Principals Message

Dear parents and carers,

I spend time each day reflecting on my work and the conversations I have with people. I usually do this driving home and sometimes at 3am! I find the best way to really meet someone’s needs is to sit and listen to them work out how to best help them. This is true for students too.

Our Living Well Learning Well Framework is based on the work of  Professor Anne Graham, AO Director, Centre for Children and Young People. Anne says, “Recognition theory, which is primarily concerned with self-actualisation, social equality and social justice, proposes that children and young people are deserving of care and esteem, realised fully when they are cared for, respected and valued. Students are able to articulate their experience of these three dimensions of recognition, as well as their experiences of misrecognition when they feel they are not cared for, respected or valued (Graham et al, 2017).”

Negative and/or unproductive behaviours by children at SXG  elicit a compassionate, collaborative and effective response, rather than a punitive, disciplinarian and typically ineffective response. We focus on supporting our students to recognise and replace unproductive behaviours. We have an inclusive, protocol-based response to students who present with behaviours indicating social, emotional or behavioural difficulties (SEBD) or who may have been affected by trauma. This response is both respectful and supportive of children and cognisant of the shaping influence of our school itself to our students social, emotional and behavioural development. This leads back to my first paragraph about conversations and recognising a person's need or concern. Building relationships and valuing, respecting and caring for our students is a priority for us. 

Year 6 are studying Migration to Australia at the moment. Part of their learning experience includes guest speakers. The guest speakers are actually also Year 6 parents. This week the students listened to Santi’s parents talk about their reasons for leaving Columbia and seeking a safer, better future in Australia. The students were so engaged as Luis and Angie told their story. When Luis and Angie left Columbia to come to Australia it was to be eight months until their two children would join them. In that time the world shut down due to COVID and it ended up being three years before they saw Santi and Sofia. Three long years without being able to hold their children. I am in awe of this family and despite their hardships they remain grateful, kind and feel so blessed to be in Australia. Every now and then something I hear or see causes me to stop and think about my priorities and my current attitude to life. 

Each day is a new opportunity to be kind and grateful and thank God for what we have. 

Kind regards,

Jen