One of the first bicycles I owned was made in the 1960s. While I was told it was the bike of choice and the height of fashion of its time, by the time it made it to me the effects of 34 summers had taken its toll. Its faded paint, rust speckled chrome decals and the homely squeak of the spring-reinforced seat only served to make the newer mountain bikes and BMXs in the school bike rack seem a little shinier. So, when ‘old-faithful’s' handlebars were retrofitted with a hand-me-down deep fryer basket from the local fish‘n‘chip shop, it really stood out. I can tell you the image of the blackened steel meshed bucket did nothing for the aged 60s fashion icon or me. You may well ask, "Why?" The answer is I needed a bike to complete my paper round. Between my sister and I we delivered 480 newspapers twice a week. My grandfather, being a practical-minded man, lashed this basket and others to our bikes to have all the rolled papers stacked ready to deliver. It wasn’t glorious, but it was practical. Rain, hail and shine we would rattle through the neighbourhood delivering those papers - that was my first paid job.
If you were to ask my then paper-delivering-early-teen-self, “what will you do when you grow up?” I might have said I wanted to be a Chef, maybe a Builder, or possibly a Pastor. The funny thing is, in the end, I chose a different path. I am sure this is not unexpected for a teenager to change their mind a few times. The statisticians tell us that the average length of time young people will stay in a job today is 2.5 years, and this figure is trending to be lower with each generation. With the retirement age extending out to accommodate the needs of society, we may expect our students will likely have several jobs before they find their niche career.
Yes, we look forward to a future that will likely be more dynamic and complex than we have seen before. And yet a future full of hope and confidence, for we believe that God’s words are true, and we know He is not slow in keeping promises. The Psalmist wrote of God, “You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book…” Psalm 139:15-16. In this way, the path we are each on is known by God. God himself says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11. God promises, in Him, we each have a path, and we are part of His plan.
As teachers and staff we are wanting to ensure we are opening the doors of learning wide for our students to support them as they grow in learning and God-given purpose. We are committed to seeing our students thrive as they discover more about the path they are choosing. We believe that a Christian-based learning experience is a solid basis for students to develop character, citizenship and skills like creativity, critical thinking and collaboration - these are key competencies that will keep students in good stead for meeting their future. We are excited to see our young people confidently step into Year 13, which is that space beyond Year 12 where they determine their next step with optimism, hope and a faith-filled determination.
Mr Gary Marsters
Assistant Head of Secondary
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