Unplugged

Maria Island is one of my favourite Tasmanian destinations.

As a child, I camped on the island with my family a number of times and have since taken my own children there too. I’ve enjoyed many evenings sitting on the veranda of the penitentiary and watching the sun setting over the historic buildings, with the ocean in the background and the wombats in the foreground. It’s a magical place.

Last week I spent three days on the island with a wonderful group of Calvin students and staff as part of the Year 10 camp. On foot and by bike, we were able to explore a large part of the island, including the Painted Cliffs. 

“It reminded me again of the importance in being still and silent in an era where noise and activity are the norm.  ”

I’ve always found these cliffs to be one of the most beautiful features of the island. Low tide allows viewing of the full extent of the beauty, with colourful swirls, potholes and honeycomb patterns in the sandstone. They are not tall cliffs but they are aesthetically impressive. Waves and wind spray have carved out concave ledges that run parallel to the sea. Iron-rich groundwater that has filtered through the sandstone over many years has stained the cliffs in beautiful streaks of orange, red and purple. These colours are particularly strong in the late afternoon sun, when the cliffs appear to glow.   

As a staff, it was our desire that the time on Maria Island was a chance for staff and students to ‘unplug’ from the busyness of our normal lives in order to appreciate creation and enjoy the slower pace of island life.  On Maria there are no shops or cars (except the ranger vehicles).  There’s very limited access to electricity and we were aiming for a ‘technology free’ experience for students. 

For much of the time I spent walking and biking on Maria, I reflected on how therapeutic it was to be ‘unplugged’ and to let time pass without school bells, email notifications and traffic lights. My deep hope is that the students experienced some of this peace too. It reminded me again of the importance in being still and silent in an era where noise and activity are the norm. 

On the final evening on the island, we were blessed with a spectacular sunset. Like the Painted Cliffs described earlier, the sky glowed with streaks of orange and red. As we ate our dinner, looking at the final colour leaving the sky, it was hard not to recognise God’s hand in creation. Like King David had noted many centuries earlier, “The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Psalm 19.1). Our prayer is that the Year 10 students were also able to see a glimpse of God’s glory through their experience of the natural environment on Maria Island. 

Bonny Moroni — Head of Secondary

Stuff

“Dad, I’ve got so much stuff!” This is not something you would expect to hear in a society where we are so busy collecting ‘stuff’.

And by stuff, I mean the many ‘things’ that we are conditioned to want, although we often talk about them as ‘needs’ (the new phone we ‘need’ or the outfits we ‘need’). When you’re tripping over your children’s toys, the amount of stuff we collect suddenly becomes painfully evident! 

“Dad, I’ve got so much stuff!”. This real line spoken by a former student after returning from a mission trip living in a remote village without electricity or running water. This is also one of my favourite stories from my time living and travelling in developing countries. One of the greatest reflections that students often share from these trips is about themselves and our society. They are often struck by our wealth and our individuality (and consequent isolation from one another) and our children are exposed to this attitude from a young age. 

““Dad, I’ve got so much stuff!”. This real line spoken by a former student...”

As a society, we spend a lot of time encouraging our young people to know who they are, to express themselves, to speak up, to talk about the things that matter to them, to navigate their own path, and to communicate their wants, needs and hopes. At the same time, we have become less confident in sharing who ‘we’ are collectively. Whether this is at a national, family or local level, there seems to be more emphasis on people finding themselves and their own path and less emphasis on the connecting points and shared values which are becoming increasingly contested. The danger is, that we leave our children without the anchor points that will build confident and compassionate young people.

As parents we are responsible for the education and grounding of our children. At Calvin Christian School we have the privilege of partnering with you in this responsibility. Our curriculum, staffing, and programmes tell a coherent message to our young people that they are the creation of a loving God who calls them to live lives that reflect His glory and grace, transforming their communities through simple acts of love and compassion. Ultimately, our identity and our children’s should rest in Jesus and, as faithful followers of him, we seek to live lives of meaning and purpose, connected to transforming communities. 

Scott Ambrose — Principal

Selflessness...

Recently Mrs Carmichael organised a training day for some of our new student leaders.

Representing Years 7-12, these students spent time together in the redeveloped spaces at the Reformed Church sharing ideas, listening to our guest speaker, Mark North from St Clements, and being challenged to think about what it means to lead others.

Exploring leadership through our school values of community and stewardship, faith, hope and love, our leaders were encouraged to share their ideas. In particular, we talked about how Calvin Christian School could support our students and build their sense of connection.

You might have expected that this question would elicit a long list of ‘things’ the School or teachers should be doing (as parents we are probably used to this). Instead, I was ‘blown away’ by the responses from our most senior students. Rather than pointing out what needed to be done, these students repeatedly raised their hands to talk about what they could do. They were full of ideas of how they could support younger students or students in need.

“... I was ‘blown away’ by the responses from our most senior students.”

This was just the most recent reminder for me of a phenomenon that always surprises and delights when it happens. It is an attitude of heart called ‘selflessness’, that willingness to place others and their needs first. It is such a wonderful thing to see and hear our students acting as compassionate people in a way that can transform conversations and lives in remarkable ways.

Selflessness is often so unexpected in our self-focussed and self-obsessed age. As we approach Easter, it is also a reminder of that ultimate act of selflessness. Jesus, who gave his life in an act of will so powerful, so revolutionary, that its ripples continue 2,000 years later, with the power to change lives, communities and nations. Our ultimate model of selflessness gave us a way into relationship with the living God and calls us to a life of selflessness.

Scott Ambrose — Principal