From the Principal

Last year, UNESCO published The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on education: international evidence from the Responses to Educational Disruption Survey (REDS). This extensive report details how teaching and learning were affected by the health crisis, and how education stakeholders responded to the educational disruption across and within 11 countries spanning Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. One of the many findings was the reporting from students (and their teachers) of declines in their wellbeing. In most countries, over 50% of students agreed that they were feeling overwhelmed by what was happening in the world due to the pandemic and that they were anxious about the changes to their schooling. Although the figures were unsurprising to many, the link between wellbeing and social connectedness has never been clearer. 

During last night’s 2023 Supporters’ Sundowner, we had the opportunity to express our gratitude to all of those who so generously volunteer their precious time and expertise, I recalled being in the audience during a presentation given by an expert psychologist, Dr Minh. During his presentation, Dr Minh explained that a real sense of ‘well-belonging’ is what drives wellbeing. Without a sense of belonging, it can be easy to feel lost and alone, which can be a pretty scary place for some of our children.

So, how do we strengthen ‘well-belonging’ in our students at the College?

Firstly, our extensive student wellbeing program and support structures are an obvious answer to this question and as a College that strives for continuous improvement, many will be aware of the extensive work undertaken throughout the year focused on the development of the College’s new Student Wellbeing Framework. Staff, parents and students have all had the opportunity to participate in various consultation forums, all designed to inform the development of our new Framework which will be launched in the New Year.

The level of community involvement and enthusiastic volunteerism that exists in our College should feature prominently when answering this question too. 

There is a significant body of educational research asserting that positive parental involvement in schooling can result in an improvement in student academic performance and attitudes towards learning. The real feeling of belonging that this involvement instills is also translated into a powerful driver of student wellbeing with the clear congruence of family and school values. How blessed are our students, then, to have such strong and vibrant positive parental connection with our College, and how blessed is the College to have the same. 

As I have commented before, perhaps to really understand our College, it is necessary to understand the importance of service, compassion, joy and love and the need to continue to walk alongside each other in the pursuit of the same. Perhaps it is the lived experience of these qualities that truly defines a John XXIII College education and strengthens that real sense of ‘well-belonging’.

Finally, I extend my thanks to the many grandparents and parents who attended the Primary School Grandparents' Picnic today, to our staff for their hard work and care in the planning and realisation of the event and to our student musicians who so expertly entertained everyone in attendance. 

Daniel Mahon

Principal