal 722 newsletters and 247 school blogs.

I am grateful for the loving and kind, generous and caring support I have received in all this time.

I will treasure the wonderful and special people I have worked with and with whom I have shared a sacred ministry. Continue the work that is Christ's work, remain dutiful, reach to the stars!

Kindest regards

Peter

TEAM TEACH with Fiona and Richard

The TCEO’s initiative to have all systemic schools Team Teach (protective handling) trained is underway. To date, the program has been delivered in 3 of our Northern schools and to 2 groups of southern educators. The Team Teach sessions are interactive and focus on the 95% of behaviour management that is de-escalation and feedback has been extremely positive. We currently have 4 schools booked in for the beginning of 2017 but are happy to look at dates to present this valuable professional learning at your school sometime in 2017.

Course Objective

• To develop positive handling skills in behaviour management including verbal and non-verbal communication, diversion and de-escalation and safe effective, humane physical interventions.

Course Details.

6 Hour Foundation Course (2x3 hour afternoon sessions)

Description: This course covers personal safety, risk reduction strategies, positive handling, together with documentation and legal guidance.

Format: Organised into 8 modules:

• Module 1 – Background to Team-Teach

• Module 2 – The Legal Framework

• Module 3 – Understanding Aggression

• Module 4 – How Feelings Drive Behaviours

• Module 5 – De-escalation and De-fusion

• Module 6 – Personal Safety

• Module 7 – Positive Handling

• Module 8 – Repair, Reflect and Review