Message from the Principal

Student Flourishment and Growth

One purpose of schooling is to support students to grow, gradually developing into adults who will successfully move into adulthood with everything they need to live a fulfilling and worthwhile life. This is connected to our Calrossy mission statement as we want our students to be ‘creators of hope.’ 

This is a complex process and not a simple one. It is supported by aspects of our wellbeing and Chaplaincy programmes, from Prep to Year 12, which focus on purpose, hope and relationship skills and personal qualities that will enable students to develop as positive human beings, who make a difference. Often these will motivate the student, leading to learning success.

Two recent school events have reinforced the importance of this. Stand Tall, was a mass event of over 4500 at the TRECC that encouraged Secondary students to envision the future and chase after their goals. All of the engaging speakers and performers referred to hope as a powerful driver of human achievement and talked to students about finding their individual purpose. Connected to this was their personal worth which fits well into our Christian philosophy in that every individual is unique and valuable. The concept of dreaming was also mentioned, with the encouragement being for every person to become the very best possible version of themselves. (Secondary parents should ask their child about this day and how it shaped their thinking.) On paper such events can sound trite as not every sportsman will represent Australia to win gold and few aspiring musicians or actors will make the ARIA Top 40 or Broadway. However, the event required students to look forward and be intentional as to who they might grow to become. The concept of facing challenges to develop perseverance and ultimately hope was mentioned by Nicola McDermott, the silver medallist at the Tokyo Olympics.

Another helpful event has been Calrossy seminars this week from Marshall Ballantine-Jones, addressing staff, students and parents on the impact of Social Media (positive and negative) on the identity and development of young people. It is no secret that the massive boom in student anxiety and decline in child and adolescent wellbeing is linked to the 2007 introduction of the ‘smart phone’. A theme of the talks was consent, a hot topic of recent, particularly with young people and the #Metoo movement. Some of the research from Dr Ballantine-Jones Ph.D. studies related to device addiction, loss of social regulation, lower empathy, peer pressure and potential for narcissism. The impact of early introduction to ‘extreme’ pornography and the desensitisation from repeated exposure, for both young men and women, was highlighted. He reminded us that it isn’t just a boy problem. An important point was that parents should know what their children are doing online and such interest starts with very young children, rather than just teenagers. The input was helpful as teachers, students in Years 7 – 9 and parents who attended, each heard the same message. 

Whilst the sessions were in some ways cautionary, related to the dangers of social media, there were helpful hints to adults in supporting their children to develop positive habits in their technology use, ultimately contributing the development of healthy, flourishing humans. Self-control, regulation of device use and awareness of what others are doing was mentioned and highlighted. Our speaker mentioned that such knowledge is not just relevant for high schoolers and their parents but equally important for those in Infants and Primary, where habits are being formed.

Both Stand Tall and the Social Media seminars were important in that I want our School partner with parents, teachers and students themselves to provide our young people with all the tools and resources to grow to become great adults. Whilst they are growing up in a digital world, developing positive use of technology, good habits, positive thinking, healthy self-image and personal identity, growing hope and dreaming big will support them to flourish, both at school and beyond, which is our big aspiration.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Philippians 4:8

David Smith

Principal