"It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent; it is the one most adaptable to change." Charles Darwin

If there's one thing we're good at in Christchurch, it's coping with the unexpected. There's been a great deal of talk about developing resilience in children over the last 10 years and I think it's time for a change.

Resilience is a wonderful skill to have, but I think it's time to focus on adaptability. Certainly the events of the last five months, culminating in increased Alert Levels this week, are a reminder that life changes constantly and that we need to adapt to thrive. It seems that COVID, and its restrictions, may be here for a while yet.

In responding to this, Westburn's children constantly impress me with their positive attitudes, willingness to adapt and ability to make the best of the situation they find themselves in. They can only do this because of the values and competencies they've been taught at home, which we aim to reinforce at school. Thank you for being a community that cares, prepares and adapts.

Susan Jennison