Living the Lasallian Mission Everyday

Nicholai Mifsud, Head of the Junior School at De La Salle College, Cottonera, Malta, and the District’s representative on the ASSEDIL Council, has recently returned from the 14th ASSEDIL Formation Session in Rome, where three colleagues from the District took part. What has stayed with Nicholai most is “the reminder that being Lasallian is about the relationships we build every day.”

The week offered time to pause and remember why the work matters: “to help young people feel valued, supported and hopeful.” It was a reminder that the mission is lived through simple actions: listening, encouraging others, supporting colleagues, and making time for the students who need them most. The question Nicholai brought home is a simple one: “how can we make faith, service, and community more present in our school each day?”

De La Salle Cottonera welcomed its first co-educational intake in September 2025, a cohort now moving up through the Junior School. Nicholai admits to having been sceptical at first, having always studied and worked in a boys’ school, but felt that living up to the school’s commitment to inclusion meant girls needed a place at De La Salle. What has surprised Nicholai most is how naturally the children have settled in.

He mentioned that his colleagues have noticed it too. Deputy Head Caroline Grech Mallia, who is in charge of Year 1s, reflects on the Lasallian mission: “we strive to nurture a spirit of fraternity, where every child feels welcomed, valued and supported.” For Nicholai, it is a reminder that “as educators, we still have much to learn from the children themselves.”

Serving on the ASSEDIL Council, which Nicholai describes as an honour, offers a wider view of education, the chance to contribute to leadership formation across countries, and a voice for the concerns and training needs of the District’s Heads of School. Organising the 26th ASSEDIL Congress with a team of volunteer helpers was “a valuable experience, both personally and professionally.”

Photos courtesy of Nicholai Mifsud.