From our school captains

A message from Will and Astrid our School Captains

Dear Students, Parents, Teachers and the Killara High School Community,

We wish you all a very happy and safe end of term. We don’t really get the chance to do speeches anymore so we just wanted to write a few words. It’s hard to write in first person when two people are speaking so please excuse all the brackets :)

To parents and caregivers

Thank you so much for your cooperation in these times. Some of you may have had to give up your study areas or dining room tables, my (Astrid) dining room table is currently covered in my sheets from my German and Mathematics work. We thank you for continuously supporting our learning and helping us through these tough times.

Since you are forced to spend so much time as a family, this is a great opportunity to grow closer. We know that many of you still have very busy lives, but maybe use some of the travel time you have saved as family time. You could start a 1000-piece puzzle or watch a movie together. I (Will) have just finished watching Tiger King with my family - would recommend it if you enjoy watching crazy people.  I (Astrid) had a Just Dance party with my mum earlier in the week, and we were on the floor from laughter at the end.

To students

We agree that this situation isn’t ideal, but we really respect the effort that students are putting into online learning.  A special shout out to Years 7 and 12 who have to go through this in their first and final years. There are many new skills for everyone to learn throughout this experience. The change in lifestyle is a huge challenge to many of us, but by keeping on track with school and staying positive, we are building our tolerance to adversity. Also, it may come naturally to many of you BYOD whiz kids, but this is also a chance for us to improve our computer skills; sure, we may not necessarily be using Google Classroom in our futures but being technologically savvy is definitely a handy life skill.

We know that staying at home all day can drive you a little crazy - the other day I (Will) walked in on my brother trying to play hide and seek with my cat. He’s 21. But try and see the positives in these times. I (Astrid) tried to learn embroidery, which actually turns out to be pretty difficult. I (Will) have been practicing my dunks in basketball (still unsuccessful) and am trying to become a better chef because apparently, I’m not meant to survive off cereal, eggs, cruskits and spag bol.

Yes it can get boring at home, but being bored isn’t a bad thing! It's actually very important for your mental wellbeing to let your brain just have a breather and not provide it with constant stimulation. We’re not saying you should meditate everyday (I mean it's probably not a bad idea), just try to not pick up your phone whenever you aren't physically doing something.

Try to keep up with the classwork. Get some physical activity in. Let yourself relax. Embrace the moment when two people try to talk at the same time in a Zoom. Soon we’ll all be back at school together and we can’t wait to see you all :)

To teachers and staff

We are amazed and thankful for the hustle of every teacher at the school who have, with such short notice, made our online learning possible. Even though we would much rather be there in class with you, your hard work has made school life at home more bearable. Awkward silences after every question and Google Classroom assignments aren’t exactly what most teachers sign up for but we are so appreciative of the effort that is being put into lessons. Thank you also to all executive and administrative staff for keeping the Killara community so in touch with updates and information on how Killara is managing the situation.

We understand that many staff members have busy lives and families that they want to spend time with, so we really appreciate the time you put in for us.

Have a relaxing and safe holiday everyone.

Astrid Balle and Will Savage

School Captains