As shared last week, we, as a staff, have core values (statements of foundational beliefs and guiding principles) which we endeavour to both live by and live into as we serve at GCCS.
Over the coming weeks I will share and unpack each of our eight statements beginning with this one: “Making Christ the centre of everything we do.”
Before every school year, the members of the staff engage in a prayer walk throughout the school building. During that time, we pray for the activities which will take place in each room as well as for the people who will be utilizing that space. This tradition is a tangible way that we can enact this core value. Other practices we have which help us make Christ the centre, includes staff devotions which usually involves a time of intercessory prayer, and also our weekly chapels.
Another way we’ve sought to do this in our teaching and work with students has been through implementing the Teaching for Transformation framework, especially the Throughlines.
Our work with restorative practices is also centred on Christ’s directives for how we should love each other, live with each other, and seek to restore broken relationships when we hurt each other.
Service learning and service projects give both the staff members and students the opportunity to both follow Christ’s example and his directions to serve others – especially the “least of these.”
When I think of this core value, I often have this worship song in my mind which beautifully begins with:
Jesus, be the centre
Be my source, be my light
Jesus
Justin DeMoor
M.Ed, B.Ed, B.A., OCT, CSPC, CSTC
Principal