As you would be aware, at the beginning of each year we choose a theme that we focus on throughout the year and refer to, and reflect on, with the students and school community. This year we chose the theme of “celebrate”.
As Covid-19 began to emerge early in the year, we started to question, “how can we use this theme and focus on celebrating when we are being thrust into a global pandemic?”.
However, as the year has progressed and our world and lives have been turned ‘upside down’, changed and morphed into a ‘new normal’, holding onto this theme and celebrating no matter how small the achievement or accomplishment, has been vital.
Each fortnight this year in the school Newsletter, we have had this section where we have focused on our theme of “celebrate”.
Looking back over the 2020 Newsletters we have celebrated lots of things…....we have celebrated Book Week, Science Week, Art and artistic endeavours of our students. We have celebrated the completion of the new Preschool front yard & playground; we have celebrated current students and parents' achievements, and old scholars achievements and achieving your personal best. Significantly, we celebrated the anniversary of Maria Montessori’s 150th birthday and we also celebrated the 10 year anniversary of our adolescent program at Wairoa (however we have had to postpone the actual celebratory event until 2021).
We have celebrated bravery, giving service, improvement, role models and having fun in the face of adversity. We have celebrated creativity, thinking outside the square, our wonderful staff and our hugely supportive community. Following remote learning we celebrated returning to school and it made us appreciate and be grateful for the relationships we cherish and the connection we have with our students, staff and community.
Finally, last fortnight we celebrated the ‘simple things’……Covid-19, lock down and restrictions have taught us to rejoice and celebrate in the simple things. Simple things such as a walk in the park, baking and cooking for loved ones, spending time with friends and family, hugging someone you love, watching the sunrise or sunset, gardening and being outside in nature, listening to music, making someone laugh or smile, reading a good book.
Simple things provide moments of joy that bring us firmly back into the present moment and make us grateful for everything we have in life. As I quoted in the last Newsletter…"Enjoy the little things in life because one day you'll look back and realise they were the big things."
It is hugely important to celebrate the fact that we live in a safe country and state, we work and learn in a safe and supportive environment, we have people who love and care for us and we have our health.
Enjoy your family and friends as you celebrate through the festive season and into the New Year.
Reflecting on our situation, here at our school in the Adelaide Hills, we are incredibly privileged and we have much to be grateful for and a lot to celebrate!