News from the Prinicpal, Dr. John Kennard

I’m not sure what you have done over the past week.  Possibly you’ve been to the cinema or enjoyed Sunday brunch with a relative or relaxed in the park.  For one South African lady, last week was certainly a little more out of the ordinary.  Georgina Harwood started the week throwing herself from a small aircraft and enjoying the parachute drop of a lifetime.  A few days later she donned an oxygen tank, climbed into a metal cage and went swimming with the sharks.  Oh, and Mrs. Haywood also celebrated her 100^th birthday!  We all like a challenge.  In Mrs. Harwood’s case it was fulfilling dreams of a lifetime.  She was not competing to be the oldest parachutist or the oldest person to swim with the sharks.  Georgina Harwood was challenging herself and having fun at the same time.

After the Easter break I shall be launching the PRINCIPAL’S CHALLENGE 2015.  This will involve a series of challenges for students of all ages at our School.  The challenges may be undertaken with your family, or with a group offriends or at School on special Challenge Days.  Each Challenge will be tailored to suit students of all ages, from Year 2 through to Year 12.  I envisage a set of 8 challenges to be completed before we break for the Christmas holidays.  Four challenges I would like to propose are:

1. Going for a Walk: younger children with parents in the Old Town through to seniors walking for a charity
2. Preparing a weekend meal: from a simple breakfast for parents (cereal and toast) for younger children through to seniors cooking an evening meal for the family
3. Reading to somebody: younger children reading to parents or siblings through to older students running a webinar or organising a student conference
4. Writing a letter: for younger students writing a card, letter or story for a special family member (maybe a grandparent) through to senior students writing to the editor of an international magazine/newspaper

I welcome your ideas for the remaining 4 challenges.  You may email me at any time with your suggestions.

Please remember that these are Challenges.  It is not a Competition.  Students will keep a Log Book (passport) recording each Challenge with photographs to verify completion.  A Principal’s Challenge 2015 Certificate will be presented to those who complete the 8 challenges.

I hope that you will be inspired by Mrs. Harwood’s story and take up the challenge!