As we reach the half way point of Term 1 it has been good to connect with parents through our parent-teacher meetings.
These are incredibly important opportunities to broaden our picture of the young people in our care as we partner directly with you as parents. For our children, facing a world of challenges as they grow, it is vital to know that there are parents and teachers intensely interested in them and their growth as individuals.
“ For our children, facing a world of challenges as they grow, it is vital to know that there are parents and teachers intensely interested in them and their growth as individuals.”
For all of us, there are times when we feel the challenges of life more strongly than others. It might be a feeling of unease prior to a big day or a niggling worry about what a new start might bring. As parents, we feel this, both for ourselves and sometimes on behalf of our children. One of my children had a new start this year and I, as a parent, felt some nervousness on her behalf as she stepped out on that first day. I am pleased to say that my concerns turned to confidence as she made pushed beyond a challenging step.
In the same way, I have been impressed by the way that our many new students have quickly adapted to life at a new school. Our new Kinders and Year 7s have demonstrated this, dealing with new routines, classes and teachers with, on the whole, a sense of excitement and enthusiasm. Their responses reminded me that sometimes we need to embrace the challenges to fully appreciate the joy of new opportunities.
This is not the full story, of course, and we know from media reports that there are concerning levels of worry amongst some students for whom that fear can become debilitating. Knowing how to support students wisely and to both model managing our own fears whilst encouraging students to succeed in their own challenges is a careful balance. As a School with a founding vision for partnership with parents, we appreciate the opportunity to share insight and ideas.
As parents, we also have times that we reach the point where we realise that we are not able to manage things ‘for our children’. That there comes a time where our guidance and encouragement is not enough. We value the support and wisdom of our School Counsellor and Pastoral Care Teams in this task and would encourage you to make use of some of the practical supports available through our School.
Facing fear and worry is not something new to this generation. Jesus’ followers knew fear and expressed their worries openly. Jesus’ response was sometimes a little surprising, asking them to look beyond their immediate circumstances or what they thought and feared could happen. He reminded us that God is bigger than our greatest fear. To his followers at sea in a storm, he said ‘It is I; don’t be afraid’ and to the group hiding in an upper room, lost and without direction, he said ‘peace be with you’. Jesus brought hope to those struggling without it and promises to do the same for us and our students.
Scott Ambrose — Principal