Principal's First Principles

One of my favourite childhood memories was when, out of the blue, Dad would be driving and say to us: “Looks like we have a bit of extra time. Why don’t we go on a shortcut?” Mum would groan and go: “No, no, no!” My sister and I would yell: “Yes, yes, yes!” We’d often end up on narrow tracks and creek crossings. Once or twice, we got stuck. Of course, Dad’s ‘shortcuts’ were fun, but they were not short even though we loved these adventures. Why am I telling you this? Because as parents and…

The end-of-year break is just around the corner! Students will holiday at home, with family or maybe even somewhere exotic for the next six weeks. When I wander around chatting to them at this time of year, I often hear the following kind of sentiment: “I can't wait to sleep late, stay up late, and 'chillax' with gaming and social media.” Parents who have the best intentions can allow bad habits to form. They believe their child deserves this holiday (and they do) and that they should spend…

Addressing College graduates can be a daunting proposition but also a great privilege. You pray you will say the right thing - the best thing. You wish you could prepare them for every eventuality but you know you cannot. You must trust that the values they've acquired in their childhood will guide them through their adulthood. If you've journeyed with them over the years of their schooling, you'll know them well. Snippets of conversations cross your mind as you glance from face to face and…

Family mealtimes do more than simply nourish the body. They also feed the emotional health of individuals, and part of the reason for this is that they draw families together. Sitting down at a table together is a long-lost tradition for many, but the benefits are as substantial as ever. When informal opportunities like this for bonding mount up, your children grow up healthier and develop strong bonds with you and each other. Eight benefits of family mealtimes A handy 'temperature check':…

When we speak of learning at Brisbane Adventist College, we allude to two factors: influence and growth. We not only address a child’s ability to process cognitively, and problem-solve, but also devote our efforts to character development; particularly around our values of integrity and respect, the basis of strong relationships for which God created us. When relationships are strong, students feel safe, they operate in joy, and where there is joy, there is belonging. "A child’s future…