Letter to students from the Board Member of VAS to students on the new school year

Dear students,

Welcome back to VAS for another exciting school year! I hope you had a fantastic summer break and are now eagerly prepared for the remarkable journey that awaits you.

This school year, we have an extraordinary reason to celebrate as VAS will reach its 20th anniversary. This remarkable milestone stands as a testament to two decades of unwavering commitment of the VAS community to growth and progress. Let's embark on this new school year with a sense of excitement and pride in our school's rich history.

The theme I wish to introduce for this school year is "Well-becoming: Nurturing Resilience and Happiness." Building upon the wellbeing concept we embraced last school year; this theme emphasizes your holistic development as the foundation for you to experience various aspects of life and overcome challenges. Each one of you is a unique and independent individual, endowed with distinctive abilities. I encourage you to actively listen to yourselves and explore the vast potential that resides within.

Most of you here may already be familiar with the phrase "Be the best you can be," which permeates various activities throughout our school. Today, I would like you to delve deeper and genuinely contemplate the message behind these words. This succinct yet potent statement motivates you to strive for your personal best while respecting your unique abilities, allowing for personal growth and self-discovery. Considering this, I pose two questions for you to reflect upon: "How much can you achieve?" and "How can you unlock your fullest potential?"

Your self-discovery journey may be long and at times challenging. However, by nurturing your resilience and fostering happiness, I believe you will harness the power to triumph over obstacles, embrace personal growth, and flourish in various facets of your lives.

And remember, resilience and happiness are not just goals to achieve; they are processes to enjoy along the way. I wish you a most fulfilling and joyful journey.

Sincerely,

Marcel van Miert

Board Member of VAS