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From the Principal

Why meet together?

The year has commenced at a frantic pace, in and out of the classroom.

 

A question posed to Secondary students last week was, why meet together?

 

We seem to have a great deal of gatherings at the commencement of a new year and the traditional routines of school assembles, carnivals and chapel services take hold very quickly. 

 

These traditions can often feel like just another 'talking fest', another opportunity to be 'spoken at' by the adults and just plain 'boring'.

 

When asked about the best part of a day, students and staff alike seldom say, "the school assembly!"

 

Let us take one moment to recount the events that have brought people together over the first four weeks of school:

 

  • Orientation day
  • Boarders welcome lunch
  • Welcome assembly
  • Fish Traps lunch (Year Seven)
  • Rites of Passage evening (Year Nine)
  • Student leaders induction ceremony
  • Camfield day
  • Staff morning tea
  • P&F Welcome Sundowner
  • Year Twelve Ball
  • Chapel service
  • Years Seven to Nine Interhouse Swimming Carnival
  • Primary School assembly
  • P&F Primary School Meet & Mingle
  • P&F Year Seven Meet & Mingle
  • Year Nine camp
  • Year Seven camp
  • School Council meeting
  • Sport training & fixtures
  • Music rehearsals
  • Principal Morning Tea
  • Boarding Parent Committee meeting.

 

But, why do we meet and why so often?

 

  1. When we meet, we preserve what is important. We remind ourselves of our values by pausing and pointing to them regularly. We meet to uphold traditions that represent our culture of diversity, inclusion and belonging. An acknowledgment of country, the singing of the national anthem, the reading of a bible verse, and the celebration of House success are all examples that seek to preserve and uphold our identity.

     

  2. When we meet, we are active, not passive. We practice the art of presence; we are not simply present to make up the numbers. We engage with one another, enter into deeper relationships and contribute to the whole.

     

  3. When we meet, we nurture a community. We meet to encourage one another, show our support and further enrich our sense of belonging as part of the GSG family.

     

  4. When we meet, we cast our eyes to the future. We meet to establish our goals and continue our growth journey. We meet to display the mirror of progress and speak to what is next.

 

We meet to preserve what is important, play an active role, nurture community and focus on the future. 

 

There are many opportunities to meet together throughout the year. May we all be motivated to turn up, promote our traditions, engage with one another, celebrate our successes and continue to shape our bright future.

 

I look forward to seeing you at our next gathering.

 

Go well

 

Mr Mathew Irving | Principal

 

Let us also consider carefully how to spur each other on to love and good works.

Let us not neglect meeting together, as some have the habit of doing. Rather, let us encourage each other, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

 

Hebrews 10:24-25