Message from the Principal

Dear Parents and Carers,

I am writing to share some personal news with our College community that highlights the importance of preparedness in our lives. Last week, my wife Jo experienced a sudden medical emergency, collapsing at home without warning. Thankfully, our family knew what to do in those critical moments. My children calmly called an ambulance, and due to our immediate CPR efforts and the swift response from paramedics, she was stabilised and placed in an induced coma. 

After several days in the hospital, doctors have not identified any underlying medical condition, which is both reassuring and puzzling. Jo is otherwise healthy and has now been fitted with an implanted defibrillator to prevent future episodes. While this is positive news, we know there is still a road to full recovery ahead. Jo will need time to rest and may not be present at many of the end-of-year events. We are immensely grateful for your thoughts, prayers, and understanding during this time.

I share this news to emphasise the importance of skills that save lives - skills that we teach at our school. Every staff member is trained in CPR and participates in an annual refresher course. This essential knowledge is reinforced in our classrooms. In fact, it was my children’s familiarity with emergency procedures, especially how to contact emergency services, that made all the difference. 

This experience has made me reflect on how vital it is for everyone - students, staff, and families - to know how to respond in emergencies. CPR is not just a skill for adults but something children can learn too. Whilst learning these essential skills are part of our curriculum at Clayfield, I also encourage you to speak with your children about emergency situations to ensure they feel confident in knowing how to act if needed. 

Thank you for the support my family has received during this time. It has meant the world to us. As I often say, and it resonates even more deeply now, we have so much to celebrate and so much to be grateful for. I look forward to finishing the year together with as much normalcy as possible.

Warm regards, 

Dr Andrew Cousins

Principal