Principal's Report August 2016

Last week at our General Assembly, I shared some thinking with the College about one of our school values: respect. At each of our assemblies, the student leaders and I focus our speeches about our College values and it was with pleasure that I talked to a very respectful audience about the importance of respect…


Last week at our General Assembly, I shared some thinking with the College about one of our school values: respect.

At each of our assemblies, the student leaders and I focus our speeches about our College values and it was with pleasure that I talked to a very respectful audience about the importance of respect…
“If I asked every one of you what respect means to you, I’d likely get 900 different answers. Respect does mean different things to different people, but I think there are a few common aspects of the idea of respect that we can all think about.

For me, when you strive to be respectful, you attempt to put yourself in someone else's shoes and behave in a way that shows you care. At its core, being respectful means showing that you value other people's perspectives, time, property and space.

Today, I’d like you to think about respect in a few different ways. I’d like you to think about how you show kindness and courtesy to others; how you’re polite and show good manners. I encourage you to reflect on ways that you can model our school value of respect by accepting and embracing differences in other people and cultures, and by proving that you value the environment around you and the property of others.

This is just a concept though: ideas floating around us, until we actually model this value in our behaviour. Every day, I’m proud of you, and the way that you approach your learning and the kindness you show to each other. This is a respectful school filled with respectful students and teachers, and there are always ways to improve too.

Generally, I hear such positive, respectful language at our school and I’m so pleased about that. But, sometimes mistakes happen and things can be said that don’t show the respect that we value at Buckley Park. It’s not our normal way of being but it can happen. Today, I really encourage you to accept a challenge of respect. My challenge to you is this - if a friend of yours uses language or behaviour, around our school that doesn’t show respect, have a chat to them and remind them why it’s so important. Be a friend to them; you’re supporting them too by doing this. The language that we use to our friends, our family and our teachers is such an important way of showing how respectful of others we are.


To me, respect isn’t something that you show because you’re scared or because someone tells you to; it’s something that you give and earn, when it’s right for you and when you believe it. The best way to earn someone’s respect is to model it to them. Your friends, your teachers and your families – we all work the same way. Everybody loves the feeling of being respected by someone, who we too greatly respect.

I’d like you to think about all the people here at school, and in life, who you respect so much, and think about why. What do they do? How do they treat you? …that has helped you feel this respect? It’s a great feeling isn’t it?”


 

I look forward to seeing you here at school next week (August 25/26) for our parent-teacher interviews.

Happy reading!

 

Nathan Chisholm

Principal

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