Before I start, and as we enter another new phase, I want to make it very clear that I could not have done any of this without the people around me; the PSLT who have been my rocks, the amazing admin and LA team who have supported my occasionally manic obsession with getting the school tidy and you, the staff. All of you.
As is often the case, I began writing this on Tuesday evening. It has become somewhat of a habit that a chance conversation, article or blog post or even a humorous meme shared with me will spark a train of thought and so I begin to write, bit at a time as I find the odd moment. Sometimes my thoughts are more linear, other times they are more random, most probably mirroring my state of mind. I have never been a writer and never kept a diary, however I have begun to find these Friday messages valuable, so thank you for allowing me to connect with you in this way.
This week I have found myself thrown back into the past once again, this time to a quote from one of my all-time favourite shows which just resonated with me as being particularly apt.
A doctor passes by and the guy shouts up, "Hey you! Can you help me out?" The doctor writes a prescription, throws it down in the hole, and moves on. Then a priest comes along and the guy shouts up, "Father, I'm down in this hole; can you help me out?" The priest writes out a prayer, throws it down in the hole and moves on. Then a friend walks by. "Hey, Joe, it's me. Can ya help me out?" And the friend jumps in the hole. Our guy says, "Are ya stupid? Now we're both down here." The friend says, "Yeah, but I've been down here before and I know the way out."
The difference being that none of us have been here before, however we still have each other’s backs, we are there for each other.
I also have a specific thank you. On Tuesday, a group of us went up to Baker and Spice to take part in a virtual open day recording to promote our primary school. It was one of those times when, unaccustomed to being on camera, we were all slightly nervous and apprehensive. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from Simon’s ‘Oprah-style’ description, however sitting with Jenny from Admisisons, Jules Chu and Rachel Wynne and talking about our school, what we do and why we do it actually felt surprisingly natural. It gave an opportunity to reflect on just how great we are with supporting our students of all ages to be happy and successful. It also gave an opportunity to reflect on how well we are all doing under these difficult circumstances whether we are near or far. Ryan came along to deliver a mini lesson to a wonderful little group of BISS students (thanks to the Hitchings family, the Fosters, the Robsons and the Rydzewskis). It was an interestingly bittersweet moment as the children arrived in their BISS uniforms looking so happy to see each other and re-connect. Not being able to welcome all of our wonderful students back to school yet is something which we will all find hard. What was clear, however, was that the pride in the school was palpable and we are all part of it!
In our meetings, we talked about all of us experiencing a rollercoaster of emotions and this week has been no different. I have some news to share and that is that Clare is leaving us today and I am sure that I speak on behalf of everyone when I say thank you to her for everything, including bringing such cheer.
Not wishing to make light of any serious issues, and if you’re looking for a little light-hearted relief, here’s a little clip from Rowan Atkinson.
Happy Friday everyone!
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