From the Principal

Dear BMGS Community,

Over this year, our team has been engaging with our stated values and mapping those values to a set of behaviours. While values are vitally important, how we behave speaks volumes about building an engaging community. For example, I can openly value excellence, but if my behaviours more closely reflect an attitude of mediocrity, then my integrity can be rightfully questioned. 

As we approach next year, we are beginning to engage our students and community with our core values and their associated behaviours. As a reminder, they are:

Courage: At BMGS, we understand courage is not just about facing physical challenges. It's also about the bravery to express your thoughts, to ask questions, and to explore the unknown. Whether standing up for what you believe in, trying something new, or taking the lead in a project, courage is the cornerstone of personal growth and development. The associated behaviour for courage is stepping forward - a deliberate action to step towards something where the outcome is unknown but needs to be done anyway. 

Accountability: Valuing accountability means appreciating that we are responsible for our actions and decisions. It's a value that instils responsibility and integrity within our students. At BMGS, we want to teach our community to stand behind their choices, learn from their mistakes, and grow from their experiences. Valuing accountability requires a personal engagement with things that matter while empowering us to become responsible global citizens. This is why the behaviour that sits alongside accountability is "take it personally.'

Excellence: Striving for excellence has long been woven into the fabric of our school. It's not just about achieving top grades but also about developing a passion for learning and commitment to personal growth. Whether in the classroom, on the sports field, or within our creative pursuits, we encourage every member of the BMGS community to aim high and push their boundaries. As such, the behaviour that compliments excellence is 'make it better'. If we want to be excellent, we must spend energy building into something and staying away from tearing things down. Complaining and criticising is often easier; it is generally lazy and harmful. Our children will do better when armed with a language of hope and possibility. 

Invention: Innovation is at the heart of progress. We encourage our students to think outside the box, to question the status quo, and to embrace creativity in their learning journeys. We empower our students to become problem-solvers and change-makers by fostering a spirit of invention. To do so, our behaviour to demonstrate this value is to "grow something."

Influence: As members of the BMGS community, we recognise that our actions and words have the power to shape the world around us. Our words and actions can give life or tear down. So, we value influence. Some would refer to this as 'leadership', but the word influence is much more powerful. We want our students to use their influence wisely, to inspire positive change, and to be role models for others. So, alongside the value of influence, we hope to grow someone through our actions, our words and the support of others.

Community: Our sense of community makes BMGS truly special. It is about building connections, supporting one another, and creating a nurturing environment where everyone can thrive. Together, we form a tight-knit community that enriches the lives of all its members and others beyond our walls. This community does not belong to anyone, and each of us communicates its reputation. So, to show we value community, we must behave in a way that shows we are invested. 

Over the opening weeks of next term, I will take the time in my newsletter piece to unpack each of these values and connect each to a corresponding behaviour. While having values is important, what matters more is how we align our behaviour to those values. Behaving consistently with our values is what integrity is all about.

As we head towards Term 4, we invite all members of our BMGS community to embrace these values and make them an integral part of your journey. Together, with courage, community, accountability, excellence, invention, and influence, we will grow towards greater things.

I look forward to the adventures, challenges, and growth of next term. Thank you for being vital to the Blue Mountains Grammar School community. We love partnering with you. 

Warm regards,

Steven Coote 

Principal