It’s an incredibly busy time of term. Students across the school are working hard, contemplating the tasks ahead of them for the remainder of the term. For many of our older students, it’s the thought of encroaching assessment that occupies their thoughts. For our younger students, it’s upcoming performances, a debating final, or the culmination of a season of sport, perhaps with a premiership or two within reach, that tease the mind with anticipation. For staff, there’s a definite sense of time pressure, and all the things yet to be achieved before the end of term. For parents, perhaps a sense of "hanging in there" until the holidays, and keeping the family running smoothly until then.
All of this is something that is far from unique to CGGS. Across the country, those of us currently engaged in the schooling system are all feeling something quite similar — even if the context does differ. This leads me to contemplate what makes our context unique. Having attended the Sydney North Shore Schools Expo over the weekend and writing this from Gunnedah at the first AgQuip to be held since 2019, what makes us uniquely "us" is something I’ve found myself talking about quite a lot over the past week.
There’s so much I love about CGGS, but what I’m drawn to most at the moment is our diversity, and what an incredible opportunity this presents to each of us. Always balanced with respect, we have such opportunity to learn from others who represent a position or perspective that differs from our own. How lucky to be able to view the world through the eyes of another, and how blessed are we to have that opportunity presented to us in the make-up of our everyday interactions. Forty-five different languages are spoken in our homes, with almost as many religious and spiritual perspectives practised by our community.
This truly does set us apart. It strengthens us, nurtures us, and supports us with the opportunity to challenge our pre-conceived notions and unconscious biases, to be increasingly aware on our road as we become more fully formed versions of ourselves. How lucky we are! As I reflect, I can’t help but be incredibly grateful for our identity, and the part each of us play in creating and nurturing it as we layer our experiences into the tapestry that is the CGGS identity.
Ms Ellena Papas
Executive Director (Operations)