There have been many highlights across the College over the past weeks that have been a privilege to attend in Mr Whelan’s absence. One that stood out for me was the presentation of the Year 12 Major Works at Illuminate 2017. The talent on display, as well as the thinking behind the pieces, was exceptional. I was so proud of the students as they presented their work and I saw a level of maturity and understanding that showed how prepared they were for the next phase of their life. Of course I always enjoy seeing those students that I remember as 5 year olds embarking on their schooling growing and developing into the adults that they have now become.
The College is an amazing place with many opportunities for the students to connect with others, to follow their passions and to enjoy all the College has to offer, but the journey for some of our students does not always go smoothly. There are a number of areas that parents and the College need to work together to help our students negotiate their way forward. One of these is the use of social media. A number of our students find themselves in conflict with their peers, reacting to situations inappropriately online and leaving a digital footprint which may affect them in years to come. Parents of younger students in Junior School need to stand firm and not allow their children to be on websites that are designed for an older audience. Parents always need to have access to their children’s accounts so that they can monitor and advise the correct response when the interaction between students is not going well. Many situations that get our students into trouble can be avoided with wise advice from you as parents. It is better to stop the interactions than mop up the fallout later.
Of course all this takes courage. I was discussing with a Principal from another College about the values that they have introduced and one of them was courage. As I thought about this and questioned why that would be important it became clear that courage at school covers so many aspects of our students’ development. It helps each person to make difficult choices about what is right and wrong, it helps develop resilience, determination, confidence to stand up for what they believe in. They need courage to stand up for others and courage to take on new and difficult tasks. It also takes courage to say sorry and to mend relationships, to move on from situations and start afresh. It takes courage to resist peer pressure and make good choices for yourself. Parents, we need to work together to help our students be courageous in all aspects of their schooling, relationships and decision making. This will help each one of our students as they negotiate through from childhood to becoming an adult.
‘Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.’ 1 Corinthians 16:13
Christine Bessant
