In Timor-Leste, within the District of Lautem, Colégio Marista officially opened its doors on 3 February. The founding staff includes Br Paul Kane (Principal), along with Brothers Jacinto and Joel. Br Paul shares the following message.
To borrow an AFL metaphor, "the ball has been bounced!"Colégio Marista Lautem is up and running!
After two weeks of staff preparation, we welcomed the students today (3 February) for their first day at their new school.
In this, the first year of the College, we have just two year groups – Year 1 and Year 3. The school will grow year by year until it is a full Year 1 to Year 12 school with a boarding section for the secondary years.
Br Joel and Ana Veronica are the Year 1 teachers and Br Jacinto and Julieta are the Year 3 teachers. We have chosen to use team-teaching since some teachers are in their first year of teaching or in the early stages. Senor Augusto Ornai is the Director and Senor Humberto Cardoso is the Administration Person.
Unfortunately, the school, which is located at Sika about ten minutes’ drive from the Lautem township, is not ready for occupancy. Because of this, we are having to operate for some weeks out of the Lautem parish centre, which is a spacious structure which we (Marists) refurbished a few years back.
After a welcome assembly, the students and staff piled into two trucks to visit the school site. Their eyes were all agog as they walked around a complex like no other school in Timor-Leste. Several parents came along as well. One dad remarked, “I have goosebumps just
looking."
In recent weeks, we conducted meetings – one with the Local Government Authorities and another with the parents. Both occasions were opportunities to speak about the Marist School, Marcellin Champagnat and Marist Education. The local people are clearly appreciative of the Marists coming to their area and establishing a Marist school.
In welcoming the students, I invited the students to make a promise: Mai ita hotu promete atu servisu hamutuk hodi halo eskola ida-ne’e sai ksolok tebes. (Let us all promise to work together to make this a very happy school).
We pray that everything we accomplish here will be inspired by our College motto - Dalan Na’in Feto Nian (In the way of Mary).”
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