Moves Mountains Breakfast

Principal's Message

May 1, 2014

When considering how to close this morning's event, I thought it would be appropriate to answer the question, "How do you move a mountain?"  Knowing this mountain is not made of rock - but of individual challenges in learning.

The simple answer is, it takes a community.... and in this case that community includes parents, board members, staff and students.

Then I thought - if it were that simple, everybody would be moving mountains everywhere, all the time, and we all know that is just not the case.

So, I suppose the real question is - "What is so special about our community that allows kids to move those mountains?"

To answer this question, I had no choice but to consult the history books and see what other shave told us about Moving Mountains.

I quickly found that this idea is so powerful that it was first recorded in the best selling book of all time, The Bible.  In Corinthians, Chapter 12, Verse 2 it is stated: "If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can Move Mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."  Students, I think we've found our first secret ingredient, Love.  Let's take a moment and thank the parents for the unconditional love they have always displayed.

Shortly after discovering the Bible quote, I came across a quote from another prophet, Celine Dion.  She proclaims, "With a little faith, just a little trust, if you believe in love you can Move Mountains."  We can thank Mrs. Dion for our next two ingredients: Faith and Trust.  All the success celebrated here today would not be possible without a trusting board and a group of teachers and support staff that show endless faith in each student's potential.

To get our last secret ingredient, I decided it might be best to consult a doctor... Dr. Seuss.  In his seminal work, "Oh the Places You'll Go," the good doctor says:  "So be sure when you step, step with care and remember that life's a great balancing act.  And will you succeed?  Yes!  You will, indeed!  (98 and 3/4% guaranteed) kid, you'll move mountains."  

Ah ha!  From the doctor we get our final secret ingredient, balance.  The students who sit here with us today have found balance in their academic and extra-curricular lives.  They have persevered, performed, competed, and led - all the while finding a life balance that has helped them move their own mountains - for that, students, congratulations.

So to answer the question, "What is so special about our community that allows our students to move those mountains?"  We can say that it is a community that exudes love, faith, trust and balance.  

To close, I believe the staff, students, board members, and parents here at Rundle Academy - more than any aforementioned authors- truly understand what it takes to move a mountain!

I believe that we - through academics, the arts, athletics, leadership, post secondary and life beyond have the potential to take the 'dis' out of learning disability and to show the world what it takes to Move a Mountain. 

Thank you to the parents, teachers, organizing committee and most of all the students - who continue to motivate and inspire us with their day to day actions.

Sincerely,

Jason B. Rogers