From the Principal
Goodbye 2025, Hello 2026
As the year draws to a close, and for my last article in the Herald for 2025, I want to take a minute just to reflect on the year that has been. One of my favourite quotes is from John Dewey, who said:
'We do not learn from experience... we learn from reflecting on experience.'
This Christmas break, I want to make sure that I'm taking time to reflect on this year that's passed. It's been a year of significant growth here at LCS, with several big, meaningful projects. One of the most significant was the strategic planning process and I want to thank the community in general for their engagement with this project.
Reinvigorated LCS Values
One of the most impactful parts of the strategic planning process was an opportunity to look at our school values. For the last 49 years, we've had a set of school values and, as we approach our 50th anniversary, the board decided it was time to revisit them. I am excited to share these values with you now:
Faith in action
Connectedness to God, place and people
Compassion from the heart
Growth as lifelong learners.
I think these four values really sum up what LCS has stood for historically, and desires to embrace and deepen into the future. More will be shared in the new year, so please keep an eye out.
As a part of moving into next year, I also want to flag that there will be communication regarding some restructuring of responsibilities in the leadership team including new appointments to mid-level leadership roles, particularly for academic enrichment in the Primary and Secondary Schools. So stay tuned for that information!
50th Anniversary Year
Launceston Christian School celebrates its 50th year in 2026, and what an opportunity to launch a new Strategic Plan. The Strategic Plan sets the different ways that we will put our mission and vision into action. It has been crafted so that we dive deeply into these important areas across the next three years, addressing questions including:
- How will we continue to meet the mission of offering a Christ-centred education here on the West Tamar at LCS?
- What are our priorities?
How will we allocate resources?
So please keep your eye out for some documentation around that Strategic Plan early in 2026.
For 50 years, God has been good to LCS. He has blessed us. We have seen literally thousands of children come through the school and hundreds of staff have worked here. Our 50th Anniversary program for 2026 is going to give us an opportunity to reflect on and celebrate God's goodness to our community.
We will be welcoming alumni back for events throughout the year, starting with the opening of The Jubilee Centre in February. All are welcome! And I am excited to share that in November, we will have a one-off 50th Anniversary School Fair, which I know has been a very big part of this school's DNA over many years. Please keep an eye on all our channels of communication so you can be a part of the year of reflection and celebration.
As you head into your break, my prayer is that you have a chance to rest, rejuvenate and reflect. Thank you for your support this year and I look forward to seeing you in 2026.
In Christ,
Stuart Kent
Principal
Launceston Christian School
PS: Podcast Recommendation
I was recently interviewed by Simon Matthews for The Learning Landscape podcast about the transformative power of storytelling in education.
We explored how storytelling can shape school culture, enhance leadership, and foster deeper connections among students and staff. In particular, I emphasised the importance of listening to stories as much as telling them, and I provided practical advice for educators looking to incorporate storytelling into their classrooms.
The conversation also touches on the challenges of change management in schools and the role of love and empathy in leadership. Listen to it by clicking on the button below.