How are you?

So many times, over the years we have all asked someone how they are. So often it is a cursory question or a common courtesy to each other. The busyness that surrounds our days rarely lends the time to be able to really dissect how someone really is. Fortunately, the growing movement around having conversations about well-being and kindness has shone a light in areas once seen as off-limits or uncomfortable. More and more we are asking one another how we are and taking the time to reflect and listen to each other. Listening with empathy is a powerful technique.

Our students are no different. With a continual news cycle, our students can be impacted by subjects and conversations that have the potential to worry young minds.

Our theme this term focuses on the notion of wellbeing and what it means to be “well”. But it would be remiss to expect anyone to be in a state of bliss all the time! Life requires persistence and tenacity. Our students require discomfort and resilience for them to comprehend and construct a sense of wellness. Every day we are faced with situations that present uncertainty. The skills and attributes that we arm ourselves with as we navigate challenging times are the systems that allow us to rebuild and manage our sense of self.

Building our state of mind can be a complicated initiative. Steve Biddulph, the author of Raising Boys and Raising Girls, recently wrote a book Fully Human. Within this book, Steve describes the mind as a four-storey building. On the ground floor is healthy eating, exercising, and resting well to sustain physical health. The second storey is our feelings, where and how we emotionally respond to the evolving landscapes around us. The third storey is our logic. How do we think through issues with reasoning and facts? The fourth floor is our connection to “something bigger”. This can include our faith, relationships, the environment and mindfulness. One floor cannot survive without the other. He states that by spending the appropriate time in each “floor” we are building our wellness and self-awareness. By understanding that we can at times can get stuck on a floor, we build our skills to move and build our personal wellness.

When we zoom out on the life of a student at the College, we see that these four floors are covered by the experiences that they encounter. They are challenged physically and educated about self-care. Our You Can Do It and The Pacific Way programs are focused on student recognition of emotions and regulation and how they can help build capacity. Our curriculum develops logic and problem-solving. Our Lutheran values and positive school framework show that without a sense of something bigger than ourselves, we are less than we can be. The analogy of the whole child is encapsulated beautifully by these attributes.

This journey is not possible without the support of the wider community and we are thankful for the continuing support of your children in their journey here at the College. We look forward to supporting your child during the remainder of this term and beyond.

Mr Damian Davis, Head of Staff and Students P-5