Principal

Finishing

As we enter Week 8, we are in the closing stages of the academic year, and things are heating up both physically and metaphorically. Our college's end-of-year events are beginning, and many of us find part of our attention shifting toward preparations for Christmas.

During this time of year, there can sometimes be a tendency to 'check out' early, a temptation to slow down or stop contributing our best efforts. This attitude, however, can prevent us from finishing well.

Finishing well is an important skill for all of us to learn. In many sporting endeavours, whether in a track-and-field race or a soccer game, finishing strong is key. There are many videos of athletes who slowed down too soon or began celebrating too early, only to be overtaken by a more determined competitor. In these situations, we celebrate the determination of the athlete who kept pushing, and we lament the loss of the athlete who slowed down too soon.

Finishing well is just as vital in life as it is in sport. Often, the greatest gains in life are built over time and are more visible toward the end of an endeavour. This is especially true in the context of learning at school. As we approach the end of the year at Green Point, there is still much learning to be done. We encourage all students to stay present and continue working hard right up to the last day.

I am thankful to our teaching team, who continue to create interesting and creative learning opportunities that support student growth. Some of our lower primary students are learning about mass, volume, and other mathematical concepts as they make gingerbread. Our Year 6 students are exploring chemical processes and fermentation by creating their own (student-appropriate) ginger beer. Our Year 10 students have spent this week developing social action projects, which they will present to the community.

These activities are just a few examples of the interesting and inspiring projects happening across the college. While they may be a bit outside the routine, they are designed to maximize and continue embedding the learning that has taken place throughout the year.