Welcome to all of our community members to the 2024 academic school year. It has been genuinely inspiring seeing our college grounds abuzz with activity as our students and staff gear up for what will no doubt be an exciting and eventful year. The sense of warmth, care and love has been evident since our students have returned from their long break.
As a father of three high school children, I understand the challenges of raising teenagers! The world our kids are growing up in is ever-changing, and it seems that as every day passes there is a new potential danger lurking for our students. Whether it is within the online world, or in a physical sense, it is vital that our children are able to identify risk, and respond appropriately. Armed with this intent, it is also vital that our students see Kolbe as a place where they feel loved, safe and an authentic sense of belonging. I love this quote from L.R Knost:
“Every day, in a 100 small ways, our children ask, ‘Do you hear me? Do you see me? Do I matter?’ Their behavior often reflects our response.”
Every staff member at Kolbe understands the enormous trust your family places in our school, when you hand over the care of your children to us. This quote from Knost I believe sums up what is at the heart of our community; through the spirit of Christ, we endeavour to ensure that every child is seen as an unique individual with strengths and gifts. As a father, I know that sometimes even my beautiful cherubs can show the odd signs of challenging behaviour – but I understand that as they move from childhood to adulthood, these experiences, with the right amount of care, guidance and support from their teachers and parents will help shape them into resilient adults who will develop into the future leaders of our society.
The strength of our community is the partnership between our families and staff. As our school year unwinds, can I remind all family members to please contact us if you need any support, or have any questions. Alignment between families and school in our vision for our children is vital. When families and schools are aligned in our messaging, it is the children that benefit. Finally, can I already thank our families for your support in what has been a wonderful start to the year. We cannot wait to see how your children develop in 2024, and we look forward to celebrating these achievements with you throughout the year.
God bless,
Neil Alweyn
Principal