It is a well-known fact that human beings are hard wired for connection. Evolution has taught us that we are better, stronger, and safer together. And whilst we may no longer have to run from bears, we are still driven to be part of a community and to feel a sense of belonging, so much so that in the modern world, our wellbeing often depends on our connections with others.
Covid hit our communities and our sense of belonging hard. Enforced social and physical distancing, limited group sizes and an inability to come together to celebrate, share successes and just be in each other’s company meant our understanding of community had to shift almost overnight. Zoom, MS Teams and Google Meet became our new classrooms and meeting rooms. Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook became our new playgrounds. Our lives moved online and more than ever before, we judged our worth by the number of likes, followers or shares we accumulated.
But as we move further and further away from those intense Covid restrictions, how do we rebuild our connections and ensure our students, staff and parents feel a sense of belonging, that’s so vital to our community’s wellbeing?
The answer is simple. We focus on commonality. What is it that we all have in common? What is it that brings us together? Despite our differences and uniqueness, what do we share?
Created in collaboration with students, parents and staff, our shared identity is clear in the school’s new mission statement - We are a community with inclusion at its heart, with a shared sense of purpose: we are preparing students to flourish in our dynamic world, to be active participants in a globally connected community, now and throughout life. We aspire to excellence. We embrace diversity. We act with integrity. We foster resilience. We cultivate creativity and we promote kindness.
As a new member of staff here at DCIS, I could feel these values as soon as I walked through the doors, and our new Headteacher, Rachel Edwards, articulated this perfectly in one of our first staff meetings when she commented; “There’s magic happening in this school!”.
We are really looking forward to the return to the many activities which so strongly cultivate that sense of belonging. The in-person assemblies, the enrichment trips, and our parent events. The House activities, the interschool sports fixtures and the school production. Each of these helps to rebuild our community, to strengthen our bonds and to maintain our community’s wellbeing.
So the next time you happen to find yourself in the Red Dot Restaurant, take a moment to strike up a conversation with someone new, discover your commonalities whilst embracing your uniqueness too, and remember that you are part of the magic!
Jacqueline Glazerman
Deputy Head of Secondary - Community and Guidance
