Principal's Farewell

On Monday night, we enjoyed a splendid Graduation and Prize-giving ceremony for the Secondary School, and yesterday the awards ceremony at the Primary School went exceptionally well.

Both formal events were a lovely mix of warmth and comfort that is an appropriate reflection of our hearts and school culture. 

“Both were that lovely mix of warm and comfortably formal events that are an appropriate reflection of our hearts and school culture”

Yesterday we learned that two of our students have achieved a place in the top one hundred Year 12 Tasmanian students based on ATAR scores. This is a prestigious achievement and I am sure that you will all join me in congratulating Max Bradley and Robyn Bosveld. They richly deserve the adulation that will come their way in the coming days and weeks. 

I am confident that we have numerous other students achieve their personal best in their results as they become known in the next few days. I offer congratulations to all our students who graduated on Monday night. 

I thought it was fitting to communicate through the newsletter some of my remarks made at the secondary graduation ceremony.

The great historian Geoffrey Blainey noted that our national story is a collection of the simple acts of daily living. It is through these simple actions that significance is achieved and understood. 

In that sense, a pioneering woman making bread for her family in a makeshift hut in the 1840s is the essence of history. She was focussed on living her life. She met the circumstances of her life with choices. Historians seek to understand her life. Why was she there? What were her motivations? What were her trials and tribulations? Through investigating who she was we not only unearth a deeper knowledge of our own identity, but we develop a greater understanding of life.

We find compassion in her heartbreak, empathy in her trials, and inspiration in her courage and fortitude. 

I am sure that the founding of Calvin Christian School was also anchored in a simple event amidst daily life. In my imagination, I can see someone sitting at a kitchen table and uttering in revelation the words, ‘We need a school!’ Even before the founding Association of Christians was formed, someone needed to proclaim from their spirit the idea that galvanised so many into action.

It was a simple statement. Like so much in God’s kingdom, the spoken word was a formative and creative act. With that simple statement a school was launched. 

The idea that became a school needed considerable nurturing and protection. It still does. 

All schools rightly claim a heritage. The circumstances of their founding vary. The common factor is the presence of men and women with vision, energy and commitment. Few schools were founded with a vision clear and resonant enough to become a movement. The founding of Calvin has been the influence for the establishment of over 80 other schools of its type around Australia, and was the inspiration for the Christian Schools movement. Thus, Calvin has a proud tradition in the history of education and I think something of a responsibility for maintaining the impact for Christ and for education that was first given impetus in 1962. 

The original vision was centred around an unapologetic commitment to Christ, the assimilation into the local community and generational transfer. 

Some of our school founders had already lived the convergence of these beliefs. When one of them was asked what motivated him to join the Dutch resistance in defiance of the Nazis, he replied simply, “Because my faith demanded it!”

As the most recent of the many custodians of that vision, I have sought, as they did, to maintain momentum and ensure that the spiritual and educational vision remain vibrant. 

My thanks go to all the staff at Calvin, teachers and support staff, for their tireless work to produce that excellent spiritual and educational offering that this Year 12 group, and all other students, have experienced.

Calvin Christian School is a great school. Holding the office of Principal has been a great privilege.

“Calvin Christian School is a great school. Holding the office of Principal has been a great privilege”

The school could not be in better hands for the interim until a new Principal is found. Ineke Laning has a deep appreciation of the culture, history and trajectory of the school. She is so much more than a safe pair of hands to be the custodian of moving into tomorrow without forgetting yesterday. 

Whilst this is my last newsletter, it is not my final communication to the school community as Principal.

My first act as Principal, whilst still in the United States, was to author a message that was placed in the Jubilee year time capsule. This capsule will be opened in 2062. The reading of that message will be my last official act as Principal.

Until then, may God keep you close, may your praises to Him rise to heaven as incense and His promises, protection and blessings be returned as His righteous thunder. May all whom you love prosper and find their own way in the heart of God and have their purpose in Him understood.

See you in 2062…

Iain Belôt – Principal

Keeping Them Safe

A core mission of any school is to keep children safe. This is an essential minimum standard. However, in some circumstances, it is also challenging and aspirational.

There are many dimensions to safety, and as a Christian school we include the spiritual dimension as central to our definition.

Many naturally think of safety in terms of the shepherd tending the flock. This is, in many ways, a natural and appropriate metaphor for the teacher-student relationship. It conjures images of lambs and attendant shepherds amid lush green pastures. Keeping students safe in this vision only requires maintaining a defensive vigilance to prevent danger from entering. The extension of this idea makes schools places to gather children away from the dangers of the world. Of course, this is truly part of providing a safe environment.

However, achieving safety for the lambs requires more than defensive vigilance. It requires offensive action. The notion of the good shepherd killing the bear and lion to protect the lambs is confronting, even incongruous with the simple romantic vision of shepherding. Sensing impending danger, the shepherd needs to act (1 Samuel 17:34-36).

“The simplistic metaphor of the shepherd and the lambs will only carry us so far in our understanding of being safe”

The simplistic metaphor of the shepherd and the lambs will only carry us so far in our understanding of being safe. This pastoral image of lambs skipping and frolicking is more incongruous with the active energy of the secondary school years. Lambs grow up to take their place in the world.

Our goal as parents and teachers is to assist our children in developing the awareness to protect themselves by detecting snares, traps, and pitfalls. Achieving complete safety is elusive and questing for it is foolishly utopian. Christ calls us to walk in wisdom and understanding, ‘I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore, be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves’ (Matthew 10:16). In Matthew 13:24–30, Jesus even counsels us that evil will exist in the world.

Many of our problems in education, parenting and society stem from a simplistic view of pastoral care. We err if we diminish the necessity of fighting to protect our loved ones.

For a number of years our reference point for pastoral care has been Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer (John 17: 1–26):

Just prior to his crucifixion, Jesus gives an account to his Father in heaven for his time on earth and asks in prayer for God to protect the disciples. He acknowledges that he has revealed God to the disciples, that they know Jesus is God, and that they have the word.

In verse 12 he reveals the essence of his ministry to the disciples.

‘While I was with them, I was keeping them in Your name which You have given Me; and I guarded them and not one of them perished but the son of perdition, so that the Scripture would be fulfilled’ (John 17:12 NASB emphasis added).

“Children are safest within secure boundaries and with those that actively defend them”

Jesus does not celebrate the number of healings, the miracles of the fishes and loaves and water into wine, neither does he celebrate the hordes of captives he set free. He has lived a dynamic, rich, and even explosive ministry over his years. Yet he does not see these as worthy elements to catalogue in this prayer.

Having revealed the Father and given them the word, just two things are important to Jesus:

1. ‘I kept them in Your name’, and

2. ‘I kept them safe from the world and the evil one’.

Jesus was well aware that the fate of the church rested on these eleven disciples. He reveals as much to Peter (Mt 16:18).

The word disciple can be accurately translated as learner. It does not require any great intellectual leap to move from these men in the gospels to today’s students at Calvin. Both are the means by which God moves His kingdom forward. Both are living stones in the Kingdom of God (1 Peter 1:15).

What will our children do for the Kingdom in the future?

Adults make a substantial contribution to both the individual’s future and the advancement of the Kingdom by keeping them safe.

There are two dimensions to this safety:

1. Keeping them safe – this involves using both defence and offence on their behalf;

2. Making them safe – this can require restoration to soul and spirit, which we know colloquially at Calvin as ‘the car wash’.

The defensive and restorative aspects of pastoral care are publicly regarded and often first to mind. It appears to me that we too often forget the necessity of the offensive dimension in keeping them safe.

Now, as in Jesus’ time, this battle is predominantly against ideas. For many in our community, but not all, the threat of physical violence through vulnerability and misuse of power has diminished. Of course, this very security was achieved by battling against ideas.

As a school we must take a position on ideas, and express our views. To the degree required, we must engage and depose false and destructive ideas. The most dangerous ideas are often the most alluring and likeable.

As a school it is entirely appropriate that the ‘weapons’ of our warfare are intellectual skill, gracious action, compassionate service, a courageous stance, and fervent prayer.

As a school we must promote our values and challenge those who threaten security and health. As Faramir tells his love in The Two Towers (J. R. R. Tolkien),

‘War must be, while we defend out lives against a destroyer who would devour all; but I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I only love that which they defend’.

Children are safest within secure boundaries and with those who actively defend them.

Iain Belôt – Principal

Academic Achievement is Not Elusive

A national media frenzy occurred this week regarding Australia’s ‘plunge’ in the global education rankings as measured by the Program for International Assessment (PISA) test.

Apparently, academic achievement is elusive. The Wednesday edition of The Australian noted in its lead article, that our Year 10 students are ‘performing at a significantly lower standard on reading, mathematics and science than they were a decade ago’.

‘Australia’s decline in maths has been equated to the loss of more than a year’s worth of schooling since 2003’.

The PISA data does represent a fall in outcomes. Nationally, our mean (middle score) in reading literacy score was the same as in 2015, but our average had fallen by 25 points compared to the year 2000. Mathematical literacy has fallen by 33 points since 2003. Scientific literacy has fallen 24 points since 2006.

“As citizens we should be very concerned, deeply thoughtful and well informed”

These PISA national figures combine the results of children from all three sectors of the Australian educational system: government, catholic and independent. Student results have declined in all three sectors. How should we process this as Australian citizens and parents with children at Calvin?

As citizens we should be very concerned, deeply thoughtful and well informed.

Our national landscape must support every child having the same opportunity to access an exceptional education. Our efforts to achieve this should be our nation’s number one priority. Social justice, national prosperity and community health are all simultaneously advanced through one policy focus.

As adults we should know that improving the national standard of educational achievement is a complex problem; the educational ‘machine’ is a complex interaction of many ‘moving’ parts. Advocates for interest groups contribute heat without light on many occasions. This was evidenced again this week. 

As parents we benefit from recognising that a solution is closer to hand than we may expect. How should you process this data as a parent who chose Calvin for your children’s education?

Firstly, you should have confidence in your choice. Independent schools exist to offer freedom of choice for parents to access value-based and faith-based schools. Calvin is a low fee school. Our founders were committed to families having access to quality education and we continue to offer substantial levels of financial support to families in order to access the education they desire. We are committed to advancing the outcomes of students and actively influencing the educational improvement of Tasmanian education. 

Australian independent schools rank highly against top performing countries and economies, and if taken as a country in their own right in the PISA list would place third in reading literacy, and eighth in mathematical literacy. (Source: AHISA briefing paper /12/19)

“You should be confident that the Calvin education your children receive is addressing the core issues around improving student outcomes”

Secondly, you should be confident that the Calvin education that your children receive is addressing the core issues around improving student outcomes.

I consider some of the most important to be the following.

1. Parents ensuring that school is the number one priority for their children. Schools can never overcome the negative impact created by a parent dismissing the importance of an education. Simple things instil a love of reading and learning. Are you reading books to your young children? Are you limiting their screen time? Do you support the efforts of your school? Are you challenging interests when they erode a focus on learning at school? Undermining the work of teachers to children effectively diminish the educational outcomes of their children. Children do not learn from people they don’t respect.

2. There exists in society a culture that rejects authority and neglects training a child’s willpower. Our society’s virtual worship of individuality has a national cost that eminates from permissive cultural forces that frame policy, influence parenting and then plead ignorance and shift blame and personal responsibility to others. This shameless peddling of fads of personal ideology over proven methodology captures too much of our community.

3.  Parents need to raise children who are well mannered, self-disciplined and respectful of authority. Schools struggle to deal with the disobedient and rebellious children created by indulgent parents too insecure and confused to raise their children to respect authority when it impinges on their own self-interest. In last Wednesday’s media, there was a report that Australian classrooms are ranked a lowly 70th out of 77 participating nations in a study that compared students' views on the level of discipline in the classroom. The national figures for violence and intimidation against teachers is alarming. The Canberra Times reported on 19 March that, ‘as of March 7, school staff in the ACT had already logged 229 incidents classified as violence on the "Riskman" safety portal, and at least one teacher had sustained an injury requiring time off work’. The good work of schools is best done with students who are capable of disciplining themselves and accepting authority.

4. It is not all about, or even mainly about, the funding. The exception to this is, of course, ensuring access to education for disabled and disadvantaged students. In almost every sector, the funding isn’t the determining factor in educational outcomes. The data is clear, and without going into details here, spending more has not halted the downward trend in achievement levels.

5. Children being deliberately taught skills in literacy, science and maths by teachers with specific expertise using proven programs. 

As a parent of Calvin, you have these elements abounding in the daily school life of your child. We partner with parents, emphasise the development of self-discipline by working in a safe and secure environment that is faith-centred and value-driven, and where literacy, numeracy and science are a designated focus, delivered by trained specialists using proven methods.

Learning outcomes at Calvin are the opposite to the national trend. Whilst we are a part of the national data set, your children’s outcomes are improving. 

Academic achievement is not too elusive at Calvin.

Iain Belôt – Principal