I have been at Orana just a few weeks now and I’m loving it! I’ve been overwhelmed and humbled by the many expressions of goodwill and support during my short time here. As I said in my first letter to parents, it is already very clear to me that we have wonderful leaders, teachers and support staff, supportive and engaged parents, terrific students and an amazing and inspiring Steiner curriculum; all the ingredients which set Orana up for a bright and successful future!
Whilst news of a small number of COVID-19 cases at the School put a slight dampener on our start to the new school year, all things considered, it has been a wonderful start to the new year, and I’m very pleased to report that there is a happy, calm atmosphere around the campuses of Orana. Our students have settled well into the routines of school life after the vacation break and our teachers are doing a great job (I am in awe of their energy and enthusiasm.)
I can’t let this opportunity pass without thanking our brilliant leadership and support teams at Orana. The added burden of COVID-Safe reporting (it’s extensive and time-consuming) and bundling and distributing around 1,300 Rapid Antigen Tests in Week 1 (to be repeated for Week 2, 3 and 4) placed an enormous burden on them and saw many working late into the night to ensure that our School community is kept safe and our School runs smoothly each day. On behalf of the whole School community – thank you!
One of my great joys over the past two weeks has been to talk with families as they complete the drop-off and pick-up routines each morning and afternoon. It is wonderful to hear your passion for our School and to hear about your hopes and dreams for the future of Orana Steiner School. The metaphor of our School as a family has been mentioned time and time again, and I thought it a very appropriate subject to “unpack” in this, my first school newsletter.
The image of the “School as a family” is a wonderful description of Orana Steiner School. However, even the most loving and caring families have disagreements and silly quarrels. And the same is true of our School community. Where there are close relationships and deep investment in the School and its purposes, even with the very best of intentions, such close relationships whilst mostly very positive can lead to familiarity, misunderstandings and conflicts. Some disagreements can lead to better understanding and positive outcomes; however, my experience is that this is not usually the case. Like a “loving family” we will spend many years working together for the good of the children, therefore it’s worth taking the time and energy to work hard at building trust and understanding with each other.
If Orana Steiner School is like a family, we would all want it to be like a “loving” family. Loving families create a safety zone where emotions can be expressed without family members getting hurt. A loving family is not threatened by disagreements; they know that families can argue, learn something new and still get along. They’re aware of each family member’s strengths; they value different points of view and consequently they won’t let issues (especially conflict) get out of control.
If we are to be like a “loving” family at Orana we need our community members (staff, parent and students) to take care of each other even when they disagree, and to be responsible for their behaviour towards others. In order for us to build a school we can all be proud of, a school where our children are happy and achieving their full potential, I am convinced that one of the biggest hurdles we need to overcome is how we raise issues and resolve conflict with trust, respect and care.
One of the trends which has deeply concerned me is how, over the past 10-15 years, we have steadily developed an “outrage culture”. Rather than speaking to someone after carefully reflecting, opinions are immediately expressed (often/usually via social media), and community relationships become fertile soil for misunderstanding and gossip. Opinions quickly become facts, those “facts” are shared via social media, and before you know it a misunderstanding or disagreement has become World War III! And, sadly, people get very hurt.
The trouble with using Facebook (or any other social media platform) is that whilst I might feel better for having expressed my opinion and will often get the comments and support of other outraged people, it doesn’t lead to the issue being resolved. As a school community we are better than this. If there is an issue of concern, please speak with the person at Orana who can help you. Dealing with issues in this way is an expression of respect, care and understanding for our staff (“love” if you will) – it will not only work towards resolving your concerns, but it will also help the School’s staff gain a better understanding of the issues, and lead to better working relationships between us – which ultimately benefits everyone.
The quality of our life together rests on us always seeking to work together. I cannot put it any better than Rudolph Steiner himself, who said,
‘Love is higher than opinion. If people love one another the most varied opinions can be reconciled – thus one of the most important tasks for humankind today and in the future is that we should learn to live together and understand one another. If this human fellowship is not achieved, all talk of development is empty.’
Throughout your association with Orana there will be times of frustration and disagreement – there always will be in any relationship that is important to us. If we take the approaches suggested in this article we can, with goodwill and mutual support, work together to overcome almost any problem.
If you haven’t already, please come and make yourself known to me. If there is anything I can do to assist you and your family, please don’t hesitate to speak with me.
With every good wish for a wonderful Term 1 at Orana.
Geoffrey Fouracre – Principal
