From the Principal

Dear Friends,

As the end of another term of school is in sight, I congratulate students on their involvement in our classroom and co-curricular programs. The success of events like camps, the Middle Years Production and sporting achievements bears witness to commitment to being involved. This is a theme I shared recently in a Senior School Assembly, through a quote from Theodore Roosevelt:

It’s not the critic who counts, it’s not the one who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done it better. The credit belongs to the one who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred with blood and sweat and dust, who at best, in the end knows the triumph of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, he fails daring greatly.

The key to involvement is not about winning or about losing, but it is about showing up and being seen, being vulnerable through participating in life rather than being in the crowd that just cheers or boos at us having a go. And if we are going to show up and be seen, there is one guarantee, it will take lots of courage. That is what we continue to admire about Oxley students.

It is best to let ourselves be seen, vulnerably seen, and to love with our whole heart even though there is no guarantee of return. It is best to just practise gratitude and joy in life, and believe we are enough under the grace of God.

In that vein I congratulate the cast, the production team and crew of the Middle Years Production of Aladdin JR. This was an extraordinary display of student talent and collegiality that was widely enjoyed by our community. Thank you for the preparation and commitment in putting on such a great show. I have no doubt those involved will remember their part in it for decades to come. 

Also, in a special mention to Year 12 in anticipation of the final weeks of VCE studies, we know that students will be at different stages of preparation and readiness for exams. But wherever you are in this, I wish you well on behalf of the College and our teaching staff. Our expectation, our hope, is simply that you stay engaged in the course work and that you do your best to complete it well. Thank you for your contribution to the life of our College to date – including all the years you have studied here.

Warm regards,

Dr Douglas Peck