As the school year draws to a close and we reflect on the year and the people who made it special. In December, our school community has been quietly blooming with kindness thanks to the beautiful Compliment-Trees now standing at all three campuses.

Staff have been invited to write a heartfelt note of appreciation on a hand-painted paper bauble and hang it on the tree. A small gesture that’s already filling each space with colour and warmth. From little acknowledgements of everyday moments to big celebrations of the people who keep our school humming, the branches have grown full with gratitude.

These trees are a gentle reminder of how powerful it is to pause, notice one another, and speak kindness out loud. In the rush of end-of-year rhythms, it’s been incredibly grounding to watch our staff uplift each other, one bauble at a time. Here’s to a forest of compliments and to the caring hearts behind every single one.

A heartfelt thank you to Anthony Fiore, whose artistry, craftsmanship and vision shaped the Middle Cove tree. He hand-forged, painted, and brought it to life with such skill and imagination. And to Donna Miller and Alisan Smotlak, who created the delicate watercoloured bauble Gratitude tags, each one is a tiny work of art. Thank you Melony Browell for creating the tree at Castlecrag and Reny Chandy and Peggy Day for bringing this initiative to life at the Preschool for parents to get involved too.