Week 8 Term 3
11 September 2026
Dear Parents/Carers
As we enter the latter stages of Term 3, I can’t help but think how time flies. Life moves fast and often we move through it on autopilot, our eyes glued to a screen while the world passes us by. Presence is an important aspect of Marist spirituality, but it is nothing without awareness to accompany it. We can be in a space or room, but if we aren’t paying attention to what is happening around us, what is the point? I’ve seen numerous times where someone has bumped into lamp posts or stepped off a footpath without watching for oncoming traffic.
I had to use a real life example today when I talked to the boys this morning about the need to stop walking to the train station and crossing the road whilst looking at their phones. This is not only a fundamental practice of being present, but essential to keep us alive!.
When we constantly pull our attention into a digital universe (for young people, it is usually their phones), we trade the experiences and amazing moments for a stream of notifications. Choosing to lift your gaze allows you to engage with the real world, notice the subtle details of your environment and protect your physical safety while staying grounded in the moment.
Beyond personal safety, situational awareness is the cornerstone of genuine human connection. When you are looking up and tuning into your environment, you start to notice the people around you. Their body language, their facial expressions and the subtle hints that signal when someone might be struggling. A society full of distracted individuals looking down is one where people feel invisible and isolated. Growing situational awareness gives you the power to notice when a family member, friend, or stranger seems overwhelmed, opening the door for meaningful interaction. By staying alert to the present, you transform from a passive bystander into someone capable of offering timely kindness and support.
Today we promoted R U OK? Day with our students. Every student was provided a wrist band with some important information:
- Ask R U OK?
- Listen,
- Encourage action
- Check-in
An active awareness of others is at the heart of initiatives like R U OK? Day, a crucial reminder that a simple, timely question can alter the trajectory of a person’s life. Mental health struggles often thrive in silence, concealed behind a mask of everyday routines or casual dismissals like “I’m fine.” R U OK? Day breaks that silence by empowering us to look beyond surface-level interactions and initiate real (and sometimes vulnerable) conversations. Taking the time to pause, look someone in the eye and ask if they are truly doing all right creates a safe space for those carrying heavy emotional burdens, proving that they are seen, valued and not alone.
For men in particular, this culture of open communication is lifesaving. Traditional expectations around masculinity have long encouraged men to internalise their struggles, framing emotional vulnerability or asking for help as a sign of weakness rather than strength. This silence can have devastating consequences, contributing to alarming rates of male suicide globally.
Normalising conversations around mental health encourages everyone to drop the tough exterior and recognise that reaching out is a courageous act. When we actively check in on the people in our lives and build an environment where asking for support is met with compassion rather than judgment, we save lives.
Respice Finem
Mr David Sullivan
Principal
