DIRECTOR OF STUDENTS REPORT

Gratitude

On a cold and blustery Saturday, I went to a newly opened local cafe with two of my children for brunch. My daughter was annoyed that her netball game had been cancelled due to the poor weather, but we were excited to try the cafe as we had heard good reports about it. As we sat down to peruse the menu and finalise our orders we chatted about the weather and the coming spring forecast. To say I wasn’t grateful for the netball being cancelled would be stretching the truth, but I felt lucky to be able to have this moment with my kids. It reminded me of the need to be grateful for these precious little moments together as they are mostly unavailable during the hustle and bustle of life.

Practicing gratitude has proven physical and mental health benefits. According to positivepsychology.com, practicing gratitude can:

• Help you make friends. One study found that thanking a new acquaintance makes them more likely to seek a more lasting relationship with you.
• Improve your physical health. People who exhibit gratitude report fewer aches and pains, a general feeling of health, more regular exercise, and more frequent checkups with their doctor than those who don’t.
• Improve your psychological health. Grateful people enjoy higher well-being and happiness and suffer from reduced symptoms of depression.
• Enhance empathy and reduce aggression. Those who show their gratitude are less likely to seek revenge against others and more likely to behave in a prosocial manner, with sensitivity and empathy.
• Improve your sleep. Practising gratitude regularly can help you sleep longer and better.
• Enhance your self-esteem. People who are grateful have increased self-esteem, partly due to their ability to appreciate other peoples’ accomplishments.
• Increase in mental strength. Grateful people have an advantage in overcoming trauma and enhanced resilience, helping them to bounce back from highly stressful situations. (Morin, 2014). (https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-exercises, retrieved Aug 22, 2020)

As our current Year 12 students prepare for their final five weeks of high school education I cannot help but see this as an important moment for our students to embrace gratitude. Our students have the opportunity to express their gratitude to:

• Parents. For all the love, support and nurturing throughout thirteen years of learning. 
• Teachers. For their support, guidance, generosity and patience
• Friends. For the laughs, the tears, the memories, the support, for just being there
• Experiences. For creating opportunities to grow, build confidence and create memories
• The school. For the opportunities, the values and the opinions you will take with you

As a staff member, I know that over the next couple of weeks I will be thanking many of the Year 12 students for their valuable contributions to our College and for the way they have helped me to improve as a teacher and a person.

Ross Kennedy | Acting Director of Students