Ms Colnan encouraged the younger students to “try hard each day, really listen in class, be brave, be kind, be the very best learner and friend that you can be.”
“I believe that School should be a happy place where all your dreams come true,” Ms Colnan told students.
“This year you will have so many opportunities, so get involved, explore, and pursue new adventures.”
She shared the theme for this year, Beautiful Work.
“Each one of you has a special role to play in that. It’s work that comes from trying hard and doing your best, it’s your work and work that you are proud of, and when you try hard in class and really listen to your teacher about what you have done well and how you can improve, then wonderful things start to happen.”
Ms Colnan shared a clip of Austin’s Butterfly, which tells the story of a teacher who asks a student to draw a butterfly using the eyes of a scientist.
She shared with students the key lessons to take away from the video: Try your hardest, do your best, use the eyes of scientists, listen to others, believe in yourself, know that you can improve, be kind.
Grace and Orlando shared their personal experiences from Primary School and reminded students to always be kind.
Grace shared a piece of advice, to have fun and learn lots.
“Enjoy as much as you can, enjoy all the amazing thing you are learning, all the incredible projects you are going to work on, and please say hi to Orlando and I in the corridor, we will always be there to say hello to you and we hope you have a great year,” Grace said.
The Stage 1 Assembly ended with students clapping and bopping in their seats to an Islander clapping dance, led by Acting Director of Music Nik Glass.
Ms Colnan showed the Year 11 students an inspiring video about students in a small town who marched to show solidarity against a racial hate crime.
She reminded the Year 11 students of the direct relationship between academic effort and academic achievement.
And she asked them to connect with each other, to care for each other, to aim for IGS being a safe place for every student every day, and to be kind.