Principal's Update

Each week, Mrs Sylvia Walton’s address to our School families in The Weekly News is published here for our wider community’s interest.

As we approach mid Term 3 it is timely to remember our Vision, Values, Motto and Ode. Together they are the cornerstone of all we do.
Our Vision: Established in 1896,
St Catherine’s Vision continues to be the provision of a School culture in which girls are educated intellectually, spiritually, emotionally and physically to the highest personal and collective level possible. We pursue excellence in all we do.
And, our Values
•   Integrity and respect as the very basis of our School culture;
•   Hope and compassion which ensure that the future of all our students has a firm foundation emphasising the capacity to reach out to others;
•   Responsibility and trust without which no organisation can function effectively;
•   Excellence and relevance which are official to our learning framework;
•   Cooperation, participation and perseverance which assist our girls in the practical art of self management and group endeavours.
The intended outcome of this is a principled, well balanced, grounded and compassionate student.

‘There is one thread that binds us all,
a thread of gold and blue
Spun with creed and spirit true
of faith, hope and love.’

(Ode to St Catherine’s)

Nil magnum nisi bonum
Nothing is great unless it is good.

(School Motto)

During the course of the year there have been many changes external to the School which are having a direct impact on all we do. These include the general economic position that now exists, inflation and changes to professional salary structures. As Staff and students we are very mindful of the important decisions our Council needs to make in the context of immediate and near future planning. Our School and community are dedicated and strong.

Our course is set and our will sure. If occasionally we need to re-set our internal timeline we will use the opportunity to further develop our programs. We have real optimism in our future.

In some areas in modern life, no matter how hard we try to regulate and prevent poor behaviour, we do not seem to be able to constantly maintain acceptable standards. It is important that we realise that only good, moral and ethical decisions will be able to sustain us properly as we move through life. In particular, I refer to the problem of plagiarism. The Sunday Age of 24 August 2003 contained an article by Alexandra Smith headed ‘The Darkening Shadow of Stolen Words’. While the article concentrates on the university sector, many of the principles it states are also true of the school sector. These can be summarised as follows:

• The value of a credential, be it a test, a final certificate or a university qualification depends on the quality and honesty of the institution that has awarded the credential. A number of universities have battled plagiarism in the past, one at its very highest level of administration. Another is conducting a similar campaign at the moment against what are being called ‘plagiarism cover-ups’ over a number of years, involving a large number of people. All such allegations are, of course, extremely harmful.
• Academic cheating, be it at school or university, has never been easier to commit or to detect. Plagiarism is an age-old problem, but in the electronic age the opportunities to commit intellectual thievery are increasing at a disturbing rate. The Internet may have opened up a wealth of opportunities for potential plagiarists but at the same time, the World Wide Web has made the detection of dishonesty more efficient.
• It is critical that schools and universities put in place as many systems as they can to deter plagiarism and to work assiduously to make sure cheating in any form does not occur.
Ultimately, however, ‘to cheat or not to cheat’ is a moral and ethical decision that resides with the individual. All universities and schools employ checks and balances and practise constant vigilance.

Often when plagiarism is detected and proved, the individual who has been accused will try to deny the accusations, which only leads to further ill will and difficulties.
We have been exceptionally free of such occurrences but with such use of access to technological capability, it is useful to have reminders – no one wants their work discredited due to such behaviour.

For thought

The organisational consultant Sherrie Connelly has devised these ‘Seven signs of a work spirit’:
•  A sense of enormous energy
•  A positive, open state of mind
•  A sense of purpose and vision
•  A full sense of self
•  An awareness of oneself as a creator and nurturer
•  A sense of living in the moment
•  A sense of higher order and oneness.

‘When you are making a success of something, it is not work. It is a way of life. You enjoy yourself because you are making your contribution to the world.’ 

A Granatelli

Sylvia Walton
Principal