Opening Message from our Assistant Principal
PALM SUNDAY
Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent, the beginning of Holy Week, and commemorates the triumphant arrival of Christ in Jerusalem, days before he was crucified. Palm Sunday is known as such because the faithful will often receive palm fronds which they use to participate in the reenactment of Christ's arrival in Jerusalem. In the Gospels, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a young donkey, and to the lavish praise of the townspeople who threw clothes, or possibly palms or small branches, in front of him as a sign of homage. This was a customary practice for people of great respect.
Palm branches are widely recognized symbol of peace and victory, hence their preferred use on Palm Sunday.
Dear friends,
You may have noticed that the school has launched a brand new website. The new site has been totally redesigned and rebuilt and was launched only this week. If you haven’t seen it yet click here and take a look for yourself. I am sure you will agree that the new site is fresh and engaging and seeks to capture the essence and atmosphere of our unique school.
Philippa and I are heading to Singapore tomorrow to attend our first regional International Baccalaureate Conference. It is such a privilege, to share experiences with educators from around the world and to gain a deeper insight into the provision of a rich and deep education, for our school community. Our attendance at this conference enables us to be part of the global community, forge international networks and hopefully bring innovative ideas back to our school community.
The strongest feature of the PYP as seen by me to date, is the foundational understanding of the student as a competent partner in the education process. Viewing students as agents of their own learning, the PYP encourages not only our students to take initiatives in actions and decisions that affect their lives, but also to know that making mistakes is a healthy part of their learning journeys. The learner profile enables students to be more cognizant of their personal capacities in relation to the profile attributes. At Holy Trinity we endeavour to live out the attributes of the Learner Profile in the classroom, on the playground, in the wider community and, importantly, even when no one is watching! For all of us this requires practice, and for our students it requires conscious, well-planned learning experiences that allow for the Learner Profile attributes to be identified and developed.
Today we have seen all our learners push themselves to be 'risk-takers', by participating in the swimming carnival with courage and commitment. Similarly, our Year 5 and 6 students have been encouraged to be 'communicators; through presentation of their inspiring leader as a part of their Who We Are inquiry unit. Year 3 and 4 students have acted as 'knowledgeable' individuals, exploring and understanding that Earth is part of an immense system called the universe, within their How the World Works unit. In our ELC our students have been 'inquirers', as they explored their families of origins. Kindergarten have also been 'inquirers', as they begin to explore the big concepts of interdependence and sustainability. Year 1 have been 'knowledgeable' and 'reflective' when packing their lunches, ensuring that they are eating a balanced diet and making thoughtful lifestyle choices. Year 2 have been 'reflective' as they explored their personal strengths and abilities. Not the be forgotten, the constant attribute of 'caring' that both our teachers and parents show daily to each other and the students in our school community.
Together, the philosophical foundation and the learner profile are instrumental in our student’s development into passionate, inquisitive and well-balanced individuals. What attributes have you seen your child displaying lately? Consider using the vocabulary of the learner profile attributes to reinforce behaviours at home. You can also these words as you discuss characters in the stories you read together at night.
Finally, a large part of PYP’s strength is attributable to the valuable feedback and active sharing of insights, learning and practices from within our school community. During week 10 we will share our INSPIRING CONNECTION MAGAZINE which will provide you with a snapshot of the great work that has occurred over the term.
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Katie Smith - |