In the Know

From the Leadership Team

Matt Brinson, Head of Senior School 

Practising compassion at School 

On March 21, we celebrated Harmony Day. The whole School got involved in the celebration, from ELC through to Senior School. While the day has its roots in supporting cultural diversity with its motto of ‘Everyone Belongs’, Harmony Day reminds us to appreciate everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances.

Our Years 7, 8 and 10 students recently experienced their first Character and Connections Day for 2023. Each group has participated in practical activities and workshops with the purpose of developing relationships, reflecting on and strengthening their character, and increasing wellbeing through improved connections with their peers and the community.

 

As we navigate our way through school and life, we may encounter situations where we feel wronged or hurt by others. It's important to remember that while we can't control how others treat us, we can control how we respond.

 

Choosing to forgive and show compassion towards others, even when they have been mean to us, can be a powerful way to further a positive and supportive environment.

Forgiveness is not always easy, but it can be an incredibly liberating experience. By choosing to forgive someone who has wronged us, we are releasing ourselves from the burden of holding onto anger and resentment. It allows us to move forward with a sense of freedom and peace.

Similarly, showing compassion towards others can be a wonderful tool for creating a positive environment. When we show kindness and empathy towards others, we are building a sense of community and support. It can be as simple as a smile, a kind word, or an offer of help, as was demonstrated throughout our recent Random Acts of Kindness Day. These small acts of kindness can go a long way towards making someone's day a little brighter. 

 

TIPS FOR PRACTISING COMPASSION AND FORGIVENESS

Compassion, along with respect, perseverance and curiosity, is also one of our core School values. 

Here are some tips to get started in practising forgiveness and compassion in our daily lives:

  1. Practise empathy. Try to put yourself in someone else's shoes and understand where they are coming from.
  2. Let go of grudges. Holding onto anger and resentment only hurts us in the long run. Choose to let go and move forward. 
  3. Practise gratitude. Focusing on the positive things in our lives can help us stay centred and grounded.
  4. Be kind. Small acts of kindness can have a big impact. Offer a helping hand, a compliment, or a smile to someone who may be having a tough time. 

By treating each other with kindness and respect, we can maintain a community that supports and uplifts one another. 

 

What better way to celebrate our community than at the Centenary Fair next Saturday? We look forward to seeing our community come together, enjoy some food, music, fun and laughter and celebrate 100 years of Kilvington. 

Staffing news

This week, we welcomed JoAnne Li who joined us in the Library as Digital Resourcing Assistant and AV Technician. JoAnne has over 10 years of experience in international schools as a Librarian which also involved setting up brand new libraries from scratch. She has a Bachelor of Arts (Educational Media and Librarian Science). Please make JoAnne feel welcome when you see her around the School.