Principal's message

Dear MGSC School Community

It has been terrific to see our students back onsite with us at MGSC. Years 9 to 12 have been undertaking exams and the Year 7 and 8 students are getting back into the rhythm of school life. We have been focusing on our students transitioning back to school, not only in relation to their academic progress but in relation to their mental health and wellbeing. 

Whilst it is easy to think of our students simply picking up from where they left their friendships on their return to school, it can be difficult for some students to adjust. I was listening to Clinical Psychologist, Dr Rob Gordon sharing his observations on how the COVID-19 pandemic has not only caused a disruption in our daily lives, but has had a traumatic effect on us all. For our students it may have been their first experience with trauma and they most likely are not aware that they have experienced both a State of Emergency and a State of Disaster and were isolated and restricted for many months.

Dr Gordon explained that “emergencies do not always involve great drama” but do always involve a threat and/or disruption to our lives. A threat can often cause people to experience a lack of control and can create anxiety. Because we can’t see it, we can only put into place measures to reduce our exposure to COVID-19. We don’t know if the door handle we touch will lead to us contracting coronavirus therefore, we can feel stressed and anxious about this unusual, and invisible threat.

Dr Gordon went on to provide an insight into our struggle to adapt to a changed environment, and he offered valuable advice to help people navigate their mental health as we come out of this pandemic. For our students, this is the first time that they may have been exposed to such a threat.  Therefore, their interactions with their friends may not slip back into the same rhythm they once knew. We are all forever changed by this experience. Communication for students has undergone a transition from primarily a verbal form (in onsite learning) to texting (in remote learning) because they have been online for so long they are out of practice. The verbal and facial cues have to be relearnt and recognised.  Friendships need to be rebuilt and new friendships formed. Students have moved from being isolated to being abruptly reunited. 

In addition to this every student’s home experience has been unique to their family situation. They may have experienced a loss of a family member, close friends, have been cut off from others or have undergone financial stress in their household.

Acknowledging that this period has been a trauma is one way to our activate empathy and understanding of others. New routines will need to be created gradually so that we emerge from this state of trauma and reconnect with others. We need to take things slowly and not expect the pace to be as it was before.

I share this with you all because it is important that we continue to watch out for the wellbeing of our young people as this will take some time to work through. Fortunately, our holidays are close by and there will hopefully be an opportunity to reunite with family and friends we haven’t been able to see for a while and to take the time to just be or just listen.  

If you would like to listen to Dr Rob Gordon please follow this link.

Kind regards

Linda Brown

Principal