The habit of being happy
Tomorrow is Thursday, 18 November and we will be celebrating the Valedictory for our graduating class of 2021. Our graduands are wonderful people who are ready to take the next step of their lives, the first step into something we might call “adult-ing”. No doubt we all remember the conflicting emotions that come with finishing our school days. I imagine our graduating class is currently experiencing feelings of being happy, sad, scared, relieved, excited, and I know it is an especially emotional time for parents.
Our students need not be anxious, they should have a sense of quiet confidence, as their time at school has prepared them well for what the next chapter has to offer. I recently read this tweet from Sir Richard Branson: “Happiness shouldn’t be a goal, it should be a habit”, and I also love this quote from John Lennon:
“When I was five years old, my mother always told me that happiness was the key to life. When I went to school, they asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up. I wrote down ‘happy’. They told me I didn’t understand the assignment, and I told them they didn’t understand life.”
I was reminded of this quote while viewing young Logan LaPlante give a most inspiring TEDx talk. Like five-year-old John, thirteen-year-old Logan appreciates the significance of wanting health and happiness in early life. This can be something that too many people discover too late.
In his TEDx talk Logan explains that kids are often asked: “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Adults expect aspirational goals, shaped as “I want to be a writer; I want to be a doctor; I want to be the Prime Minister when I grow up” – but, Logan points out what they should expect is the simple yet profound answer: “When I grow up, I want to be happy.”
Psalm 126:2 says, “Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.” God tells us to be happy more times in Scripture than any other command. To our graduands on the eve of your Valedictory, my hope for each of you is that you will enjoy the habit of being happy.
Staff appreciation, farewells and welcomes
After eleven years of service, Mr Christian Wehrung has advised of his decision to accept a position closer to his home at Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School. We thank him for his dedication to teaching German and SOSE over the years and wish Mr Wehrung well as he commences his new role in 2022.
At the end of 2021, we will also farewell Mrs Catherine Krzensk, Head of Year 7 and Teacher of Health and Physical Education. We thank Mrs Krzensk for her dedication and commitment over the past eleven years and know that her teaching and guidance has inspired many students over this time. We acknowledge with appreciation all that Mrs Krzensk has given through her various roles at Somerville House and her contribution to the Head of Year position, her teaching role and our Co-Curricular Programs and wish her all the best in her new role as Director of Sport at Canterbury College.
Mr Liam Scott has resigned from his Head of Technology Services position and we are pleased to announce Mr Peter Yeates who has been appointed to the role of Director of Technology Services, commencing full-time at Somerville House on 29 November, 2021. Peter is currently the ICT Systems Manager at Padua College in Kedron, having previously held the position of Information Services Manager and eLearning Co-ordinator at Ipswich Grammar School. Additionally, Peter’s experience as ICT Services Manager at St Joseph’s College in Toowoomba and ICT Systems Officer at Benowa State High School, means he brings a wealth of experience to this position. We welcome Peter to Somerville House.
Ms Katy Ward, Head of Department for Art, will be concluding her service at Somerville House at the end of year, as Katy has secured a position as Head of Visual Art at St Paul’s School at Bald Hills. We thank Katy for her dedication and commitment and know that her teaching and guidance has inspired many girls and colleagues over this time. I am sure the School Community will join with me and thank Katy for her contribution to the Head of Department position and Co-Curricular Programs over the past four years and wish her every good wish at her new school.
Accordingly, I am pleased to advise that Ms Kylie Dell has been appointed as the Head of Art at Somerville House, commencing in this position in January 2022. Currently, Ms Dell is the Principal Education Officer (Assessment Highlights) with the Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority (QCAA) where she has been managing the redevelopment of this program to showcase outstanding student assessment outcomes across Queensland and to also support and strengthen quality education, providing teachers and students with significant resources, insights and examples of exemplary assessment responses and practices. During her employment with the QCAA, Ms Dell has implemented processes to support endorsement, confirmation, external examination marking operations, standard-setting processes, and the review of Applied Study Plans across the Arts learning area.
Ms Dell has also held both Teaching and Head of Department positions with Lourdes Hill College between 2006 to 2018 in addition to teaching positions at Mt St Michael’s College, John Paul College, John Oxley College, and Charters Towers State High School between 1997 and 2006. Ms Dell is currently the secretary of the Queensland Art Teachers Association (QATA) and a Lead Endorser, Lead Confirmer and Lead Marker with the QCAA.
Mrs Kim Kiepe
Principal