From the Principal 

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world" (Psalm 19:1-4)​

The upcoming Secondary School Residential Program offers our students the opportunity to extend their learning beyond the classroom. Whether it be Anglesea, Toolangi, Nillahcootie, Lorne or a Melbourne City based program, the experience provides fertile ground for growth, leadership development and meaningful connections among peers.

During a recent Principal’s Assembly, I asked students to consider the possibilities available to them, the change in surroundings and the different perspectives this provided. One of the images I referenced was that of the Pale Blue Dot, taken on 14 February 1990 by NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft. This photograph depicts Earth from a distance of 6 billion kilometres. Our planet occupies less than a single pixel in the image. It was commissioned by NASA as a part of a ‘Family Portrait of the Solar System’ series.  When you think of where our planet is placed in the great expanse, it is a very humbling experience.  Everything that has ever happened in the history of mankind, has taken place, is taking place, on that pale blue dot.

Be it a sunset, the isolation of the wilderness or the expanse of the ocean, the wonder and magnitude of the natural world surrounds us. The feeling of awe such an image evokes invites us to consider the expanse of what lays before us. It connects us in a shared humility and affords a perspective on what is really important. Awe transforms our minds, how we view ourselves and those around us.  My hope is that when such a moment strikes in the upcoming week, students take the time to pause, linger and absorb what lies before them.

Another impressive aspect about the Pale Blue Dot image is the curiosity, endeavour and knowledge that made it possible. It speaks to what we are all capable of when we lift our vision and dare to dream. Just as Earth is a pale blue dot, each of us also plays a part in what we do and the choices we make. We all matter and the outlook we adopt counts.  May we all think about our pale blue dot and our place on it.

Suns and planets teach grand lessons. The stars make night beautiful, and the leaflet turns naturally towards the light. (Mary Baker Eddy, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. 240:1)

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Mrs Shan Christensen

Principal