Over the course of the last couple of weeks, I have been happy to catch up with a few gently ‘weathered’ faces who are great friends of Shalom.  They have dropped into the College at the invite of Georgia Halpin, our Communications Manager, to be interviewed for our upcoming 40 Years of Shalom celebrations on October 11 & 12 and Mass on Sunday at Holy Rosary.  Yesterday I met Margie & Gary Schulze who worked here for years before I came to Shalom in 2009.  Br Ted Magee, the second Principal of Shalom, was also interviewed.  Long serving staff members like Helen Stanley & Deb Bolam have been interviewed.  Wonderful people like these hold the memories and history of Shalom.  We are proud of our traditions here and it is people like them, and many others, who have created those traditions.  It is certainly true of institutions that, to a large degree, we stand on the

shoulders of those who have preceded us.  I’m really looking forward to this celebration.  A little over forty years ago, this place was just bushland.  It was a good way out of town and many, apparently, questioned the wisdom of moving from a CBD address in Bundaberg to the ‘boondocks’!  But it worked.  It worked because of the foresight of those who knew that Catholic Education in this town needed to be co-educational.  It worked because so many people were prepared to do the physical work clearing fields by hand and by machine.  We need to remember and appreciate people like John Santalucia and Jim Thorne and Jim Stephenson and so many others who did the hard work, generously, to provide the start on which we continue to build.  History is important.  And it’s important to remember and celebrate.  The celebrations we will have are being driven by the class of ’84 on the afternoon and evening of Friday October 11 in the PAP and will continue with tours of the College on the Saturday.  All past students are particularly welcome to attend and we would love to welcome back class groups or individuals.

Shalom Dance Performance Teams are off to Adelaide to compete in National Titles from Wednesday.  Good luck to both our Senior and Junior teams and the individual dancers involved.  They have worked really hard to get ready for this competition.

Shalom Athletics dominated the BDSS Carnival last Thursday and Friday.  We comfortably won both the Junior and Senior shields.  There were some outstanding performances but none better than the many students who filled in for other competitors across both days who had to withdraw due to illness.

Mr Dan McMahon
Principal
mcmahond@shalomcollege.com