From the Principal Team

Perseverance

We had such a wonderful athletics day on Wednesday this week, with a great turnout from the weather, parents and amazing efforts from our students. We saw some fantastic examples of students who pushed themselves past their comfort levels and achieved some great success. There are some wonderful photos celebrating the day (and other great achievements through the school) on the 'From the Classrooms' page. 

Of course, a key part of competition is the experience of loss and disappointment. There were many great examples on the day of students working through these disappointments with patience and reason but we know that there will be students who may have struggled, too. 

We know that it is important for students to believe that they have the resources to overcome the challenges they face. Building this confidence is the key component of developing optimism. This can include: the strategies we use to move past our disappointment; how we console ourselves; who we go to for comfort; what thoughts we need to challenge because they are harmful.

I thought the following quote was particularly relevant to this experience. It comes from a short article from Pennsylvania University, home of Positive Education, that explores the idea of persistence and offers some advice for parents. 

Of course, the school environment presents many challenges. I spoke with students at assembly last week about how we apply this skill to our learning and friendships, too. Social situations in groups are hard and the need to develop perseverance and optimism is no easy feat. I commend the students who worked through their challenges and disappointments this week and look forward to seeing more students develop these skills in the future. 

Short article on persistence