Principal's Reflection - 13 June

The Middle Way

A tenet of Anglican organisations, and therefore Anglican Schools, is the idea of via media, a Latin term meaning ‘the middle’. There are many uses of the phrase, and historically, not everyone agrees on how it should be used, but in Anglican schools it is both an underpinning concept of the Anglican view and an exercise in critical thinking. It is a way to be comfortable sitting in the tension of polarised viewpoints, respecting and understanding that both ends of the spectrum have value, and not feeling the need to champion one to the exclusion of the other. 

If we consider some of the things happening in the world right now, via media is a concept that we could do with a little more of. Too often in television media and the online space, our young people are given the idea that they must pick a side or arrive at a viewpoint that is on the extreme, and worse, that if someone doesn’t agree with them, they can’t be friends or respectful peers. There is a significant sense of ‘if you aren’t with me, then you are against me’ being played out on the world stage. Via media promotes a middle ground, but it also creates a space for people who disagree to engage in respectful dialogue and value the thinking of other people. At St Luke’s, this important critical thinking opportunity is encouraged, formally in subjects like Ethics & Faith, Humanities, English and the Arts, but also in the philosophical inquiry present in Pastoral Care and lighthouse events.

St Luke’s staff will have an opportunity during Term 3 to explore this further with Dr Beth-Sarah Wright as she commences a professor-in-residence program with the Anglican Schools Commission. Dr Wright is an academic, theologian, author and sought-after speaker on living authentically. If interested, you can learn more about Dr Wright on her website here.

I encourage parents to take opportunities to explore via media further with their children. When a child comes home and expresses a particular opinion, simply asking how they arrived at that opinion and then exploring their response can promote great discussion. It would certainly be more interesting than the typical “good” we receive from our children when we ask them how their day was.

Brisbane Alumni Event

On Saturday 26 July, St Luke’s Anglican School will host an Alumni event at the Story Bridge Hotel. With past students spread across Australia and, indeed, the globe, Brisbane is a convenient destination for many Old Saints. I have always found that St Luke’s students maintain strong relationships beyond their time at the School and this is an opportunity to catch up and reconnect with old friends, and potentially create new friendships. I know it will be an amazing night, and I strongly encourage parents with children who have graduated from St Luke’s to bring the event to their attention. 

Alumni can RSVP to the event via the link below.

RSVP to Alumni Event

Thank you for your ongoing support of our School.

Mr Matthew Hughes

Principal