Principal Wellbeing is the Association’s priority. It needs to be YOUR priority too. Taking time for YOU and prioritising time each day to do something that fills your bucket needs to be deliberately built into your day. In doing this it sends a strong message to your colleagues, staff, friends and family that looking after ourselves is a responsibility we hold in our hands. It is also a message to them that they too have a responsibility to self before they can support others.

Our schools are exciting, vibrant places where we individually and collective invest so much of ourselves. We must focus on replenishing the bucket we give from. Kristen Douglas CEO HeadSpace talks about the importance of us leading response and recovery. I am confident you and your Executive team are recognising the fatigue the teams within your school are experiencing. It’s a common theme. There is a ‘recipe’ to follow to architect the long road to recovery.

Think about collaborating with your executive and staff to prioritise a plan like this:

REFLECT – process the experience and create a narrative – your narrative for your context.

REBALANCE – anchor and ground your staff in safety and predictability.

RECALIBRATE – look at processes, capacity, gaps and strengths – sharpen the focus and avoid the distractions.

REORIENT – identify the new vision and future focus – this will bring you all together – reframe your next steps together.

Have a fabulous week … YOU truly are remarkable. YOU have continued to lead with such clarity, strength and courage at a time like never before. Recognise and reflect on the power of ‘together’ and draw on the collective wisdom of your colleagues and friends.

NSW Public Schools are indeed being led by incredible leaders.

Celebrate how far we have come and everything we have achieved in our schools, individually and collectively.

Kindest regards
Robyn