At the end of 2022, the OLMC community bid farewell to a number of wonderful staff members, many of whom had contributed to our school for several years, even decades. As our principal, Judith Weir, has noted earlier in this newsletter, we are fortunate to be welcoming a number of new staff members to the school in 2023, both classroom teachers and in a range of other roles.
The departure of staff and the arrival of new colleagues prompted me to reflect on the legacy left by all members of school community when they depart. The desire to learn that is apparent in so many OLMC students can be partly attributed to the work of our colleagues who have moved on and staff new to our school will benefit from the work of their predecessors. In a profession that relies enormously on collaboration, this ‘passing of the baton’ is one form of partnership, one aspect of legacy, that is really worth celebrating.
Similarly, the students who finished at OLMC in 2022, whether Year 12s or in other year levels, have also left a legacy. Students and families may not be aware of it, but the staff in schools fondly remember many students and their families after they have left. Students leave a legacy of academic success, or an example of remarkable application and resilience, or simply and often most profoundly, a legacy of having enhanced the lives of those they met at school.
The concept of legacy is worth considering in all institutions, but particularly in a school with a history and traditions as rich as ours. As we move through 2023, it might be worth reflecting on the legacy we as individuals might hope to leave at this school when we move on.