My last newsletter article was written as the Jack Jumpers were marching into the semi-finals – they are now NBL Champions! They have well and truly defended the ‘small island’.  This is quite an achievement for a very new team which has embraced the mantle of the little state which never gives up.  It is amazing to hear many in the media referring to the Jack Jumpers as ‘the most successful Australian sports franchise’.  This has caused me to reflect on how even the ‘little guy’ can achieve great things with courage, commitment and perseverance.  The Cambridge Dictionary defines perseverance as - continued effort to do or achieve something, even when this is difficult or takes a long time. You may have noticed that this week's photo is a bit different.  Over the last 25 years my wife has shown a great deal of perseverance - this week we celebrated 25 years of marriage.  And yes - I once had hair. 

Perseverance is a vital quality that can determine one's success in various aspects of life. It is the ability to persist through challenges, setbacks, and failures without giving up. With perseverance, individuals can push through difficult times, navigate obstacles, and achieve their goals. Those who possess this quality are resilient, determined, and work tirelessly towards their objectives. In order to build perseverance we need to demonstrate courage and be willing to keep going – even when things get hard.  In my family we have a response when someone says ‘but it’s hard’ – “remember, often hard things are worth doing”.  Ultimately, perseverance is key to achieving growth (another one of our school values).  Perseverance builds character, instills confidence, and leads to greater accomplishments.

As we come into the last week of term – and we look expectantly to reports being sent home next week, I want to thank the staff, students and families for their perseverance so far this year. What has been encouraging, has been seeing everyone applying themselves with continued effort to achieve – even when it has been difficult. I would encourage all school families to take the time next weekend to sit down and carefully read through their student’s report/s. When looking at them, look for the areas of growth - which have occurred through having the courage to persevere. Celebrate the successes, but also look for the next area you can focus on.

On a specific note, there are some students and families we have been working very closely with on improving attendance and engagement at school.  For some this has been very challenging and has involved lots of courage and perseverance - but the results are amazing.  A few examples are one secondary student who has jumped from 65% attendance last year to 95% attendance this year. Another student has gone from 28% last year to 67% this year.  Every day at school matters – and for some, it takes a lot of courage to get to school every day.  As a school we are currently sitting slightly above our PDS goal of 90% and aspire to maintain this percentage and meet this goal at the end of the year. If you are experiencing any challenges in getting your child/ren to school school please don’t hesitate to contact us to see how we can best support you.

Yours in partnership

Geoff Davis