Opportunity can take many forms, and often it is the way we choose to see something that enables us to truly make the most of the opportunities before us or run from them. The challenge as a parent and a teacher is to continue to build the resilience and patterns of thinking in our students that will enable them to encounter a situation and go through it, not run from it.
The previous few weeks have been full of wonderful opportunities and it is always exciting to see our students persevere through these and then be very proud of themselves when they realise they have achieved something they thought previously impossible.
A massive thank you to the Primary staff and Mrs Miller for walking with the students as they navigated Camp at Lake Ainsworth. I hear that through some sleepy eyes they had a wonderful time, seizing the chance to build stronger friendships and invest in their own character as they overcame the challenges they were faced with.
Thank you also to Mrs Thompson and all the staff for the wonderful Cross-Country yesterday. It was inspiring to see the students take the opportunity to push through their own barriers to complete the event the best they could.
Next week sees the return of NAPLAN. NAPLAN, in its intended purpose, is designed to provide individual schools and students with data that can be used to enhance each student’s learning. At RCC we encourage each student to sit this test to the best of their ability, understanding that it is an opportunity to better understand their strengths and weaknesses in literacy and numeracy. The results of this standardised test are used by the school to more specifically tailor our teaching and learning to the students’ needs so we can continue to equip them in their learning with excellent foundations in literacy and numeracy.
Any test we face in life, be it academic, relational, emotional, physical or mental, is never meant to define who we are or determine our identity or success. Rather, a test provides the individual with the opportunity to better understand themselves, their strengths and weaknesses and provide a road map that can be used to develop their character and identity for future flourishing.
This is how we must encourage our students to view all the tests they face at school and in life. It is not about success or failure; it is about making the most of an opportunity for learning and growth. Please, encourage your children to continue to do the best they can in all the opportunities they are presented with.
The next few weeks also sees us begin enrolment interviews for Pre-Kindy, Kindy and Year 7 for 2022. It is exciting to see so many people wanting to be a part of our community. Please pray for these families and should you know of anyone who is intending to come next year, share with them, that we are enrolling now for 2022 as places are very limited.
Finally, when talking about opportunity and sowing into our students, how can we not think of our wonderful parents and carers who continually provide our students with so many wonderful opportunities? This weekend, I would specifically like to thank our mums for their never-ending love, dedication and sacrifice that makes life more wonderful, more joyful and more possible. Mums, ‘May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; may he be gracious to you, show you his favour, and give you his peace...
Good tidings RCC, seize your day.
Jonno
