I hope that you are enjoying a lovely winter break and that you and your family are keeping well.
As we look forward to the commencement of Term Three, we are all delighted that many school activities can resume including all aspects of our extensive co-curricular program. Interschool Sport starts on 18 July and our choirs, ensembles, dancers and cheer teams are looking forward to full rehearsals in advance of some competitions and performance opportunities.
We are also pleased that our Boarders will all be returning for the start of Term Three to resume their face-to-face studies together with our day students.
Through the lockdown period, I was able to catch up on some professional reading and I would like to share an article I wrote for our school newsletter in April. One-piece I read, referred to Leadership in these uncertain times and the key message was the need for Deliberate Calm and Bounded Optimism. I really like the way these four words are paired and the meaning behind each descriptor. In times of challenge and uncertainty, there is most definitely a heightened need for both; a sense of calm and a sense of optimism.
Bounded optimism speaks to me as a sensible and pragmatic approach to moving forward. COVID-19 will pass and, we will get back to whatever the new normal is. Hopefully, our family and friends stay safe through this and we deliberately care for each other and make the most of the situation.
Another article I read was from Brian Rosner, the Principal of Ridley (a theological) College in Melbourne. In this piece, Rosner referred to Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a church leader and pastor in Germany in the 1930s and 1940s. Bonhoeffer, offered some thoughts written whilst he was imprisoned, in Nazi Germany; a long way from the comfort of our homes and offices. There is hardly anything that can make you happier than to feel that you count for something with other people. What matters here is not numbers, but intensity. In the long run, human relationships are the most important thing in life. God uses us in his dealings with others. Everything else is close to hubris.
In this strange world of physically distancing, we do well to remember that we don't have to be relationally distanced. There are still ways of cultivating a community that doesn't involve having to be in the same room together.
At JPC, we refer to the John Paul Family. At Assembly, we sing, 'In Unity, we stand side by side' as part of the chorus in our School Song. Through these ongoing challenging times, we remain unified in supporting each other; our students and their families and our staff. We are proud of our efforts to achieve this and remain focussed on doing all we can to deliver on our College Purpose: To Educate, To Inspire, To Make a Difference.
The reason I share this article from April is that the uncertain times continue, with many people, including our international students, distanced from their families. There appear to be challenging times ahead of us and still many unknowns. What we must always remain committed to, is caring for and encouraging each other as we traverse this year together. In the end, as Bonhoeffer counselled, what counts are human relationships.
LATEST AWARDS FOR JPC
Recent Awards
We were delighted to be listed as a finalist in four categories in the 2020 National Education Awards. These are for Best Professional Learning Program, Best Co-curricular Program, Primary School Principal of the Year (non-government) and Principal of the Year (non-government). The awards will be announced at the end of October. We will let you know how we go!
Our two newly constructed Kindergarten classrooms were also recognised this last month at the Learning Environments Australasia Awards as a joint overall winner.
New Communications
We have released our new website, an exciting refresh of information and images of the College. Be sure to take a look at our Virtual Tour and also the SOAR Alumni books that are available there.
In the coming days, we will also be launching the next edition of our biannual magazine, The Eagle. It endeavours to provide oversight of some aspects of the College since the beginning of the year.
