Middle/Senior School Bulletin Issue 11 / 08 August 2014
make special mention of Mrs Hill, Mrs Craig-Ward and Mr Maessen who will look after the students and ensure it is a ‘life-changing experience.’
Middle & Senior School News This week, I had the great pleasure of coming across a diverse range of learning activities. This is not uncommon, in fact it is more aptly described as a norm at St Andrews. ‘Life-wide’ learning is something we want to promote and encourage. One of the ways we do that is by offering a very diverse range of activities in classes and beyond the classroom. We want our young people to grow and develop in all aspects of themselves; and to take responsible risks as they stretch themselves, by developing both a growth mindset and an understanding of the importance of seeking to do and be one’s personal best in all endeavours. I thought I would share a few ‘moments of awe’ I experienced this week that connect to this ambition we hold for our students. At the Senior School Expo on Tuesday night, I had casual conversations with Isabella Leary and Fraser Eller, both of whom, in an understated way, shared with me that at District Athletics on Tuesday they had, won the high jump (Bella) and set a new district record in the 400m (Fraser). These significant achievement are noteworthy, but in the lives of these young people, just part of the tapestry of their week. Early that day, I had the great pleasure of watching our Japanese visitors from Higashino High School and our students enjoying both a ‘Picnic in the Dome’ and a highly contested volleyball and basketball game. There is no understating the importance of these cultural exchanges. Thank you to all of the school ‘buddies’, host families and to Mrs Hill for making these opportunities to broaden our thinking and to make connections beyond our shores a reality. It is simply so much more than a language exchange program. As our students prepare to travel to Japan, I would also like to
On Wednesday, Year 11 student Melissa Maessen delivered Chapel Service on the theme, ‘a life worth living, is a life lived for others.’ Amongst other things she challenged her peers to take action and to help those in need. Next Tuesday, students are encouraged to dress in rainbow colours and to be a rainbow of hope as we raise funds for World Vision on Mufti Day. As a new initiative in 2014, our Design Technology department held Engineering Week this week, and offered a range of real-life lunchtime activities including a card tower building and egg drop competition for Middle and Senior School students. We also sent two teams to compete in the Theiss Spaghetti Bridge Building competition on Friday. Also away on Friday were our chess teams who contested their 1st place titles at the AGCC Chess competition. (At time of printing results are unknown.)