A Significant Week

This week we witnessed powerful images and audio from the tragic bombing in Lebanon. It was horrific, frightening and deeply saddening. The scenes of confusion, destruction, enormous dust clouds and injured and bleeding victims brought back vivid memories of New York nearly twenty years ago. But for many whose recall stretches further back into history, the images from Lebanon-the mushroom cloud and subsequent sonic boom, coincided with the 75th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima.

Albert Einstein, a devoutly religious man, whose scientific work was instrumental in the development of nuclear technology, ‘was horrified by the way in which science could lead to such destruction’.

Einstein, when reflecting on his own spirituality, was inspired by a deep sense of wonder. He said, “The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious…For those to whom the emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, are as good as dead: their eyes are closed…To know that what is impenetrable to us really exists, manifesting itself as the highest wisdom and the most radiant beauty,…this knowledge, this feeling, is the centre of all religiousness.

It is no wonder that he was horrified on 6 August, 1945. Just as we were all horrified in 2001, and should be horrified again by the yesterday’s events. Personally, it served to shock me out of a complacent state-of-mind where COVID had been all-encompassing and everyone was united in circumstance, plight and struggle.

The Beirut crisis has touched many of our CRCCS families directly, particularly those in the Iraqi community, many of whom spent years in Lebanon struggling as refugees before arriving in Australia. Sadly, some have relatives still there, waiting for the opportunity to also reach a safe-haven.

Parent support

The link below contains advice and support for parents regarding how best to help your young people during remote learning. Please access it and keep open lines of communication while discussing the material.

However, if I were to offer one piece of parenting advice, avoid adding pressure to complete work set would be my main message. Work alongside your child, not against them. Talk to them about what they think they can achieve throughout that day or week. This period of remote learning has a long way to go, and houses are only going to get smaller during lockdown, so stay positive with them and celebrate the small wins.

Please contact homeroom teachers, subject teachers and Year Level Leaders if you need support.

Supporting Student Wellbeing in Remote Learning - A Guide for Parents