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On 23 January 2018, my family and I decided that we were going to put our house on the market and move to another neighbourhood. This decision started a chain reaction of lots of smaller decisions; we need to paint the house, we need to change the floors, what about the kitchen and bathroom?!?

Transitions from the known to the unknown can spark anxiety in anyone, of any age. There are plenty of books, blogs and podcasts offering strategies and tips for a smooth transition and we will do everything we can to prepare ourselves for that first day in a new home, new workplace, new school.

In the Early Learning Centre (ELC) we see lots of 'first days' throughout the year as new families join our College for the very first time. Children move cautiously throughout the room and playground trying to figure out where to go, what to do and "where did I leave my hat?"

This time of year can bring about conversations of transition - starting at a new school, starting at Kindergarten, moving from Primary to Secondary and from Secondary to Tertiary. This is why we offer opportunities for orientation for children and families transitioning to the next stage so that questions can be asked and you can feel as prepared as possible.

There are plenty of examples in the Bible in which people were experiencing transition - the Israelites coming out of Egypt, the Disciples spreading the Gospel after the resurrection of Christ and Abraham and Sarah becoming parents at 100 years of age! I'm sure each of these people had their own anxieties and trepidation as the new thing God had in store for them was waiting. There was no road map for the Israelites, no Church manual for the Disciples and no parenting books for the first time senior parent. We all navigate these transitions as best we can and equip children with the skills and knowledge they will need for this next stage.

On 17 December 2019, our HSC students will find out their results and what this will mean for them in 2020.  On 29 January 2020, we will welcome students into Secondary for the first time. On 3 February 2020 our ELC students will have their first day in Kindergarten. As parents and educators it's our job to prepare them for this, to add some tools to the 'toolbelt' and move with them into this new adventure.

"No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." Phil 3:13-14

Suzi Scott
Director of Early Learning Centre