From the Head of the Preparatory School

Year 1 and 2 Grandparents Day

Earlier this week we welcomed a large number of grandparents for our Year 1 and 2 Grandparents Day. After two years without such an event it was wonderful to be able to welcome so many grandparents and to celebrate the important role that they play in the lives of our boys. Mr Smith spoke about the important place grandparents hold in the lives of young people and the need to cherish these times. The boys were beaming as they embraced the opportunity to show off their classrooms and the playground to their grandparents. The Trinity community is a rich one that encompasses many generations and occasions like this highlight the importance of continuing to learn from, and with, one another.

Year 6 v Year 7 Winter Fixtures

On Wednesday a number of Year 6 boys from the Prep had the opportunity to take part in the annual Combined Prep and Junior School Year 6 v Year 7 Winter fixtures at Summer Hill. The games are a long-standing tradition that forms part of the students’ rite of passage as they begin their transition to high school. They are also a great grudge match against their older peers. We were blessed with two highly competitive and entertaining matches this year that both went the way of the Combined Year 6 teams! We believe this may be a first in the Winter season. Congratulations to all boys involved.

Head Master’s Dash

Another traditional event on the School’s sporting calendar is the Head Master’s Dash, a 40 metre race that crowns the fastest boy in the combined primary schools, and ultimately in the whole school. The four fastest boys from the Prep competed against the equivalent from the Junior School. Claudio Luzzani was the best placed of the Prep boys coming 2^nd in the primary event. Austin Su, Jayden Paskaranathan and Joshua Tsang also competed on behalf of the Prep School.

Book Week

Next week is Book Week! If you haven’t organised your costume for our annual Book Parade, you only have a few days to go as it will take place next Tuesday morning at 9:30am on the top Basketball Court. We look forward to being joined by lots of parents to enjoy the morning with the boys as we celebrate the importance of quality literature. The Auxiliary has kindly organised a cake stall and coffee cart for the morning.

Athletics

Whilst the Winter Sport season concluded last week, there is no rest for some of our boys (and their families) as we embark on a short, but intense Athletics season. Many of our Year 3 to 6 boys will be participating in the season’s first invitational carnival tomorrow morning at Homebush. Good luck to all of the boys competing!

Trinity Primary Arts Festival

This year’s Trinity Primary Arts Festival will take place in Week 6 of this term. The major event of this week will be a Music Concert taking place in the Prep Gym on Wednesday 24^th August beginning at 5:30pm. The concert will feature performances from many of the performance groups and ensembles from across the Prep School, as well as a series of grade-based choral performances. All students in Years 3 to 6 are expected to attend the event and participate.

Throughout Week 6 we will also be hosting an Art Exhibition with every student having at least one piece of their art showcased. The Art Department are busily converting the lower ground floor of the Llandilo Building, encompassing the Library foyer, Art Studios and STEAM Lab, into our very own Art Gallery. This gallery will be open from 3:30 – 4:30pm every afternoon in that week for parents and students to wander through and enjoy the students’ creativity and artistic skills.

We look forward to the Prep School community being part of this our Arts Festival in Week 6 as we celebrate the importance of the Arts at Trinity.

Jump Rope

It has been great to see the boys’ skipping skills developing in recent weeks as they have embraced Jump Rope. It is also great to know that the fundraising that has been taking place in the background will go towards the Heart Foundation. Next Friday 19^th August we will be holding our Jump Rope Day where each class has the opportunity to showcase their skills. We look forward to this being a day of fun, exercise and community spirit.

Parent Helper Information and Training Session

One of the great joys about primary schools is the opportunity for parents to be active members of the learning community. We know this is not possible for all parents but we are keen to make it possible for those that are interested. One such opportunity exists in our K-2 classrooms in the form of parents helping with Literacy Groups. Next Friday 19^th August at 8:30am we will be re-running a short Parent Helper Information and Training session for anyone who missed the last session and is keen to be involved. We insist on parents participating in this session before being involved in the classroom to ensure we are all on the same page and working together productively and positively.

Strathfield Auxiliary Annual General Meeting – save the date

The Strathfield Auxiliary is a very important part of the Prep School. It provides an opportunity for parents to work together with one another and the staff to enhance the life of the School. This takes the form of parent, student and community events, as well as being a valuable forum for discussing school-based matters with myself and other key staff members. Over the years, we have been blessed with a high level of parental involvement and some very committed and enthusiastic people to serve the School community through their involvement in, and leadership of, the Auxiliary.

The Annual General Meeting will take place on Friday 26^th August at 8:30am in the Year 5 Learning Centre. This is the perfect opportunity for parents to begin, continue or strengthen their involvement with the Auxiliary. I appreciate the fact that as parents we all lead busy lives, however, I want to urge you to consider coming along to the meeting. Involvement in the Auxiliary can be informal or formal, and is at whatever level you are comfortable. We are always seeking new parents to join the team to continue the great work that has taken place in recent years to enhance our great community. Being a member of the Auxiliary is also a great way for parents of younger boys to get to know others and to have an influence on the future of their son’s schooling experience while they are at the Prep.

As I sat in this week’s Chapel where we were joined by grandparents, I was reminded of the importance of wisdom in the way that we live and this verse came to mind.

“Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” Proverbs 4:6-7

Chris Wyatt | Head of the Preparatory School