Don't get out of your tent...

‘Whatever you do, don’t get out of your tent.’

I remembered this warning shortly after being awoken by a very loud snorting noise just outside our tent. Opening the zip and peering into the darkness, I could see the outline of a hippopotamus eating grass about two metres away.  For a moment, I felt that the concrete toilet block 15 metres away would be a safer place to shelter. 

But knowing that the hippo is one of the most dangerous land animals in Africa, I had the sense to follow the advice my safari guide had given the previous day. My friend Michelle and I giggled nervously and tried to calm each other down. I eventually fell back into a light and fitful sleep. 

A number of elephants and hippos grazed and roamed throughout the campsite that night but left our tents untouched.  

“As I leave my role as Deputy Principal at Calvin at the end of the week...”

The safari guide later explained that the animals saw the tent as a large rock or boulder so they simply grazed around it, avoiding any contact. So leaving the tent to face the large mammal or run away may have led to an unfortunate outcome!

I have often reflected on this memory from the upper banks of the Zambezi River.  Though nearly 30 years have passed since I lay in that tent, I can still remember my conflicting thoughts and emotions with only a piece of canvas separating us from an untamed 1500kg animal. 

When faced with anxiety or uncertainty in life, it can often seem that the best response is to run away or to fight. We rely on our own logic or give in to our emotions and desires, running around endlessly in an attempt to find happiness, peace or certainty. But sometimes our best defence is to stop and rest in the shelter that is protecting us and keeping us safe, as unnatural as that may feel.

It is not always easy to trust in something that our logical minds cannot fully comprehend. 

As I leave my role as Deputy Principal at Calvin at the end of the week, my prayer is that, as members of the Calvin school community, we will continue to find meaning, protection and comfort from the divine source, not in the seemingly logical offerings of the world. In our modern context, we are bombarded by messages that emphasise personal happiness, professional success, monetary wealth and inner peace as the ultimate goal for a fulfilled life. Trusting in something outside of ourselves can seem irrational and foolish. Yet in Psalm 91, David expresses the peace that he has found in God in the midst of conflict and turmoil in his own circumstances.

Thank you for the wonderful opportunity to serve the Calvin community over the past 15 years. I have been honoured to work alongside a number of inspirational leaders, teachers, support staff and parents who have amazed me in their commitment to Christian education. I have been blessed by thousands of students who have joined me in a journey of learning at Calvin over the past decades. While there may be many obstacles and challenges before you, my prayer is that you will be able to ‘rest in the shadow of the Almighty by dwelling in the shelter of the Most High’ (Psalm 91:1) as you continue to serve at Calvin Christian School. 

Bonny Moroni - Deputy Principal

Flourishing

It was so encouraging to see the many smiling faces and to hear conversation and laughter filling our classrooms and playgrounds again this week.

Our students, including our Primary students loaded with extra bags ready for swimming and our Year 11/12 students back for their final few weeks prior to exams, seemed genuinely pleased to be back.

We have had plenty of building and development work over the holidays with our new Secondary classrooms craned into place. It was exciting to see half-a-dozen past students working on the School as plumbers, builders, and electricians but it was still an eerily quiet place. At the end of each break, it is a reminder that schools are about people and relationships.

I particularly enjoy re-connecting with our returning students, it feels like a reunion of sorts. As teachers greet students and ask after them, what we are really expressing is that we value you and our relationship with you. After several terms or even years of relating with our students, we genuinely feel their absence when they are not here. For a number of our students, as much as they enjoy holidays, I know that the relationships experienced at school are critical to their sense of connection and wellbeing.

“At the start of this week, our School felt like a flourishing place. ”

At the start of this week, our School felt like a flourishing place. As a parent, I also want my children to flourish and I wonder how I best support their flourishing. Sometimes I feel like I am doing this well, at other times not so well, and sometimes they seem to be flourishing in spite of me!

A passage of Scripture reminded me that sometimes flourishing can begin in the midst of difficult circumstances and sometimes just requires simple acts of faithful consistency from us. Jeremiah wrote an encouragement from God to the people of Israel living in captivity in Babylon – ‘Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters… Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper’ (Jeremiah 29:5-7).

I look forward to a term filled with those simple acts of faithful consistency as we as teachers and parents work together to lay a foundation for our children to flourish. I know that you will join me in praying for the flourishing of students, families, and our School.

Scott Ambrose - Principal

Missing the Olympics?

Is anyone else missing the Olympics?

Full disclosure: once every four years, I become a fully fledged Olympics tragic. While from week to week I only have a passing interest in sport, there’s something about those five colourful rings and the anticipation of two weeks of competition that captures my attention. I seem to magically transform into an armchair expert on the rules of Rugby 5 or the scoring process for the synchonised diving. I wonder if, with enough effort, focus and the right coach, I might be able to beat the Serbian badminton team? This year, I woke my family up at 5.00am several days in a row so we could cheer on the Fox sisters in the most magnificent Canoe Slalom and Kayak Cross events.

It’s fantastic to get the opportunity to recognise achievement; but even more so, to acknowledge the many days, weeks and years of effort that lead to the pinnacle. I love watching the athletes celebrate with their family and friends, those who know firsthand the sacrifices that have been made to get to the winner’s podium.

Last week some Calvin staff were privileged to attend an awards ceremony for the Australian Council for Educational Leaders (ACEL). These awards recognise and celebrate educational leaders who have made a significant contribution to the understanding and practice of leadership in schools. It was with immense pride that we saw two members of our Calvin community, Bek Morrision-Carr and Scott Ambrose, recognised for excellence in their field.

Bek is a highly accomplished teacher who specialises in middle years literacy and learning enrichment. She maintains excellent connections with her students, taking time to understand their unique learning needs and tailoring her teaching to give them the best possible chance for progress and success. Bek has been particularly active in developing her skills in differentiation and literacy instruction; this is paired with her outstanding practices of pastoral care and passion for supporting each student in her care.

Scott’s leadership and passion for education are evident in so many areas of school community. He demonstrates understanding and care for all students at Calvin and leads the staff with wisdom, insight and diligence. Scott is intentional in the initiatives he has implemented in the teaching and learning space; these include the creation of specialised Professional Learning Teams, peer-to-peer observations as well as the service-based opportunities that many of our students have benefited from. In all things, Scott’s genuine faith is fundamental in guiding our school community and building an environment of grace filled learning and care.

It is great to recognise these achievements and give thanks to God for His good work through Bek and Scott. While their humility would certainly prevent them from sharing their achievements with you, as a proud colleague I am more than happy to celebrate with them this recognition of their hard work.

Stelle Carmichael - Head of Students