Dear Parents, Teachers and Staff,

The learner profile attribute of balance is a very difficult one to master. It encompasses the capacity to see and respect both sides of an argument. An even more difficult part of it is to respond in a proportionate manner when we feel under pressure and out of balance. In emotionally charged situations we have a tendency to lose our balance and as such our decision-making can suffer as a consequence. True balance is an amalgam of physical, intellectual and emotional awareness of the world around us.

I was delighted with the work of OSIS, our High School student representative group for the manner in which they organised student activities last Friday. They demonstrated true commitment and a desire to serve their fellow students. What impressed me the most was the balance they were able to show when outsiders “bombed'” one of their online sessions. In the first instance, one has to feel sorry for individuals whose response to seeing something good and wholesome is to try and corrupt or damage it.  It makes you question the balance that they have in their lives. But it also teaches us a lesson. There will always be some who try and drag down others. A balanced approach to this sort of thing is to continue striving for the best but at the same time reviewing systems to make further incidents less likely. We as a school have to keep reviewing our online protocols, as everyone is online for so much time. We would also strongly recommend that you as parents and caregivers regularly review online practice. Perhaps this could be reinforced by attending one of our school workshops. The online environment has enabled us to continue providing a high standard of education. It is however an environment that needs to be continually monitored and where vigilance is necessary.

Thank you to the OSIS team for their leadership and balance.

Have a great week.

Martin Blackburn

Executive Principal