It was a delight to see our new and existing students return to school this week. I enjoyed mixing with new and eager Year 7 students and their parents in front of the clock tower at the beginning of their first day of Senior School. I dropped in to see how our youngest students in Pre K and Kindergarten were settling into their new environment. Initially, I tried not to make myself too visible because starting school at the beginning of the year when you are so young can be daunting, particularly if there is a tall, strange man (whom they will later find out is the Principal!) standing near them. However, it turned out that I did not need to be too concerned about my presence because so many students seemed quite at ease in their new environment.
Starting school in other year groups e.g. Year 4, Year 9 or Year 11 can be uniquely challenging because only a small number join us in these year groups, which can feel lonely for a new student. I trust that students who started in one of these non-major intake years finished their first week at RHAC feeling like they belong and went home with a smile on their face.
