Men go abroad to wonder at the heights of mountains, at the huge waves of the sea, at the long courses of the rivers, at the vast compass of the ocean, at the circular motions of the stars, and they pass by themselves without wondering. Saint Augustine.
Today, our College Vice Captain spoke at Assembly about the value of difference, the need for us as an Augustinian community to have a welcoming mindset. He encouraged the boys to reflect on the way they support each other, rather than measure or compare each other. It reminded me of one of my favorite quotes around mindset, “Collaborate with others and compete with yourself”. This year as a nation we have had cause to collaborate, to consider the interest of others, to consider the big picture rather than just the individual desires. The fires, COVID-19 and now the tragic racial tensions that have erupted as a result of the death of George Floyd. In our school, we establish and promote tolerance and respect for difference; for young people with little life experience or worldly insights it is an ongoing challenge, these attributes are integral to the formation of character. Valuing our ability to express freely our opinions and ideas is also fundamental to building a healthy and robust community. Sometimes, there can be a tension between two views, navigating that tension can be challenging in our community, or in our school, yet it is one that we should not shirk.
I was reminded of a clip I watched many years ago, A Pep Talk for Kid President. The pep talk was watched by over 45 million people. The story behind the video (the second link) has been watched by around 4 million people. This second video is far more inspirational than A Pep Talk for Kid President. I encourage you to follow the links and watch them, discuss the substance of the message with your sons:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-gQLqv9f4o
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcZVGjG6LWM
Pre COVID-19 research discusses the average working parent can spend as little as 18 seconds on average per day in meaningful conversations with their son. As a school, we have begun to look at the learning and improvements we can make to ongoing practice as a result of COVID-19. As families, we are encouraged to not underestimate the value of the time that we spend together. Interesting data from our College Psychologists has shown that pre COVID-19 many students self-referred as a result of relationship issues at home, and post COVID-19 many are lamenting the loss of the time they have spent as a family. The beautiful quote from Saint Augustine invites all of us to appreciate and be in awe of our talents and abilities. I hope that families can maintain some of the wonder, the board games, jigsaw puzzles, card games, binge watching shows together as we become busy again.
As we return to our new normal, our usual busy, we have reengaged with St Mary’s Star of the Sea Catholic Primary School in Milton. This was one of the schools that experienced devastating damage in the summer bush fires. The College was working with the school to see how we could support this community. They have replaced their water tanks and need support to replace the firefighting pumps and generators. On the last day of this term, the College will hold a fundraiser for St Mary’s, as a gold coin mufti day. Appropriate hygiene protocols will be in place for the handling of coins.
The next P&F Association meeting will be on Thursday 6 August 2020. Our new familiarity with ZOOM will mean that this meeting will be accessible for families remotely, one of the many things that we are now able to do post COVID-19.
Jonathan Byrne
Principal