Good Morning All! Today our children are once again tapping their feet wearing expressions of concern about the weather. I know I've done this one already but I think it makes for a great segue and besides we all live in Adelaide - we've come to terms with uncooperative weather and it never gets old!

The weather today is something we cannot control. When it rains, it rains. When it is burning hot, it is burning hot. We have long been told to simply accept the things we cannot change.

Accepting things that cannot be changed has never sat well with me. Those that have known me for decades can attest to this. In part it is because it feels a bit like 'all or nothing' and that's not how life works. When it rains put up an umbrella. When it is hot put on a hat and sunscreen. Work with the weather and find a compromise.

You have seen in great detail over the last two months that I very strongly focus on compromise, on a middle ground. 

The middle ground is where the multiple sides to a dispute unite to become one.

Finding the middle ground is hard. It needs a growth mindset.

If you walk into the classroom for 4G it has the growth mindset proudly on the wall for the Year 4's to learn from daily.

Growth Mindset
- Is this my best work?
- Mistakes help me improve.
- I'm going to train my brain.
- This will take time and effort.
- I can always improve.
- I'm on the right track.

The Pulteney Grammar School Executive lived a growth mindset. Don't take my word for it they received a national accolade for it in the Innovative Schools Award - https://premium.theeducatoronline.com/au-te-5-star-innovative-schools-2023-pulteney-grammar-school/p/1

A growth mindset needs both a willingness to make mistakes and a willingness to learn from mistakes.

Mr Bacholer's mistake was the Middle School / Senior School merger. After three months of reviews it is the only thing that has been clearly articulated. I'm 100% confident he would have both fixed that mistake and learnt from it.

But instead he was asked to resign by the Board of Governors.

The Board of Governors made a mistake in asking for Mr Bacholer's resignation. For a time I was hopeful that they would hold to a growth mindset and learn from that mistake but the correspondence I have received from them very clearly shows that is not the case.

I have always laid claim to being accountable and transparent. I have always laid claim to leading by example. Therefore I am making all of my correspondence to the Board of Governors and their responses available here - https://theperkinsfamily.id.au/nextcloud/s/DZKoLQDWaScPyFz - but a direct link to their latest response is here - https://theperkinsfamily.id.au/nextcloud/s/83H2it58csk2cN7 - and I strongly encourage everyone to read this latest response.

I have my opinion on the correspondence, but I encourage you to form your own conclusions.

I have put my name forward for the position of President of the Parents and Friends Association and in doing so I am taking the approach of a growth mindset.

And I therefore put the question to the entire Pulteney Grammar Community - is this what you want? Do you want a growth mindset as President of the P&FA? To not be afraid of making mistakes and learning from them? To lead from the front and by example?

Or not.

There are no proxy votes in the P&FA Constitution so the only way to vote is to attend in person.

Monday 27th November 7:30pm. Parents and Friends Association AGM, 7:30pm Wyatt Hall, Pulteney Grammar School.

Please make your voice be heard. I hope to see you all there.

Thank you.