I have written before about our chapel services and how much I personally take away from them. Today, I had the opportunity to present chapel to Year 10. Their resounding singing during worship and respectful participation was truly uplifting. Our theme was “Wellbeing of Being Children of God,” which naturally aligned with our Wellbeing Week. We discussed the importance of maintaining a spiritual aspect in our lives for our overall wellbeing. Chapel provides an opportunity to listen, experience something new, or reflect on our thoughts and beliefs.
We shared a message emphasising that we are not yet who we are meant to be; God is still working to help us become more like Him. In exploring this, we also spoke about Reconciliation Week and how we can help others feel a sense of belonging within our society. This reinforced the message from our assembly last week that racism has no place within our community at SCAS.
I hope this message resonates with our parents, highlighting the importance of the diverse experiences St Columba provides for our students. We open many doors that offer our students opportunities to reflect and consider who they want to be. This process is greatly enhanced when students engage and attend regularly. Recently, I have been exploring student attendance patterns and the ramifications of frequent absences. Missing one day of school each week equates to two full months of lost learning over a year. This loss accumulates quickly and can significantly impact a child’s lifelong learning and their social and emotional development.
To support families when students start to have patterns of non-attendance, it is crucial to establish good routines for young people. Some strategies parents can implement include:
- Establishing routines around technology use during the evening (e.g., 30 minutes before bed without technology).
- Charging phones outside of the bedroom and keeping screens out of the bedroom.
- Setting a consistent bedtime and wake-up time.
- Establishing a morning routine: preparing the uniform, bag, and breakfast. Start with support, then provide verbal reminders, then encourage independence, and finally, aim for habituation.
We value the wellbeing of all our young people, and our vision is to provide educational opportunities that enable our students to lead lives of purpose, service, and engagement. The health of our young people is well served through regular attendance at school. If you have any concerns about your child’s attendance, I encourage you to reach out and contact the school, via the Year Patron, for support.
Paul Rikmanis
Head of Secondary School