At Mueller, we see a student’s schooling so much more than a report card. A report card is a measurement of ability with the assignments, exams, pracs and performances all distilled down to a letter from A to E. This makes for an easy measure. But a student’s school experience is so much more than that.
We are almost halfway through the final term of the 2019 school year. This may fill you with a variety of thoughts or emotions. As you take a moment to physically look at your child/ren, what are you drawn to? Have they changed? Have they grown? What has your year been like?
Hebrews 10:24-25 "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the Day approaching." The school year consists of very distinct seasons. Right now, as a school we are in the midst of the season of ‘celebration’. Student work and performances are being showcased and celebrated throughout Term Four, and there is plenty to see.
I was blessed last week to spend some time at the Year Ten camp at Emu Gully. It was a well-run, enjoyable camp in which the students were challenged by the activities and instructors. Students really ‘had a go’ at the activities, whether it be pulling a mock cannon through the knee (and sometimes waist!) deep mud, driving buggies, bush dancing or launching off the swing into the dam. The students are to be commended for their positive attitude and whole-hearted participation in the program.
Term 4 is a term of celebration. The day to day learning continues, however the end of term has a real sense of celebrating the student achievements over the year.
Term Three is drawing to a close with students completing assessment and course requirements. It has been a time for students and staff alike where the ‘heads have been down’ as the tasks piled up.
This time last year, I was getting ready for the USA Homestay Tour with a group of Mueller students. The host school was Prestonwood Christian Academy in Dallas, Texas. One of the memories I have is the huge financial contribution that the community need to make in order for the school to operate. On top of school fees, there are regular giving days and capital funding requests to operate the school. In Australia, we are blessed with government funding to assist the day to day operation of the College as well as capital funding for building works.
Things really change gears for so many at this time of year. Our Year 12’s begin their final assessments journeys, Years 4 and 6 students head off on camps and interstate tours over the next two weeks, preparations for the final few weeks of the school year start to heat up and all of this is amongst what is typically a lengthy period of the school year.
How do you view the world and your interactions with it? Most people think this is a pretty bad world and few think it is getting better. It really isn't a surprise when we are ritually bombarded with negative press...
I regularly walk around the school on tours with a potential new Mueller family. As we look through classrooms and engage with the student activities, the parents invariably make a comment along the lines of “School has changed a lot since I was there!”