Assistant Principal (Secondary)

Throughout the last two years, many of us have lived in an online community that often operates under different societal rules. Many parents will know the angst they’ve caused their children by ‘tagging’ their child in a photo on social media. These different rules also apply to online social interactions; often these online social interactions are much more cutting, harsh and derogatory. 

Over this past weekend I attended a Van Gogh exhibit at Loom in the city.  This exhibit showed Van Gogh's works chronologically, these were accompanied with a social commentary about his life experiences at the time. Surprisingly, the exhibition showed how he tried to find beauty in everyday life. Many of his paintings showed life (words and all) full of pain, anxiety and love; but with each painting, choosing to find the beauty. One of his famous paintings, The Starry Night, showed the view from his room as he was living in a mental asylum – I’d been completely unaware of this backstory. In the midst of his distress and depression, he chose to paint the beauty that he saw. As we are emerging from a season of lockdown - a period of unknown, anxiety and depression - I think we can all learn from Van Gogh’s perspective. I think we are now emerging into a new season, with greater perspectives, with a greater understanding of the importance of community, with an appreciation for the small things in life. 

As mentioned above, when living online (as we’ve done for the past two years), the ‘rules’ for social interaction seem different. It's common place to highlight the worst in people, see the worst in a situation, to ‘roast’ someone - often times being said ‘as a joke’. However, as we are in this new season, I believe it's important to bring the best out of people, to encourage, to see beauty in the midst of chaos. I believe it's important to deliberately try to do these things, to do as Van Gogh did, to have a situation where life does imitate art: the art of bringing your best and bringing the best out of others. 

I would like to congratulate the entire school community on finishing the first whole term of school in two years – this has been a long journey. Over these next two week I think it’s important to celebrate and congratulate yourselves on doing so. 

Mr Chris Graham

Assistant Principal (Secondary)