Chaplain’s Spot

‘How do we tackle changes?’

It’s interesting to see how isolation from our normal activities can change the way we deal with them when we are able to do them again. How do we cope with covid when we thought that it was finished? 

Covid certainly changed how we live, changed our priorities. I wonder if we have returned to our busy schedules without retaining some of the family focus activities during lockdown. Covid caused chaos! What have we learned from this time? Hopefully, our chaos also caused creativity … in how we relate to each other. 

Some students have expressed fears about life now. Here are some of those thoughts:

School camps: Some students have not been on a school camp due to the effect of covid, and they are now in Grade 6! This can cause stress, as they consider being away from home. Families can consider how they might prepare students, with sleepovers with family, and with friends.

Health fears: Some students are more anxious about their parents or grandparents due to the covid impact on their health, or those around them. We need to reassure them that we are doing our best to stay healthy [and to actually follow a healthy lifestyle!]

Friends still isolating: We still have fellow students or staff isolating at times. This can be frustrating, when we just want life to be ‘normal’, without the constant interruptions. We have had so much change in the past two and a half years. Let’s instill into our kids the thought that ‘we have been through this before and come through. We can do it again. Let’s build a resilient attitude in our children for life.

Please feel free to contact me via Compass, or at school, if there is anything you would like to discuss with me. I am here to support our school community with whatever is challenging us. 

Quote for the week:

Let’s choose to make the most of the opportunities that come to us, not sinking under the load of ‘will it ever end?’, but thinking about ‘what can I do to stay focussed on what is important today? 

Toast Tuesday is going very well. Thanks to our volunteers [including my wife Bonnie]. I am looking for one volunteer for June 14. Please see the Compass link to sign up. We also have Bakers Delight bread and rolls for families, and second hand uniform available for a gold coin. Each Tuesday at 8.30am.  

Alan Silverwood – Chaplain - Pastoral care for our community. [Monday, Tuesday, Friday] 

[alan.silverwood@education.vic.gov.au] Supporting the School community in emotional, social, spiritual and practical wellbeing. The Chaplaincy program is funded by the Federal Government, donations and GRPS School Council.