From the Principal

This week, our Grade 6 students have headed off to Sydney and Canberra. They spent their first night in Sydney, with views of the harbour and the Opera House. They walked over the Sydney Harbour Bridge and visited Taronga Zoo. They have travelled to Canberra, visited the botanic gardens, the National Capital Exhibition and Parliament House. What an amazing experience for our students.

Last week, we enjoyed the Secondary Arts Night, with an array of music and drama performances and an impressive gallery, displaying some of the artworks produced by our students this year. What stood out most for me was seeing how much our students enjoyed each other’s company and the level of support and encouragement they provided for each other.

One of the final items was an hilarious impromptu performance by some of our Grade 10 Drama students. I appreciated watching the response of the bank of performers in the audience who were sitting together, clearly enjoying what they were seeing on stage and just enjoying the experience. While there were some outstanding performances, the night was about being together, valuing the talents of others and learning through the experience. Thank you to Mr Nguyen, Mrs Adams-Bell and Mrs Vanderplas for their organisation of the event.

Next week, our Grade 9 and 10 students will undertake end of year exams. This is designed to provide students with the experience of sitting formal exams. Students have been learning how to prepare for exams and how to manage feelings of stress and the time pressure. While students will be able to improve their end of year result, students are not penalised if they do not perform as well as they have on in-class assessments.

Both these activities are about providing students with a safety net as they stretch themselves out of their comfort zone. It provides a situation where students move from a practice or rehearsal mode to performance mode while giving them the assurance that there is a net to catch them if they fall.

There will be times in life when students will need to step into uncomfortable situations and they may feel alone. We want them to know that even if they stumble, they will have family, friends and a community who will be there to support them. Moreover, they have a God who is their ever-present help, who is their refuge and strength (Psalm 46:1). Jesus offered many reminders that we should not be anxious.

Jodie Bennett

Principal