months of the lockdown periods . There were so many aspects of our lives that we were not able to enjoy because of the measures imposed on us .
For me , the most significant of these was our opportunity to be with each other ; to be with our wider families , our friends , our work colleagues , our sporting teams and clubs , our interest groups , our neighbours . I believe that this was the hardest of all the deprivations we had to deal with .
The inability to spend time with others apart from our immediate families showed us just how much our social world means to us . We all missed taking holidays to interesting places , eating out , and going to sports events , movies and the theatre , but what was truly hard was not being able to be with the people we hold dear .
As I spent my days throughout the second lockdown , where there seemed to be an abundance of time to think and contemplate , I realised that our Junior School , like most schools , provides so many ways for us all to be connected . It is not just the boys who missed their classmates during remote learning . Our teachers missed being part of a team and the collegiality of the staffroom , and our parent body missed their connections with each other and with us . How much did we miss that chat along Callantina Road waiting for the boys to swarm out of the gates during the afternoon ? How sad were we not to experience the wonderful sense of community that events like Family Day bring us each year ?
You see , schools aren ’ t just places of learning ; they are a microcosm of the social world we all live in . A strong school community is a huge network
of connections and relationships , and the more connections there are , the stronger the community . I love to hear stories of parents helping each other to manage the busyness of the week by carpooling , sharing sports drop-offs , or volunteering to look after someone else ’ s boys after school for an hour or so to assist another family manage their activities .
Equally , when members of our community find themselves struggling through really challenging times , the network of support automatically kicks in and people from our community are there to do whatever is required to help a family in need or in grief .
I have seen this time and again in my 10 years at Scotch , and every time it warms my heart to see how generous in support our community can be . As human beings we have an innate need to feel connected , to feel part of something bigger than ourselves , and to be part of a network that values each of its many parts and seeks to ensure that everyone is looked after .
COVID-19 brought us many opportunities to reflect on what is truly important in our lives ; our health and wellbeing and , as we have now learned , our relationships with others . I know that the one thing the boys were looking forward to towards the end of last year , when they were allowed to return to school , above everything else was being together with their mates . It was very rewarding and uplifting to see them so joyous on that first day back , just to be with their mates once again .
The need to feel connected is part of the basic human condition and long may it remain so .
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