The Final Assembly for our Year 12 students this week provided a fitting opportunity for our School Captains, Alexandra (Alex) Shergold and Sophie Boyce, to acknowledge the enormous gratitude and appreciation for the work of their teachers; a sentiment shared by many.

Today, Friday 30 October, World Teachers Day is celebrated in Australia. Despite the significant challenges in 2020, our teachers have ensured that the education of children and teenagers has continued across the country. As the common adage goes, the future of a country lies in the hands of its children, as mentors, can mould students into future leaders who shape our destiny.

As confirmed by Michelle Green at ISV this week, “this year has confirmed the crucial role teachers play in the lives of young Australians and we can take heart that the pandemic has reinforced an important lesson for parents. Many have worked from home, alongside their children who’ve had to study from home after COVID restrictions closed their classrooms. As a result, parents have learned about teachers – the skills they have, the work they do, the challenges they face.” Michelle Green, ISV

This week, School Captain, Alex Shergold shared the thoughts of all the Year 12 girls in thanking their Head of Year, Mr Brown: “thank you for being the most legendary, awesome, ripper head of year to ever walked this earth. You have gone above and beyond to keep morale up and help us make the most of this year. You’ve helped us make the bad, good and the good, better. Thank you for checking in on every single girl whenever you could, and making sure we feel like a year level no matter what. You are really and truly our 2020 hero, I think that in itself sums it all up.” Alex Shergold

And Sophie Boyce extended this appreciation to all teachers; “Mrs Carroll and the Leadership Team, thank you for your continued guidance, always putting the girls of St Catherine’s above all else. Like-wise to our teachers, from ELC to VCE. It was somewhat easy for us to sit at home feeling sorry for ourselves, however, we will never know what it was like to teach a class of school photos with cameras off and muted microphones. Your determination to still provide us with the best education this year is beyond admirable. Many girls will sit here today and tell you about their dream career which was all inspired by one of you, the classes you taught and the life lessons you provided us.” Sophie Boyce

Our Year 12 ceremony on Thursday was fortunately blessed with stunning sunshine providing much warmth on a somewhat emotional morning of farewells. With events located outside on the sporting fields, the magnitude of the year with almost six months in lock down was felt by all, but the sadness of closed classrooms and lost time together did not outshine the joy experienced by the Year 12 girls as they came together as one cohort.

In my Assembly Address this week, I reminded the Year 12 girls of the uncomfortable truth in life is that you can’t control every event. Something we have all learnt this year as the pandemic gripped Melbourne and great global cities for months on end. This experience serves to remind us of the powerful statement of the same sentiment, expressed by the 20th century Christian Serenity Prayer;

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.

The typical occupation of the human mind is to lean towards some seemingly important event or experience that can’t be changed or controlled and stressing about how they can affect us today, tomorrow, or even next month. That pivotal experience may not affect you in any way but the mind can’t let go. It keeps wondering.

We are very accustomed to worrying, and it’s such a conditioned pattern that there’s no single antidote, remedy or cure. The mind just jumps into scenarios and visions but worrying achieves nothing but stress.

According to philosopher Epictetus, to make the most of life, we must divide your moment-to-moment concerns into two categories;

• The things you can control;
• And the things you can’t.

The key to maintaining a positive attitude in life is to know the difference and whilst we cannot control everything that happens to us, we can control the way we respond. And in your response is your greatest power; we can always control the way we think, feel and behave.

On behalf of all staff, I wish our School leaders of 2020 the very best with the forthcoming VCE examinations and we look forward to welcoming the girls in years to come as Old Girls. This cohort of friendly and vibrant girls are so ready for the next step of their journey as strong, independent women who have the capacity to lead with wisdom, courage and care for others.