Week 4 already! And we are all still standing and many are thriving!

CONGRATULATIONS and a heartfelt THANK YOU to each and every one of you. Our schools are now beating to the rhythm of student laughter and learning.
The start to 2022 has presented you all with a mountain of challenges and true to form you have stood firm on ensuring your workforce and your students have been your priority. The challenges are real, and the workload is unrelenting. And yet, you remain positive and engaged each and every day. Make time for you so YOU can give to others.

Your mindset is a priority – you know what works for you … keep actioning the things that energise you. Equally important, is to prioritise quiet times. The noise of the day has us in ‘adrenaline surge’ mode and we all need the time to rest and count our gratefuls. To maintain the positivity in our schools WE need to position ourselves to do so. If you make your wellbeing a priority, then you staff will follow your lead.

We will continue to have many questions as we navigate COVID and manage COVID safe plans. Each day, new challenges arise, and time and time again, you respond accordingly. The challenge is to manage the external distractions and focus on what matters most. Narrow your focus – manage your mindset.
Building on from my message in Week 2, I share with you some thoughts from a podcast a generous colleague shared with me from Mindset Coach Ben Crowe. Ben is the mindset coach who works with Ash Barty, Pete Sampras and Andre Agassi. Ben talks about purpose, meaning, gratitude, selflessness, courage, care for others, role models, inspiration and empathy.

He acknowledges we thrive when we surround ourselves with others and lean in on them – he uses the analogy of snowboarders and surfers ‘leaning in’ on the snow or in the surf because when or if they lean back - they fall.

He discussed seeing the greatness in ourselves through positive self-talk and the positive spill we see when we recognise and celebrate the greatness in others. ‘Team’ is what we know drives our school culture and success. You are the one who drives the culture for your teams to thrive.

In talking about the challenges COVID is presenting he encourages people to acknowledge and accept that life is difficult right now. Once we accept that, life becomes LESS difficult. He speaks too about the difference between ‘got to’ and ‘get to’ and how when we reframe our wording, our mindset has a positive shift ... I’ve ‘got to’ talk to my team about...| I ‘get to’ talk to my team about …in reframing that statement there’s a perspective shift. It really works! Try it!

One of the things I reflect on often is the notion that ‘uncertainty’ doesn’t sit well with many of us – certainly in our schools we thrive on anticipating what’s ahead and preparing for it as well as thriving on routines and standards. COVID has presented us with different challenges. In the podcast, Ben recalls one of his mum’s constant sayings:

‘Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.’

Thankyou for the incredible work you do in leading your school – thank you too to all who have made contact with me as we start the 2022 school year. I know my purpose and I am incredibly grateful and appreciative of the Principalship I walk alongside.

Have a wonderful week!