I never thought in my wildest dreams that when I decided to become a teacher, I would be greeting students in the morning with hand sanitiser and an infrared thermometer. As a community, we have been confronted with many challenges due to this insidious virus. We have had to change the way we learn, the way we communicate, the way we gather and the way we interact. Unfortunately, the challenges continue.
As you would be aware, on the advice of the Victorian Chief Health Officer, the Premier of Victoria announced that as of Wednesday 22 July at 11.59am, the wearing of face masks or face coverings will be mandatory when you leave your place of residence. In a school setting, this applies to all staff and students (over the age of 12). For the time being, this will be the new normal.
In a recent article by Clinical Psychologist, Andrew Fuller speaks about the most common response to challenging situations – RESILIENCE – and how we can create it. He talks about:
- Accepting what is
- not trying to control what you cannot
- and acknowledging that there will be uncertainty.
The piece of advice which resonated most for me, is the idea he refers to as creating beauty.
“Beauty is an antidote to hopelessness. It lurks in the small details of life: the smile from a stranger, the wag of a dog’s tail or a sunny morning. Search for these details and also intentionally create more beauty in your world for others to discover. Cherish what you can.â€
I sincerely appreciate the support parents have provided their sons and the College in these challenging circumstances and once again, we are calling on the whole community to support this new wave of expectations. The safety and wellbeing of our staff and students is always our number one priority.
Stay safe.
Mr Mick Lafferty
Deputy Principal – Students
