Deputy Principal

I commence my role as Deputy Principal Student Development and Wellbeing at Mount Alvernia College this week I want to share with you a poem that I came across at the start of my teaching career nearly 25 years ago. 

I dreamt I stood in a studio,

And watched two sculptors there.

The clay they used was a young child’s mind,

And they fashioned it with care.

One was a teacher, the tools he used

Were books, music, and art.

One a parent with a guiding hand

And a gentle loving heart.

Day after day, the teacher toiled,

With a touch that was deft and sure.

While the parent laboured by his side,

And polished and smoothed it o’er.

And when at last, their work was done,

They were proud of what they had wrought.

For the things they had moulded into the child,

Could neither be sold nor bought.

And each agreed they would have failed

If each had worked alone,

For behind the parent stood the school

And behind the teacher the home.

Author Unknown

This poem encapsulates the importance of home and school working together in partnership to produce well-rounded young people, and I think this message is more important now than ever before. We are living in a world that is characterised by uncertainty. This uncertainty has played havoc with the mental health and wellbeing of young people, which was something that a number of them were already grappling with. We see this play out in the school setting in various ways, one of which may be incidences of school refusal.

Furthermore, we know students continue to face a range of issues around social media and their engagement in the online world. Never before have people been so contactable and so connected, and with this comes a lot of pressure. For instance, it is more difficult these days to get away from people who are being unkind or inappropriate. And try to tell your young person to turn off their phone, or heaven forbid, close down an account! Students are also trying to navigate privacy settings, and the difference between who should see, and who can see, their private information. And often they are interacting with complete strangers, who could potentially be sexual predators. 

These issues and more are explored this week on SchoolTV, which is a great resource for parents and a means by which we can work together to ensure our young people are safe and happy at school. I refer you in particular to the videos about school refusal and the report entitled “Sextortion”.

In closing, I am excited about joining the team at Mount Alvernia College. I have been an educator of young people for almost 25 years and for most of that time I have been working in the area of student wellbeing. I recognise the utmost importance of educating the heart and the impact this has on young people’s minds. I am dedicated to ensuring that young people are able to flourish and be the best they can be.

Kathryn Dendy

Deputy Principal Student Development and Wellbeing