From the Principal

Tomorrow we announce the Secondary School College Leaders for 2022. The journey to this day and the learning which has occurred along the way is considerable.  I acknowledge and congratulate every student in Year 11 for their courage, inspiration, and passion.  It was wonderful to witness how each of these students approached the process as they compiled their applications, spoke from the heart and showed up to their interview. 

Each of them should feel proud of what they shared about themselves, the way they reflected on their leadership pathway and subsequently, their willingness to be considered for a leadership position. Standing in front of your peers to deliver a speech about yourself and attending an interview to advocate for yourself is not for the faint-hearted.  What they created through their actions is what Sinek calls a ‘circle of safety’. 

As a cohort, they demonstrated their willingness to work collaboratively in a way that strives for precision but avoids prescription by building relationships that can only make things better. In addition, their willingness to serve both their peers and the College with care, empathy and a desire to look out for those to the left of them and those to the right of them was evident throughout the process.     

A recent article in the Australian Financial Review provided a re-visit of 11 top tips successful business leaders had shared. Whilst all 11 provided an opportunity for reflection; there were three which resonated. 

• Take time to think - carve out thinking time to enhance your decisions and judgments
• Create a star team, not a team of stars – working together and developing relationships creates better solutions
• Focus on two or three issues – put your energy into what is important

Whilst I acknowledge that tomorrow is filled with excitement, energy and anticipation for some students, there is the potential to feel a level of disappointment. One of the most critical learnings from this leadership journey is dealing with this disappointment by managing expectations and talking through your feelings. Throughout everyone’s life, disappointment, however unwelcome, is inevitable; the way this is approached represents the true mark of leadership.  This has been an important discussion during this leadership process and central to the Care@Clayfield framework to develop in all students the key components of resilience through the 7C’s (Competence, Confidence, Connection, Character, Contribution, Coping and Control). 

I look forward to working with the 2022 College Student Leaders as we commence the season of celebration, acknowledgment and gratitude.  

Have a wonderful Term 4!