From the Principal’s Desk – 18 June 2021

Dear Parents

When I think about our school, I invariably feel a warm glow inside and a smile appears involuntarily. In my head, the soundtrack begins… “In my little red schoolhouse, with my book and slate.” Warm memories of Aunty Greta teaching the song to three eager ten-year-olds flood back. I hear happy sounds: children’s animated chatter, laughter, a bell ringing. It happens every time. Romantic? Definitely. Soppy? Perhaps. But the truth is that this is how I perceive our school. It is a happy place that fills me with joy. 

Is it the building? Well, no. Although I do love the quad and the fact that, for the most part, we can all see each other at a glance. Is it the site then? No, it’s not that either. You already know that I love the row of trees outside the school. The pretty new beds in the front are pleasing too, as is the protective mountain that enfolds the School in its embrace, but no, it is none of those things. 

What brings me such joy is our community. American author, Coretta Scott King, said: “The greatness of a community is most accurately measured by the compassionate actions of its members.” And that is the secret to the joy to be found at HIS.

There is warmth in this community; there is heart; there is compassion. From the youngest cherubs, who showed their appreciation to various staff members last week with a small gesture, to the Year 3 students who want to make a difference in the world by planning, presenting and putting into action a recycling system all on their own, to our veteran volunteer, Granny Beth, who helps out in the library, our community members have heart. From the teachers who tirelessly (and selflessly) give day after day, to our supportive parents who drop off and then pick up again, attend meetings, make contact, cover books, screen students in the mornings, provide care packages to unwell members of staff and more. Are we not abundantly blessed?!

In these difficult times, I believe that it is this very sense of community that will carry us through. “Alone, we can do so little; together, we can do so much,” said Helen Keller, while Margaret J. Wheatley, recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Leadership Association, is of the opinion that “there is no power for change greater than a community discovering what it cares about.” 

At Helderberg, we care for our community. As an international school, that care extends far beyond the borders of our school grounds and encompasses the greater community at large. When all hope seems lost, we lean on each other and, together, we move forward. As Margaret J. Wheatley put it: “Hopelessness has surprised me with patience.” And so we learn to be patient; we learn to support; and we learn to be carried. All valuable life-lessons. 

The third wave beckons. Let us take courage from one another, holding on tightly to that which we care about and that which gives us our strength. Together, we can patiently say, “This too shall pass.”

Take Care.
Cristina Sanchez Black
Principal