As we arrive at the end of a busy Semester, I am writing to thank our families for your support so far in 2023. I am so proud of the achievements of our students, and I know that this is only possible due to the love and guidance they receive from their family. I have had the pleasure of looking through our students’ Semester One Reports over the last week, and what continues to evoke pride is the number of students who have genuinely strived to do their best this year.
I spoke to our students at our last assembly, about focusing on what is in their control. Our students cannot completely control their final mark or grade for their subjects; but they do have complete control over their attitude and behaviours towards their studies and their education. It is often the end result of their studies that can make students worried, but allowing them to focus on their effort and preparation, rather than their mark or grade, can help manage performance anxiety. At the assembly I read our students the below quote from a book called ‘The Way of the Warrior’ by Erwin McManus.
‘The warrior knows that peace does not come from control but from relinquishing control. Everything in life that you try to control that is outside your control will steal from you your peace. You must choose to take hold of what you can control and let go of what you cannot. You cannot control your circumstances, but you can control your character. You cannot control the actions of others, but you can control the choices you make. You cannot control the outcome, but you can control the process’
I believe this quote can be applied to all aspects of our life, not just academics. We spoke to our students about being kind to people, being respectful to your parents and showing compassion to those who are struggling. While you cannot control how people react to your behaviours, you are in complete control of how you interact with them. We are all hardwired wanting to show care and love to others. Minimise the impact of the things you can’t control, and focus on the things that you can. Ultimately showing love, care and kindness to others always leads us to feeling better about ourselves.
Finally I wish you all a wonderful school holiday break. I trust you and your family use this time to recharge and spend some quality time together. I look forward to seeing your beautiful children back on our campus for the start of Term 3 on Tuesday, 18 July.