Edition Fifteen 5 NOVEMBER 2021
THE DRAGON
Know le d g
e Faith S e r v
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FORTNIGHTLY NEWS AND EVENTS FOR ST GEORGE’S PARENTS
From the Principal Tina Campbell
“Family, like branches on a tree, we all grow in different directions, yet our roots remain as one.” Like many West Australians, and probably Australians, I am filled this week with a strong sense of family connectedness, love, care, and compassion with the wonderful news of the safe return of Cleo Smith to her family in Carnarvon as well as the celebrations we shared as a St George’s Family for World Teachers’ Day earlier last week.
Family is often one of the single most important influences in a child’s life. Parents, Guardians or Carers are frequently a child’s first teachers. They act as role models and mentors in our lives. They show us how to act and how to positively experience and interact with the world around us. By nurturing and teaching our children we seek to see them flourish and thrive. The importance of a sense of family benefits our physical, emotional, and mental wellbeing as it offers human beings things that cannot easily be found elsewhere in our lives.
Whether the notion of family is the one that you are born into or the one that you choose later in your life, a sense of family is important to all of us. They form our tribe and the outpouring of love and the need for Cleo to be found safely was indeed instinctive for us all. The feeling and sense of community was evident in all reports of Cleo being welcomed home across our magnificent state.
When life gets hard, people need support. Family will provide the encouragement and love at such times. They’ll be your backbone, your cheer squad and your constant motivation and encouragement to succeed. Family will boost your self-esteem; they will help soothe your worries and they will always be there for you. Families are the protective shield that allow us to develop and grow our own unique superpowers. They are the compass that guide us and the inspiration for us to reach our dreams and aspirations. When we have each other as family, we have everything.
The definition of family changes for each person but it usually includes a group of people either related to one another or living together. Family is the oldest and most fundamental social institution in our human civilization. Like most healthy social relationships, strong bonds with family can have great benefits for individuals as well as for society at large. For me, whilst my family both here and in the UK are vital to my wellbeing, my St George’s family is equally important to me and all are part of my tribe, the village that is crucial to me and of whom I am proud.
Families also provide us with a hub of traditions and offer us a sense of belonging which help us to keep life balanced and in perspective. Families offer a helping hand, they include a wide 1
St. George's Anglican Grammar School – THE DRAGON