From the Head of the Preparatory School
Prep News – From the Head of the Preparatory School
PYP Exhibition
The highlight of this week was undoubtedly the PYP Exhibition. On Tuesday evening the Exhibition website went live as the boys shared their presentation with families and guests through virtual interactive sessions. As the week has gone on, the students have also had the opportunity to receive and respond to feedback from guests who have continued to engage with the website. It is fair to say that the Year 6 boys have been on a high all week!
The PYP Exhibition never fails to impress, and this year was no different. As I listened to the students’ presentations and the way they answered impromptu questions, read their essays and poems, and appreciated their artworks, I was amazed at the depth of their knowledge and their skilfulness as learners. Over the course of the eight-week Exhibition period, the students have become experts!
However, perhaps the most striking thing for me about this year’s Exhibition was the students’ growth. One of the great things about having been at Trinity Prep for seven years is that I have had the privilege of watching this cohort of students grow and develop from Kindergarten. I have seen what they were like when they were 5 years of age, I have seen them navigate the highs and lows of primary school, and I have worked with their teachers to support them as they have faced and overcome academic and social challenges over the years. You will have heard me speak about growth many times, but the Exhibition captured this perfectly. It was so rewarding to reflect with the teachers about specific students and to recall their individual learning journeys over the years. I took great pride in mentioning just a few of these stories at our daily briefing on Wednesday morning.
The Exhibition reminds us of the important role that each member of our learning community plays in the lives of our students, parents and teachers alike. We are there to provide encouragement, support, affirmation, discipline and instruction when it is needed. And through this, each individual grows. The Exhibition is a celebration of this learning journey and the growth of each individual.
Well done to the Year 6 students! And well done to the Prep learning community for supporting these young learners in their growth!
The even better news is that it isn’t too late to share in the PYP Exhibition. I encourage all members of the Prep learning community to visit the Exhibition website, to engage in the students learning and to leave some feedback or questions. The boys would be delighted to have a larger audience and to share their learning and action more broadly.
Orientation Day
Plans are very much underway for next week’s Orientation Day on Friday 3rd December. We look forward to welcoming our new students and providing all of the students with the opportunity to begin the transition into their new year levels in 2022.
As previously mentioned, the current COVID restrictions continue to prevent parents from attending Orientation Day. As such, existing students should enter the campus as per normal practice and they will be directed to their new meeting areas.
Today, Orientation began for our Kindergarten 2022 students, as they spent the morning in their new learning environment and welcomed a number of new students. This additional orientation experience is invaluable for these young learners as they move out of Pre-Kindergarten.
Staffing
The following teachers have advised the Head Master that they will be moving on to other professional opportunities at the end of this year. As previously mentioned, Mrs Kirsti Hitz-Morton has accepted a role as a Senior Education Consultant at Hutton Consulting Australia which will provide her with an exciting new chapter in her career. Mrs Sara Palmer will be relocating from Sydney for family reasons, and Mr Jason Freshwater has moved on to other opportunities. Finally, we wish Mrs Jessica Taylor well as she transitions back to full time work at the Junior School from the beginning of next year. We are extremely grateful to these teachers for their commitment and care for the boys, and the significant contribution that each of them has made to the Prep School.
Orientation Day will be a chance for the boys to get to know their new class teacher for 2022 and to look forward to all the great learning and relationships that await them next year. Class Teachers for 2022 are as follows:
Pre-Kindergarten: Mrs Alexandra Schmidt, Ms Tanya Yacoub, Mrs Karen Oliver and Ms Sarah Clay
Kindergarten: Mrs Sally Bailey, Mrs Hilary Cardiff, Ms Ashleigh Lopez
Year 1: Ms Deanna Iannella, Ms Angela Stitcher, Mr Nicholas Kartsiotis (new)
Year 2: Mr Robbie Goulbourne, Ms Erin Cuthbert, Mr Brent Hinson
Year 3: Mr Thomas Gosper, Mr Sam Mako, Mrs Jessica Brogan
Year 4: Mr Scott Merrick, Ms Portia May, Mr Stephen Mugridge
Year 5: Ms Nadene O’Neill, Mr Adam Herborn, Ms Catherine Devitt
Year 6: Mr Mark Gannon, Mr Adam Short, Ms Mikaela Janes
In other staffing news, Mr Sebastian McGrath will be assuming a part time PE teaching role while he undertakes further study. Mrs Nicole Smeulders has accepted a contract for Semester 1 with Opera Australia. This is a tremendous honour and highlights the quality of our Music Department. She will be replaced for this period by Ms Isabelle Keyser.
As previously communicated, we have had a slight leadership restructure at the Prep School resulting in the following appointments for 2022:
- Head of Curriculum – Mrs Fiona Evans
- Head of Academic Care – Mrs Jessica Ford
- Early Years Coordinator – Ms Sarah Clay
End of Year Dates
In light of the ongoing restrictions we have had to modify a number of end of year events. The current plan is as follows. Any additional changes will be communicated closer to the date.
- Wednesday 1st December: Sport, Co-Curricular and Specialist award ceremony – this event will be recorded and provided to parents for viewing at a later date.
- Monday 6th December: Years 3-6 Prize Giving – this event will be for students only but will be live streamed for parents. Time still to be confirmed.
- The Christmas Service will be pre-recorded and sent home.
- Tuesday 7th December: Year 6 Valedictory Service – one parent per student onsite and live streamed.
- Wednesday 8th December: Final day for all Prep School students and Picnic Day for Years 3-6.
- Thursday 9th December: Year 7 2022 Allwell Testing at Summer Hill – Year 6 students only will need to attend school on this day to take part in Allwell Testing. The results of these assessments are invaluable for the Middle School teachers and Housemasters as they support the students’ transition into Year 7 and beyond.
Chris Wyatt | Head of the Preparatory School
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
John 3:16
