From the Head of Middle School

I walked another leg of the Bibbulmun Track with some of our Residential students last week. The two key observations I made this time were that our bush is a fantastic place to be in. Walking amongst the amazingly tall trees in the Karri forests and across dozens of small fresh water streams with the soft sunlight streaming through early in the mornings was beautiful and inspiring. It was also hard work: 25km a day of up and down terrain. The second observation was that at the end of each day we recognised we had done something difficult, something that required perseverance and could not be opted out of half way through. This I feel was the greatest take away for the boys and I, through perseverance and encouragement we would make it each day despite blisters, march flies, the heat and heavy packs.

It was proof once again that there is a reward for determination and a growing belief that when things get tough we have the mental strength, as a group and as individuals, to keep going. The question I played with on the bus on the way home was "Do we do enough of this? Do we undertake enough activities that are difficult with the goal of building up a belief in our own ability to manage and succeed?"

Mr Richard Ledger
Head of Middle School