Every September fills me with excitement as I, and the whole of the school community, begin a new school year with the opportunity to reset ourselves and what our priorities might be. It is also like opening a brand new exercise or notebook; the pages are empty, nothing has been written yet, and each of us is the author who decides what goes in it. When we look back on last year, there will be things to feel proud of such as our achievements or our good choices. There will also be things we wish had gone differently. Perhaps we didn’t always work as hard as we could, or we were sometimes unkind to others. The important thing is that September gives us all a chance to begin again.
Starting again, however, takes courage. It means rising after setbacks, moving forward after mistakes, and choosing to face new challenges. The poet Maya Angelou captured this spirit beautifully when she wrote:
“Just like moons and like suns,
With the certainty of tides,
Just like hopes springing high,
Still I’ll rise.”
Once we have begun again, the question then becomes what kind of story will we write this year? Every choice we make, however small, sends ripples outwards. A kind word in the corridor, a moment of encouragement, or real effort in a lesson may seem small at the time, but it can make a real difference to someone else. The same is true in the opposite direction. A careless remark or a thoughtless action can leave ripples too, ones that we might not see but that still affect others.
James W. Foley’s poem Drop a Pebble in the Water reminds us that a simple action can set off waves that spread far further than we imagine. That is true in the way we treat each other, and it is true in our learning. A single question in class, or the decision to keep trying even when something is difficult, can set off ripples of curiosity and understanding that last long after the lesson has ended.
This is what our school motto, Sapere Aude, or Dare to Know, is all about. Real learning takes bravery. It means stretching ourselves, sometimes making mistakes, and daring to ask questions. These are not small things. They are acts of courage that help us to grow.
So as we step into this new year together, let us remember that each of us has a blank book in which to write, and each of us sends out ripples with the choices we make. If we choose kindness, if we choose curiosity, if we choose to dare to know, then together we will make Rookwood an even kinder, happier, and more successful community.
I wish every member of the Rookwood community an enjoyable and fulfilling weekend.
Best wishes,
Paul Robinson
