Assistant Principal - Mission - Staff and Student Wellbeing

A community is a social unit with commonality such as norms, religion, values, customs or identity. A community is different from an institution as a genuine care for one another exists.

There are, broadly speaking, five different types of communities. You can classify every type of community by the purpose that brings them together.

1. Interest - Communities of people who share the same interest or passion.
2. Action - Communities of people trying to bring about change.
3. Place - Communities of people brought together by geographic boundaries.
4. Practice - Communities of people in the same profession or undertake the same activities.
5. Circumstance - Communities of people brought together by external events/situations.

“The word “community” has a strange power to it. It conveys a sense of togetherness and positivity. It speaks both of solidarity and homeliness.”  Toby Lowe Professor of Public Management at the Centre for Public Impact.

A growing body of research confirms the benefits of building a sense of community in school. Students in schools with a strong sense of community are more likely to be academically motivated (Solomon, Battistich, Watson, Schaps, & Lewis, 2000); to act ethically and altruistically (Schaps, Battistich, & Solomon, 1997); to develop social and emotional competencies (Solomon et al., 2000); and to avoid a number of problem behaviors, including drug use and violence (Resnick et al., 1997).  Eric Schaps: Creating a school Community

In recent weeks at SJPC, we have experienced many examples of a school community in the shape of our Mother’s Day Breakfast, P&F meeting and the Social to name a few. The students have also been involved in activities in our wider community. Our Child Studies students and Yr 9 SRC students are helping in various classes at St Augustine’s. Senior SRC students also visited The Coffs Soup Kitchen where they shared their time speaking with many of their clients.

The shared Christian vocation of witness is possible only through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit transforms individuals and communities in ways that result in the sharing of the fruits of human labour—especially power, resources, and influence—with the community and the surrounding culture. The community witnesses when the strong aid the weak. The community witnesses when its members use their resources to benefit the wider culture. The community witnesses when those around see that working in the ways of justice, goodness, and beauty leads to fuller life.

Until next time:

A community needs a soul if it is to become a true home for human beings. You.. the people must give it this soul.  Saint Pope John Paul II